Milk permeate - the unfiltered truth

Milk permeate is an issue which is running hot in the TV, Newspapers and Social Media at the moment. So what’s the whole truth and what’s the “filtered” truth and more importantly from my point of view, what’s the REAL issue here.

Read more...

7 reasons why gluten-free doesn’t mean healthy

Gluten-free is the trendy food darling of the moment. I’ve never seen a wider choice of gluten-free breads, muffins, shortbread, cookies and muesli bars. Even gluten-free pizza and pasta. But if you don’t have to avoid gluten for medical reasons, I don’t believe these speciality foods will help you lose weight or digest your food better.

Read more...

Australians demand more when dining out

Over 70 per cent of Australians want to know more about what's in their meals when eating out, including nutrition and transparency of ingredients, according the a new survey entitled the "World Menu Report".

Read more...

MyPlate replaces MyPyramid

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently launched its new healthy eating awareness tool - the MyPlate icon. This easy-to-understand icon replaces the more complex and less helpful MyPyramid. The MyPlate icon which allows American families to understand what they should be eating at a single glance is part of an awareness package that was developed to encourage healthy food choices based on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Read more...

Kilojoules and fast food – the “in-your-face” facts

From 1 February this year, all major fast food chains must display the kilojoule (calorie) counts of their food with the same prominence as the price. For instance, the Grand Angus has 2630 kilojoules (see picture right). This “in-your-face” information is designed to make consumers take stock of what they, and their children, are eating.

Read more...

Fish oil – let’s separate the hype from the facts

There's been a lot of publicity about fish oil in recent times but how much is fact and how much is hype? How useful are they and do you really need to take them? I've prepared a handy eGuide to Fish Oil and Health to help you decide whether or not you need to take them. Here in one handy document are the answers to the most frequently asked questions on fish oil.

Read more...

Cut your food wastage – save your wallet, save the environment

Wilted vegetables, milk past its use-by date, stale bread, last weekend's leftovers - who isn't guilty of throwing uneaten food into the garbage bin? While it might not feel like much at the time, as a nation Australians waste over $5.3 billion worth of food each year, according to a survey carried out by The Australia Institute.

Read more...

Nutrition highlights of 2010

From palm oil to the Parents' Jury, here are the 20 food and nutrition issues that caught my attention during 2010.  Read on and see if you agree ....

Read more...

Selling carrots like junk food

Should everyday vegetables like carrots or broccoli be marketed the same way as fries? Do vegies need to be 'fun' if we want our kids to swallow them? Or should they just eat what they're given? It's a tricky issue for parents and food educators.

Read more...

Bill Clinton's Diet - why I think it's "extreme and not sustainable"

Recently there's been a lot of comment on my opinions of Bill Clinton's diet, as expressed in the Sydney Morning Herald article of 23 September. I said that I thought his diet was "was extreme and not sustainable in the long-term". Here's why...

Read more...

Junior Masterchef: what does it teach kids?

What, if any, lessons does this popular TV show teach budding young chefs?  Riding on the wave of celebrity chefs and the sensationally-popular Masterchef comes this kiddie version where children as young as 9 cook complicated and gourmet recipes for the chef judges. But does it make for a generation of better home cooks?

Read more...

Dark chocolate - health food or guiltless treat?

Chocolate, with its comforting velvety smoothness, is everyone's favourite indulgence. We love each new study on its alleged health benefits which give us the green light to indulge. But what's the truth: can we now say that it's a guiltless super food packed with antioxidants or just an indulgence with great marketing?

Read more...

Stevia - a new sweetener hits the shelves

Stevia is a new sweetener that is 100% natural yet has no kilojoules, does not increase blood glucose levels and does not cause tooth decay. It is 250 to 300 times sweeter than cane sugar but tastes similar - certainly better than the older sweeteners like saccharin or cyclamate with their bitter metallic after-taste.

Read more...

Your daily bread - now fortified with iodine

Since October 2009, most bread in Australia is now being baked with iodised salt as part of a move to lift overall iodine intakes across the nation. At present just under half the population - some 43 per cent of Australians - don't take in enough iodine. Following iodine fortification, this is estimated to drop to a low 5 per cent.

Read more...

10 mega-trends in healthy eating

Home cooking, sustainability, mini luxuries, food allergies, wholegrains, super foods and trans fats take centre stage for 2010. What's hot and on the rise in the world of diets, nutrition and healthy lifestyle? Here's my take on what's taking off for the rest of 2010 based on what I've canvassed from industry publications, health magazines, conferences as well as websites, blogs and Tweets.

Read more...