All “high-oleic” means is that the oil is high in monounsaturated fats (also called omega-9 fatty acids), similar t… https://t.co/CXR4b3xVie
= Reviews =
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Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil
“What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask. Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.
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Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker
When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.
After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.
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Product review: Lite n' Easy
With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.
This post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.
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Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range
When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!
This post has been sponsored by Birds Eye.
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Product Snapshot: Olina’s Snackers Crackers
We sampled Olina’s latest offering in the seeded cracker range – called Olina’s Bakehouse Seriously Seedy Snackers (which is a great name BTW). They come in four flavours: Barbecue, Chilli & Lime, Beetroot & Sour Cream, and Balsamic Vinegar & Caramelised Onion. Take a look at our verdict.
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Product review: Leggo’s Organic Sauces
These new organic pasta sauces from Leggo’s come in three varieties – Organic Tomato and Basil, Organic Tomato and Garlic, and Organic Tomato and Veggies. All of them sport an impressive 4.5 Health Star Rating (HSR). Read on to see how they fared in my taste tests and under the nutrition microscope.
This post has been sponsored by Leggo’s.
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Product snapshot – Woolworths' Fruit sourdough, is it a better alternative to other fruit breads?
I’m sure we all like a slice of toasted fruit loaf with our morning coffee from time to time. I certainly do but I’m always worried about the amount of added sugar in them. That’s why I was interested to try Woolworths Fruit and Seed Sourdough bread. Take a look at my findings…
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Product Snapshot – Carman’s Protein Salted Caramel Nut Butter bar
There’s a plethora of muesli bars, nut bars, nut and seed bars available these days. I’ve tried several and none really hit the spot for me. I’ve had a few that tasted a bit rancid and others that were way, way too sweet. That’s why I tried these bars. Here's what I found…
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Product Snapshot: Woolworths Soft wraps with 65% less carb
Low carb products are all the rage at the moment. Those on keto and low carb diets are always on the lookout for low carb versions of their favourite foods such as breads and wraps. We’ve already reviewed low carb breads and low carb potatoes and now we’re now giving you a quick look at these soft wraps from Woolworths which have 65 per cent less carbs.
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Product Snapshot: Nudus fruit and veg chips
If you’re on social media, then you’re almost guaranteed to have heard of Nudus. They seem to be carpet bombing the Instagram and Facebook feeds. This made me curious (yes, the ads worked!) to see what they were like as they have 5 Health Stars and claim to be made from 100% fruit or veg.
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Product Snapshot – Dillicious – Australian Dill Pickles
I’m a big fan of dill pickles so I was interested to try these Dillicious Aussie ones. I ordered them online and they arrived in short order, well packaged in recyclable materials. Take a look at what I thought of them.
= Healthy Weight Loss =
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How to beat those cravings
Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.
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How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet
The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.
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What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?
Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.
This post is sponsored by Chefgood
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Kitchen make-over for the New Year
“This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?
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7 reasons your body will love a bowl of soup!
I love soup, whether in a bowl, a mug or on-the-go. It’s easy to make in bulk and freeze in portions for later so you don’t have to do as much cooking or spend that precious time in the kitchen. So, why not make up a big pot today and keep it for when you’re starving before a meal or as a between-meal snack? Your body will thank you for it.
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Should you really “breakfast like a king” if you want to lose weight?
As nutritionists, we were always taught that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, especially for people who want to lose weight. Now a review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2019;364:l42 ) throws doubt on this old adage.
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Fasts and fasting – religious and nutrition based
Every major religion has some sort of fast. In the 1960s, I grew up as a Catholic and the Lenten ritual of giving up something (for me it was sugar in my tea and coffee) and fasting was a normal part of the year. We also used to fast one hour before Mass so we could receive the sacrament of Holy Communion on an empty stomach. No meat was allowed on Fridays (which later morphed into only the Fridays of Lent). Here we examine the traditional fasts of major religions as well the newer nutrition-based fasts for weight loss. See if it’s something you can manage …
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What actually is ketosis? Is it good or bad for you?
Ketosis is when you push your body’s metabolism to burn stored fat for energy instead of sugar. So how do you do it? And is it good for you?
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What's better for weight loss and health? Low-carb or low-fat?
Recent studies have provided an interesting insight into the perennial ‘dieters’ dilemma’ - “Low-carb OR low-fat?” Which is better for your health? Which is better for weight loss? The results are in, so let’s take a look.
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7 best vegetables to help you lose weight (with serving ideas)
Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult or painful. As a nutritionist dedicated to helping busy women eat healthily I have the answer! Fresh vegetables are the key. They taste great, they’re full of vitamins, minerals and fibre too. Take a look…
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7 weight loss hacks to do NOW
Finding it hard to shed those extra kilos or pounds? New Year is traditionally a time for new beginnings so now is the ideal time to change your eating habits and the ways you exercise. It’s all about eating better on less and getting more movement into your day. Here are my fave 7 tips and tricks to boost your metabolism, burn more energy and promote healthy weight loss
= Most popular =
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Q. What's the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero?
A. At first glance, Diet Coke and Coke Zero appear to be identical. Both contain no kilojoules (Calories) and no sugar. Both are artificially sweetened with (the same amount) of aspartame and acesulfame K and therefore have the same ‘sweetness’.
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7 types of sugar - which is healthier?
Last week on the radio, the announcer asked me if there was a 'good' sugar – one that would satisfy her sweet tooth but that was 'healthier' than regular white sugar. She figured if there were 'good' carbs and 'bad' carbs there must be some sugars that would get the nod of approval from nutritionists.
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Eat to beat gastro and diarrhoea
A clear fluid diet is the best form of treatment for gastro and tummy upsets. It is the "lightest" type of diet, designed to place as little strain as possible on the digestive tract. It is NOT nutritionally adequate and should be followed only for a strictly limited time e.g. two or three days but no more than a week.
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How to convert sodium to salt (and salt to sodium)
As a nutritionist, my aim is to help busy women eat healthily. One of the ways to do this is to follow the general nutrition advice to reduce the salt in your diet. So, how can you do this when what you’ll see on a food label and on any recommended daily intakes is sodium?
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Sugar - why quitting sugar guarantees you'll lose weight
Sugar. It's been labelled "deadly", "addictive", "toxic", "sweet poison" and blamed for the rise in global obesity in recent years." Get rid of the white toxin from your diet and you'll free up your body to drop those excess kilos" (or so say anti-sugar campaigners Sarah Wilson, David Gillespie and Robert Lustig). Here are the three real reasons why I believe quitting sugar helps you lose weight.
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Nutella. The full (correct) list of ingredients
Have you ever tried to find the exact list of ingredients for Nutella online? The identical one that appears on its label - in descending order from the first (largest ingredient by weight) to the last ingredient, as required by food law? Well, you won’t find it! Here’s the hoop-la I went through to discover exactly what the ingredients in Nutella are and why Nutella is not good for your kids.
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What does 8,700 kilojoules look like?
8,700 is a magic number in nutrition. It’s the number of kilojoules (kJ) that is the “average” intake for adults in Australia, if the surveys are correct. It’s widely used as a benchmark figure and as the basis of food labels such as the Percent Daily Intake values. Recently kilojoules have appeared on fast food menu boards and they use 8,700 as the yardstick to assess their foods against. Here's my take on it.
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Eat to beat gallstones
Gallstones, small hard “rocks” of cholesterol and calcium, can block the tubes that drain the gallbladder. This blockage causes inflammation of the gallbladder or of the bile drainage tubes. Once this happens you experience terrible pain or colic, fever and even jaundice (skin turns yellow). Here’s what you can do about it.
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How to convert kilojoules to Calories
Just like yards became metres and pounds became grams, so Calories have become kilojoules. Kilojoules are the metric equivalent of Calories and have replaced Calories in Australia and many other metric countries. Yet they're very confusing, especially to my US visitors who have always only known Calories (lucky for me, I grew up with Calories then had to learn kilojoules!)
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Q. What’s the difference between fish oil and cod liver oil?
A. Fish oil and cod liver oil are two different oils even though they both come from fish and have a similar fatty acid profile.
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Top 100 polyphenols. What are they and why are they important?
There are heaps of websites and food packs out there that try to compare this super food to that one. Depending on which testing method is used, you'll see sites and ads proclaiming that blueberries have more antioxidants than red wine; that goji has more than blueberries; that pomegranate juice has more than tea; and that dark chocolate is up there with all of them.
= Recipes =
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Veggie-full lasagne
This meal is a hearty and healthy winter choice for a family.
You can use any vegetables you have on hand, ensuring there is 600g in total.
Allow for sufficient cooking time and slice any firm vegetables finely.
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No-Fuss Sushi
This meal is based on a couple of cans of tuna plus rice, edamame, avocado and cucumber, and is ready in a jiffy. Easy. If there are only two of you, either halve the recipe or save the leftovers for another meal.
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Broccoli pesto fish parcels
Here is a quick, easy and delicious way to cook fish using the foil-enclosure method. And it has hidden vegetables – both in the pesto and the fish parcels!
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Salmon, baby spinach and rice salad
This easy salad is one I’ve adapted from the Canadian Salmon Advisory Service and used with their permission. Because it uses up a whole packet of each ingredient, you can make it when camping or on the road.
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Pumpkin and Red Lentil Soup
A versatile and nutritious vegetable, pumpkin is a rich source of beta-carotene, from which it gets its lovely golden colour. The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, which is important for good eyesight. Currently, beta-carotene is being studied for its antioxidant properties. You’ll get heaps of antioxidants from this hearty soup.
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Pork and Mushroom Meatball-Style Soup
Once you’ve made the meatballs, this becomes an easy recipe to serve. The trick is to make the final topping look attractive with the chilli and coriander.
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Lamb Cutlets with Cucumber & Pea Salad and Spiced Curry Yoghurt
This easy and tasty recipe will soon become a family favourite.
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Mexican Lettuce Cups with Avo Yoghurt Dressing and Steamed Corn
This is a low-carb version of Mexican tacos – instead of using starch-heavy tacos you sub in lettuce leaves to take the place of the tacos. Neat huh?