Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist, Blogger, Award Winning Author
  • 18 September 2023

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading ple...
  • 14 June 2023

    Protein-rich foods – serve sizes

    Protein, protein, protein. Are you getting enough? Here is a handy list of MEAT and NON-MEAT SOURCES of protein for you to prin...
  • 07 June 2023

    The truth behind coconut oil

    Many “health gurus” tout the benefits of coconut oil. Just type the term into any search engine and you’ll be flooded with arti...
  • 31 May 2023

    Gardening – is it really exercise?

    Did you know that gardening can reduce your risk of heart diseaset?  This month I’ll share this and the latest posts from ...
  • 17 May 2023

    Plant-based meat substitutes

    What do YOU think about plant-based meat substitutes? Veggie-loaded burgers? All-vegetable rissoles? Meatless Mondays?Yet anoth...
  • 10 May 2023

    The truth about lecithin

    What IS lecithin, I hear you ask. A popular “health food” supplement, lecithin is a type of fat called a phospholipid, which ha...
  • 03 May 2023

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restrictio...
  • 26 April 2023

    Reduce your risk of a knee replacement - if you lose weight

    Did you know that you can reduce your risk of needing a knee replacement by losing weight?  I’ll share this and the latest...
  • 19 April 2023

    Brighten your diet – eat by the rainbow

    What’s the first thing that strikes you when you walk into a fresh produce store? If you’re imagining the rainbow of colour…so ...
  • 29 March 2023

    Eat a high quality diet and there's less chance of overweight..

    Did you know that a better (high quality) diet can help you reduce overweight? I’ll share this and the latest posts from the Fo...

This ebook sheds light on why additives are used, where they come from and which ones should trigger your “Avoid” button.

ebooklogo lg png

Additives are a part of modern food life but they’re not all bad. Despite our best intentions, we can’t always eat fresh and to make food safe, stable and taste good, we need a few additives. But which ones? This handy ebook tells you.

Cooking is similar to processing

This ebook explores the notion that cooking does similar things to processing, whether drying, salting, pickling, canning or freezing. Adding salt or sugar or soy sauce at home does not make food healthier and “better” than bought foods.

It outlines the 23 classes of additives in use and shows you how to find them on food labels. It lists those that are harmless or that you’re probably already consuming such as citric acid 330 (found in lemons and all citrus fruits) or magnesium sulphate 518, better known as Epsom salt that you add to a bath to soak in.

It lists those additives to steer clear of that have long been a problem such as the colours, preservatives and flavour enhancers. There’s a convenient list of the 18 suspicious additives for you to bookmark or print out and keep when shopping.

It finishes with a 4-step plan to avoid ALL additives if you still think you need to and describes the trend to “Clean Labels” that manufacturers are now adopting.

Drawing on her own experiences as a dietitian, educator and industry consultant, Catherine guides readers logically through the maze of information that is on any food label. She simplifies and makes it interesting and memorable. Through everyday examples (the "Inside Story"), she brings additives to life and shows the roles they play to keep food safe and fresh.

CLICK to BUY - just click "Buy Now"

Why I wrote this eBook

"I want to help you navigate a middle course where you can provide nutritious healthy meals for yourself and those you love with maximum convenience and minimum additives. There IS a balance between fresh and additive-free versus convenience plus additives. After years of working with the food industry and teaching others how to figure out the ingredients, let me now share these secrets with you".  Catherine Saxelby

Book details

ISBN: 978-0-9875521-1-2
Format: ePUB, Mobi and PDF
Language: English
Number of words: 17,000
Equivalent to: 70 pages - read in under 2 hours
Country of origin: Australia
Publisher: Foodwatch Nutrition Hub

This eBook will be delivered to you as a digital download via a link in an email (not a physical book in the post).

You will receive an email summarising your purchase. At the base of that email is your account token. Log into Your Account (using the SAME email address you bought the ebook with) PLUS your account token. You will then be taken to a Summary page called “My Orders” where you will see Orders, Downloads and Address. Here you can download the three files (a PDF file plus an ePub file for reading devices such as a Nook plus a Mobi file for a Kindle).

If you have a Kindle, the ebook file can be downloaded onto the Kindle through the USB port - simply plug it in and treat the Kindle as an external drive.

Please DOWNLOAD as soon as you get the email. Read later at your leisure. You have one year and 10 attempts to download the files.

CLICK to BUY - just click "BUY NOW" above

Contents - here's what you'll get:

8 sections with 27 chapters to educate and inspire you to understand everything about food additives. I share “inside stories” where I analyse everyday foods as examples and explain why they contain the additives they do. Plus everything you need to figure out which are OK and which you should avoid.

Section 1
Introduction – Hello from Catherine
The attraction of convenience
The positives and the negatives of food processing
The four main types of processed foods

Section 2
Why are food additives used?
Who’s in charge?
What are NOT additives

Section 3
The 23 main classes of additives and what they do:

1. Acidity regulators
2. Anti-caking agents
3. Anti-foaming agents
4. Antioxidants
5. Colours – artificial
6. Colours – natural
7. Colour retention agents
8. Emulsifiers
9. Enzymes
10. Firming agents
11. Flavour enhancers
12. Flour treatment agents
13.Gelling agents
14. Glazing agents
15. Humectants
16. Mineral salts
17. Preservatives
18. Propellants
19. Raising agents
20. Sequestrants
21. Stabilisers
22. Sweeteners
23. Thickeners

What about additives with NO number?
Vitamins used in fortification of cereals, breads, juices
The Inside Story: Salad dressing

Section 4
How are additives shown on the label?

Section 5
Which additives should I steer clear of?
Colours to avoid
Preservatives to avoid
Flavour enhancers to avoid
Suspicious additives - to bookmark and keep or print out

Section 6
28 additives you don’t need to worry about:
Natural colours
Natural acidity regulators
Natural emulsifiers
Natural gums and gels
Natural mineral salts
Natural enzymes

Section 7
My 4-step guide to avoiding all additives

Section 8
Clean labelling and how additives are changing on the label

My conclusions on additives
References and websites

CLICK to BUY - only $9.99 - just click "Buy Now" above

Already buy from an online book store like Amazon or Kobo?

Head to this universal book link and then you'll find it instantly at any one of 12+ stores. Think Kindle (Amazon), Rakuten Kobo, Nook (Barnes & Noble), Apple, Indigo, Angus & Robertson, Booktopia, Thalia and Bol. It's  https://books2read.com/NavigatingTheNumbers

Brand Foodwatch
$9.99
875 In Stock

Reviews

  • Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.

    I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:

    • from Italian (Italy grows the reddest full-flavoured tomatoes) to Australian
    • per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 3½ ounces (the standard for comparing food products)
    • by serving size (varies between brands but is generally 100–175 g in size)
    • by ingredient list, jar size and where made (with each product’s website as the source)

    The bottom line

    When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!

    Read more
  • Product Review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.

    You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.

     

  • Product snapshot: Khorasan Macaroni

    Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni

    14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …

  • Product Review: super-high-oleic-safflower-oil

    Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil

    11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    “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.

  • Product Review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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.

  • Product review: Lite n' Easy

    Product review: Lite n' Easy

    20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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.

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.  

     

  • Product review:  Birds Eye Plant Based range

    Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range

    15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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!

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Birds Eye. 

Healthy Weight Loss

  • Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?

    Read more
  • The lifestyle diet craze

    The lifestyle diet craze

    15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?

  • Protein shakes for weight loss

    Protein shakes for weight loss

    9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.

    Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to beat those cravings

    20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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.

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet

    14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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.

  • What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    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 

  • Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

     “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?