healthy eating

Healthy Eating on a Vegan Diet

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

Vegan DietPlant-based and vegan diets are becoming more and more popular each day. In fact, according to Google Trends, searches on the word ‘vegan’ have increased by almost 200% in the past 5 years. Some of the reasons are the rise in the awareness of animal welfare and the impact of our food on the environment but people are also ditching animal products as a way to improve their health.

The Benefits:

There is some research to show that vegan diets can reduce your risk of obesity, artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some types of cancer. These benefits, however, depend on you having a well-balanced eating plan with enough nutrients.

The Risks:

As with any change in your eating habits it’s very easy to miss out on crucial vitamins and minerals when reducing the variety of foods that you eat. Meats, for example, are rich sources of protein, easily digestible iron and vitamin B12. Dairy products are also rich in vitamin B12 and contain high levels of calcium.

The side-effects of not getting enough nutrition when eating vegan could be:

  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss
  • Heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath
  • Vision loss
  • Dizziness
  • Depression
  • Memory loss
  • Tingling in hands and feet
… read more »

Magnesium- what is it and how can I get enough in my diet?

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

What is Magnesium?

  • Magnesium is a mineral that you need every day for good health.
  • Magnesium helps you take energy from food and make new proteins.
  • It is also an important part of your bones, and helps keep your muscles and nerves healthy.
  • Some people find that magnesium-rich foods or supplements help to reduce their cramping and muscle soreness.

  • The best sources of magnesium are legumes, nuts, seeds, fish and whole grains.

 

How much Magnesium should I aim for?

Daily target

Men 19-30yrs

330mg

Men 30+yrs

350mg

Women 19-30yrs

255mg

Women 30+yrs

265mg

** Magnesium from supplements should not exceed 350 mg per day. It is safe to consume more than your daily magnesium needs from food.

 

How can I get enough Magnesium without taking supplements?

The following table shows you which foods are good sources of Magnesium.

Food

Serving size

Magnesium (mg)

All bran

30g

83

 

Almonds

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1⁄4 cup

 

123

 

Banana

 

1 med

 

25

 

Brazil nuts

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1⁄4 cup

 

116

Brown rice

 

1 cup

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86

Cashews

1⁄4 cup

83

 

Dark chocolate

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40g

 

48

Firm tofu

 

150g

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112

Greek yogurt

175g

28

Hazelnuts

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1⁄4 cup

53

Kale, cooked

… read more »

Diet Culture and Kids.

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

 

Cassandra Stuchbery, Dietitan.

How ‘dieting’ might be affecting your kids.

The phrase ‘diet culture’ has been gaining a lot of interest in the past few years. It’s used to describe any words, phrases, products or activities that encourage eating according to strict rules. Here are some signs that you might be a part of ‘diet culture’:

  • You use words like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ to describe foods (apart from milk that’s gone bad for example)
  • You follow a set of rules when you eat eg. Not eating after 8pm, not eating bread, only having low fat foods
  • You are avoiding a certain food group to try to lose weight eg. Keto, paleo, vegan
  • The way you eat tends to get in the way of your social life or family life (maybe you’re cooking separate dinners, can’t eat out etc.)

The problem with this kind of thinking is that it teaches us to ignore our internal body signals. At the end of the day even the smartest people in the world can’t know what your body needs better than you (the person walking around in it!). Kids have an amazing innate sense of hunger and fullness which guides them in how much to eat … read more »

‘Bring a plate’ Salad Options

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

It is coming into the Christmas season and with many parties coming up you may be asked to bring a salad or plate of food to share. Why not try one of these yummy dietitan approved salads!

Green Bean Salad with Basil and Balsamic

  • Prep time:10 minutes
  • Cook time:15 minutes
  • Yield:Serves 6

To save time, while the water is coming to a boil, prep the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTSbring a plate beans

  • 700g trimmed green beans, cut to 5cm long pieces
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

METHOD

1 Soak chopped onions in water: Place the chopped onions in a small bowl of water. This will help take the edge off the onions. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

2 Blanch the green beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (2 Tbsp salt for 2L of water). Add the green beans to the water and blanch only for about 2 minutes or so, until the beans are just barely cooked through, but still crisp. Fresh young beans should cook quickly. Older, tougher beans may take longer.

 

3 Shock in ice water:… read more »

Healthy Breakfast Options

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

Looking for something yummy to mix up your breakfast routine but also want something healthy? We have you covered with these dietitian endorsed recipes below.

AVOCADO TOAST WITH LEMON AND KALE

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS:Healthy Breakfast Avo Toast

  • 1 cup shredded kale (no stems)
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 4 slices multigrain bread
  • 1 small avocado
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • 4 thin slices radish (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon chia seeds

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a bowl combine the kale, olive oil and juice of 1/4 lemon.
  2. Massage with your hands for about 1 minute, until the kale softens.
  3. Slice the avocado in half, reserving 1/2 of one avocado for thin slices. Scoop the rest into a small bowl and mash gently with a fork. Season with salt, black pepper and juice from 1/4 of a lemon.
  4. Toast the slices of multigrain bread.
  5. Spread the avocado mash across the toasted bread, top with slices and sprinkle with cumin (more lemon juice if desired).
  6. Top each with the massaged kale, radish and chia, finish with pinch salt and black pepper to taste.

Recipe from skinnytaste.com and endorsed by our dietitian Cass

 

Skinny Green Tropical Smoothie
Serves 2

Ingredients:Healthy Breakfast Green Smoothie

  • 3/4 cup lite coconut milk
  • ¾ cup
… read more »

Summer Salad Recipes

by (Dietitian and Sports Dietitian)

As the weather warms up, nobody wants to be slaving away over a hot stove. Try these easy summer salad recipes for a quick lunch or speedy dinner idea!

BLACKENED CHICKEN FIESTA SALAD

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:Summer Salad BLACKENED CHICKEN FIESTA SALAD

For the Fiesta Salad:

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup fresh cooked corn (from 1 large ear)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup coriander, chopped
  • 1 small avocado

For the chicken:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • olive oil spray
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 180C.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, lime juice, oil, cumin, crushed red pepper, and salt.
  3. Add the chickpeas, corn, tomato, onion and coriander; mix well.
  4. Heat a large frying pan over high heat for 5 minutes until it is smoking hot.
  5. Mix together the paprika, cayenne, cumin, thyme, and garlic powder. Spray the chicken breasts with cooking spray on both
… read more »