Confused by food? Registered nutritionist
ANITA BEAN reveals what’s healthy and what’s hype.
Fuel your workout
Eat right before you exercise
Whether you’re setting off for a power
walk, a jog or a Zumba class, get the max out of your workout by eating the
right food beforehand. Studies at the University of Sydney have found that
people who ate a low-GI meal – slow – burn carbs that produce a gradual rise in
blood sugar levels, plis a little protein – three hours before exercising were
able to keep going longer than those who ate a high-GI meal. Good options:
porridge with milk and honey; pasta with pesto sauce and cheese; a baled potato
with beans; or a wholemeal tuna sandwich.
No time for a meal?
Try one of these low-GI snacks 30 minutes
before working out to give you an energy boost:
·
One or two bananas
·
A small handful (50g) raisins, sultanas,
apricots or dates
·
An oat-based cereal or granola bar
·
1 slice of wholegrain toast with honey
Love carrots love your heart
Love carrots love your heart
We all know they’re good for your sight,
but who knew they could reduce risk of heart disease? In a study tracking
eating habits of 20,000 people over 10 years, Dutch researchers found that deep
orange-coloured fruir and veg, particularly carrots, were more protactive than
those in other colour groups (green, red/purple or white). Eating an extra half
a carrot (25g) a day meant a 32% drop in heart disease risk. This effect is
thought to be due to carrots’ high content of alpha and beta-carotenoids, which
act as antioxidants. Other sources include sweet potatoes, pumpkin and
butternut squash.
The brain power diet
Nuts and seeds for vitamin E, fruit for
vitamin C
Want to keep your brain flexible and fit?
New research says people who eat lots of fruit, vegetables and fish have better
mental performance. Higher blood levels of vitamins B, C, D, E and omega-3
fatty acids were linked with higher scores in thinking and brain volume tests.
High levels of trans fats (in deep-fried and processed foods such as cakes,
biscuits and doughnuts) in the blood were bad news for the grey cells. Focus
on:
·
Omega-3s: salmon, mackerel, nuts.
·
B vitamins: wholegrain bread and cereals, nuts,
milk and dairy.
·
Vitamin C: fruit and veg.
·
Vitamin E: nuts, seeds and oils.
·
Vitamin D: oily fish, fortified breakfast
cereals, egg yolk.
3 easy ways to save 100 calories in May
·
SWAP 2 tablespoons (60g) taramasalata
(290calories)
FOR 2 tablespoons
(60g) houmous (172 calories)
Nutritional
saving = 118 calories
·
SWAP Tesco chicken korma/jalfrezi meal for 2
(1,315 calories)
FOR Tesco chicken
biryani/bhuna meal for 2 (1,185 calories)
Nutritional
saving = 130 calories
·
SWAP Café Rouge boeuf Bourguinon (749 calories)
FOR Café Rouge
bouillabaisse (551 calories)
Nutritional
saving = 198 calories.
