Monday, February 28, 2011

Detox Diets


Hands up if you've tried a detox diet?

Ok now hands up if you're still on it.

Yep, didn't think so.


Detox diets have become a bit of a craze over time. Recently I've been hearing the Lemon Detox ads on the radio, the one where the two girls are chatting and one tells the other not to waste her time going to the gym or on diets, but instead to try the Lemon Detox Diet. But hang on, isn't the Lemon Detox Diet, a diet?

Why you shouldn't detox

Detox diets such as the Lemon Detox Diet are based around severe calorie restriction. The Lemon Detox Diet restricts your entire calorie intake to 1/4 of your average kilojoule requirement, or 1/2 of the kilojoules that someone would consume if they were to go on a strict weight loss diet. So because you consume so little calories, of course weight loss is going to occur.

The body is not silly though, and here's where the problems begin. The body realises that it's had such a reduction in calories, that it actually goes into starvation mode. Your metabolic rate crashes to a low as your body tries to conserve as much energy as possbile. A lot of 'weight' that you will lose will be water, as well as lean muscle, as the body is starving so it clings to its fat stores. Now lean muscle is not what you want to lose, fat is what you want to lose.


After your detox is over, you return to your regular intake and your body, once again, not silly, thinks Ok, I'd better bloody hurry up and create myself some more fat stores, just in case I have to go into starvation mode again!

So instead of burning fat, you'll actually gain more fat and lose lean muscle (which helps to burn fat!).

Matt O'Neill, APD from Metabolic Jumpstart has produced a fantastic video on the Lemon Detox Diet - worth watching. See for yourself the enjoyment of drinking 9 glasses of lemon juice, syrup, cayenne pepper and water for 10 - 14 days. That's right, no food allowed for 2 weeks. Which means that disclaimer they add on the end of the Lemon Detox Diet radio ad about using in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise... well clearly that's just for legalities, as there is no food allowed whilst on this diet. It'll also set you back over $100.



The bottom line

Although detox diets sound natural and enticing as a quick weight loss solution, they really are far from it. You'll also have to turn down any social activities for 2 weeks, and no doubt you'll get a few strange looks from your work colleagues in the lunch room, let alone family and friends. Detox diets also don't provide adequate nutrition in terms of meeting your carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin and mineral requirements. But I think the worst part about these diets is that they strip you of your muscle and reduce your metabolic rate so significantly that your body won't be able to help itself but stack on the kilos to prepare for the next time it gets starved.

Cheers.








Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos
Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Product Review: Chic & Fava Nuts


Here's my review of Chic Nuts as featured in the DAA National Vegetarian Interest Group Newsletter, Issue 1, 2011.

Who would have thought that roasted legumes could ever taste so good?

Partner Foods have recently introduced Chic Nuts and Fava Nuts to the market, a delicious and healthy snack alternative. Chic Nuts are roasted chickpeas, and come in 2 varieties: Lightly Salted and Sicilian Herbs & Garlic. You can buy these in either a 200g paper/foil pack, 25g snack packs to store in your handbag for a quick hunger fix, or a box of 6 x 25g snack packs.



Fava Nuts are roasted broadbeans, available in 25g snack packs and boxes of 6 x 25g snack packs.

 

Nutrition specs? The good news is these are a filling and highly nutritious snack. High in protein, low GI, high in fibre, as well rich in a number of vitamins and minerals including iron and folic acid. Partner Foods guarantee these products are gluten and nut free and are suitable for vegans. The ingredients list is very simple, with all products containing just 4 or 5 ingredients.

 

The Chic Nuts are much lower in total fat at 8.8g/100g compared to Fava Nuts at 18g/100g. All are slow roasted in canola oil, making these low in saturated and trans fats. Sodium content is reasonable for all products at 300mg/100g.

 

These are a healthier alternative to potato crisps and are a ready to serve, non perishable, portion controlled snack that can be kept in the cupboard and pulled out when the unexpected guest pops over. I tried these over the Christmas break as an alternative nibble option and received lots of positive feedback from my family. Even my ‘blokey’ uncles took to these and were pleased to know that they were a nutritious choice as well as being very flavoursome.

 


 

Where can you buy these? Try Woolworths, Macro, Mrs Flannery’s or Fundamental Food Stores. Selected IGA stores are also a retailer. For more information check out their website.

 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

CHIC NUTS

Lightly  Salted

CHIC NUTS

Sicilian Herbs & Garlic

FAVA NUTS

Lightly Salted

25g serve

100g serve

50g serve

100g serve

25g serve

100g serve

Energy (kJ)

399

1597

799

1597

525.5

2106

Protein (g)

5.2

20.9

10.5

20.9

6.1

24.5

Fat - Total (g)

2.2

8.8

4.4

8.8

4.5

18

 - Saturated (g)

0.4

1.6

<1

1.6

<1

1.6

- Trans Fats (g)

NIL

NIL

NIL

NIL

NIL

NIL

Carbohydrate

 - Total (g)

11.5

46.1

23.1

46.1

11.5

46.1

- Sugars (g)

0.7

2.6

1.3

2.6

0.8

3.4

Sodium (mg)

75

300

150

300

75

300

Potassium (mg)

-

-

438

876

67

268

Dietary Fibre (g)

4.1

16.5

8.3

16.5

1.6

6.5

Folic Acid (mg)

43

171

85

171

26

104

Vitamin A (mg)

-

-

-

-

3.8

15

Calcium (mg)

23

92

46

92

9

36

Iron (mg)

1.7

6.9

3.45

6.9

0.4

1.5

Zinc (mg)

0.4

1.6

0.8

1.6

0.3

1

Ingredients:

Chickpeas (95%), canola oil, garlic powder, salt.

Chickpeas (95%), canola oil, salt, garlic powder, herbs and spices (ground oregano, ground thyme, ground sage).

Broadbeans (92%), canola oil, salt, garlic and onion powder.

Price*

*Woolworths Online 1.2.11

$4.63 (200g packet)

$5.36 (150g box)

$4.62 (200g packet)

$5.36 (150g box)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Is sugar the enemy?

As per my previous post on nutrition misinformation, I've heard a lot of talk on sugar lately and it being called an "invisible fat", a "sweet poison" and every other name under the sun.

But is sugar that bad?

What you need to know is that sugar is very complex and there are many different forms of sugar. If you think of sugar as being a car for example. There are many different types of cars which run in different ways, at different speeds, and have different engines.

Sugar can come as a less refined product, or can also be highly processed. What we do know is that some sugars have been linked with obesity, while others have not.

Not all sugar is bad for you

I recently heard a newly famous celebrity talking on radio recommending a zero sugar diet and saying that fruit should not be eaten every day. This is not true. Fruit is good for you and should be included in your daily diet. As per the Go For 2 & 5 campaign, you should aim to eat 2 medium pieces of fruit a day.


Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose, but this is not linked with obesity. Another similarly named substance called high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is the baddie, not fructose itself. HFCS is commonly found in many processed foods in the US and is not a major problem in Australia. It is a highly refined product and is very different to the frutose in fruit. I guess you could say it would be like comparing batman to the joker.

Yoghurt is also a healthy choice. Most of the sugar in yoghurt is the naturally occurring sugar found in milk and fruit. There is some added sugar in some yoghurts, and there are better choices than others. Choosing a yoghurt that has a lower total kilojoule content is a good start.


I've also heard celebrities recommending full fat products over low fat products. The body gets its healthy fats from unsaturated oils, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish like salmon and tuna. Low fat dairy products are recommended over full fat dairy products as they are lower in saturated fats which have been linked with heart disease. Low fat dairy products are also the best choice for most children over the age of 2. The good news is that low fat dairy contains just as much calcium, protein and other essential nutrients that children and adults need every day.

The sugar to look out for

It upsets me that there are people out there bashing fruit, yoghurt and bread because of their so-called sugar content. These are all nutritious foods and you can be rest assured that you are making a healthy choice by consuming these. Bread contains carbohydrates which fuel the body with energy each day. The best choices of bread are wholegrain or multigrain, the ones with the most seeds!

What you do need to look out for are the added sugars that are generally found in more processed foods.


Foods like cakes, biscuits, muffins, pastries, pies, lollies, chocolate, desserts, soft drinks, etc. I don't need to remind you that these foods are not for daily consumption (not just because of the added sugar). These foods are best kept for special occasions, or once ever 2 weeks. Eating too many of these foods will contribute to weight gain and increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

I would also recommend trying to cut down on any sugar you add to your tea and coffee.

These are just empty calories and if you drink a lot of tea or coffee, each teaspoon or two will quickly add up over a year. It's really not that hard to gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add over time. Just do it very very slowly (add a little less each time) so you can't taste the difference and before you know it you'll be smiling and saying "no I'm sweet enough", when that good looking barista asks you if you take any sugar.

The right people for the job

Hi guys, it's time for me to have a whinge.

A real bug bear of mine is the amount of incorrect and inaccurate nutrition information that is floating around out there.

What bugs me even more, is when high profile celebrities or other people off the street start preaching about nutrition when they are not qualified to do so. And because of their profile, people believe them, tell their friends, and suddenly there is so much nonsense out there in the world.  

Can I tell you a secret?

If there is anyone, ANYONE... that you should trust when it comes to food and nutrition, it's an Accredited Practising Dietitian (or APD). To become an APD you need to complete a university degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as adhering to a continuing professional development program.


I particularly like a note that Matt O'Neill (APD) wrote on his facebook page recently:

Who's your Nutrition Expert?

by Matt O'Neill on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 at 7:02pm

NUTRITION RANT!!! Ok, would you go to your GP for open heart surgery?

Of course not because you know a heart surgeon is the person for the job. Would you get VIP Home Maintenance to deisgn your new house? Of course not, because you know you need an architect.

So when Tiffany (the new Biggest Loser trainer) jumps on Nova FM saying things like you should have a zero sugar diet, that fruit shouldn't be in your daily diet & to not eat low-fat products, is she the right person for the job? Of course not.

This why I don't prescribe people exercise programs or tell people to stand on a fitness ball on one leg.

Because I could get it wrong, don't want to harm people & believe PTs and Exercise Scientists are the experts on exercise plans.


The moral of the story

When it comes to nutrition information, it's important to keep your filters on and think about the source of information and what qualifications that person has.

Just remember, when it comes to food and nutrition, APDs are the experts.

  
To find an APD, go to www.daa.asn.au and click on Find An APD.

For media enquiries, DAA has 18 media-trained spokespeople who are qualified to discuss a range of food and nutrition issues in the media. Contact DAA's Communications Dietitian on 0409 661 920.
 
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