Biscuits for Breakfast ???

Today I was invited to meet with the lovely people at Kraft to provide them with my feedback on their new belVita breakfast biscuits. 

Now, as I said to them, my first impression of their new product was probably not the best. I thought to myself, how, on earth, could a biscuit be on par with a healthy breakfast? What ever happened to good old cereal and milk, and where is society headed if we're now eating biscuits for breakfast??!!!

That was my first impression. I admit, quite a negative one. 

But then after talking the biscuits around the office and starting to talk to to my (non dietitian) colleagues about the biscuits, I started to think outside the square and understand how these could be quite a useful product for some people. 

You see, I think as a dietitian I can be a little optimistic sometimes and think that because I enjoy a bowl of natural muesli for breakfast with skim milk and fruit, that so should everyone else. But in reality, the statistics out there are quite alarming and it seems that there are a lot of people that are just not eating breakfast all together. 

Now we know that breakfast is very powerful in terms of its health benefits, it helps with memory, concentration and mood, and we know that eating a healthy breakfast means you're more likely to stick with a healthy eating pattern for the rest of the day. 

So in saying that, what I have come to realise is that for whatever reason, if people aren't eating breakfast, something like this is most certainly better than not having anything all, and in fact there are a number of health benefits that these biscuits have. Some of these include:

• They're made with wholegrains, and a serve (4 biscuits) provides 10-20 grams of wholegrains (48g is the recommended target according to the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council)
• They're low GI. (Milk & Cereals 45, Fruit & Fibre 47, Crunchy Oats 54)
• They're high in dietary fibre
• They're ratio of good fats to bad fats is 3:1 

Some other characteristics I like are

• They're ready to eat, and the packets are portion controlled, so it's not like opening a packet of Tim Tams, you can't be tempted to eat more than you should because they're all portioned out (4 biscuits per packet)
• They're good for those people that don't like to drink milk, or can't stomach too much in the mornings
• They're good for people that skip breakfast or don't have time. 
• They are non-perishable and have a long shelf life. One of my colleagues said they would be great to keep a packet in her office drawer if she ever ran out of time to have breakfast at home.
• They go just lovely with a cuppa :)
• And on that note, I was even thinking that they could be a good high fibre biscuit for the aged care residents that I work with!

Ok, now on to some constructive criticism.

• My main concern that I voiced to the team at Kraft was that fact that I was worried that consumers may get the wrong message and think it's ok to start eating any old biscuit for breakfast!! 
• I also felt it was disappointing that most retailers are positioning the biscuits in the biscuit isle, as opposed to the breakfast isle. 
• Some colleagues I spoke to said that they wouldn't eat them as breakfast, but as a mid morning snack. Now because the 4 biscuits in the pack are designed for breakfast, they contain around 1000kJ. For a snack I would only recommend around 500kJ, meaning that 2 biscuits would be suitable, as long as you can stop at that and not eat all 4 :)
• Another comment from one of the ladies in the office was that they'd taste nice with a some butter as a snack! So I guess it's not just the biscuits we have to consider, but also what people might put on them or what they may accompany that also needs to be looked at when considering the nutritional value. 
• Some people have also commented that the biscuits taste quite sugary, and are concerned because of the sugar content. The biscuits do have added sugar, ranging between 19.7 - 23.1% (around 2 tsps per serve, or 1/2 tsp per biscuit). So although this isn't ideal, if you're adding this much sugar to your cereal or having a refined cereal for breakfast then the breakfast biscuits are probably no worse. 
• The sodium content of the Milk & Cereals (428mg/100g) and Crunchy Oats (553mg/100g) flavours are a little higher that I would have liked to see in a breakfast product.
• Kraft recommends that belVita biscuits are best enjoyed with a tub of yoghurt, a piece of fruit and a tea or coffee to ensure that you're not missing out on your dairy and fruit components of a breakfast. But I do wonder how many people would actually eat some dairy and/or fruit with these biscuits... would you? 
• Finally, because a wide range of grains are used (wheat, barely, rye oats) they're obviously not going to be suitable for those that require a gluten free diet, or those with allergies (there is a long 'may contain' list on the label).

Fruit & Fibre

Milk & Cereals

Crunchy Oats

All in all, I think the final message I'd like to get across is the fact that no, these aren't perfect, and I'm certainly not one to promote processed foods, or biscuits, for breakfast, for that matter. I don't think you can ever replace a wholegrain breakfast like natural muesli or porridge with skim milk or yoghurt and fruit, which encompasses all the nutrients you need to start off your day well, and I would never recommend breakfast biscuits as a substitute. But I do think there is a place for these biscuits, and that's for people that don't eat breakfast at all. Because the research shows that you're far better having something than nothing.

What do you think? Do you like the idea of these, or do you, like me think that we might be making a mistake by heading down the road of encouraging biscuits for breakfast? Apparently we are just cottoning on here in Australia and in countries like France they've been around for years! Love to hear your thoughts.

What's the crack with crackers?

Have you ever wondered whether the crackers you like to buy are good for you? Check out what I recommend in today's Your Time section of the Herard Sun.

Enjoy :)

Eating Well on Travel

Ok, picture this.

You've been up since a time that you've never had to get up for before, and what made it worse was the fact that you checked your phone 4 times during the night thinking you'd slept through the alarm.

You drive like crazy to make the airport on time, and by the time you arrive interstate after your long flight it feels like you've already worked a whole day. Then you've got meetings, meeting and more meetings, and no one else seems to care that you've been up since god knows when that morning.

By 5pm you are absolutely shattered. You arrive at your hotel room, starving, hungry, exhausted. You throw off your shoes, spend 10 minutes trying to work out how to change the channel on the TV, and have a staring contest with the mini bar. You think, no, it's not going to defeat me! But you are so damn hungry, and those salted nuts are glowing like angels.. and that vodka doesn't look too shabby either. What to do?

Check out my video blog on Eating Well on Travel. I've got 4 simple tips for you.

 

Eating Out

So a couple of you have been sneaky enough to spot me in this month's Cleo magazine. Who knew so many people read Cleo? I must admit though I do like these sorts of magazines to take a quick look at the lastest fashions and (shamefully) a bit of celeb gossip as well.

I was interviewed for the Cleo article some months ago. Of course, all my comments were never going to make the magazine, but that's what I've got a blog for, right? So here's the transcript of my interview with journalist Kathleen Lee-Joe, where I talk about what foods and cuisines are the best choices and how to end the night without having to adjust the buckle on your belt.

When it comes to dieting, is eating out really that bad?

I recommend that people aim to eat out once a fortnight. Eating out can be detrimental to your health if you have it too often and/or make poor choices. The problem with eating out is that you don’t have control over the nutritional value of the meal, or the portion size served. Studies have shown that people tend to finish what’s on their plate, regardless of the portion size. So if you’re served a large portion, even if you don’t finish it all, chances are you’ve eaten a lot more than what you would at home. Even the types of plates that meals are served on in restaurants are deceiving. Larger plates used means that the meal itself looks smaller, so you don’t think you’re eating that much when you really are.

What do you think about when ordering?

Whenever I order I look for a dish that contains lean meat (like chicken, beef or fish), some low GI carbs (like basmati rice, grainy bread or quinoa) and plenty of vegetables. My trick when ordering a main in a restaurant is to always order a side of vegetables or salad. Some restaurants tend to give you only a small amount of vegetables, and ordering a side will help you to feel more satisfied after your meal, without the added calories.

What types of things should you ask your waiter?

Don’t be afraid to ask what certain ingredients are if you’ve never heard of them before. Often high fat items like cheeses or creams are given fancy names, and you may not realise what they are. Also ask how the meat is cooked if the menu doesn’t specify. There’s been occasions when I’ve ordered the fish expecting it to be grilled and it arrives deep fried. Deep frying adds a ton of fat that your body doesn’t need, and these extra calories can easily lead to weight gain. My other tip is that if you’re ordering a salad, always ask for the dressing to be on the side. That way you have the control over how much dressing you’d like. Some creamy dressings are very high in saturated fat and chefs can often be very heavy handed when it comes to dressing salads.

What cuisines do you opt for? What options do they offer?

Asian cuisines like Japanese, Chinese and Thai often provide a number of healthier choices, but there will also be the not-so-healthy choices available. For example, sushi is a healthy, low GI meal choice, but avoid the sushi that contains deep fried meat like the crispy chicken sushi. With sushi often comes soy sauce, which is high in sodium and when consumed regularly may increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. So avoid the sauces where possible, and stick to the basics. The traditional Mediterranean diet is also a healthy cuisine to be aware of. Mediterranean meals often contain lean meats, nuts, legumes, olive oil, dairy and plenty of vegetables.

Why is drinking alcohol with your meal bad?

Drinking alcohol with your meal is not bad, as food will help to slow the effects of alcohol. It’s more about how many standard drinks you have a day. It’s recommended that adults have no more than 2 standard drinks a day and 2 alcohol free days a week. This doesn’t mean you can save them all up for a big night on the weekend though. Health benefits with of alcohol consumption have only been shown when alcohol has been consumed in small amounts and in moderation.

How about when you’re eating takeaway? What should we veer towards and what should we steer clear of?

When eating takeaway, the same rules apply. Choose lean meats, avoid deep fried foods, and make sure you ask for plenty of vegetables. Often takeaway places will pile on far too much rice or pasta or noodles, and give you very few vegetables. To avoid this choose a dish that contains plenty of vegetables to begin with. For example, if ordering Thai, instead of ordering a pad thai, order a stir fry instead instead. If you’re not sure, ask for a small serve of steamed vegetables just in case.

So that's it. What's the key message? Apart from vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables, remember that eating at home and cooking from scratch is the best option, as you have the control over what goes into your meals. For those that do eat out every now and then, do you have any healthy tips for us?

Potatoes - good or evil?

On Excess Baggage this week, one of the contestants asked whether they should be eating potatoes at dinner time. So I thought I'd put together a video blog for you, to bust some myths and explain how potatoes can form part of a balanced diet.

My dad loves his kipflers

It's crucial to look at how you're cooking your potatoes, but the portion size you're eating is also important. In this video blog, I run through how you should plate up your meals and how to get your portions right.



Any questions on potatoes please shoot them through. Love to also hear if you've tried the Carisma potato and how you like to cook them.

Supplements or veggies.. what's better?

As each day passes (and each time I do my grocery shopping) there seems to be more and more supplements available for people to purchase.

Now, before I get on my soapbox, I should say that some vitamin and mineral supplements may be very beneficial for some people.

But it's when I see ads such as this one, that I think we as a society are sending out the wrong message. In this ad, a young girl named Belinda, 8 years of age, states that sometimes she doesn't eat all of her vegetables, so her mum chooses Swisse Ultivite to help keep her healthy. She then goes on to say that it also helps her to do these things (insinuating that the supplement helps her to be active).

My key message is this: A supplement may be useful for some people, but it should never be used as an insurance policy (aka, supplements are never a replacement for a balanced diet).

So mums out there, don't give up on trying kids with veggies. Studies show that some foods may need to be offered 10 times before they are accepted by children. Be creative and try different ways of cooking and serving vegetables. It could be just the way you present the food on the plate, or by adding a smily face with a little squirt of tomato sauce that will make all the difference.

Here's my video

FoodSwitch iPhone App Review

Hi guys,

Well I did say that one of my new years resolutions this year was to start some you tube blogs. So here's my first!

Last year I blogged about the Traffic Light Food Tracker App, brought out by the Obesity Policy Coalition. And today I've video blogged on the new FoodSwitch iPhone App. You can also tweet about it using the hash tag #FoodSwitch.

Enjoy!