Diet Review: Paleo Diet

One question I often get asked is what I think of various diets. The Paleo diet is one of these, and seems to have become very popular amongst fitness circles, cafes and even restaurants. But do we really have to go back in time to become healthy individuals, and is this diet really sustainable in the long term? These are just a couple of questions I posed to Bronwyn Goddard, who has kindly put on her white dietetic coat to give us a review of this ever-so-popular diet.

I am so delighted to introduce Bronwyn as today's guest blogger. Not only is Bronwyn a dedicated student at the Queensland University of Technology (the same university that I studied at), but Bronwyn and her family are also very close to my heart. You see, it was many years ago that I met Bronwyn, back when we were both training hard as gymnasts in Brisbane. Thanks to facebook we've stayed in touch, and it was not so long ago that I was over the moon to find out that Bronwyn had pursued a career in dietetics.


Bronwyn Goddard is currently studying nutrition and dietetics at QUT in Brisbane. She enjoys every opportunity to travel the world, experiencing a variety of weird and wonderful cuisines as she goes. Bronwyn aspires to work internationally, improving the lives and nutrition of underprivileged children living in third world countries. 
Connect with Bronwyn on LinkedIn


Introducing the Paleo Diet 

The Atkins diet, Tony Ferguson, the grapefruit diet, the one-food-diet, the Dukan diet, the blood type diet… the list goes on! With so many different diets on the market – many claiming to be the new “miracle weight loss diet”, how do you know which one to follow, which one gives the best results, and which is the healthiest? Let’s take a closer look at the Paleo diet and see how it measures up.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The paleolithic diet, more commonly referred to as the ‘paleo’ diet, is an increasingly popular weight loss diet. ‘Paleolithic’ refers to the “early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used”. Accordingly, the paleo diet is an extension of this, encouraging us to eat as our ancient ancestors did – hopefully without needing to use primitive stone implements in the process!

What makes the Paleo Diet popular?

The paleo diet markets itself by claiming that our ancestors (who followed this diet day-in day-out) were free of many diseases now very common throughout society. These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis - just to name a few. Some research suggests that the paleo diet reduces “bad” cholesterol levels – preventing cardiovascular disease. This may have some merit, as cholesterol levels are affected by certain types of fats consumed in our diet. The typical Western diet consists of many processed foods, including processed meats, takeaway foods and baked goods, which often contain high amounts of saturated or trans-fats, more commonly known as the “bad” fats. On the other hand, the paleo diet is rich in nuts, seeds, and fish, all of which contain unsaturated fats or “good” fats. These have been found to have the opposite effect, improving cholesterol levels. Whilst our ancient ancestors were free of these various chronic diseases, their life expectancy was also much shorter than it is today – so many would not live long enough to develop these diseases.

Paleo pyramid - What to eat

Paleo pyramid - What not to eat 

Is the Paleo Diet good for us?

If we rewind 35,000 years, and consider the diet of our ancestors; at first glance it seems relatively healthy. After all, the paleo diet is rich in fresh meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts, all of which are components of a healthy diet. To its credit, the paleo diet is free from refined sugars and processed foods, which are consumed in abundance in the typical western diet. However, the paleo diet restricts dairy foods, cereals, grains and legumes, which are very nutritious and important components of a balanced diet. Research suggests that both dietary changes and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to the increased prevalence of chronic disease throughout society since Paleolithic times. Dietary changes include the introduction of trans-fats into food production, reduced intake of various vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre and increased intake of carbohydrate foods with a high glycaemic index. As the paleo diet restricts processed foods, and encourages whole foods, it is no surprise that people following this diet have improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels, with or without weight loss.

Whilst the paleo diet promotes positive dietary changes through reducing intake of processed foods, it is unbalanced and restricts core food groups which can lead to poor health outcomes. For example, restricting dairy foods can compromise bone health, as dairy foods (such as milk, yoghurt and cheese) are rich in calcium. As calcium is essential for maintaining bone strength, in the long term, poor calcium intake can contribute to the development of osteoporosis later life.

Is the paleo diet a suitable weight loss diet?

They say variety is the spice of life, and as the paleo diet is reasonably restrictive in the types of foods you can eat - it is likely that such a restrictive diet will get pretty boring, pretty quickly. Typically, high protein diets such as the paleo diet cause rapid weight loss. This is because these diets often restrict carbohydrate foods – which break down into glucose and provide “fuel” for our brain and body to function properly. When we don’t eat enough carbohydrates, our body compensates, and gets its “fuel” by breaking down our muscle stores. The rapid weight loss experienced reflects this loss of muscle mass, not body fat. In addition, the paleo diet also restricts dairy foods which contain calcium - a very important nutrient for our bone health. There is a very strong association between poor calcium intake and the risk of osteoporosis in later life.

Paleo principles can be helpful, but don't forget to include dairy
 foods like yoghurt, and wholegrains in your everyday eating patterns.

Add legumes to your Paleo meals for a boost
of protein, low GI carbs and dietary fibre

The paleo diet does promote healthy food choices, such as lean meats, foods high in healthy fats including fish, nuts and seeds, and there is no reason why these foods shouldn’t be incorporated into your usual diet. When it comes to sustainable, long term weight loss, it really is about having ‘everything in moderation’. Incorporating these elements of the paleo diet into your everyday life is a great idea – aiming for 2 serves of fresh fruit and 5 serves of fresh vegetables a day, opting for lean cuts of meat, having 2-3 serves of fish each week and limiting the amount of processed foods in your diet are all common elements of the paleo diet and a nutritious, balanced diet.  The difference is not restricting food groups, such as dairy foods, cereals and grains, and legumes. Eating a variety of foods from all of the food groups will not only maintain variety and excitement in your diet, it will also ensure you receive all the nutrients you need to live a healthy and happy life!

Editor's comment:

Thanks Bron! I have no doubt that this will help answers a lot of questions for our readers. At the end of the day my thoughts are that reducing nutrient-poor, highly processed foods with added salt and sugar can only be a good thing, BUT don't forget to add wholegrains, legumes and dairy to your meals to bring them to complete fulfillment.  Any questions for Bron? Feel free to post below!



Recipe: Mediterranean Vegetable Salad

Mediterranean vegetable salad with quinoa, lentils & fresh herbs, topped with greek yoghurt & dukkah 

Veggies

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Chop up mediterranean vegetables into similar sized squares, about 2-3cm wide (I used eggplant, pumpkin, zucchini  & red capsicum).

Place into a mixing bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss the vegetables around so they are lightly coated in the oil.

Place on an oven tray and bake in the oven for 20 – 30 minutes. The larger the size of the squares, the longer they will take in the oven.

Once cooked turn the oven off and leave the veggies in there until serving.

Quinoa

Place about ¼ cup quinoa in a siev and run water over it in the sink.

Place washed quinoa in a small saucepan and fill about halfway with cool tap water.

Bring to the boil on heat and cook until the quinoa goes translucent and is chewy when bitten (about 10 mins).

Drain quinoa.

Lentils

Take 1 x 400g can brown lentils and place in siev, wash with tap water.

Herbs

Take a small handful of some fresh herbs (I used flat leaf parsly, coriander and mint) and break leaves off steams.

Dressing

In a small jar place a couple of tbsps of olive oil and lemon juice. Season with pepper. Place lid on and give it a good shake.

Putting it together

Take a large mixing bowl and in it place the hot veggies, quinoa, lentils, fresh herbs and dressing. Gently toss together with salad servers.

Pour out slowly onto a large flat white plate and serve with a dollop of reduced fat greek or natural yoghurt on top and sprinkle over some dukkah.

This dish is vegetarian, low GI, high in fibreand gluten free. To make it vegan you could serve it without the yoghurt. The quinoa and lentils mean that this dish has a reasonable amount of protein per serve, but if you wanted to increase the protein you could serve it with a poached egg on top instead. Bon appetit! 

Coconut Oil - Superfood or Superfad?

To coco or not to coco? Coconut oil is one of many hotly debated food topics, just like butter vs margarine. Its presence seems to be growing so rapidly. What used to be found in the darkest corner of a health food shop is now found at eye level in major supermarkets. I even spotted it on the shelf today at one of my favourite nut shops at the South Melbourne Market. But where has all the hype come from and does it live up to its so called health benefits? I called on Deakin University student Felicity Curtain to literally chew the fat on this ever-so-fascinating, solid-at-room-temperature tropical oil.















Felicity is in her final year at Deakin University, studying a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition, and has great hopes to continue studies within the nutrition and dietetics field in the future.  In her studies she has developed a great interest in the effects of food on disease prevention and treatment, particularly cancer and mental health, as well as functional foods that may provide additional nutritional benefit.  With a huge passion for encouraging healthy eating and dispelling food myths, Felicity one day hopes to work in clinical dietetics or private practice.

Connect with Felicity on LinkedIn

 

Coconuts seem to be popping up left, right and centre as the latest health trend. Coconut oil in particular has attracted a large vegan following, as its rich buttery taste and texture offer an alternative to animal fats such as butter.  Just a quick Google search of the fruit results in thousands of results - coconut water, coconut oil, coconut milk. In all its forms, coconut is being heralded as this year’s new superfood. However, for all the claims that it can solve a multitude of health ailments - everything from boosting metabolism to beating stress and lowering cholesterol - is the humble coconut really everything it’s cracked up to be?

 

How does it differ from other oils?

 

The main characteristic that sets coconut oil aside from other vegetable or seed oils on the market is its solid state at room temperature. Basic chemistry tells us this is due to the saturated carbon bonds – that’s right, it’s a saturatedfat, the kind we’re told to limit in order to avoid high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease! A tablespoon of the stuff can contain up to 12g of saturated fat, over half an adult’s recommended daily intake.  With this in mind, it’s fairly obvious that in high amounts coconut oil could be detrimental to one’s health, and it may be no surprise that the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the Heart Foundation recommend avoiding or at least limiting its use. However, the oil differs from typical saturated fatty acids in that it contains mainly medium chain fatty acids, which are said to be more easily absorbed than their more common long chain counterparts as they do not require hydrolysis before transportation to the liver.

 

 

Many shonky reports exist singing coconut oil’s praises, with a substantial portion of articles originating from websites promoting and selling the product. A large number of these claims are based on the premise that countries that traditionally consume the oil, such as Sri Lanka or the Philippines, have historically lower incidences of heart disease. Read more here. However, many other contributing factors need to be considered here: genetics, physical activity, and most importantly the overall diet of these populations – which presumably would have been low in meat and processed foods, and very high in vegetables and rice – have all likely influenced this statistic.

Not all reports on coconut oil are so unreliable. In fact, there have been some reputable studies that have demonstrated that it does exhibit some health benefits. However, to find these, you’ll need to sift through dozens of much more suspect claims, and even many genuine findings require further study and investigation before they can be considered reliable.

 

The oil’s main benefit is said to be due to the medium chain fatty acids, which, being easily absorbed, supposedly surpass the transition into cholesterol. A 2008 study compared the effects of long chain fatty acids – commonly found in animal products – and their medium chain counterparts on weight loss, finding that diets supplemented by medium chain fatty acids had more success. However, whether or not this adversely affects the ‘unhealthy’ (LDL) and ‘healthy’ (HDL) cholesterol ratio is uncertain and hotly debated.  Professor Andrew Sinclair, Chair of Nutrition Science at Deakin University and Senior Associate editor of the journal Lipids, is not convinced: “Although the composition of coconut oil is quite different to other oils, there’s no evidence to support the idea it will help you lose unwanted weight.

 

 

Researchers from Oxford University have discovered a link between coconut oil consumption and the reduction of symptoms in Alzheimer’s sufferers. Though this effect is only short term, it’s said it comes as a result of ketones produced by the fatty acids in the oil, which act as an alternative energy source for the brain, with its inability to metabolise glucose. However, the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia remains dubious, emphasising that for the moment the theory is just that – a theory, and one that requires extensive further research to be fully substantiated. 

 

Animal studies have suggested that coconut oil may reduce bone loss from osteoporosis – however, causing significant weight gain in the process! This is said to be due to the polyphenol content in coconut oil, which encourages antioxidant activity. While this may be good news to sufferers of osteoporosis, it does nothing to justify coconut oil’s “superfood” status.

 

In fact, the only area where coconut oil shows unquestionable results is in the kitchen. There is a clear advantage of cooking with coconut oil, which, with its high smoke point, can be brought to a higher temperature before breaking down, avoiding flavour deterioration and potentially harmful free radical production.  Additionally, it imparts a nutty flavour and appealing texture to many kinds of cooking. In culinary terms, at least, coconut oil can be a useful addition.

 

So it appears that, despite some overblown praises, more research is required before we can begin recommending this oil as an alternative to other oils. From a nutritional perspective, coconut oil is mainly made up of saturated fats, containing more than in butter, while olive and canola oil are predominantly monounsaturated. The health benefits of these oils are well known and researched, and can result in decreased inflammation and obesity amongst many other advantages. In terms of the hip pocket, coconut oil is also a costlier choice: at around $2 per 100g, it works out to almost double the price of the trusty olive oil and a whopping four times the price of canola and other vegetable oils.

 

So which is the better choice?

 

From the best evidence we have available, coconut oil is yet to be well substantiated in science as a better alternative. Coconut oil could certainly have a place in your pantry, just like butter in your fridge, providing it is used in small,infrequent amounts.  However, other than for the sensory characteristics, my pick would be to leave the coconut oil on the shelf. Not only will your wallet feel fuller, but the negatives of consuming high levels of unhealthy fats outweigh the potential positive outcome that could otherwise be achieved by an overall healthy diet!

 

 

Editor's note:

Thanks Felicity, what a well researched article. I love your final comment about maintaining an overall healthy diet. While many people are on the search for that one miracle food, the truth is, nothing beats a well balanced, nutrient-rich diet. I'd love to hear what our readers think too. Have you used coconut oil and if so, what do you use it for?

 

 

How to have a holiday without putting on weight: Asia

As we celebrate the start of a brand new year, I thought I would reflect on my travels in 2012, my 'year of Asia'.

Back in 2011, I sailed around the Whitsundays on a cruise ship and blogged about the amazing adventures I had. I was then lucky enough to be featured on the P&O website after I gave them such a great rap for their fantastic service, food and facilities on deck.

So when it came to organising some holidays this year I decided to skip the ship and take the plunge into the world of Asia. I was very fortunate to visit both Thailand and Bali, and I couldn't rave enough about both of these places. You hear the good and the bad from friends, but until you experience it yourself, you really don't know what you're missing out on.

So without further adue, here is part two of my
How to have a holiday without putting on weight series. This is Asia.

10 tips to keep weight gain away on your next holiday

1. Eat fresh fruit rather than giant fruit smoothies

When walking the streets in Thailand and Bali you will often come across little fruit carts selling smoothies or fresh fruit. The signs tell you all the different fruit shakes that you can order, but they often don't advertise the fact that you can simply just ask for some freshly cut up tropical fruit! And this is certainly the best option for your waistline. Take a look at the picture below. See that large jug sitting directly in front of the woman? That's pure sugar syrup. Litres of it. And they will add quite a few good ladles of that to your smoothie, making it not only sickly sweet, but also meaning you'll consume hundreds of extra (& unwanted) kilojoules.

So my rule when it comes to these stalls, is eat the real stuff, not the blended stuff. You can't get much better than a fresh mango, a dragon fruit or a mangosteen, cut up in front of you and ready to eat. Pure. Natural. Fruit.



One of the reasons I love visiting Asian countries are the amazing tropical fruits

  

Here I am eating some freshly chopped mango in banana leaves on the street.
They even put toothpicks in the mango for you so you don't get sticky fingers! 


2. Always order veggies as a side

Remember veggies are very low in kilojoules and high in dietary fibre, so they'll fill you up and stop you from reaching over to your partner's plate and grabbing a handful of calorie-ridden fries. Salads are great for the warmer weather that you experience in Asia, and can be a lovely, light and refreshing addition to your meal.

My main and 2 sides:
a pea, basil, lemon & marinated feta salad and sauteed wild mushrooms



Beetroot salad with young goats cheese


3. Try new foods, and enjoy the traditional menu

You can't go past a delicious curry or stir fry. Asian food is often packed with vegetables, and the meat is generally very lean. Just watch your portion sizes when it comes to rice as they often give you much more than you need. Make sure you order a dish with a source of lean protein (meat, chicken, fish, seafood, tofu, nuts, legumes) as this is what will keep you satisfied until your next meal.

4. Resist the salted nuts & crackers that come with your cocktail

Many beautiful hotels we stayed at gave us some salted nuts and/or crackers when we ordered a drink at the bar. Now they don't do this for no reason - it's quite a smart tactic. The saltiness of the nibblies will leave you feeling thirsty and feeling in need of another drink. Don't get caught out! Try to have small, healthy snacks regularly throughout the day so that by the time it comes to wine o'clock, you're not tempted to demolish a whole bowl of crackers in seconds.

5. Ask for no sugar syrup in your iced coffee

This one leads on from point 1 about the sugar syrup in fruit smoothies. One thing I've noticed on my travels is that they seem to love their sugar syrup over in Asia. Even at The Coffee Club you have the choice of adding sugar syrup or regular sugar to your hot coffee.

But when it comes to iced coffees, it seems the sugar is already added by the time you receive your incredibly sweet drink. So get in early and when you place your order, make a point of asking for no added syrup, or if you prefer, sugar syrup on the side. That way you're in control of how much sugar you choose to add, and how sweet you'd like it to be.



Iced coffee with sugar syrup on the side


6. Stay away from the western menu

Let's be honest, you didn't travel for 9 or so hours across the ocean to eat a steak burger and fries. Yes you might need to be a little cautious about some foods in foreign countries, but don't ruin the perfect opportunity to try new cuisines and new flavours. Traditional diets are very nutritious as well. In fact, scientific research has found that those populations following a traditional diet often have much lower rates of obesity compared to those following a western diet. So when you sit down for a bite to eat, don't even bother checking out the Western Menu, instead, go straight to the curries, stir fries and the delicious fresh seafood.


Steer clear of the Western section of the menu


7. Order bottled water to drink with your meal

It may sound pretty straightforward, but ordering some bottled water when you sit down for a meal is a really good habit to get into. There's nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional cocktail on your holidays, but don't rely on alcoholic beverages to quench your thirst. Water is the perfect kilojoule-free solution.

8. Don't pig out on the breakfast buffet 'just because it's there'

Asian hotel owners know how much us Aussies love a breakfast buffet. So they throw on all the breads, pastries, muffins and croissants you could ever ask for, and have a tiny little Asian section with a selection of their traditional foods.

The key to surviving a big breakfast buffet is:

1. Stick to fresh fruits, wholegrain cereals, reduced fat dairy, eggs, sauteed vegetables (ie. mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach) and grainy breads. Stay away from the highly refined pastries, muffins and fried food.

2. Alternate between cold and hot dishes on different days, or choose very small portions and have a little of each. Don't eat more than you would at home, and remember, it will be there tomorrow so there's no reason to try everything today!

3. STOP when you feel comfortably satified. For some reason buffets trigger this effect where us Westerners feel we have to eat until we couldn't possibly fit another thing in, and until we literally have to undo a notch on our belts. This is going way too far and is a recipe for disaster (ie. weight gain just waiting to happen). Take a mindful eating approach by eating slowly, chewing each mouthful and putting your knife and fork down between every bite. Chat to your loved ones, enjoy the conversation, and don't scoff your food down like a labrador. The slower you eat, the quicker you will feel comfortably satisfied, and the less you will eat overall.

  

All eggcelent choices

 

 9. Listen to your stomach. If you're hungry, eat. If you're not hungry, don't eat

Again it seems straightforward but on holidays we really need to remember this one. When we're on holidays, we do a lot 'non-hungry eating'. This means that we often eat when we're not even hungry, it may be because we're bored, or it may be because we're in holiday mode and have the mentality of "I'm on holidays so why not!"  But having a 'living in the moment' attitude could come back to bite you when you return from your holiday.

So by all means, try new foods and enjoy your food with good company, but don't just eat for the sake of it. Before you take a bite, think to yourself, do I really need to eat this? Am I really hungry? Or am I just eating it because it's there?



10. Take the stairs, make it a priority!

Last, but certainly not least, don't forget to be physically active on your holiday. This doesn't mean you have to bring your gym gear and religiously make time to go to the gym every day. Simply keeping moving will help keep your metabolism running and burn off those cocktail kilojoules. One hotel we stayed in actually had a cable car that took you down to your villa. This was the 'quick' option, but the stairs became my friend and I would always try to use them, either going up or going down!


The cable car = fat storing machine

The stairs = fat burning machine

Another way to stay active is to choose tours and activities that require you to move. Go horse riding, cycling, white water rafting. Whatever takes your fancy!

Horse riding in Bali

Kayaking around 'James Bond Island' in Thailand

So there you go. My 10 tips on How to have a holiday without putting on weight. I hope you've picked up a trick or two along the way, and if you'd like to take a sneaky look at some more of my holiday pics, head to my facebook page and you'll find plenty of foodie snaps to salivate over.

Until next time, take care and enjoy the holiday season!

Go Nuts!

Nuts are one of those foods that some people are still a little unsure about. 

Their reputation is growing rapidly, but there still seems to be some misconceptions out there about how nutritious nuts really are. 

But today is the day that this ends. 

Because I want you to know the real truth about nuts. Right here, right now, it's time to spill the beans on raw, roasted, salted and candied, the portions you should be eating, and why nuts don't make you fat. 

Wonder no more...  this blog is sure to bust every myth you've ever heard. 

So go ahead, go nuts!

For more information, visit the Nuts for Life website.

My Carman's Blog

A pic of me with the birthday cake I was surprised with! 

Hi guys,

It seems like a while since I've written a post and I hope you don't think I'm getting slack in my old age (yes, I just had a birthday, so I am feeling slightly older than the last time I posted).... :-/


The truth is, I have been really busy. Over the past year I have been blogging behind the scenes for Carman's, and I am very excited to see the launch of their brand new website, and within it, my very own nutrition blog.  

You must check it out.




Here are a couple of screen shots of the new Carman's website.

Now, although you can't choose to receive an email each time a new post is up, be rest assured, I'll keep you posted (no pun intended) on when new blogs are up through my facebook and twitter pages. So if you haven't friended or followed me by now, make sure you do, otherwise you'll miss out on all the fun!

So, until the next time I post, just remember, I'm not off my game... I'm simply just spreading the love to other places =)