Which whey to healthy bones - Part 1

I must admit when it comes to coffee I'm a soy latte kinda girl.

It's not because I'm lactose intolerant, or because I don't like the taste of dairy milk. It's just that I
simply love the taste of soy in coffees. I find a soy latte much more creamier than a skinny latte, and no, ladies and gentlemen, the soy milk that I use (Soy Milky)... don't have no soy aftertaste :)

The truth is, people choose their milk for a range of different reasons. Taste, texture, digestion, calories, calcium... the list goes on. But are all milks equivalent in terms of the nutritional goodness inside them, and do they all serve the same purpose in building strong bones?
I asked Dietetics student Jenna Obeid to find out.

Jenna Obeid is a dietetics student who has completed a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition at Deakin University. Jenna is studying her masters degree at the University of Canberra and is a student representative for the Dietitians Association of Australia. Jenna is passionate about food and living a healthy lifestyle, and enjoys blogging and writing in the area of nutrition. Connect with Jenna on twitter and check out her blog here. 


Do you often feel like the man on the Paul's Smarter Milk television advertisement who walks in to the store asking for milk?

“Low fat, no fat, full cream, high calcium, high protein, soy...... Light, skim, omega-3, high calcium with vitamin D and folate or extra dollop?”

If you’re blown away by all of the milk and milk alternatives on the market these days and not sure which milk you should be drinking, then keep reading!

Cow's milk vs soy milk

There are a wide range of nutrients found in cow’s milk including calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin A and of course, protein! Soy milks on the other hand tend to be cholesterol free, contain omega-3s, and are typically fortified with a range of vitamins and minerals. They are also a great source of protein.

Will drinking cow's milk make me fat?

As shown in the table below, a glass of reduced fat cow’s milk has fewer calories in it than a glass of reduced fat soy milk. Cow’s milk also contains more protein and a naturally occurring serve of calcium! Research has also found that people who eat dairy are more likely to have a healthy BMI than those who don't. So it's definately not something to be cutting out if you want to lose weight.

Type of milk	Energy	Protein
Cow’s milk Reduced fat 250mL	530kJ (126 calories)	9.5g
Soy milk Reduced fat with added calcium 250mL	675kJ (161 calories)	8.3g

Can I get enough calcium from soy milk?

Soy milk that contains calcium in amounts similar to cow's milk is fortified with calcium (ie calcium is added to the product because it does not naturally contain it!) While it has been shown that the bioavailability (how well a nutrient found in a food is absorbed in to the body) of nutrients is better in some naturally occurring foods than in fortified foods, it is unclear whether this is the case for calcium. A study in the Journal of Nutrition in 2005 looked at the bioavailability of calcium in cow's milk compared to fortified forms. It was found that calcium in cow's milk was absorbed at similar levels to the calcium carbonate-fortified soy milk.

Opting for soy?

If you decide to drink soy milk over cow's milk, be sure that the product is fortified with calcium! Look for a label that states the product contains calcium, and on the back on the nutrition panel, look for a product that contains >100mg calcium per 100g.

If you're unable to consume cow's milk, yet you "just want milk that tastes like real milk!", Vitasoy have a great range of soy milks called Soy Milky that tastes very similar to cow's milk.

 

Cow's milk for the win - but which one is best? Full cream, reduced fat or skim

If you are one to stick to good old reliable cow’s milk, it is always recommended to choose reduced fat or skim varieties, as suggested in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. This guideline has been made mainly because of the fact that full cream dairy products contain more kilojoules than reduced fat or skim products. And with obesity on the rise, mose people will benefit from choosing the lower kilojoule options.

However, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule. Firstly, children under the age of 2 should consume full fat dairy for developmental reasons. Secondly, if you're a really active person or maybe you're a bloke who just can't handle the skim stuff, then there's nothing wrong with consuming full fat dairy (and it's better to have your 3 serves than none at all). Just stick to milk, yoghurt and cheese, and keep ice cream and chocolate for special occasions. 

Here is the breakdown of energy and macro-nutrients in a glass of full fat, reduced fat and skim cow’s milk.

Type	Energy	Protein	Carbohydrate	Fat
Full fat	733kJ (174 calories)	8.8g	15.8g	8.8g
Reduced fat	530kJ (126 calories)	9.5g	15.3g	3.0g
Skim	368kJ (88 calories)	9.3g	12.5g	0.3g

All in all, skim & reduced fat cow’s milk are high in protein, low in fat and are a natural source of calcium.

 

But exactly how much calcium is enough for good health?

For most Australian adults, 840mg per day for both women and men under the age of 70 years is enough for a healthy calcium intake in most cases. Once women hit the milestone of 50 years, they should aim to up their calcium to 1100mg per day. 

What do these numbers mean, you ask?

Since we are already talking dairy (and dairy alternatives), 3 serves of dairy products can meet these calcium recommendations, 4 serves for a woman over 50 years.

What if I don't drink milk, what are other ways to get enough calcium in my diet?

• Cook your porridge with milk, not water.
• When baking, use low fat yoghurt in the ingredients. For example, check out this yummy recipe for pear and oatmeal yoghurt muffins from the Dietitians Association of Australia.
• Enjoy fruit salad with a scoop of low fat yoghurt. There are also some great soy yoghurts on the market now too.
• Make a healthy smoothie with skim milk, a banana and cinnamon (add a scoop of natural low fat yoghurt for a thicker smoothie).
• Enjoy low-fat cheese in your lunchtime sandwiches.
• Make a thick pumpkin soup with skim or evaporated milk (but hold off on the cream!)
• Instead of having sour cream on roasted potato or in wraps, go for low fat natural Greek yoghurt!

If you're unsure if you are getting enough calcium in your diet, check out Dairy Australia or seek advice from an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

Be sure to check back soon for more info on other milk products such as rice milk, almond milk, oat milk and permeate free!  

Editor's note:

Thanks Jenna! I think the key messages that have come from your post are:

1. Dairy milk isn't fattening, in fact it can help with weight loss

2. Reduced fat milk is best for most, but if you can't stand the skim stuff, full cream is better than having none at all.

3. If you like your soy lattes like me, be sure to choose a milk that contains >100mg/100g calcium!

Look forward to hearing more on this topic!

Recipe: Protein-rich homemade sweet potato & pumpkin soup with moroccan veggie chips

How do you boost the protein content in a veggie soup?

I enriched the soup with protein in 2 ways - and neither was using protein powder! 

Firstly, I added a can of butter beans to the soup before pureeing (you can't even taste them!). 1 can of butter beans contains 23g protein, not to mention 33 grams dietary fibre to also keep satiety at bay and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

The other way I enriched the protein content was by adding light & creamy evaporated milk. With double the protein and calcium of regular skim milk, evaporated milk is a great way to boost the protein and give your soup a nice creamy taste. Just be careful not to boil the soup once the evaporated milk has been added, it doesn't take too nicely to high heat! 1 can contains 30g protein and 900mg calcium. 

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion diced

1 large clove garlic finely diced

1/2 kent pumpkin - peeled & chopped into cubes (keep the skin)

1 medium sweet potato - peeled & chopped into cubes (keep the skin)

Olive oil spray

1 tsp curry powder

2 x 18g sachets miso paste 

1 L water

1 x 400g butter beans or chickpeas

1 x 375mL tin light & creamy evaporated milk

1/4 cup fresh coriander - finely chopped (for soup)

1/4 cup fresh coriander - finely chopped (for chips)

Reduced fat greek yoghurt - 1 dollop per serve 

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius

Soup

Heat olive oil in a large deep pot. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring until soft and translucent. Add pumpkin, sweet potato and curry powder, stir over heat to coat all vegetables. In a 1L measuring jug place miso paste and fill with water, stirring miso in until dissolved. Pour water into pot over vegetables, stir, bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin and sweet potato are soft and almost mushy.

Drain a can of butter beans and place into a large food processor. When soup is ready, remove from the heat and gently pour over beans in the food processor. Place lid on and process for a minute or so, until the soup is smooth and lump free. 

Pour soup back into a large pot and over low heat stir in evaporated milk. Heat gently, but do not boil. Stir in fresh coriander. Serve into bowls with a dollop of greek yoghurt, a sprig of coriander and freshly cracked black pepper. 

Veggie Chips

While soup is simmering, place skins of the pumpkin and sweet potato on a baking paper-lined oven tray skin side up (don't overlap) and spray with olive oil. Place into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy. Place chips into a bowl and sprinkle with fresh coriander and a little moroccan seasoning. Serve immediately while crispy & hot!

Q&A: Mercury in fish

Q&A

Should I be worried about the mercury levels in fish? Are there any fish that I shouldn't be eating?

Our national food standards organisation recommends that we consume 2-3 serves of fish per week (1 serve = 150g). Fish has many nutritional benefits, including being low in saturated fat, high in protein and containing essential omega-3 fatty acids. Mercury levels in mostfish are low, and it’s only certain types of fish that you need to watch out for. These are generally the big, long living or predatory fish that sit right at the end of the fishy food chain and gobble up all the other little fish, so it kinda makes sense that they will accumulate higher levels of mercury! So what fish should you watch out for?

Fish with higher mercury levels include:

• billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin)
• shark (flake)
• orange roughy (deep sea perch)
• catfish

If you like these types of fish it’s best to stick to 1 serve per week and no other fish that week. 

Pregnant women, women planning a pregnancy and young children should have billfish and shark once a fortnight and no other fish that fortnight, or orange roughy/catfish once a week and no other fish that week.

All other fish, including some of our favourites - tuna and salmon (including tinned), are low in mercury so it’s safe for all people to consume these 2-3 times a week. 

More information?

FSANZ

Q&A: Brown Rice or Basmati?

Hi team,

I thought I would try a new little trick on my blog. It's often sometimes the little questions that bug us, like Should I drink dairy or soy milk?, Do I need to pop a daily multivitamin? or How bad are those diet soft drinks really? If only there was a simple way to get that answer!

Well say no more. I'm trialing a new section on my blog. It's very original, I've called it Q&A (I know, right, awesome name). Q&A is your opportunity to quiz me on all the little things that you want to know, that will make a big difference to your daily life!

So without further ado... here's my first one. Enjoy!

Q&A

Why does brown rice have a medium GI and basmati rice have a low GI when brown rice contains more fibre and is less processed?

The GI of rice (brown or white) depends on itsamylose content. Amylose is a type of starch, and the job of this type of starch is to resist the process of gelatinisation. Gelatinisation is the process where rice absorbs water through its microscopic cracks and changes from a hard, indigestable crunchy grain (that could only ever be used for a blind bake) into something that's light, fluffy and ready to eat. The puffier a grain of rice becomes, the more it has gelatinised, and the higher GI it will have. Arborio rice has one of the highest GIs, while doongara rice has one of the lowest. 

Now although brown rice has many health benefits, including being a source of fibre and B vitamins, because it has a lower amylose content it will gelatinise more as it cooks, and this means it ends up with a higher GI.

So the best rices to choose are the lower GI varieties with a higher amylose content – these are basmati (58), Doongara or 'Clever' Rice (53) or Moolgiri medium grain. I have also noticed recently that some companies like SunRice have brought out a low GI brown rice, so these will also be a good option for people that like their brown rice. However, don't also forget, at the end of the day, the GI of a carbohydrate food goes out the window if you eat huge quantities, so keep your portion of rice to no more than ¼ of your dinner plate, and fill up on plenty of veggies!


















More information?

Glycemicindex.com

Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council

Do you have any hot topics that you'd like covered in my new Q&A? Drop me a line below. In the meantime, I'll just go back to daydreaming about the amazing holiday I had in Bali last year...

Recipe: Homemade raw cacao, peanut, date & coconut balls

Wean yourself off peanut M&Ms with these deliciously tasty little bliss balls

Homemade raw cacao, peanut, date & coconut balls
.... a little bit of bliss in every bite

Makes 20

2 cups natural muesli (such as Carman's Natural Bircher Muesli) or quinoa flakes (gf option)
1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 raw pecans or almonds
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water
1 shot espresso
Extra shredded coconut for rolling

Process muesli, dates, coconut, pecans, peanut butter, cacao, honey and vanilla in the food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Add water and coffee shot and process until it starts to come together. Add a little extra water if necessary.

Roll into small balls in your hands and finish by rolling in extra shredded coconut. Refrigerate until chilled and serve with hot cuppa. Bliss.

These balls contain a good source of low GI carbs, protein, good fats and antioxidants. The hardest part will be sticking to 1-2 balls at each sitting!

Recipe: Chicken, tomato and vegetable soup with sourdough olive bread

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup fennel finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 fresh chilli finely chopped (or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper)
500g raw chicken breasts sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 stock cube
2L water
1 small tin (170g) tomato paste
2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes
1-2 tsp sugar
500g dried legumes (soup mix), soaked in water overnight and drained
3 carrots sliced
5 leaves kale, sliced, including stems (slice finely)
1 red capsicum diced
1 cup sliced purple cabbage
1/4 cup fresh mixed herbs, chopped roughly
Pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large deep pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and fennel and saute until soft and translucent. Add paprika, coriander and chilli and stir over low heat until fragrant. Add chicken, stir over heat until just cooked.  Add tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Boil water and stir in the stock cube until dissolved. Add to pot, along with legumes, carrots and kale stems. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes. Skim the surface occasionally. You may need to place the lid on if the mixture is becoming too thick. Add the kale leaves, capsicum and purple cabbage spinach and cook for another 10 minutes or until kale leaves are bright green but soft. Stir in fresh herbs, taste for seasoning, add freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with a slice of toasted sourdough olive bread. Delish!

This recipe is dairy free, low GI and gluten free (without the bread). A rich source of dietary fibre, iron and folate. Remove the chicken to go vegan. 

If you don't have some of the vegetables in the recipe, substitute for whatever you have in the fridge. You can also use canned legumes instead of dried legumes if you don't have time to soak them the night before (just drain your canned legumes first). Also experiment with different herbs & spices as you wish. Enjoy :)

This recipe has been modified from a recipe shared from a close friend. Thank you to Mrs Gilbert and Julie Denat for passing it on!

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!