MORNING WORKOUTS: EXPOSED!

Have you ever wondered whether it's better to exercise in the morning or at night? Well, to answer all your questions, please join me in welcoming Jenna Obeid, guest blogger and sports star extraordinaire.

Jenna Obeid

Jenna Obeid is in her final year studying a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition at Deakin University in Melbourne, with hopes of further study in Dietetics. So far during her studies Jenna has enjoyed learning about how nutrition demands change throughout the lifespan, particularly during female stages such as pregnancy, lactation and post-menopause. Jenna is very much into living a healthy and active lifestyle and enjoys writing about nutrition. Jenna is looking forward to further developing her knowledge in sports nutrition as well as clinical dietetics in the near future.

Connect with Jenna on Twitter

There are many different beliefs on what the best time of day is to exercise. But what do you take as fact and what do you take as a myth? What is known is that exercise in general, no matter what time of the day, is beneficial for the body. But let’s take a closer look at the morning workout and decide for ourselves whether it is really more beneficial than working out later on in the day...

KICK START YOUR DAY

A morning workout is a great start to the day and can get you burning energy from much earlier on. Clinical exercise physiologist Professor Steve Selig from the School of Exerciseand Nutrition Sciences at Deakin Universitystates that morning exercise stimulates metabolism and provides a big step up in the rate of metabolic processes of the body.

However, Selig says that morning exercise also may spike blood pressure early in the day and can promote blood clotting for those with cardiovascular issues. Overall, healthy people will benefit more from a morning workout and the advantages on the body of exercising early outweigh the disadvantages.

Wow! Jenna recently came back from competing in
the World Cheerleading Championships in the USA. Jem (Ed) 

MORNING vs ARVO

Body temperature is at its highest in the late afternoon (around 5pm) so exercising at anytime around then can mean exerting a higher level of performance – meaning you may be able to get more from your workout. 

According to exercise physiologist and Senior Science Editor for Muscle & Fitness magazine (USA) Jim Stoppani, afternoon workouts show to be more beneficial for athletes as research has shown that you are stronger and faster in the late afternoon. But he suggests that for the average person, an afternoon workout is not essential as you tend to see similar results regardless of the time of day.

If you prefer a morning workout, just allow for a longer and more extensive warm up to increase your initial lower body temperate in the mornings. 

Read more here:
Souissi, H. et al
Souissi, N. et al
Hill, D. et al

OLD HABITS DIE HARD

Chances are, those who exercise in the mornings will be more likely to stick to their habit and find consistency with their workouts compared to those who exercise later in the day. Selig believes that there are less excuses not to exercise in the mornings and an AM workout seems to be more convenient, leading to more people regularly exercising earlier in the day.

Check out this post over at FitSugar for some great ideas on how to make sure you get motivated to get out of bed and into those running shoes earlier on in the day.

MAKE YOURSELF A MORNING PERSON

Find that you are just too tired to get up that little bit earlier and exercise first thing in the morning? Well, did you know that regular morning exercise can actually have a positive impact on your sleeping patterns and can make you feel more awake during the day?

There has been reported improved sleep quality in those that exercise regularly. Selig says that while only anecdotal evidence, it has been found that people who go from a sedentary lifestyle to one that includes exercise – particularly morning exercise – find that they feel tired when they should be going to sleep and feel more awake during the day. So morning workouts may have a great impact on sleeping patterns.

If exercising late at night, some may find it difficult to fall asleep soon after. Selig suggests that the reason for this is because the body has just been aroused and it may take a while for it to calm back down enough to the point of sleep.


THE FINAL VERDICT

A small change to your lifestyle, like making morning workouts a habit, can really be beneficial. From boosting your metabolism, to keeping you alert, to helping you sleep better, mornings workouts provide some great incentives that go well beyond fitness. Exercise is a great way to start to your day, but more importantly, any time of the day you will reap the benefits! What are your goals to stay fit and healthy over Winter?


Editor's note:


Thanks Jenna. I think this blog is the perfect motivation I need to get out of bed on these cold Winter mornings (yes, it's well and truly Winter here in Melbourne). I'm sure there are many people out there that love a good morning workout, so if anyone has any good suggestions for getting out of bed, they would be most welcome :)

Oven Fries

You may have read my post on McDonald's Gets Grilled, and let's be honest, there are no surprises there when it comes to how nutritious some of the menu options are. But what about oven fries? How do they stack up? Many would argue that at least they're not deep fried, right?

Well, last week on A Current Affair, myself and 2 other dietitians reviewed 7 popular brands of oven fries, and rated them from the most to the least healthy. Now of course we're not promoting oven fries as everday foods - let's put it into perspective here - oven fries should be kept as treat. But it is good to know that you can make better choices at the supermarket by choosing fries that are lower in kilojoules, lower in saturated fat, and lower in sodium (and higher in potato!) for those one-off nights when you're strapped for time.

Check out the story here

And if you're after some pointers on how to make the right choices at the supermarket, check out my guide below.

A guide to buying fries

• The greater the surface area of the chip, the more oil is absorbed. Choose straight cut or wedges over thin & crinkle cut.

• Beer battered chips often contain added wheat starches and may not be suitable for those with food sensitivities or coeliac disease. They are also lower in % potato.

• The Heart Foundation Tick is a good guide for making the right choice, but there are also options that do not have the tick that meet the same criteria.

• Shorter ingredients lists tend to have less additives and more potato. Go for those with >95% potato.

• Look for <120mg/100g sodium

• Look for <1g/100g saturated fat

• Oven fries aren’t an everyday food, save them for special occasions

• Choose those that are made with heart healthy oils like canola and sunflower oil

• If you’re serving oven fries, aim for no more than ¼ of your plate

• Avoid adding extra table salt, most products already contain added salt

• Serve them with a reduced salt tomato sauce as opposed to tartare, aioli or sour cream as these are all high in saturated fat

• The best chip? Make them yourself and add flavour with herbs & spices

Should you be worried about your sugar intake?

I blogged on sugar in Feb last year, but it seems sugar is still a very hot topic. 

And I'm not surprised. Sugar is a complex nutrient. Some sugars are naturally occurring in foods, while other sugars are added. Some foods that contain natural sugars (fruit, milk) & small amounts of added sugars (yoghurt) are healthy, while some foods and drinks containing added sugars are not healthy (lollies, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits).

I was interviewed this week by Karen Collier, journalist from the Herald Sun, and the interview particularly focused on the amount of sugary drinks that are out there. Here's the article. 

UNSUSPECTING consumers are swigging 3000 teaspoons of sugar a year hidden in popular drinks, a study has calculated.

The shopper survey found many Australians seriously misjudge the amount of the sweet stuff in non-alcoholic beverages.

Even supposedly healthy options such as some fruit juices and iced teas are crammed with far more sugar than we realise.

Packaged juice had an average 8 1/2 teaspoons in a standard bottle - yet most people guessed three to six teaspoons.

Few knew iced teas contained seven or eight teaspoons on average.

Half thought vitamin water had less than two teaspoons, when it was actually six.

Soft drinks were highest, at up to 10 teaspoons in a single can.

New draft dietary guidelines released by the National Health and Medical Research Council recommend Australians limit intake of foods and drinks with added sugars, and in particular, restricting sweet drinks.

The World Health Organisation says added sugars should not make up more than 10 per cent of our total energy intake.

One teaspoon equates to 4.2g of sugar. Serving sizes for the surveyed drinks were 375ml-600ml.

The Pure Profile research, commissioned by the makers of new product Flave Water, asked 1000 adults about consumption and estimated sugar content for soft drinks, iced tea, vitamin water, reconstituted juice and sport drinks.

Dietitian Jemma O'Hanlon said as well as tooth decay, sweetened drinks could contribute to weight gain and obesity.

"If people are consuming more of highly processed, sugary foods and drinks, this means they're having less of the healthy foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and dairy foods," Ms O'Hanlon said.

"You don't receive that feeling of fullness from a sugary drink, so people tend to forget that these still contribute to their daily kilojoule intake."

GET IT RIGHT

FOCUS on eating a variety of foods from the five food groups - fruit, vegetable, breads and cereal, meat and alternatives, and dairy and alternatives.

DON'T worry about the natural sugars  in fresh fruit and milk, nor the small amount of added sugar in yoghurt. These foods are packed full of nutrients which makes them a good choice.

HIGHLY processed foods and fluids such as confectionery, soft drinks, cakes and biscuits are nutrient-poor yet high in kilojoules, and these should be limited.

DRINK more water as opposed to any other fluids. Water is sugar and kilojoule-free.
 

collierk@heraldsun.com.au

The bottom line with sugar is you can't go wrong if you focus on eating the 5 food groups. This means eating fruit, vegetables/legumes, wholegrain breads & cereals, lean meats/fish/poultry/eggs/nuts and dairy foods. Try to limit your intake of highly processed foods and drinks such as confectionery, soft drinks and flavoured waters, which are nutrient poor and yet kilojoule rich (and only end up on the waistline). 

For more info, check out the Dietitian's Association of Australia's thoughts here and here. 

Fish Oil - Part 1

Walk into a supermarket or chemist these days and you'll be bombarbed with more vitamin supplements than you can poke a stick at. One of the supplements that seems to be in right now is fish oil, so I asked my dietitian friend Sal to give me the low down on what it is, do we actually need it, and if so, how much should we be taking? Here's the scoop.

Sally Marchini

Sally is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian after successfully completing the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Newcastle.

Having lived with diabetes and coeliac disease for many years, Sally is passionate about helping other people with these conditions and is opening a private practice in Swansea, NSW as a specialist dietitian.

Connect with Sally on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter

Before studying to become a dietitian I often used to wonder about fish oil:  what it was that made it so healthy, how it worked to be healthy for so many parts of our body, what these EPA and DHA letters were all about and what difference they made to me, what’s the best way to have it, how much of it should I have – that sort of thing.  So, I thought I’d write something for you all along those lines in case you have similar wonderings about this quite complex subject.

I’ll start by explaining briefly what omega-3 fatty acids are, then the variety of health benefits that can be gained by consuming fish oil and three of its active components (EPA, DHA & DPA), what the best sources are, and how much we need to consume for the health benefits to be realised.  In my next blog I’ll discuss some of the other issues associated with fish oil such as whether there are differences between wild and farmed fish, fish oil and krill oil, sustainability of seafood in general, and safety relating to mercury levels in deep sea fish and fish oils. 

Omega-3 fatty acids

In the deep cold sea, fish need a kind of ‘anti-freeze’ to allow them to survive.  It is the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that do that job for them.  Interestingly these omega-3 PUFAs that we associate with fish originate in the plant form of microalgae.  Deep sea foraging fish (like sardines and herring) eat the microalgae and accumulate the omega-3 fatty acids.  In turn, these fish are eaten by the larger predatory fish like tuna and salmon.  It is this ability of the fish to accumulate the omega-3 PUFAs that makes them special.

In our human bodies fatty acids provide energy, protection, and transmission of messages to and between the millions of cells.  Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential in our diet as the human body cannot produce them itself. The three of those fatty acids are most talked about are known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and DPA (docosapentaenoic acid).  Each of these play specific roles in our health, however are generally available together in oily fish such as mackerel, herrings, sardines, salmon and tuna and other seafood. The plant-based Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) also has many health benefits (found in legumes, canola oils and margarines, linseed oils, certain nuts such as walnuts, and in small amounts in leafy vegetables) but does not benefit human health as well as marine n-3 PUFAs for certain conditions. For those with seafood allergies, marine algae are a viable alternative although an expensive one.

Health benefits that can be gained by consuming fish oil


These omega-3 fatty acid components in fish oil provide several properties that have also been proven effective in humans including:

·       Anti-inflammatory properties that help the immune system, heart health (by decreasing the risk of Coronary Heart Disease, decreasing arrhythmias, and slightly lowering blood pressure) and that help reduce the swelling and stiffness associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions

·       Anti-coagulant properties that reduce the risk of stroke, thrombosis and again help heart health

·        Being known to help with high cholesterol by increasing the good cholesterol (HDL), increasing the size of the bad cholesterol particles(LDL) making them less dangerous, and reducing the triglycerides

·         Helping with building and maintenance of neural pathways in the brain, being linked with lower levels of depression and helping with ADHD in some cases

·         Being linked with increased UV protection for our skin and improved breathing for those with asthma

·         Decreasing colonic damage and inflammation in people with Irritable Bowel Disease

·         Reducing insulin sensitivity for people with or at risk of Type 2 diabetes

How much do we need?

The Heart Foundation currently recommends that the adult population of Australia should consume about 500 milligrams of omega-3 (marine source) every day.  On some days you may consume more or less omega-3s than on other days, but aim to consume about 3500 milligrams of EPA and DPA over the whole week.  The Heart Foundation and the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) recommend that you achieve this amount by eating two to three serves of oily fish every week and supplementing your intake with fish oil and/or foods and drinks enriched with omega-3.  So, if you were relying entirely on supplements then two 1000mg capsules per day (each 1000mg usually contains 300mg of marine triglycerides) should be ample.

It’s also worth noting at this point that omega-6 fatty acids (found in safflower, corn, sunflower, peanut and other vegetable oils) actually compete with the omega-3s and generally cause an opposite effect in our cells, so choose olive oil in preference to those to obtain an improved benefit.

The Heart Foundation also advises that even though fish sources of omega-3s have great benefits for heart health, pregnant and breastfeeding women must not consume more than the recommended amounts of the larger predatory fish due to the risk of consuming too much mercury (this will be covered more in the next blog). Requirements for specific health conditions will need to be worked out for individuals by an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) or other health professional.

Best sources

This table (data taken from the Heart Foundation) gives you a feeling for the levels of Omega-3 in some more common Australian seafoods.  Each listing contains at least 200mg EPA+DHA/150g serve.

EPA+DHA levels per 150g serve

200-300mg /150g serve	300- 400 mg /150g serve	400-500 mg /150g serve	300-500 mg /150g serve	>500 /150g serve
Australian bass	Smoked cod	Australian sardine	Green Mussels	Atlantic salmon
Snapper	Rainbow trout	Yellow-tail kingfish	Oyster, Pacific, raw	Blue mackerel
Silver trevally	Flathead: deep water,	Australian herring	Scallops	Australian salmon
King Dory	southern sand, tiger	Sea mullet	Blue Mussels	Blue-eye trevalla
Whiting	Mirror dory	Silver perch	Crab, blue swimmer	Oyster, Sydney rock
John Dory	Jack mackerel	Some canned salmon and tuna	Baby octopus	Squid, arrow
Other white fleshed fish	Grey morwong		Some canned salmon and tuna	Some canned salmon and tuna

Some ideas to increase your intake might be to include a serve of canned salmon or sardines, which have very high omega-3 levels, and adding another serve of oily fish or seafood (either caught or bought) to your weekly eating plan to help you to reach your weekly omega-3 targets.

It is easy for children to meet recommended intakes of omega-3s. Based on recent Australian Government dietary intake recommendations,  one small serve (100 grams) of a fish such as flathead, plus two small cans of sandwich tuna a week, will provide a child up to age 14 with an adequate intake (AI) of omega-3s.

There is also a wide range of products available that have been fortified with marine-based omega-3s including eggs (chickens fed on fish meal), bread, dairy products, oil and even ice cream.

What about fish oil supplements?

Fish oil supplements are readily available and can be helpful for people who find it challenging to consume enough marine sourced omega-3s from their diets.  In this case, two 1000mg fish oil capsules per day (providing 600mg marine triglycerides) will be ample for most people, unless you have a condition that is known to benefit from an increased dosage such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, high cholesterol and others  – check with your health professional if this is the case.  The odourless varieties have been safely encapsulated to allow digestion without the fishy aftertaste.  If you have a fish allergy, ensure you seek medical advice to avoid possible reaction.

It is advisable to include a 250mg dose of Vitamin E with fish oil supplements to provide antioxidant stabilisation for the omega-3s as they make their way to your cells.  Additionally, ensure the fish oils you use are protected from heat and light (store them in the fridge) to avoid losing potency due to oxidation.

In terms of brands, most reputable brands will contain similar ingredients.  Some brands such as Blackmores make different types with qualities aimed at specific health conditions (like cardiac and brain health) but really they’re all quite similar. Ask your APD if you’re still unsure. 

The NHMRC recommends an upper level of omega-3s of 3000mg for children, adolescents and adults as there is some evidence to suggest that high levels of these fatty acids may impair immune response and prolong bleeding time.  Therefore medical advice is recommended for condition specific larger doses. (Note: It is unlikely that this level of intake would be reached by consumption of seafood alone. If it were, then consideration would need to be given to the possible effects of concomitant intakes of other potential toxins such as mercury.)

People with high blood triglycerides and other medical conditions should take advice from their GP or APD before choosing fish oil supplements and omega-3 enriched foods and drinks as an alternative to drug therapy.

Check out Part 2 next week for info on fish vs krill oil, wild or farmed, mercury levels and that ever-so-hot word right now called 'sustainability'...  

Organic food

Last month, my mentee, Mary shared a blog with us on vegan baking. This month, she tackles the topic of organic food and whether it really is any better than regular produce.


Mary Lin
Mary Lin is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian after successfully completing the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Monash University. Mary is passionate about exploring food possibilities to promote health and wellbeing.  She has a special interest in heart health, vegetarianism/veganism, and food intolerance. Mary's hobbies include cooking, baking, and playing music.

Connect with Mary on LinkedIn

Connect with Mary at her blog Food is a Many-Splendoured Thing

Organic food can be found scattered almost everywhere in supermarkets and markets these days. Even though it is more expensive, more and more people seem to be buying organic food. It has been found that most people go organic because they believe that it’s fresher and healthier. I’ve also noticed that many supermarkets put a lot of organic food in their ‘health food’ section. But is organic food really better for us nutritionally?

What is organic food?

In a nutshell, organic food is produced without chemicals or drugs with the intention to protect the environment. Organic foods include crops produced without using pesticides and artificial fertilisers. Where livestock is involved, organic means that the animals are bred ‘naturally and traditionally’ (e.g. no hormones to make them grow larger).

Is organic food more nutritious?

The claim that organic food is healthier has been flying around for a very long time. However, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has recently published a couple of very interesting reviews of studies on organic food and nutrition. A systematic review by Dangour in 2009 has concluded that organic food does nothave different nutrient quality compared to conventional food. Even though there were small differences detected in some of the studies, these were more likely to be biological-related or caused by the production processes. Another review explored whether eating organic food has any nutrition-related health benefits. The evidence shows that there are no differences in nutrition-related health outcomes between organic food eaters and conventional food eaters. Therefore, the current evidence we have demonstrates that organic food is not nutritionally better compared to conventional food.

What about conventional food? Is it safe to eat even though they use chemicals?

The Food Standards Australian New Zealand has regulations on the maximum residue levels from chemicals that are allowed in food. These maximum residue levels are scientifically proven to be safe for us. Standard 1.4.2 in the Food Standard Code has a list of all the residues that are allowed to be found in food as well as their maximum residue levels. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority also regulates the registration of agriculture and veterinary chemical products to assess and ensure that they are safe. They also review any products that have been registered to make sure that they are still safe to use. Therefore, even though they use chemicals in some conventional foods, the government is making sure that the chemicals, as well as the amount of chemical residues, are safe for us to eat.

So should I go organic then?

Well, we now know from the evidence available that there are no significant nutritional differences between organic food and conventional food, therefore I’d say it really comes down to personal preference. Organic is more environmentally friendly, but it is often more expensive. Organic fruit and vegetables may look less perfect, but some people prefer their taste. So make your own judgement on what you want to go with, and if you don’t go organic, don’t worry, you’re not missing out on any extra nutrients.

Links:
Australian Certified Organic
Organic Growers of Australia



Editor's note:


Thanks Mary. I appreciate the time you've taken to give us the low-down on organic eating. For me personally, I love to support the Victorian Farmers Markets and would certainly encourage people to support local growers wherever possible, regardless of if they're organic or not. I do find that some organic fruit and veg tastes much sweeter, but I can't say that I buy it all the time. I think it's really up to the individual, what their values are, and what they support. Thanks again for an informative blog post.


I also wanted to share some of the commentary that was published following the systematic review by Dangour in 2009. Provides some interesting reading. 

Gibbon, D (2009)
Benbrook, C, Davis, D, Andrews P (2009)
Dangour, D (2009)

Hot Cross Buns. Delicious, but are they nutritious?

Last year at Easter time I couldn't keep count of the number of times I was asked about hot cross buns and whether they were 'good' for you.

So I tweeted my fellow dietitian mate, Mel Carmody, who I knew would be able give us the scoop on those buns that we find ourselves eating year after year (some of you may eat them all year round!) So are they healthy? Are they not? Mel answers all your questions below. And she's even gone to the trouble of doing a nutrient comparison of the different brands and has plotted a beautiful table with the fats, calories, you name it. Enjoy the read! 

Melissa Carmody
Melissa is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who has recently had a tree change and is now working in beautiful country NSW as a clinical dietitian. Mel is passionate about local produce and supporting local farmers, and is looking forward to attending a 100 mile dinner for the towns Food Week. She enjoys every opportunity to spread the word on healthy, nutritious and delicious food, and could spend hours talking food and testing out recipes. If she’s not in the kitchen you’ll find Mel pounding the pavement in training for her next half marathon or cycling down to the farmers markets to pick up ingredients for her next food creation.
Follow Mel on Twitter

As the haze of Christmas food lifted and the shopping aisles were cleared of the puddings and chocolate calendars, the next round of festive foods began to invade our supermarkets, yes Easter eggs and hot cross buns. But should we be eating hot cross buns from Christmas to Easter or are they more suited as a special treat?

Not only can you buy the traditional bun, but sourdough, choc chip, fruitless, mocha and gluten free are also on offer, with sizes ranging from mini to jumbo cafe style. With this much choice, how do you know which is the healthiest option, and how do they compare to similar products such as raisin toast?

Some varieties are healthier than others

At this time of year, bakeries and supermarkets have towering tables filled with hot cross buns. Before you throw the nearest packet into your basket, keep in mind that some varieties of buns are a healthier option than others.  Most varieties are relatively low in fat with the exception of choc chip and mocha. Comparing Bakers Delight options, the mocha bun contains almost 3 times as much total fat as the authentic sourdough and 5 times as much saturated fat. The choc chip bun is not too far behind in terms of fat content, making these varieties more of a treat food.

Carb comparison & GI 

Another thing to keep in mind is that most buns contain as much carbohydrate as 2-3 slices of bread, making them quite carbohydrate dense. The fruit varieties have a low to medium glycemic index rating meaning they provide a slower release of energy and a lower spike in your blood sugar levels, while the chocolate varieties have a higher glycemic index so will cause a greater rise and fall in your blood sugar.

Go for the mini-me's  

When choosing your hot cross bun also be aware the effect portion size has on nutrition, with super sized also meaning super sized kilojoule contents. The mini portions have a more appropriate kilojoule content for a snack, while a couple of larger sized buns have similar energy as a small meal. Adding toppings also adds kilojoules, with a low fat spread a better option than the saturated fat hit from lashings of butter.

What about raisin toast? 

So how do hot cross buns compare to raisin toast? The protein and carbohydrate content between them are very similar, but 2 slices of thin raisin toast has less total fat and the second lowest energy content than any variety of an average sized bun in this comparison.* 

The verdict

If you do choose a hot cross bun keep in mind the mini sized options means a lower kilojoule content, fruit options have more fibre, and the choc chip and mocha varieties are best kept as a treat at Easter time due to their high fat content.

Happy Easter!

Link: Mel's nutrient comparison table

*Tip Top Raisin Toast was compared to Bakers Delight, Woolworths and Coles hot cross buns

Editor's note:

Well said Mel. I agree with you that it's important to think beyond just the hot cross bun, and remember that it's often the size of the portion, how many we eat, what we put on them & what we serve them with that matters the most. I love the fruit buns toasted and served with a little marg, some fresh pear and a drizzle of reduced fat yoghurt. It's a deliciously filling snack that ticks all the nutritional boxes! 

Ok now over to you guys. Which buns do you like (please no Brad Pitt jokes, let's keep it family friendly) and do you have any healthy tips on how you like to serve your buns?

Hoppy Easter xx


Ps. Want some tips on dealing with the chocolate that Easter brings? Check out my post here.

Discovery of Vegan Baking – Easy and Healthier!

This year one of my goals was to encourage more dietitians to get involved in writing. Because that way I look at it, the more dietitians that are out there (dispelling the myths and giving out the right dietary advice), the less confusion there will be when it comes to nutrition! Today I'd like to introduce you to Mary, my mentee, who has kindly offered to guest post on all things vegan.

Mary Lin

Mary Lin is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian after successfully completing the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Monash University. Mary is passionate about exploring food possibilities to promote health and wellbeing. She has a special interest in heart health, vegetarianism/veganism, and food intolerance. Mary's hobbies include cooking, baking, and playing music.

Connect with Mary on LinkedIn

Connect with Mary at her blog Food is a Many-Splendoured Thing

I have always loved baking; I especially love sharing my finished products with my friends and loved ones. This all became a pickle when I acquired a vegan mister. I wanted to share baked goods with him but I had never attempted vegan baking before. I was uncertain at first as I didn’t know what crazy substitute ingredients I’d come across. However after some research, not only did I discover that vegan baking can be just as easy as normal baking, it can be healthier, and just as delicious!

What’s vegan?

Being vegan is a lifestyle that does not involve eating or using any animal products. Diet-wise, this means no meats, no dairy products, and no food additives that contain animal products (such as red food dye, which is made from Cochineal – an insect!).

From a nutritional point of view

The vegan diet can be much lower in fat, especially saturated fat (the “bad” fat) as it is mostly found in animal products. In this day and age where fatty foods are oh-so-common, and high saturated fat diets are contributing to some of the major chronic diseases (e.g. heart disease, type 2 diabetes), a vegan diet can be a good for health. However, it is important for vegans to consume adequate amounts of legumes (e.g. pulses, lentils) and soy products (e.g. soy milk, tofu) to substitute meat and dairy so they’re getting all their nutrients. If you are vegan or decide to make the swap, make sure you have your vitamin and mineral levels checked by your doctor as vegans are more at risk of developing a deficiency, particularly vitamins B12 & iron. And an Accredited Practising Dietitian can help you to make the right choices when it comes to your diet.

Non-vegan baking ingredients

The most common ingredients used in baking that are animal products, are milk, buttermilk, eggs, and butter, which can all be substituted for vegan alternatives:

Milk à Soy milk, rice milk, almond milk

Buttermilk à Milk and vinegar

Eggs à Apple sauce, lemon juice

Butter à Margarine, oil

Vegan vs. non-vegan baking

One of my favourite vegan cupcake recipes is the lemon and poppy seed cupcakes. So I found a non-vegan counterpart to compare it to (the links for both recipes can be found at the end of this blog):

Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes (Icing not included) - Makes 12
Vegan	Non-Vegan
Ingredients: ·        1 cup flour ·        1 1/4 teaspoons baking     powder ·        1 teaspoon baking soda ·        1/2 teaspoon salt ·        1/4 cup oil ·        1/2 cup sugar ·        1 tablespoon lemon juice ·        1 lemon, zested ·        1 teaspoon vinegar ·        1 cup soy milk ·        1 tablespoon vanilla ·        1 1/2 tablespoons poppy      seeds	Ingredients: ·        225g self-raising flour ·        175g golden caster sugar ·        Zest 2 lemons ·        1 tbsp poppy seeds,       toasted ·        3 eggs ·        100g natural yoghurt ·        175g butter, melted and       cooled a little

Although there are more ingredients in the vegan cupcakes, most are commonly found in a kitchen and all can be easily purchased from the supermarket (Tip: try using apple cider vinegar). The directions for the vegan cupcake recipe are just as easy, if not even simpler than the non-vegan recipe (refer to links).

I put both cupcake recipes into FoodWorks, a program often used to nutritionally analyse food and diets. From the results, the vegan cupcakes have 50% less fat, 88% less saturated fat, and 20% less sugar (per 100g) compared to the non-vegan cupcakes! And how do the vegan cupcakes taste? You can’t even tell that they’re vegan!

So next time you’re making cupcakes, why not have a go at making vegan cupcakes instead? They taste just as good and are a healthier option! Vegan recipes are easy to find, just have a search on the internet and away you go!

 Other Healthier Baking Tips

·        Use low fat options when available. E.g. for milk and cream cheese

·        Use margarine instead of butter

·        Substitute part or all flour with a wholemeal equivalent to increase
   dietary fibre

·        Cut down sugar. When the recipe says 1 cup, try being not so accurate
   and put in a little less than 1 cup. You’ll find that this doesn’t change the
   finished product

·        Cut down on the icing. I often make half the amount of icing on recipes
    for my cupcakes and I find it’s more than enough

Links

Vegan Cupcake Recipe - (vegweb.com also has all sorts of other vegan recipes)

Non-Vegan Cupcake Recipe
The Vegan Society



Editor's note:


Thanks Mary. What better an introduction to vegan baking than from someone that loves getting their hands dirty in the kitchen themselves! I look forward to more delicious recipes from you, and FYI, I would never say no to some samples of your cooking if you ever happened to bring some in at our next meeting! ;)