People with diabetes don’t have to follow a special ‘diabetes diet’; they can eat the same things as people without diabetes. Healthy eating isn’t all about nutrition; you should enjoy the foods you eattoo but it depends on how often you eat out. If you only go to a restaurant occasionally, then I say choose [Read more…]
Heniti's Corner
Heniti's Corner is a weekly nutrition Q&A section published in the Sound Telegraph newspaper. To submit your nutiriton questions, please use the contact form on our Contact page.
I’m pregnant with my first baby and want to know if it’s ok for me to eat eggs?
Eggs are a nutritious and tasty food that provides your body with all the amino acids needed to build the different proteins your body uses each day. The current advice for pregnant women is that it is safe to eat eggs, but make sure the egg is thoroughly cooked. Raw egg may contain salmonella, a [Read more…]
Are there foods which can reduce a fever?
If someone has a fever it usually indicates that their body is doing its job in fighting an infection, which is a good thing. Fever doesn’t necessarily have to be treated unless the body temperature reaches a dangerous level. As far as I’m aware there are not any foods you can eat which will have [Read more…]
“What is kombucha and why is it meant to be good for you?”
Kombucha is a drink made from fermented tea leaves. It is thought to have originated in China and is supposedly good for treating a wide range of illnesses such as arthritis, cancer, fatigue and insomnia. Kombucha is also touted as being beneficial for the immune system. As with most food fads, there is little evidence [Read more…]
“How many fish oil capsules should I take to help with arthritis?”
Arthritis Australia recommends people with arthritis consume 2.7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Most standard fish oil capsules contain about 300mg of omega-3 per 1 gram capsule, so you would need to consume 9 capsules per day. A more efficient way to get your daily dose is to take high-strength liquid oil instead, [Read more…]
“My 10 year old son often eats his dinner really quickly and then asks for a second helping because he’s hungry. Should I make him wait before giving him more food?”
There are a few things to consider here. Your son may be going through a growth spurt and genuinely be hungry for more food. Kids need a lot of food in the day to fuel their activities and provide all the nutrients they need to be healthy. That said, if you son is eating his [Read more…]
“I suffer from Lupus and a friend of mine told me to avoid eating alfalfa sprouts. Is this good advice?”
Alfalfa sprouts contain an amino acid called L-canavanine, which has shown to activate the immune system in people with Lupus and cause inflammation. It is a good idea to avoid eating alfalfa sprouts as best you can. Having 2-3 fish meals per week may also help reduce inflammation, due to the presence of beneficial long-chain [Read more…]
“A naturopath I went to recommended I have cytotoxic testing done to see if the symptoms I was experience were due to food allergies. Do you know much about this?”
The theory behind cytotoxic testing is that by mixing a sample of someone’s blood with different food extracts and looking at it under a microscope to observe any changes, you can work out if the person has an allergy or intolerance to certain foods. Although this test is used by quite a few alternative health [Read more…]
“Is a low-carb diet suitable for children?”
As a dietitian who practises non-diet nutrition, my advice is that ‘diets’ are unhealthy for everyone. Diets tend to restrict food intake beyond what could be considered a normal, healthy diet and this has negative effects on physical health. There’s also good evidence to show the negative effects of dieting on mental health too. When [Read more…]
“What is lauric acid and why does it make coconut oil good for you?”
Lauric acid is a type of saturated fatty acid; fatty acids join together with a glycerol molecule to form triglycerides, which are the storage form of fat. 89% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated fatty acids, 6% are monounsaturated fatty acids and 2% are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids increase the [Read more…]
