Getting Back To Basics

Nutrition is the science of nutrients and how they are digested, absorbed, transported, metabolized, stored, and eliminated by the body. This means what you eat will affect your health, how much fat you lose, how much muscle you can gain, how energetic you feel and so much more.

Here are Naed Nutrition’s top tips to improving your health & wellbeing

Keep hydrated: water is important for

Boosting energy & Aiding the absorption of water soluble nutrients

Elimination of toxins which is needed for  WEIGHT LOSS and for fat metabolism,

Joint mobility & Improving cognitive function

You need to eat fat to burn fat. When you are wanting to burn body fat and lose weight you want to focus on the unsaturated fats such as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA’s) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s). 

MUFA’s : olive oils, avocado’s nuts & seeds

PUFA’s (Omega 3’s): fish, nuts, seeds & algae

Eat High protein foods as they allow the body to burn fat by satiety. It allows you to limit excessive carbohydrate intake by keeping you full, controlling appetite, levelling blood sugar levels and increasing metabolism. Protein is found in:

Red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes

Eat Carbohydrates in moderation. Carbohydrates are important for burning fat. Good carbohydrate sources are

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, rice, seeds, legumes and sweet potato

Removed Refine Sugars: white breads, pasta, sugar, lollies (adding to coffee, tea, cereal); these highly refined sugars spike insulin levels and eventually feel you leaving low on energy, depletes essential nutrients from your body, affects your liver and promotes weight gain.

1 x treat per week: If you’re 100% focused on clean eating & weight loss, don’t convince yourself that a ‘treat’ more than once a week is ok. A treat can be anything from chocolate, to alcohol, to a big pasta meal. Once a week until you get to your goal is enough to keep you focused on your goal without depriving yourself, your goal is bigger than that block of chocolate!

Increase your veg: for most people this is the most difficult and here are some helpful hints

Cut up carrot and celery to snack munch on during the day

Make a fruit salad or have a piece of fruit as a snack

Make a stir fry with veggies you don’t normally eat

Try a Green smoothie

Add an extra cup of salad to lunch & an extra cup of vegetables to dinner

Plan & Organise your food:

Plan you meals AND snacks AND include the weekend: Write it down from Monday to Sunday, breakfast through to Supper, every meal & you want to eat. A common mistake people make is forgetting to plan their food for the weekend as well as during the week

Prep what you like with lots of variety: If you don’t like cooking & freezing meals you don’t have to, your prep can be portioning out your meats & protein, cutting & washing & separating all your veggies for the week. You will be amazed at how much time you will save during the week

Portion control: Just because you have cooked up 1kg of chicken that is to die for doesn’t mean you eat it all in a day: portion out the correct portion and spread it out to get the best variety

If you need more help with your nutrition contact sinead@naednutrition.com.au

Why Keep a Food Diary?

Being accountable to your food intake can ultimately be the difference between achieving your goal and not achieving your goal. One of the easiest ways to be accountable is to keep a food diary. You can track what you eat, when you eat, when you stick to your plan and when you struggle to.

It is such an amazing tool to keep you on track, conscious of your intake, and watching out for areas you can improve on. It is NOT about making yourself feel bad or pointing out every time you went s stray from the meal plan.

It is all about ACCOUNTABILITY.

How can I keep a food diary?

• Writing it down on paper or in a journal
• Using an app on your phone, ipad or laptop (i.e. Doc's Diet Diary)

What do I need to track?

• How much you eat AND drink– portions in cups or grams
• What you eat – everything involved writing ‘salad’ is no descriptive enough
• When you eat – timing is everything with food intake when you eat can affect your progress
• Why you eat – is it according to your meal plan? Is it because you are bored?

What else should I track on my food diary?

• Your thoughts/emotions – can help you understand why you make certain food choices
• Any symptoms you are having – if there is an intolerance? Or fatigue in a training session
• Your training – to ensure you are fueling your body & staying accountable to your training
• Supplements & medications – to ensure you are sticking to your regime and timing

Should I share my food diary?

Not on Facebook but to a trusted health & fitness professional that can give you some honest and constructive feedback on how you are going. Making a few small adjustments can be the difference between achieving your goal and not achieving your goal

At Naed Nutrition we offer food diary feedback as part of many of our packages and services however you can choose it on it’s own for only $10 per week: Food Diary Feedback

Healthy Hot Chocolate

The winter chill is here & you may be craving particular foods (mostly chocolate) to keep you warm! But why are you having these cravings?

What causes food cravings?

• Low energy
• Boredom
• Poor diet
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Stress
• Depression
• PMS
• Insufficient calorie intake
• Alcohol/Hangover
• Dealing with emotions
• Food Intolerances
• And much more!

Specific chocolate cravings can be more specifically linked with magnesium deficiency.

Foods high in Magnesium

• spinach
• broccoli
• pumpkin seeds
• sunflower seeds
• sesame seeds
• flaxseeds
• cucumber
• green beans
• celery
• kale

Alternative you can take a magnesium supplement such as Bioceuticals ultramuscleze night or P5P

A great way to satisfy those chocolate cravings is with our Healthy Hot Chocolate recipe

Ingredients

• 100ml A2 milk (or almond milk)
• 1 tsp of coconut sugar
• 1 tbl of raw organic cacao (cacao vs cacao blog post)
• 200ml boiling water

Method

• Boil the kettle
• In a mug add milk, coconut sugar and cacao. Milk thoroughly
• Add boil water and mix well

Nutrition Information
Servings per package:	1.00
Serving size:	325	ml
	Average Quantity per Serving		Average Quantity per 100 g
Energy	335	kJ	103	kJ
Calories	80	cal	25	cal
Protein	4.1	g	1.3	g
Fat, total	4.0	g	1.2	g
- saturated	3.1	g	0.9	g
Carbohydrate	6.3	g	1.9	g
- sugars	5.2	g	1.6	g
Sodium	49	mg	15	mg

To find out how to adjust your nutrition intake and reduce cravings contact us at admin@naednutrition.com.au

Top 7 Food Additives to Avoid

Additives are found everywhere in our packaged products but what do those little numbers mean and which ones should you look out for? Here are our top 7 list of food additives to avoid:  

1. Aspartame # 951 C found in Diet Foods & diet soft drinks, equal,

Linked to many health problems including cancer, asthma, nausea, depressions, hyperactivity, seizures.  Causes dizziness, headaches & hallucinations

2. Olestra (Fat substitute) found in chips, crackers (no fat/reduced fat)

Linked to diarrhoea cramps, flatulence, increases appetite, decrease the ability for fat soluble vitamins to be absorbed.

3. Erythrosine #E127 (red) found in jams, sugar lollies, toppings & fillings, red cordials and soups

Linked to concentration issues, increase in hyperactivity in kids, nerve toxin

4. MSG #621 found in Chinese, salad dressings, soups, chips

Linked to Asthma, hyperactivity, depression, mood changes, sleeplessness, nausea, migraine, linked to infertility, teratogen, convulsions, abdominal discomfort. See text re other hidden sources of MSG

Causes headaches, dizziness, migraines, convulsions

5. Sodium Nitrate #251/250 found in Bacon, ham, salami, corned beef, hot dogs

Linked to Hyperactivity, behavioral problems, asthma, headaches, dizziness, possible carcinogen. Prohibited in foods for infants and young children.

6. Sulfites #222/223/228 eg: sodium bisulphite (222) Found in wine, beer and dried fruit

Linked to migraines and asthma attacks in some people

7.  Tartrazine #E102 (yellow) found in lollies, desserts, cereal and soft drinks

Linked to Hyperactivity, behavioral problems, skin rashes, migraines and thyroid problems.

Remember they won’t always be listed under these names or numbers, for example Tartrazine #E102 is listed as FD&C yellow 5 or C.I. 19140. Be consumer aware & download the free app Additive Alert!

For more information on becoming consumer aware with your foods contact us at admin@naednutrition.com.au

What is a Nutritionist?

Nutritionists are trained allied health professionals who provide safe, evidence-based dietary and nutritional advice to assist in the management of health and prevention of disease. Poor diet, the ingestion of harsh chemicals and eating foods with a low nutritional value can have a detrimental effect on health, however through correct nutritional advice more diseases can easily be prevented, treated and even cured. It also involves providing advice to clients based on the physiological responses of their body to diet through metabolic pathways (how the energy and nutrients from food is absorbed and used in the human in the body).

Nutrition is focused on the science of nutrients and how they are digested, absorbed, transported, metabolized, stored, and eliminated by the body. Besides studying how food works in the body, nutritionists are interested in how the environment affects the quality and safety of foods, and what influence these factors have on health and disease.

At Naed Nutrition, we know that everyone is different and as such are passionate about personalised nutrition. There is no one size fits all for clean eating, what works for one doesn’t work for some.

Each person has their own goal, their own likes and dislikes with foods, has a different lifestyle, and different health concerns whether it be past or present.

This means that each person receives the nutrition service that will fit them.

Consults will consist of a variety of health, diet and lifestyle related questions with the upmost confidentiality and privacy

We offer a range of personalised services from consults right through to meal plans including as much or as little accountability as required.

Naed Nutrition endeavours to go above and beyond for our clients. For more information of how we can help you achieve your goal simply pop on our website www.naednutrition.com.au or email admin@naednutrition.com.au

Green Tea x 50 is not Green Tea

I have been asked about this supplement on numerous occasions, and come across clients with the misinformation that Green Tea x 50 is green tea. This post will describe how the two items differ.

What is Green Tea?

Green tea is made from Camellia sinensis leaves that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. 

What does Green Tea contain?

B vitamins, folate (naturally occurring folic acid), manganese, potassium, magnesium, caffeine.

Like any other caffeine containing item there can be side effects with the amount you consume depending on sensitivity levels. These include such as nausea, vomiting, mood changes, restlessness, heart palpitations and insomnia. 

There is 25mg of caffeine per serve
(A regular coffee can contain from 120mg-220mg caffeine per serve)

Benefits of Green Tea

•          Reduce blood pressure
•          Control blood sugar levels
•          Boost metabolism
•          Reduce cholesterol levels
•          Reduce inflammation
•          And much more

What is Green Tea x 50

Green tea x 50 marketed as a concentrated green tea supplement providing you with the benefit of 20 cups of green tea in one serve

What is in Green Tea x 50?

Green Tea Extract (16%) – is mostly safe and is beneficial for boosting metabolism, cancer prevention and reducing LDL cholesterol, it can also causes issue in those with anaemia, diabetics, digestive concerns, mood disorders, glaucoma, liver concerns and osteoporosis just to name a few. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, mood changes, restlessness, heart palpitations and insomnia. There can be a negative interactions with statins, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove caffeine from your body such as antibiotics, antihistamines and the contraceptive pill. There is 27mg of caffeine per serve

Resveratrol Extract (5.5%) – is mostly safe and for the most part can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels & increase HDL cholesterol levels, however it can interact with some statins, antibiotics, antihistamines, voltaren, Panadol basically any medications that are changed by the liver. This means the medication will take longer to break down increasing the effect AND side effects of the medication

Maltodextrin – natural but highly processed. Generally, maltodextrin comes from corn, rice, or potato starch. It is a carbohydrate. It can affect blood sugar levels and negatively affect your gut flora

Ascorbic Acid - an isolate of Vitamin C and safe to ingest providing there is no allergy to this compound. The amount that is used is not listed and an excess of ascorbic acid is most likely to be diarrhoea as your body excretes the excess.  

Xylitol – is a sugar alcohol general found in small amounts of fruits. Whilst in small amounts pose no risk, in large amounts (amount is not listed on this product) can cause bloating, diarrhoea, spike blood sugar levels, diabetes and promote tumour growth

Citric Acid - is a natural preservative found in citrus fruit. Side effects from this preservative in excessive amounts are nausea, diarrhoea, bloating cramps but can be severe as swelling and tingling in your extremities. It can react with supplements containing calcium, antacids, decongestants, UTI and lithium medications.

Natural Flavours & Colours – this means there are other flavours and colours that do not need to be listed in or named in specific amounts. This will only be a concern if there is an allergy to a paritcular colour or flavour.

Malic Acid – found in apples this will add the sour content to the product and is safe to ingest and mostly used in topical creams, however it has also been found useful for fibromyalgia sufferers.

Alfalfa – is a beneficial herb which can lower cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation and levelling blood sugar levels. It should not be consumed in excess in pregnancy or oestrogen sensitive conditions as it is seen as a phytoestrogen, it can also increase the symptoms of auto-immune diseases.  Medications it may affect include warfarin, contraception pills and immune suppressants

Sucralose- is a synthetic sweetener that the body is unable to metabolise. It is a sweetener which through many studies have should to cause migraines, gastrointestinal issues as well as a possible link to some cancers only in excessive amounts

Pepper – is often used to enhance the absorption rates of some nutrients and a power nutrient. An excess of pepper can affect any medications that are changed by the liver (as listed above)

Fortunately this product lists all ingredients included (anything less than 5% does not have to be listed) and it is recommended at serve 2 serves per day (3g per serve). This product also meets all TGA guidelines & all ingredients are listed are minimal amounts as directed by TGA 


Before consuming any supplement it is important you are aware of the ingredients and it is important to contact your health care professional to help decide whether a product is safe for you. If you have any questions about supplements you are taken please contact Naed Nutrition at admin@naednutrition.com.au

Traditional vs Microwave Rice

Brought to Australia around 1850 by Chinese gold prospectors, rice has become a staple of our diet. Their varieties continue to expand as we as consumers demand convenience and nutritional value, from microwave steamed rice to wild black rice, there is an expanse of rice varieties to choose from in your local super market that offer different textures, taste and nutritional value. The table below summarizes some common rice varieties and details their cost and nutritional value.

Variety of Rice	Cost per 100g	Nutrients per 100g
		Protein	Carbohydrate	Fibre	Potassium	Magnesium	Niacin	Sodium
Brown	0.32	7.6	72.5	3.9	266mg	111mg	6.4mg	<0.5mg
Microwave Brown	1.32	4	34	3	130mg	52mg	1.2mg	<5mg
Jasmine	0.32	7.2	78.8	<1	78mg	0	0	<5mg
Microwave Jasmine	1.32	2.9	33.5	<1	9mg	0	0	<5mg
White	0.25	6.8	79.1	<1	82mg	0	0	<5mg
Microwave White	1.32	3	39	<1	47mg	0	0	<5mg
Brown Rice & Lentils	0.47	10.2	68.4	6.4	342mg	108mg	5.6mg	<5mg
White Rice & Quinoa	0.47	9.1	70.3	4.7	313mg	134mg	2.7mg	<5mg
Wild Rice Mountain Blend	1.10	8.2	74.4	4.1	207mg	117mg	2.7mg	<5mg

Rice can be a healthy alternative to refined carbohydrates and when high in fibre and minerals acts as a hearty addition to any lunch or dinner. Brown and wild rice have the best nutritional value in term of total fibre, protein and minerals and brown rice is one of the cheapest options coming in at 32 cents per 100g, which can be mixed with quinoa and black rice to add nutritional value while saving on cost compared to purchasing combination packs. White rice is your cheapest option especially when bought in bulk coming in at 25 cents per 100g, regretfully white rice loses its bran and germ during processing leading to a diminished fibre and mineral value producing a refined product that has a high glycemic load, meaning it significantly raises blood sugar levels in a short amount of time therefore increasing risk of insulin resistance and diabetes when consumed regularly.

The table compares some common rice varieties of fresh and microwave options, specifying significantly decreased nutritional value in the microwave options. Microwave options may be fast and convenient but they have an increased cost and contain a range of additives and preservatives. For example, microwave options contain cooked rice & water with added vegetable & sunflower oil, antioxidants, stabilisers (some of which contain soy), and distilled monoglyceride. Stabilisers act to increase shelf life, while distilled monoglyceride is used to remove impurities, these two chemicals are triglycerides or better known as trans fats and therefore can increase risks of heart disease, cholesterol, cancer and obesity when consumed regularly.

 Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine