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

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

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

5 Tips to Staying Hydrated in Winter

You would never think hydration could be an issue during winter, as there is no way you could possibly become dehydrated as you are not profusely sweating like the hot days of summer. Dehydration can still occur in winter, if not at a more accelerated rate! Fluid loss occurs via water vapour loss from breathing, along with loss via an increased urine output, as the kidneys attempt to maintain blood pressure while blood vessels constrict as a survival mechanism in cold temperatures

Dehydration in winter can increase your susceptibility to illness especially colds and flu, along with common symptoms of fatigue, headaches and cramps. Hydration is essential for every day metabolic processes, along with fighting fatigue, detoxifying, facilitating weight loss, improving digestion and leading to clearer skin and less wrinkles. Meeting your fluid intakes of 1L per 20kg of body weight can be tough enough in summer let alone in winter! 

Below lists a few tips to meet your fluid needs this winter

#1 Herbal teas are a fantastic way to curb cravings and keep you warm this winter, they are full of antioxidants and when caffeine free, can add to your water intake – green, chamomile, lemongrass & ginger, or peppermint are a few of our favourite

#2 Soups and broths not only keep you warm in winter but when packed full off veggies, herbs and spices can facilitate immune health and help to prevent or suppress sickness

#3 Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake will add to your water intake along with providing your body with essential vitamins and minerals to provide all round winter nourishment

#4 Start your morning with a warm water and lemon. Before breakfast or any drinks for the day a warm water and lemon prepares your body for food, it aims to detoxify and clear out your system causing bowel movements and correcting the bodies pH balance

#5 Reduce your intake of processed and packaged foods along with holding back on the salt at the dinner table. Dehydration is significantly caused by a high sodium intake, so aim to prepare your own meals and use fresh herbs and spices to add flavour to your home made dishes.

Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine

Supplement Review Part 3 of 3 - Fish Oils

Fats/lipids are essential to the body and its everyday metabolic process’ including providing insulation, acting as an energy source, protecting against shock, and maintaining cell membranes.  Triglycerides are a form of fat essential for energy production obtained either via the diet or from fat stores.  Fatty acids are essentially building blocks that make up a single triglyceride, and many of these fatty acids are produced by the body. Some fatty acids cannot be produced by the body, and therefore must be obtained via the diet; these include linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linoleic acid (Omega-3). 

Alpha-linoleic acid or Omega-3 is essential for normal growth and development, especially in the eyes and brain, and also plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and inflammation.  Fish oil is a popular supplement comprised of omega-3 fatty acids, aimed at alleviating a range of health conditions including improving cardiovascular and brain health, and reducing joint and arthritis inflammation. Fish oil contains two forms of omega-3, one is Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which lowers blood pressure, prevents blood clott formation, protects against irregular heart beats, and reduces inflammation. The other form is Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is essential for the central nervous system, brain development and normal brain function.

Swisse Ultraboost Wild Fish Oil is a popular fish oil on the market available at your local pharmacy or discount chemist. Swisse Ultraboost contains a total of 0.261g of omega-3 triglycerides, comprised of 0.139g of EPA, and 0.087g of DHA.  Alternatively, Bioceuticals Ultraclean 85 Fish Oil contains a total of 4.5g of omega-3 triglycerides, comprised of 2.5g of EPA and 0.94g of DHA. This translates to a daily dose of next to half that of Swisse Ultraboost, supporting that fact that is the highest strength fish oil available on the market. Bioceuticals Ultraclean is also sustainably sourced from wildly caught Alaskan Pollock, contains no heavy metals, is a liquid form to ensure better absorption, and has an orange flavour with no reflux or fishy after taste.

	Swisse Ultraboost Wild Fish Oil	Bioceuticals Ultraclean 85 Fish Oil
Price	$27.50	$55 .95
Size	500mL	200mL
Ingredients	Omega-3 Triglycerides - 0.261g: EPA - 0.139g DHA - 0.087g	Omega-3 Triglycerides -  4.5g: EPA - 2 .5g DHA - 0.94g
Dosage: General health Joints	3.5mL 10.5mL	2.5mL 5mL

Omega-3 is naturally found in a range of foods, as listed below. When increased in the diet these foods will help to reduce joint and arthritis inflammation, and assist to maintain cardiovascular and brain health.

Oils: flaxseed, canola, soybean & walnuts

Nuts & Seeds: flax, almond, walnuts, & soybeans

Pacific Oysters & Fish: blue mackerel, salmon, sardines & tuna 

Sarah Campbell

Nutritionist at Naed Nutrition - Currambine