Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Lisa thought I might have some advice on how to find a good nutritionist! While it’s not something I often look for, I do have some opinions and thoughts on this. h3. 1. Make sure your nutritionist is registered In Australia, once you’re qualified, if you want to practice as a a nutritionist you have to join a professional association. Registration is also necessary for getting insurance – vital for practising these days. As I’m from the naturopathic school …

Read more 09 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is about lemon juice in the morning. bq. What do you think of half a squeezed lemon in hot/boiling water in the morning? I have been doing this as opposed to my morning coffee. This is an old naturopathic remedy. Most detoxes include it and a lot of practitioners recommend this combination to aid liver and digestion. While I don’t promote detoxes, I do have clients who swear by it and …

Read more 09 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is from a reader who asks: bq. Someone once told me that people who are anaemic crave ice. I can’t find any information about this, but it worries me because my 12 year old daughter LOVES ice. Pica is the name of the health issue where people crave and chew substances which are either not normally classified as food, or are not usually eaten in large quantitites. As well as ice, ...

Read more 09 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Thursday a reader asks: bq. What are salicylate levels? And why are people concerned about these levels in fruit? I have come across several websites noting that the salicylate levels in pears drop to zero if you peel the skin off. I always thought that we should try to eat the skin of fruit and vegetables because that is where all the vitamins are, but should I be peeling my fruit instead? h3. Chemicals …

Read more 09 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

First up in October’s Q & A Thursday is a question from Andrea: bq. I’ve often heard that you should steam vegetables, rather than boil them, to gain more nutrients out of them. However, I am not sure why this is so. Is this because (a) nutrients are water soluble, so when you boil them and drain off the water, you are pouring the nutrients away? Or (b) boiling vegetables actually destroys the nutrients somehow? Vegetables “contain a number …

Read more 09 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Q & A Thursday This is a Q & A Thursday week. For those new to Limes and Lycopene, Q & A Thursday is a monthly burst of blogging where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered send me an email. For more information you can take a look at the …

Read more 08 October, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s been a bumper edition, but Q & A Thursday is now over for this month. Today I’ve answered questions on: * reheating rice * whether it’s possible to eat too much fruit * the connection between milk and acne * the biological value of protein and it’s impact on diet * LSA and whether you need to grind up seeds to get all their nutrition * do cooked vegetables lose their nutrients * fasting If you have a …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The last question for today’s Q & A Thursday is about fasting. A reader asks: bq. do you believe in the claim that fasting allows the body to detoxify and heal any parts of it that are ill? And do you believe there are any long-term ill effects that might be associated with doing a 24 hour fast once a week? Up front I need to say I don’t have a lot of experience with fasting. It’s not a …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday comes from Tian: bq. I just had lunch of chilli chicken and veg. Because it was already packed in the tupperware, the green veg was no longer green. When veg lose their colour do they lose their nutrient content as well, making them not worthwhile eating? From the moment vegetables are picked they start losing nutrients. Therefore the shorter the distance and time between harvest and you eating them, the better. ...

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday comes from Zoe and it’s about LSA – does grinding the seeds make the nutrients more accessible? h3. What is LSA? LSA is a mixture of linseeds (or flaxseeds), sunflower seeds and almonds – all ground together to form a finely powdered mixture. It’s available from health food shops and some supermarkets. Many people use LSA as a dietary supplement, as it’s very high in nutrients – particularly the essential fatty …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Thursday Chloe wants to know about the biological value of protein – what it is and how to use this information. This is a tricky concepts. It’s hard to explain and an important nutritional principle. But (thankfully) it can also be translated into simple dietary guidelines. Stuff you can follow, without tracking numbers and doing complex calculations. I’m mostly going to answer this question by linking back to a previous post. In a previous …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question is a follow up to my post on milk and acne. A reader has asked if it’s better to use non-dairy “milks” like soy or rice milk if you’re trying to reduce acne. The short answer to this question is it depends on the person . . . * Research has indicated there may be a link between cow’s milk and acne. I’ve blogged about this before here and a copy of one of the research …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Another reader has asked about fruit: how much is too much and can eating fruit increase your risk of diabetes? h3. How much fruit should you eat? Here in Australia the dietary guidelines recommend two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day. Both are important to your health as they provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. While fruit and vegetables are rich in nutrients, fruit also contains more kilojoules. So eating more than two serves of …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The first question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Caroline: is it safe to reheat cooked rice? Raw rice naturally contains a bacteria called Bacillus cereus. In large amounts this bacteria can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Bacillus cereus spores survive the cooking process and are not killed off when rice is reheated. So the safety of rice is dependant on how you handle the rice once cooked. The temperature range of 4°C – 60°C is considered the …

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s Q & A Thursday. I have some excellent questions to talk about, covering a wide variety of topics. Usually I continue to accept questions during the day of Q & A Thursday and post answers. However I have plenty of topics to get through already – so I’m not taking accepting any more questions. I’ll get cracking soon. First up it’s food safety and reheating rice.

Read more 03 July, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

And that’s it for Q & A Thursday this month. Thanks to everyone for your brilliant questions and for taking part in the forum. I’d love to know any feedback and follow up thoughts. The next Q & A Thursday will be 3rd July – so if you have any questions then let me know by email. And I’ll up date the Q & A Thursday archives in the next few days

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The final question in this month’s Q & A Thursday is on the topic of weight loss: bq. Is it possible to gain or not lose weight when you restrict your calorie intake? Is there an optimum amount of food to eat for your body to burn fat? When you’re trying to lose weight it’s tempting to take the less is more approach – the less food you eat, the more weight you’ll lose. But this is not necessarily …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

And now it’s on to dairy in Q & A Thursday. Rachel has asked: bq. Lately, I have become confused around dairy. I read one thing that said we should drink whole milk and use butter rather than margarine, as these are more natural products. But anything I read from nutritionists advocates low fat milk and olive oil based spreads. I want to know what is more healthy for the body in general. My answer is going to be …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Thursday we move on to portion sizes. A reader has asked: bq. There’s lots of information around about how many portions of fruit & veg, protein, grains & carbs and fats we should be eating each day; and there’s a reasonable amount of info about how big a ‘portion’ is. My problem is this – when I set out to eat the recommended daily amounts of everything, it’s too much food for me. I …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next in Q & A Thursday, Tessa asks: bq. What are the benefits/downsides of eating smoked fish, like mackerel? Smoked fish is one of the categories of foods that has both good and bad points – so it really depends on how much you’re eating. h3. The good The fish that are smoked tend to be the more oily fish, which are high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Omega 3s are a group of poly-unsaturated fats with many, ...

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is also about tahini. A reader has asked: bq. I am using tahini for the first time, a liquid has risen to the top, do I use that? It’s quite common for tahini to separate out and yes, you can use the liquid at the top. The two main components of tahini are oil and also the more fibrous matter. The oil has a different density, hence it’s tendency to rise …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The first question in this week’s Q & A Thursday is from Em: bq. Can tahini be made at home, or do you have to buy it commercially? In all the recent posts I’ve written on tahini I’ve never thought about making your own. However, it is certainly possible, given the right blender, to make a tahini paste at home. In commercially produced tahini the seeds are often crushed, soaked and then brined, prior to milling. This removes the …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s the first Thursday of the month, which means it’s Q & A Thursday. Today, on Limes & Lycopene, I’ll be answering readers’ questions on food, nutrition and how to eat well. You can ask me anything. And I’ll (attempt to) post a simple, practical and intelligible answer. I have a few questions already, but there’s space for a few more. So if you have a nutrition or food dilemma you’d like answered, send me an email. I’ll accept …

Read more 05 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s the first week of a new month, which means it’s Q & A Thursday week. This is the day when I stop writing about what I want and put the subject matter in your hands. Ask me any question you want about food, diet or nutrition and this Thursday I’ll post an answer. Last month’s Q & A Thursday included simple strategies for getting rid of winter colds. Plus I was asked if vegemite was healthy and how …

Read more 03 June, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

That’s it for Q & A Thursday for this month. As ever, thanks to all the readers who lodged questions. If you have any thoughts or comments, then join in the discussions underneath each post. Otherwise the next Q & A Thursday will be in June – on Thursday 5th. If you have any questions for then let me know by email.

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The last question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Antti-Juhani: bq. what is the effect of sourdough fermentation on the macronutrient content of a bread dough? Really, really, really good question . . . but one I’m not able to answer. So I’m wondering if anyone else can help? h3. What I do know about sourdoughs: # Sourdough bread is made with a starter culture, which is a blend of bacteria and yeast. This culture reacts with …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I know that most of you are headed into Spring and Summer. I read enough Northern Hemisphere blogs to know you’re excited about asparagus season and the onset of warm weather. Here in Australia though, we’re moving rapidly into winter. And . . . the cold and flu season has already kicked off. Stephanie, Patrick and Helen have all asked about beating winter illness. So I’m going to combine all the questions into one answer. Beating a cold, flu …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I’m going to tread carefully here – commenting on the nutritional value of an Australian icon. Despina has asked – is vegemite healthy? The short answer is – it’s not too bad. There are better foods and there are worse foods. Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from yeast extract, that was first invented in the 1920s. For those living in the UK and New Zealand, it’s similar to marmite. Vegemite is a concentrated source of some of …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Continuing from Naomi’s question about iron and B12 . . . B12 is a whole different kettle of fish. It’s a curious, complex vitamin. Instead of being one molecule, B12 is actually a group of compounds, which are structurally similar and all contain cobalt. h3. What is vitamin B12? B12 can’t be made by either plants or animals. Instead it’s manufactured by bacteria and it ends up in our food as a result of this bacterial activity. And the …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

You have about 3 – 4 grams of iron in your body at any one time. Much of this is in the haemoglobin molecules in your red blood cells. A smaller amount forms part of certain enzymes, while the rest is in transit, bound to a protein called transferrin. Transferrin manoeuvres iron around your body to wherever it’s needed. Every day we lose a small amount of iron. Simple bodily functions like sweating, the shedding of skin and cells …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

This is a Q & A Thursday week – so if you have any questions about food, diet and nutrition then send me an email. For those of you new to Limes & Lycopene Q & A Thursday is a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. The Q & A Thursday forum is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d …

Read more 06 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Cold and flu season seems to have reared it’s ugly, snotty head this week. Clients, shop assistants, bloggers, readers – there seems to be a lot of sickness about. So how do I get rid of this *%#!@ cold seems to be the question of the week. In answer I thought I’d link back to some older posts: * The fabulous ginger, honey and lemon tea. Drink 4 – 6 cups of this a day at the first sign …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Courtney has asked a common question: bq. I know it is bad to eat late at night, but two nights a week I go straight from work to a 3 hour fencing practice. I usually eat an apple or some granola before practice but by the time I get home around 9 pm I am starving. Can you suggest some things that are acceptable to eat and won’t totally negate all the hard work I did at practice? h3. ...

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Carolyn asks is using brown or raw sugar better for you than using white sugar? Brown sugar has a healthier reputation than white sugar. It’s often sold as “raw sugar” and has a natural, unprocessed image. But, there’s little difference between the two. h3. What is brown sugar? Brown sugar differs from white sugar because of its molasses content. Molasses is a dark syrup, that’s a by-product of sugar refining. When small amounts of molasses are mixed in with …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Following my post on using frozen vegetables when you’re busy Bruno has asked about canned vegetables – do they lose nutrients in the canning process? Much like frozen vegies, there are some vitamin and antioxidant losses in tinned vegetables. But they can still be a useful dietary back up – especially if your fresh vegies are starting to look a bit tired. h3. How fresh is “fresh”? Vegetables are canned soon after harvest – at their nutritional best. Whereas …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday – the first of the monthly editions of this forum in 2008. For newcomers to Limes & Lycopene, Q & A Thursday is a regular question and answer forum, where you get to pick the topics. Note: I used to encourage people to leave their questions in the comments. However as Q & A Thursday has become bigger and brighter, I now request all questions be emailed to me directly. Makes it easier …

Read more 02 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Q & A Month is officially over. Thank you to everyone who sent me questions and responded so positively to the posts. I was quite overwhelmed by the wonderful feedback and involvement. If I’ve missed any questions, then my apologies – and please let me know by email. h3. Q & A Thursday Regular Q & A Thursdays will be returning in 2008. But it’s going to be a monthly event. I’ll be running them on the first Thursday …

Read more 06 March, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Paul has asked the question – why do yoghurts that contain sugar still have a low GI? Most yoghurts have a GI of between about 14 and 40. Despite the variety of scores, this puts yoghurt in the low GI category. Even the ones that contain sugar have a low GI. In the pre-GI days of nutrition, carbohydrate foods were separated into two categories: simple and complex. This distinction was solely based on the stucture of the carbohydrate itself. ...

Read more 28 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question is all about bread. Wendy from A Wee Bit of Cooking fame asks: bq. What’s the best type to eat? Brown, wholemeal, seeded, rye . . . Bread is a staple food for many. Different countries and different cultures have been baking bread for centuries. In our supermarkets bread often takes up a whole aisle of it’s own. It’s stocked by corner shops and service stations. However, all bread’s are NOT created equal. At the …

Read more 19 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The eagle-eyed among you will have noted Q & A Month is turning into Q & A Six-Weeks! It’s proved very popular. I still have a question backlog to get through. But I’m hoping to finish with a flurry and answer the rest over the next seven days. Hoping anyway. Moving quickly along then – the next question is from Claire and it’s about rice milk: bq. I would like to know if there is something wrong with drinking …

Read more 16 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Month is a BIG and difficult question. Steve wants to know: bq. What is the deterioration rate of nutrients in fruit and vegetables – from the time they are picked, sold to you, kept in your fridge and finally eaten? Is it the same rate for all fruits and vegetables or do some lose their nutrients faster than others? This is a really hard question to answer, as there are so many ifs, buts …

Read more 14 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Paul has asked: bq. I was just wondering, with all the great fresh fruits around, which have the highest amounts of antioxidants? I’ve heard pomegranates, but what about blueberries, and oranges? I have to admit I find it hard to keep up with the list of top antioxidant containing foods. It seems to change with annoying regularity. At the moment I’m pretty sure it’s a toss up between acai berry and pomegranate juice. Although “Indian gooseberries are also making …

Read more 06 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I’m back from Melbourne. I’ve cleared my inbox and in-tray, so it’s time to continue with Q & A Month. The next question is from Justine, who asks about water: bq. I over-indulged over Christmas and the New Year alcohol-wise, so am drinking lots & lots of water now I’m back at work. I’ve heard that too much water can be damaging . . . how much water is too much? You’ve almost certainly heard how important it is …

Read more 05 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Continuing the sweet theme, Milly has asked: bq. What would be a good non sugar based alternate to honey? I’m allergic to honey and in its place I have been using golden syrup, which clearly isn’t quite as nutritionally beneficial. Is there anything that will have the same sweetening effect and consistency, but isn’t really bad for me (and my teeth)? h3. Golden syrup vs honey It may seem counter-intuitive, but when you compare golden syrup and honey, _the …