A few months ago my fellow dietitian, Gemma, from Dietitianwithoutborders, came up with an idea to give dietitians the opportunity to share what goes on in their kitchen. Like Gemma, I also get asked a lot about things I cook with so, naturally, I thought it was a great idea.
Here’s what’s going on in my kitchen for August:
Quinoa. I’ve been wanting to try this for ages, and on a recent visit back to the UK, I stocked up. I’m glad I did. For one, it’s much cheaper there and also, I’ve since discovered it’s versatility. I really like the taste of it, it tastes nice sweetened with fruits but also compliments savoury flavours. Quinoa contains higher levels of some amino acids than other grains, it’s a great source of fibre and makes a nice change to rice or cous-cous. I’m still finalising some more recipes to blog about, but I have (in my humble opinion) perfected my quinoa porridge recipe. Now I just need to find somewhere in Brussels that doesn’t charge 10€ a bag!!
Chicory. I’ll be honest…sometimes I manage to get myself into a bit of a vegetable rut. I end up buying the same veggies week in, week out, which is silly really as I love most of them! I’ve now vowed to add a different vegetable to the shopping trolley every week! Chicory was something I’d never tried, let alone cooked! I picked up a big bag at the weekend, added it to a stir fry and made a sort of soup/casserole with leek and potato. Both were nice but the flavour of the chicory got a bit lost so I’m still experimenting. So far my favourite is oven baked chicory with bacon and stilton, the blue cheese really compliments the bitter chicory.
Plantain Bananas. One of the things I love about Brussels is the food markets. These plantains are something I’ve seen a lot of, there’s a great stall at our local market that cooks fresh, authentic curries and serves these as a side dish. We’ve had them a couple of times, and this week I decided to give them a go myself. Raw, they look, smell and appear to have a similar texture to bananas. However, it’s best to cook them – they don’t taste half as good raw! As the plantain becomes more ripe, the skin goes black, resembling a very over-ripe banana, but the inside will still be orangeish, or even tinged pink. The more black the skin becomes, the sweeter the plantain is. The beauty of this is that the plantain tastes different at each stage of ripeness.
That’s what’s been going on in my kitchen so far in August..!
I’m not vegetarian, but I do enjoy vegetarian food. Every Monday, I experiment with a recipe that typically contains meat and try to make it with lentils, beans or another legume. I support ‘Meat Free Mondays’ for a couple of reasons; I like the taste of legumes and pulses, they’re lower in saturated fats than red meat PLUS I like the challenge of trying to make something where my boyfriend doesn’t notice the meat is ‘missing’!
If you’re thinking about becoming vegetarian or vegan though, it’s more complicated than just cutting meat and animal products from your diet.
First things first, a lot will depend to what degree you cut out meat. Is it just red meat (demi-vegetarian)? No red meat or poultry but you’ll eat fish (pescatarian)? No animals but still eat eggs and dairy (lacto-ovo-vegetarian)? Or no animals or animal products at all (vegan)? All of these animal products contain nutrients that your body needs, so naturally, if you’re cutting them out then you need to find an alternative source.
Proteins are made up of tiny pieces called amino acids. Amino acids are required by the body to make hormones, enzymes and replace muscle tissue. Some amino acids are essential; the body cannot make them, so they need to be ingested through our diet. Most meats and animal products are called complete proteins, which means that they provide all of the 9 essential amino acids. If still consuming dairy products and eggs, these are valuable sources of protein too – with eggs being a complete protein.
Quinoa and soya beans are also technically complete proteins, although they do not contain as higher levels of these amino acids as animal products do. Therefore, it’s best to mix things up a bit! Quinoa, despite it being a complete protein, is not a rich source, so it should not be the only protein containing food vegetarians eat. Your diet should also contain rich sources, ie; eggs, chic peas, beans and lentils. However, most vegan sources of protein are not complete, meaning that in order to obtain all of the essential amino acids, a couple of protein sources need to be mixed. Legumes (lentils, chic peas, beans etc) are typically low in the essential amino acid called methionine. Grains (rice, cous-cous, brown bread etc), while containing methionine, are insufficient in lysine. By combining legume + grain, vegetarians or vegans can obtain a complete protein. For example; beans on toast, rice and black bean curry, lentil soup and bread or pita bread and hummus. Meat eaters and vegetarians should aim to have 2-3 servings of complete proteins per day.
Another nutrient to be aware of is iron. Women have a higher requirement of iron than men (due to menstruation) and intakes are typically below what is recommended, especially in adolescent girls. Iron found in meat is called haem-iron, and is more readily absorbed than non-haem iron. For this reason, female vegetarians especially, need to ensure that they’re having a couple of sources of non-haem iron daily. Iron can be found in beans and pulses, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach, broccoli and swiss chard), wholemeal flour, dried apricots and seeds. As I said, these non-haem sources of iron aren’t so easily absorbed by the body, however, there are a few tips than can help enhance absorption. Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, peppers and sweet potato) helps improve the amount of iron we can obtain from food. So having a glass of orange juice with cereal or some sweet potato in your lentil soup will help up your iron intake. Also, avoid having tea and coffee alongside a meal as they contain tannins and phytates that bind with iron and make it more difficult for the body to absorb.
If vegan, good sources of calcium will be required to replace calcium obtained from dairy (see my nutrient nugget for more info on calcium). Calcium is found in green leafy veg like; kale, broccoli, rocket and watercress, beans, pulses, fish where you eat the bones (tinned mackerel/sardines), almonds, brazil nuts, sesame seeds and dried apricots. Some soya milks and tofu are also fortified with calcium. Vitamin D (obtained from sunlight) enhances calcium absorption, so those at risk of poor vitamin D status should eat a variety of the above foods daily and you should consider a vitamin D supplement. See my vitamin D post.
Vitamin B12 is found in animals and animal products. The requirement for this nutrient is small so deficiency is rare but strict vegans should consume a fortified food or take a supplement. For example; yeast extract (marmite), fortified soya products, breakfast cereals and vegetable stocks.
Finally, as milk is an important source of iodine, vegans are at risk of low intakes. If this is the case it’s recommended to use iodized salt or take a nutritional supplement.
In order to get all the vitamins and minerals we need, a large variety of fruits and vegetables should be eaten. Think about eating as many different colours as possible! This, alongside beans, lentils, grains and nuts will help ensure your vegetarian or vegan diet is adequate in all nutrients.
First things first, this post is about IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), very different to IBD (inflammatory bowel disease). IBD involves chronic inflammation of sections of the intestines and can require hospitalisation during bad flareups. IBS has no known structural cause and, although it can be inhibiting, symptoms can be improved through making sensible lifestyle and dietary changes.
IBS is quite a common disorder; it is estimated that it could affect up to 25% of the UK population. IBS is thought to be caused through a mixture of psychological and physical factors including; infection, altered gut motility, ‘sensitivity’ to certain foods (I’ll explain this later) and stress. Many patients who suffer from IBS report symptoms being worse during times of stress, and also recall initial onset to have occurred around the time of a stressful event.
There’s no diagnostic test for IBS, so the first step in diagnosis is excluding presence of more serious conditions, such as IBD. The doctor will then talk through your symptoms with you, and may suspect IBS if you match certain criteria.
Symptoms of IBS differ widely from person to person. Sufferers may experience diarrhoea, constipation (or a mixture of both), bloating, abdominal pain and swelling, wind, urgency to go to the toilet and the feeling of having not been properly. Consequently, the dietary advice varies depending on an individual’s symptoms.
IBS is not a life-threatening condition, but it can cause a significant social impact on those who suffer with it. The good news is that once you’ve learned what foods tend to ‘set it off’, you can work on avoiding these and often improve symptoms. A handy way of doing this is by keeping a food and symptom diary, so you’re able to identify trends in how foods affect your bowel.
As I mentioned earlier, some IBS sufferers can be ‘sensitive’ to certain foods, this is a kind of intolerance whereby specific foods can trigger IBS symptoms. It’s important to stress that these reactions are rarely indicative of food allergy.
Below, I have suggested some things that may help with IBS symptoms. However, because dietary advice will differ so much depending on symptoms, you should also consult a professional for personalised advice. It is important that you don’t cut out too many foods as this will impact the nutritional adequacy of your diet.
Eating a healthy diet–This may sound obvious, but you should try to eat as close to the Eatwell Plate recommendations as possible. There’s no need for most IBS sufferers to follow any specific diet. It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids; water can help ease constipation and you’ll be needing to replace increased losses if you’re suffering from diarrhoea.
Establishing a regular meal pattern–Having some sort of routine is important for preventing feelings of hunger, picking at less healthy foods and can help instill healthy habits.
Stress less! – Heightened emotions such as stress and anxiety can trigger hormonal changes that can affect digestive system mechanisms. Try taking up a new hobby or doing something active to take your mind off what is causing you stress.
Prebiotics and Probiotics – Yes, they’re different! Probiotics are live microorganisms that get into the gut and help aid digestion. Prebiotics are non-living substances that encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut. I think about it as prebiotics being the “food” for probiotics, both of these can be found in certain yoghurt drinks. Although it has not been categorically proven, many patients find that when taken regularly they can help ease IBS symptoms. Remember to always adhere to the manufacturers recommendations.
Avoid food triggers – Triggers will be different for each person, but some typical ones include; caffeine, alcohol, fizzy drinks, spicy food, sorbitol (artificial sweetener) and fatty foods. Resistant starch found in processed foods can make bloating worse. Resistant starch is also formed when starchy foods (such as potatoes and rice) are reheated.
Fibre – It may be necessary to modify the amount and/or types of fibre in your diet. Recommendations about what to change will be based on your own diet and symptoms, so it’s best to talk fibre through with your own GP or a dietitian.
Please note that this post contains information for the general public, this advice should not replace that given to you by your own doctor or healthcare professional. If you think you may have IBS, make an appointment to go and see your doctor.
More information on IBS provided by NHS Choices is available here.
I guess a lot of you, like me, feel that your appetite decreases when the sun is out. Sometimes, I really don’t feel like breakfast but I know if I don’t have it, I’ll feel rubbish later on and probably end up picking.
If you need some ideas for fresh, light breakfasts that still keep you feeling full till lunchtime, look no further!
Here are my top 5;
Homemade Granola with yoghurt and fresh fruit Crunchy, yummy, sweet, light and refreshing; this breakfast has it all! I use natural and fruit yoghurts depending on what I fancy and also change up the fruit – it’s not a breakfast I get bored of because of the endless combinations. Nutrition wise, this is packed with minerals and vitamins, you’ve got the oats to provide long lasting energy, the protein (found in nuts, seeds and yoghurt) to keep you fuller for longer and one or two of your 5-a-day in the dried and fresh fruit. What’s not to love?!
See my Homemade Granola recipe here.
Quinoa porridge with grated apple and cinnamon Who says porridge is only for winter?! I know there’s still some days where I just fancy a hot breakfast, and this is my go-to. The porridge oats keep you going all morning and I normally make this with milk for my protein source (sometimes adding a dollop of yoghurt on top too). My recipe’s here. I’ll often add seeds for a bit of crunch (and more protein!) and then the apple for sweetness and one of my 5-a-day. Sometimes when I’m feeling particularly sweet-toothed, I’ll add in some honey.
Banana Pancakes
If you haven’t already, you NEED to try this recipe. Find it here. It has changed my life. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration but it’s certainly changed my perspective on pancakes!
Oats, fruit (banana) and protein (eggs)…are you sensing a theme here?! This recipe will make you want to get up earlier in the morning so you have time to make them!
Overnight oats with apricots and seeds
Want to get up and have breakfast ready prepared? Enjoy porridge but don’t have the time in the morning to prepare it? Overnight oats are a simple alternative to hot porridge. To make, simply put 40g of oats in a dish/container and cover with milk (around 100-125ml). Replace lid or cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight. The possibilities for toppings are endless, but I love the crunch of seeds with apricot sweetness. Mmmhmm!
Smoked salmon and scrambled egg on homemade oat bilinis When I’m feeling like an indulgent brunch at the weekend, I’ll always opt for scrambled egg and smoked salmon. Firstly, I’m not really a fan of a fry up and secondly, I love salmon! This is a really easy dish to make at home, especially if you’ve made the bilinis beforehand, just heat them through for a minute. Check out my oat bilini recipe here.
Serve with a small glass of orange juice – it counts towards one of your 5-a-day!
So I hope this gives you some ideas for healthy breakfasts. These all should keep you full until lunch time and give your morning a great start! Start as you mean to go on!
TOP TIP: Mix up the toppings and fruits so that you don’t get bored eating the same thing every day.
Do send me your images, suggestions or tweaks, I love hearing from you!
Firstly, know that a few weeks away from normal routine is not going to mean that you suddenly become ‘unhealthy’. Actually, relaxing is an important thing to do for our health! However, if you know that your regular routine and habits help when it comes to keeping you in a good place, then it’s normal to wonder about how to continue these habits when you’re away from your normal environment.
I’ve put together my 5 top tips, so you can relax whilst not feeling like you’ve totally forgotten how to best look after yourself.
1. Have breakfast
Breakfast helps set you up energy wise, kick-starts your metabolism and prevents you getting peckish through the morning.
Healthy options include; fruit, yoghurt, oats, muesli or granola. Or, if you’d like something warm; scrambled eggs on toast, smoked salmon and toast, or an omelette. Try and have a source of protein (milk, eggs, yoghurt) mixed with a source of carbohydrate (bread, oats, muesli) as this combination will help keep you fuller for longer and prevent those mid-morning munchies. Make it even better by adding in some fresh or dried fruit for one of your 5-a-day!
2. Get active
Most holiday destinations provide guests with ample opportunities to get active. Whether it be a swim, a gym session, tennis, a walk, whatever your preference. Look into what the place you’re staying offers before you go, and make a daily goal that feels doable for you.
Why not try something you don’t usually do!
3. Make sure you drink enough
Normally, an average adult should be drinking 35mls of fluid per kg of body weight. So, for a 70kg individual, that’s (35 x 70) 2450mls, or nearly 2.5 litres per day. Add in the heat and sight-seeing, and you’re likely to need even more than that. The easiest way of telling if you’re hydrated enough is by checking the colour of your urine, anything darker than a pale straw colour and you need to drink more.
I would always suggest carrying round a bottle of water. It’ll help keep you cool and hydrated. In addition, the brain can confuse hunger and thirst signals. So, when you think you’re hungry, you may just be thirsty. Have a drink, and if you still feel hungry 30 minutes later, then it’s probably time to have something to eat.
4. Take some snacks
Don’t go hungry and then pick something that you didn’t really want just because it’s more convenient! If you know you’re going to get hungry, be prepared and take some snacks with you. Fruit and nuts are great things to nibble on to see you through to the next meal.
Or, if you’re off for the day, see if you can take something for lunch from the breakfast buffet!
5. Portion sizes
Try to eat similar portion sizes to what you do at home. Stick to a similar dietary pattern too if you can; if you have 5-a-day at home, aim for 5-a-day on holiday too.
If you know you’re going to be eating out regularly, do some research on what dishes are popular for your destination and plan ahead. It’s a great excuse to try some of the local cuisine! Also, don’t be afraid to ask waiting staff for more information about a dish. Most restaurants will oblige if you ask for the fish to be grilled rather than fried.
Need something to cool you down? Some ice lollies are less than 100 calories (check the packet). Really want that ice cream? Have it! Enjoy it!
Don’t deprive yourself completely. Holidays are an important time to forget the stresses of work and enjoy company of your loved ones so it’s important to have a little bit of what we enjoy. Good news is this is possible without it having a negative impact on health!
I hope you find my tips helpful. Please comment with any added suggestions you may have!
I was wondering what to do for my first blog post, and I thought, where better to start than with what a dietitian does?! Plus, it’s dietitians week…:)
What is a Dietitian?
Dietitians are regulated healthcare professionals who are experts in the field of food and nutrition and the only nutrition professionals who are regulated by law. They are trained in providing evidence-based advice to individuals and groups regarding healthy eating and dietary related disease.
What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist?
The word “dietitian” is a legally protected title. In order to call yourself a dietitian, you have to complete a minimum of BSc Hons in Dietetics. Alternatively, you can study an MSc or post graduate diploma after having completed a related undergraduate science degree. All UK dietetic courses must be approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and include a minimum number of hours in a hospital gaining practical experience. Practicing dietitians are regulated by the HCPC. They are bound by an ethical code and required to keep up to date with emerging evidence in order to continue providing accurate, evidence-based advice.
Dietitians do not only see people who want to eat healthily or lose weight, they are also trained to give dietary advice to those with specific food related medical conditions including; diabetes, IBS or allergies. Dietitians work with people in the community and those who are acutely ill in hospitals. You can check that your UK dietitian is registered here.
Some nutritionists are registered. This means they have studied a course of a minimum standard (approved by the Association for Nutrition (AfN) in the UK). They are therefore appropriately trained to give advice on food and healthy eating. However, they are not educated in giving advice for specific medical conditions. Unfortunately, ‘nutritionist’ is not protected in the same way as ‘dietitian’ is. Nutritionists who have had the appropriate level of training may have one of the following letters after their name; RNutr (Registered Nutritionist), ANutr (Associate Nutritionist) or FAfN (Fellows of the Association for Nutrition). You can check to see if your UK nutritionist is registered here.
What do dietitians do?
Dietitians can work in a huge variety of settings, including; hospitals, public health, education, food industry, sport, media and freelance. What they do varies widely depending on the area in which they work. Dietitians in hospitals spend time on wards and in clinics, often working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to help with dietary management of disease. Dietitians provide nutritional advice to someone who wants to lose weight, or gain it. They may help someone who has Coeliac disease eliminate gluten from their diet. They may write articles for magazines or work with a football team. The opportunities are almost endless!
Areas in which dietitians are able to give advice include; diabetes, weight management, allergies and intolerances, IBS, eating disorders, paediatrics and mental health. They also provide advice for people with conditions that sometimes require nutritional support including; cancer, stroke, motor neurone disease and HIV/AIDS. If they wish, dietitians are able to choose to specialise in one of these areas too.
What about other “nutrition experts”?
There are people working in nutrition who are not registered dietitians or nutritionists. They may call themselves; nutrition experts, nutritional therapists, diet experts or metabolic advisors. They often give recommendations based on alternative medicine that is not evidence-based or used by regulated practitioners. Many nutrition experts use obscure methods of testing and advise taking supplements to maximise health. These recommendations are not based on credible scientific evidence, are often founded on personal opinions and driven by financial incentives.
Some nutrition experts may have had training to foundation degree level or completed an unregulated course but they are not obliged to register with an overseeing authority. This means that it is a largely unregulated industry where advice given is likely to be inconsistent and unfounded.
So… If you want to seek nutritional advice, look for either a dietitian or a registered nutritionist. Dietitians are the gold standard of nutritional education, and you know that the advice you get will be evidence-based and tailor made for you!
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) have a great leaflet explaining the difference between nutritional professionals in more information.
The word “diet” has got a lot of bad press, and is now often perceived as restriction of food. For me, “diet” refers to all I eat. It’s not about abstaining from or avoiding certain foods, it’s about balancing out everything. My “diet” consists of carbs, fruits, vegetables, fish, pulses, cheese, chocolate and ice cream. I discourage “dieting”, I aim to support you in finding a healthy diet that suits you and your lifestyle.
There’s a lot of information out there that can be conflicting, confusing and unnecessarily complicated. It seems that almost every day there is a new health claim, celebrity endorsed diet or groundbreaking supplement! I aim to remove this smokescreen, and provide you with clear, evidence-based advice that can be easily applied to your lifestyle. I also hope to motivate you to want to make healthier choices, rewarded not only through physical health benefits, but also by feeling happier in yourself.
Eating should not feel like hard work! For a truly healthy lifestyle, there should be no pressure to eat foods you don’t like, starve yourself or ban entire food groups! Getting evidence based, accurate advice on food and nutrition can help change your perspective towards healthy eating and guide you towards a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, not a FAD diet. I can help you find the right nutritional balance and support you as you progress.
In the meantime, I hope to make your lifestyle transition easier by sharing my knowledge in the form of posts, recipes and hints through my blog.
Quinoa. I’ve been wanting to try this for ages, and on a recent visit back to the UK, I stocked up. I’m glad I did. For one, it’s much cheaper there and also, I’ve since discovered it’s versatility. I really like the taste of it, it tastes nice sweetened with fruits but also compliments savoury flavours. Quinoa contains higher levels of some amino acids than other grains, it’s a great source of fibre and makes a nice change to rice or cous-cous. I’m still finalising some more recipes to blog about, but I have (in my humble opinion) perfected my quinoa porridge recipe. Now I just need to find somewhere in Brussels that doesn’t charge 10€ a bag!!
Chicory. I’ll be honest…sometimes I manage to get myself into a bit of a vegetable rut. I end up buying the same veggies week in, week out, which is silly really as I love most of them! I’ve now vowed to add a different vegetable to the shopping trolley every week! Chicory was something I’d never tried, let alone cooked! I picked up a big bag at the weekend, added it to a stir fry and made a sort of soup/casserole with leek and potato. Both were nice but the flavour of the chicory got a bit lost so I’m still experimenting. So far my favourite is oven baked chicory with bacon and stilton, the blue cheese really compliments the bitter chicory.
Plantain Bananas. One of the things I love about Brussels is the food markets. These plantains are something I’ve seen a lot of, there’s a great stall at our local market that cooks fresh, authentic curries and serves these as a side dish. We’ve had them a couple of times, and this week I decided to give them a go myself. Raw, they look, smell and appear to have a similar texture to bananas. However, it’s best to cook them – they don’t taste half as good raw! As the plantain becomes more ripe, the skin goes black, resembling a very over-ripe banana, but the inside will still be orangeish, or even tinged pink. The more black the skin becomes, the sweeter the plantain is. The beauty of this is that the plantain tastes different at each stage of ripeness.
Jen Credicott | Dietitian 