Published on the 16th May, 2012 by Azmina
We’ve been here before; I remember being interviewed about this by the BBC during last year’s National Obesity Forum conference. This time new research from Oxford has hit the headlines. There have been reports in the press today about how a “fat tax” applied to unhealthy foods could help combat obesity.
Oliver Mytton and colleagues at the University of Oxford examined the evidence on the health effects of food taxes. It’s suggested that a tax on unhealthy food could help improve health, but the tax would need to be fairly heavy to make a difference – up to 20%. Ideally, a move to make fruit and veg cheaper would have to accompany such tax.
Instinctively I feel opposed to this, because I believe that people should be able to make an informed choice based on clear nutrition messages. It penalises people who are not over-weight and many might suggest it undermines our intelligence. It hits poorest families the most and it still doesn’t give them the tools to learn how to eat well. And will it work? Have rising fuel prices made us fill up less at the petrol pump?
On the other hand, I’m constantly reminded that people are still confused about seemingly simple things like what counts as a portion of fruit or veg. Food labels have gone through so many improvements, yet I’m not convinced that the average person finds it easy to decipher them.
Some food manufacturers are doing a great job at trying to create tasty foods that are lower in fat, sugar, salt and so on. Yet the harsh reality is that we are getting heavier, and putting on weight particularly around your middle can have serious health consequences in terms of conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
I decided to have a bit of twitter chat on the subject and here are some of the comments debated by fellow dietitians.
Published on the 16th Mar, 2012 by Azmina
Snacking gets a lot of bad publicity – linked to weight gain and unhealthy habits. And it’s true that if you choose lots of unhealthy options, they won’t do your waistline any good. But I am someone who doesn’t like to deny people foods they enjoy. Eating well isn’t a life sentence; it’s about allowing yourself your favourite foods whilst being conscious of your choices.
So, are you a snacker? If so, examine what you’re reaching for. Here are my three top tips:
- Have healthy snacks accessible and get rid of those that don’t help you reach you healthy lifestyle goals.
- Stock up on lower calorie, lower fat versions of your favourite treats. Choose crisps that aren’t fried (e.g. popped crisps), popcorn (make your own so you can control the amount of salt or sugar), nuts that aren’t honey coated (e.g. mixed nuts and raisins), bites that fill you up (e.g. soya nuts), fridge goodies (e.g. olives, gherkins, cherry tomatoes).
- If you are hooked on choc chip cookies or the like, allow yourself to buy them but store them creatively. Put a couple in a separate container and allow yourself no more than two at one sitting (ideally not every day). That will help reduce the temptation to finish off the whole pack at once!
And think about eating more consciously. Engaging your brain means you’ll be more aware of what you’re snacking on, and how much you’re munching through. It also helps you to be aware of the fullness signals from your stomach, which in turn help you to stop overdoing it!
So, enjoy every mouthful and get rid of the guilt by making choices that nourish you but still taste yummy!
Published on the 3rd Jan, 2012 by Azmina
2012 saw the launch of a nation-wide government campaign to help us buy and cook healthier meals on a budget. Yesterday I was quizzed about my views on this, live on the Vanessa show Radio London, as part of my work with the British Dietetic Association. (more…)
Published on the 18th Sep, 2011 by Azmina
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
September is whole grain month in the USA. So I thought I would give you the lowdown on what a whole grain is and how to get more whole grains onto your plate. You can also check out my easy picture swaps below. (more…)
Published on the 30th Jun, 2011 by Azmina
I’m a great advocate of Med-eating. Not only do I love my garlic-infused pasta, I’m also pretty convinced by the evidence on the health benefits. Typical Med foods are olive oil, fish, nuts, garlic, grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables.
Research published in the British Medical Journal in 2004 studied almost 75,000 men and women over 60 in nine European countries over a period of 12 years. Those who followed a traditional Mediterranean diet had a lower overall mortality – basically, choose these foods and you could live longer. Note that this is about the whole diet, not just a token addition of some beans to your jacket potato. (more…)
Published on the 31st May, 2011 by Azmina
How annoying is it when you go to the supermarket and can’t compare ‘like for like’ because of the way food is packaged? I wanted to buy tomatoes, I was in a hurry and I just wanted value for money. So I picked up a pack of 6 tomatoes, which cost 95p. Then I saw the loose tomatoes, which were being sold at £1.75 per kilo. How do I know which one is better value without calculating how many tomatoes you get in a kilo, or working out how much 6 loose tomatoes would cost me? It’s the same with apples.
But hats off to the supermarkets for having offers on fruit and veg almost every week.
Published on the 30th May, 2011 by Azmina
- Semi-skimmed milk
- Fresh fruit
- Eggs (any, so long as they have the Lion quality brand)
- Vegetables, frozen or fresh
- High-fibre cereals e.g. granola (I mix it with some bran cereal & I don’t worry too much about sugar as it helps me have milk which I normally hate)
- Lower GI bread, e.g. granary or multi-grain
- Reduced fat humus (I use it for dips, on toast and on top of spray-fried egg!)
- Bulgur wheat (here’s a fab recipe)
- Canned beans (great for salads , speedy soups and instant curries)
- Pasta
