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GI News - June 2015 Page 1
JUNE 2015
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Gastro, hypos and glucoseIt’s horses for courses. It’s popular these days to demonise sugars, but sometimes they provide the fast-acting carbohydrate that helps to save the day. Gastroenteritis and hypoglycaemia are two common conditions that can rapidly become medical emergencies and sugar (usually glucose) is just what the doctor ordered to get people back on track, quickly.
Gastroenteritis – Gastro is very common in young children. In most cases, kids recover within days, but parents need to be alert because babies and toddlers rapidly become dehydrated through vomiting and diarrhoea. Oral rehydration solutions such as Gastrolyte, Pedialyte, and Hydralyte are slightly sweet-tasting drinks that replenish the lost fluid and electrolytes (essential salts), and provide essential energy (glucose) until the baby or toddler can return to a normal diet. Worldwide, diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of mortality in children under five and in most cases dehydration is the immediate cause of death.
Hypoglycemia (also known as low blood glucose/sugar) – People with type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes who require insulin or take blood glucose lowering tablets called sulphonylureas may sometimes have a “hypo” when their blood glucose level (BGL) drops too low (generally below 4 mmol/L or 70 mg/dL). When this happens they need to consume (or you need to give them) quick-acting carbs to prevent their BGLs from dropping further. Good choices are regular soft drink (with sugar not alternative sweeteners); fruit juice; a spoonful of sugar, honey, corn syrup or rice syrup; some jellybeans; or glucose tablets or gels. Symptoms differ from person to person, but can include feeling hungry (even ravenous), feeling shaky, sweating, having a rapid heartbeat and being unable to think clearly. Hypos can progress to confusion, loss of consciousness and fitting, so it’s a potentially dangerous situation.
THIS MONTH: Gastro, hypos and glucose; Bean benefits and tips to add more to your meals; Are the new “healthier” salty crisps/chips actually healthier? Sugar intolerance and why some people need to avoid certain sugars with Dr Alan Barclay; Nicole Senior puts salmon on her plate; Tips on snacking with Prof Jennie Brand-Miller and GI Foundation’s Di Crisp.
• Food for thought • News briefs
-Beanhealthbenefits
- Bean me up
- Another salty chip off the old block
• Perspectives with Dr Alan Barclay • Nicole Senior’s taste of health • What I eat • In the GI News kitchen this month
- Anneka Manning’s family baking
- What’s for dinner with Kate McGhie
- Johanna Burani’s Italian kitchen
• Glycemic Index Foundation news • Q&A with Prof Jennie Brand-Miller
GI News - June 2015 Page 2
Helping the medicine go down Prescription and over-the-counter medicines and oral hygiene products from toothpaste, mouthwash, and breath mints to analgesics (including infant drops), cough syrups, throat lozenges, chewable vitamins and antacids which often contain distinctly unpalatable active ingredients have sweeteners added to help us happily swish them round the mouth, gargle, chew and swallow them. Read about it HERE.
Glucose explained Glucose is a monosaccharide naturally found in some fruits and vegetables, and in the nectar and sap of plants. It is also part of the disaccharides maltose (glucose + glucose), sucrose (glucose + fructose), and lactose (glucose + galactose); and oligosaccharides, the three to nine glucose molecules linked in chains that make up maltodextrins which are commonly used as food additives.
Our bodies need energy to work, and glucose provides it. It is a major source of energy for our cells and the primary fuel for our energy-hungry brain, nervous system and for a growing fetus. The body stores leftover glucose in the liver and muscles as glycogen, a backup source to tap into and convert back to glucose when necessary. Excess glucose can also be converted to and stored as fat, which can later be broken down and used as an energy source (this is the basis for the virtually carb-less, ketogenic first phase of low-carb diets such as Atkins).
Although not as sweet as granulated sugar (sucrose), glucose has essentially the same number of calories and grams of carbohydrates per level teaspoon (16 calories or 67 kilojoules). It also has a high glycemic index (GI 100), and it was, therefore, chosen for use as the reference food in glycemic-index testing following the international standard method. As an ingredient, it is probably more widely used by the food industry (in sweets, ice creams, fruit preparations, brewing, baking, ketchups, sauces, and cough syrups) than by consumers in general home cooking or as a tabletop sweetener. People who wish to (or need to) avoid fructose often stock powdered glucose (dextrose) in their fructose-free pantry, and home brewers sometimes use it as a priming sugar. Barley malt, corn syrup (GI 90) and rice syrup (GI 98) are all glucose sweeteners.Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate Guide to Sugars & Sweeteners (The Experiment, New York. Available from good book stores and online.)
NEWS BRIEFSWhy people with diabetes should learn to love lentils and other legumes; Bean up your meals; Are salty crisps/chips that come with health claims on the packet actually healthier? How about home-made crunch?
Bean health benefitsReplacing red meat with legumes (beans, peas, or lentils) improved fasting blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride levels, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes according to the results of a small study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In this randomized control trial, 31 participants with type 2 diabetes followed either a legume-free therapeutic diet for heart disease or the same diet replacing two servings of red meat with legumes three days per week.
Bean me up! Legumes are the edible dried seeds found inside the mature pods of beans, peas and lentils. Canned or home-cooked, they are low in total and saturated fat, high in fibre, provide a valuable source of protein, carbohydrate, B vitamins, (including folate) and minerals and they have a very low GI (14 to 52 depending on the bean and the processing). What about wind? Not all beans will make you windy, and not everyone has the problem. Cooking them thoroughly in fresh water (not in the water you soaked them in) and rinsing canned beans or lentils helps; as does eating them regularly. Kate Marsh PhD, author of The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook, offers these tasty suggestions to “bean up” your meals.
If you are with someone with diabetes, who becomes really drowsy, unable to swallow or unconscious, call an ambulance. Don’t try and give them anything to eat or drink.
GI News - June 2015 Page 3
• Bean up satisfying soups with lentils and split peas; add cannellini beans to minestrone• Throw a chickpea or lentil burger on the barbecue • Wrap up chickpea felafels with hummus and tabbouli• Add kidney beans to tacos, burritos and chilli con carne• Tuck into tasty spaghetti sauce made with lentils or with lentils added to the mince• Dip into homemade hummus whipped up with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic• Make a meal of lentil dhal or a chickpea, pumpkin and spinach curry • Roast chickpeas with your favourite spices for a crunchy snack• Tuck into mashed cannellini or butter beans, or blend with mashed potato, sweet potato or pumpkin• Add four bean mix, butter beans or chickpeas to salads
Another salty chip off the old block?Snacking is not only big but is growing according to Nielson’s, with snack foods of all kinds replacing breakfast and lunch for many of us. In the 12 months ending March 2014, the global snack market grossed US$374 billion they report. Salty snacks top the list, especially chips/crisps in the US and Australia.
As chips/crisps production methods deliver very similar products, companies use flavours, texture and shapes for brand differentiation. With the booming and lucrative health market, they have now added ingredient quality and nutritional profile to the mix and market their products as “healthier” options. But are they any better for you? Or are they just another salty chip off the old block?
The shelves of the produce and organic stores here in Bondi are stacked high with salty crisps and chips made with all sorts of interesting ingredients (yes, kale too) and marketed with various health claims. We bought six products with nutrition or health claims on the packaging to check out whether these really are better-for-you options.
What we bought, what’s in them and what they claim
Product Ingredients Package health claims
Absolute Organic Potato Chips with Sea Salt
Potatoes, vegetable oil, sea salt “No nasties added”“Our potato chips are natural and full of organic goodness”
Loving Raw Organic Earth Red Kale Chips (cashew and barbecue spice blend)
Kale, raw cashews, carrot, reconstituted lemon juice, coconut amino sauce,* acti-vated chia seeds, sea salt, sweet paprika, tomato powder, cayenne pepper
“Healthy–Sustainable–Fair”“A pack of Raw Kale chips and a glass of water is all you need for a quick and whole-some bite on the go.”
Piranha Omega-3 Chia Original Multigrain Crisps
Wheat starch, sunflower oil, multigrain-15% (ground corn, wheat meal, barley meal, rice flour, oat meal, rye meal), soy beans, chia seeds-7%, sugar, sea salt
“Source of dietary fibre” “Source of omega-3”
Sea Shanti Chilli Sea Crisps
Hand Crafted Seasoned Crispy Seaweed Snack
Seaweed, green chilli, perilla oil, sesame oil, non-GMO canola oil, green tea, sea salt (contains sesame)
“Rich sea-plant goodness”“The healthy alternative to chips”“Super nutritious & tasty snack”“... not only a great tasting snack, but one that’s also good for you.”
Spiral Foods Organic Green Pea Chips
Green peas, sea salt “Gluten free”“... ideal snacks for children, health con-scious people and vegetarians.”
Spiral Foods Sea Vegetable Chips
Potato starch, rice bran oil, seaweeds (wakame, kombu, hiziki, aonori), sea salt, potato syrup
“Wholesome snack”“Spiral Sea Vegetable Chips capture the benefits of the finest grades of vegetables from the ocean”
*Coconut amino sauce contains: coconut vinegar, coconut syrup, coconut sugar, bird’s eye chilli, garlic, onion powder, sea salt.
GI News - June 2015 Page 4
The Nutrition Facts (from the packaging)
Product Energy(per 100g)
Protein(per 100g)
Fat(per 100g)
Carbs(per 100g)
Sodium(per 100g)
Absolute Organic Potato Chips with Sea Salt
526 cals2210kJ 5.9g
31.5g(includes 14.9g sat fat)
55.1g(negligible sugars) 594mg
Loving Earth Raw Organic Red Kale Chips
500 cals2100kJ 13.3g
39g(includes 6.6g sat fat)
22.1g(includes 13g sugars) 1260mg
Piranha Omega-3 Chia Original Multigrain Crisps
505 cals2110kJ 8.6g
28.3g(includes 2.7g sat fat)
49.7g(includes 6.4g sugars)+ 9.3g fibre
453mg
Sea ShantiChilli Sea Crisps
549 cals2305kJ 18.5g
40.2g(includes 4.3g sat fat)
28g(0g sugars) 2600mg
Spiral Foods Organic Green Pea Chips
377 cals1577kJ 22.86g
1.69g(negligible sat fat)
67.51g(includes 1.9g sugars and 21.3g fibre)
750mg
Spiral Foods Sea Vegetable Chips
456 cals1916kJ 0.5g
15.6g(includes 4.5g sat fat)
78.9g(includes 1.9g sugars) 480mg
Comparing products: To compare products, we have provided the nutritional information (calories/kilojoules, protein, fat/sat fat, carbohydrate/sugars and sodium) per 100 grams as the various recommended serving sizes (ranging from 25 to 45 grams) are not comparable. When choosing snack foods, this is what you need to do to identify the better choice: look at the “per 100 grams” column (if available in your country) as it gives you a point of comparison, even if you aren’t going to eat 100 grams of the food.
The crunch: If an apple or a carrot is the gold standard for a healthy snack with a crispy crunch, processed products like these don’t make the cut – they are not even in the race. Regarding their calories/kilojoules, fat and salt, you can see it is very much nutritional swings and roundabouts. Most are very high in sodium and have a fair bit of fat. Some provide protein and fibre as well, others are a source of carbohydrate, possibly a significant one if you mindlessly munch your way through a whole pack (which is all too easy to do). They have not been GI tested. We do know that the GI for chips/crisps can vary considerably depending on ingredients and processing. For example, on the database at www.glycemicindex.com there are corn chips ranging from GI 42 to GI 74; regular potato chips/crisps from GI 51 to GI 60; soy protein chips at GI 87; and wasabi and honey rice and corn chips at GI 82.
From our shopping basket of supposedly healthy salty crisp/chips, Green Pea Chips stand out as a better choice than regular crisps. But it is a salty snack, so treat it as an occasional treat and stick to the recommended serving: about 28g/1 ounce. This will provide 19g carbs (includes 6g fibre and 1g sugars), 6g protein and 210mg sodium. These pea chips are also low in total and saturated fat, and provide some protein and fibre. Being legume-based, we guesstimate they would have a low GI value (regular split peas when cooked have a GI of 25).
Homemade crunch: To make spicy roasted chickpeas, place well rinsed and drained chickpeas (home cooked or canned) in bowl with olive oil, a dash of salt, pepper and/or your favourite spices (cumin, chilli powder, sweet paprika, coriander) and lightly toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer on a baking tray with an edge and roast in a preheated oven (200°C/400°F or 180°C/350°F fan-forced) until crisp (about 30 minutes).
GI News - June 2015 Page 5
PERSPECTIVES WITH DR ALAN BARCLAY
Sugar intolerance: Why some people need to avoid certain sugarsThere are various forms of sugar intolerance – lactose intolerance or lactase deficiency, sucrase/isomaltase deficiency, and fructose malabsorption. People with any of these conditions must limit or avoid these sugars.
Lactose intolerance or lactase deficiency: Lactose (a disaccharide of glucose + galactose) is the sugar that occurs naturally in milk and some dairy foods (e.g., yoghurt) that is digested into glucose and galactose by the enzyme lactase found in the small bowel of essentially all mammals at birth (some are born with a lactase deficiency, unfortunately). Most mammals stop producing lactase when they are weaned. Many humans (about 35% of the world’s population) however, continue to produce it throughout life. Without enough lactase, a person can have digestive problems like abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhoea when they consume foods and drinks that contain lactose. Although it is rare for Caucasians to develop lactose intolerance (about 5%), it is very common (up to 90%) among Australia’s Indigenous people, and people from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and some Mediterranean countries.
There are many lactose-free milks and yoghurts on the market these days, so there’s no need to go without calcium-rich dairy foods. Like other milks, they will be low GI. Some people who are lactose intolerant find they can enjoy yoghurt because the micro-organisms added to milk to make yoghurt are active in digesting lactose during passage through the small intestine, in other words, the “bugs” help do the job of lactose digestion for you. People with lactose intolerance can eat cheese because it is made from milk solids (curd); the lactose-rich whey has been drained off during the early stages of processing.
Sucrase/isomaltase deficiency: People born with this very rare condition (less than 0.2% of North Americans, for example) have symptoms similar to those who develop lactose intolerance, and they need to limit or completely avoid the sugars sucrose (table sugar) and maltose (malt sugar). Fructose malabsorption: When excessive amounts of fructose are consumed relative to glucose, a significant number of people (40–80% of the population) develop symptoms of malabsorption including flatulence and diarrhoea. Some sensitive people can tolerate less than 15g of fructose at a time, whereas others have trouble completely absorbing 30–40g. For most of us, even if we don’t have fructose intolerance, flatulence and diarrhoea are common if “doses” of fructose over 50g are consumed on its own at a sitting.
Fortunately, very few people consume 50g (12 teaspoons) of pure fructose in one sitting under normal circumstances (perhaps ironically, it is usually only consumed in these amounts in pure form in experiments that are designed to prove the adverse health effects of fructose). However, drinking very large amounts (700ml or nearly 3 cups) of certain high-fructose fruit juices (e.g., pear or apple) in one sitting will provide approximately 50g of fructose (along with about 15g of glucose), which can cause diarrhoea in some sensitive people, in particular children (“toddler diarrhoea”).
Sugars and gastro-intestinal symptoms: If you don’t have lactose, sucrose/maltose or fructose intolerance, you are pretty much able to consume as much as you like without developing immediate gastro-intestinal symptoms. But as we all know, moderation in all things is the key to good health and wellbeing: consuming less than 10% of energy from added sugars will reduce “empty calories” and the risk of tooth decay.
Packaged foods: What nutrition claims about sugars meanIn Australia and New Zealand, as in many parts of the world, nutrition claims about sugars have specific meanings and are at least partially regulated under the Food Standards Code.• Free from “X sugar” means: “The food contains no detectable [sugar]”. • Low lactose means: “The food contains no more than 2g of lactose per 100g of the food.” • For all other sugars, “low sugar” means: “The food contains no more sugars than (a) 2.5g per 100ml for liquid
food; or (b) 5g per 100g for solid food.”
GI News - June 2015 Page 6
Alan Barclay PhD is a consultant dietitian and Chief Scientific Officer at the Glycemic Index Foundation. He worked for Diabetes Australia (NSW) from 1998-2014 and is a member of the editorial board of Diabetes Australia’s health professional magazine, Diabetes Management Journal. Alan has authored or co-authored over 30 scientific publications, is co-author of The Low GI Diet: Diabetes Handbook, The Low GI Diet: Managing Type 2 Diabetes, and The Ultimate Guide to Sugars and Sweeteners, and presents at conferences around the globe.
Contact: [email protected]
NICOLE SENIOR’S TASTE OF HEALTH
SalmonI’ve always admired the amazing story of salmon reproduction and how they give up their life in order to lay their eggs. Apparently they go back to the same place they hatched which can involve a heck of a distance and an incredible smell memory to find their way. They show awesome strength and unfailing commitment in swimming upstream, dodging predators as they go only to perish at the end of the journey; sad but inspiring. And of course they attract legions of fans who reckon a bad day’s fly fishing is so much better than a good day at the office! These amazing fish can invoke strong feelings of attachment as the movie Salmon fishing in Yemen captures beautifully – some people will go to a lot of trouble to throw a line.
Salmon are members of the Salmonidae family, of which Atlantic salmon is perhaps the best known, but there also Pacific ocean species (e.g. Chinook/king, pink, sockeye/red, chum/dog). They are unusual in that that most species hatch in fresh water and then go out into the ocean only to return to the fresh water to spawn. Other well known varieties are those species canned and exported around the world from Canada and Alaska: red, pink and sockeye. And that’s saying nothing of the highly valued role of raw salmon used for sashimi in Japan. The Japanese love seafood to the point of worship and salmon is right up there on their list.
And if you do cook it, salmon is delicious simply grilled, pan fried or baked and served with a squeeze of lemon – an easy fish to prepare for novice seafood cooks; and for the more adventurous, salmon offers a roadmap of culinary directions to choose from. Its robust texture and flavour is great with Asian-style dishes and partners well with soy, ginger, lime and sesame. I make a mean Japanese inspired Teryaki stir fry vegetables on soba noodles with a piece of pan-fried salmon on top sprinkled with black sesame seeds. Salmon and dill are an ideal arranged marriage, ideally smothered in hollandaise sauce! Salmon is also yummy with avocado and Latino-style salsa, and a great way to add flavour and satisfaction to salads, and loves to sit with citrus. Salmon is a great fish to smoke (lox) or cured brine (gravlax). Smoked salmon is famously consumed on bagels with cream cheese, and is very popular accompaniment to poached eggs for breakfast. And you can even eat salmon roe which look gorgeous and taste like tiny slippy-slidey bubbles of seawater.
Australian Salmon (Arripis trutta) is from a different family and not a premium eating fish, but still good when prepared with pizzazz. It has lower oil content, is strongly flavoured and turns pale when cooked. It makes delicious fish cakes or burgers, and benefits from strongly flavoured bastes or poaching liquids. Apparently our salmon tastes are for the exotic as Atlantic salmon is among Australia’s top 10 most popular sea foods.
Salmon has become a “super food”, and for good reason. The good news story about salmon is its high oil content that is rich in long chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. Besides giving the flesh a glamorous shiny look and moist mouth feel, the omega-3 rich oil confers a range of health benefits, most notably for the heart. Australia’s Heart Foundation recommends eating two to three serves of fish (150–200g), including oily fish like salmon, per week to achieve about 250–500mg per day of combined DHA and EPA in order to prevent cardiovascular disease.
GI News - June 2015 Page 7
Salmon is also rich in protein and contains vitamin D, which is found naturally in few other foods and can be in short supply for many people. Canned salmon is popular for its convenience and versatility (think sandwich and frittata fillings, pasta, fish cakes). The great thing about canned salmon is the bones turn soft and you can eat them, providing a good non-dairy source of calcium.
Talk of any fish begs the question of sustainability. Most Atlantic salmon eaten today is farmed, while most Pacific varieties are wild caught. Luckily, the omega-3 levels are similar between wild and farmed salmon. Aquaculture is ideal for maintaining ongoing supply and preventing overfishing of wild stocks however salmon are carnivorous and they eat more fish than they produce, and this poses a sustainability issue. There is a lot of research trying to produce vegetable-based aquaculture fish meal while still maintaining good omega-3 content in the farmed fish. Soy, seaweed, algae, animal by-products, yeasts, algae, bacteria and insects are all the mix.
In Irish mythology, salmon gives wisdom to whoever eats it and there may be truth in this considering the importance of omega-3 fats to brain development. Let’s hope we have enough wisdom to maintain the supply of this champion fish for future generations.
Nicole Senior is an Accredited Nutritionist, author and consultant who strives to make healthy food taste terrific. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook or checkout her website
WHAT I EAT
Nicole Senior talks to Dr Joanna McMillanDr Joanna is one of Australia’s favourite and most trusted health and wellbeing experts. She is a PhD qualified nutrition scientist, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, and a former fitness instructor, giving her the sound credentials required to help us all sort the wheat from the chaff of the increasingly confusing nutrition and health messages in the media.
What is your cultural background? I grew up in rural Scotland and both my parents are Scots. My mum is a terrific cook and basically we grew up eating most meals made from scratch from fresh ingredients – there wasn’t much alternative! Although my Dad is a lawyer, his extended family and my Mum’s family are farmers. We also lived right next door to a small dairy farm. So understanding where food came from was part of our upbringing. My mum also had a big veggie patch where she grew peas, potatoes, carrots, spinach, rhubarb, strawberries and so on. There were also three big plum trees in our garden and I remember my mum making pots of plum jam with all the extras we couldn’t eat fresh.
What does a typical day’s food look like in your culture? People often think of Scottish food as being unhealthy, but in fact the traditional diet is full of foods that are good for us. These include salmon, mussels and other seafood, barley and oats are traditional wholegrains, game meats including venison, pigeon and pheasant, and during the summer an abundance of berries. Being a cold country much of the year root vegies were always dominant and of course potatoes are obligatory – in fact it took my mum a long time to accept that a meal could be a good meal without potatoes! A typical day of a traditional Scottish diet might be porridge (made with steel cut oats, water, salt and pepper – served with milk) for breakfast, a soup with barley, chicken and root vegies served with bread and cheese for lunch and a piece of salmon with boiled potatoes and in season veggies at night. Then of course on Rabbie Burns night (the most famous Scottish poet) it’s tradition that you eat haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes)!
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What is your favourite dish? I absolutely love venison so one of my favourite dishes is my Mum’s roast haunch of venison. She does it with juniper berries and red wine (although it’s more traditional to add whiskey I guess), then serves with roast potatoes, carrots and usually a green vegetable like broccoli.
What are three ingredients Scottish cuisine couldn’t do without? Probably oats, potatoes and fish.
Can you suggest a hero ingredient? The hero ingredient has to be salmon. Salmon fishing is huge in Scotland and there are numerous dishes using it fresh, smoked or made into Gravlax (salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill).
Joanna McMillan PhD is a qualified dietitian and nutritionist. She is director of nutrition consultancy company Dr Joanna, and founder of Get Lean – the online healthy lifestyle system. She is a popular media spokesperson in Australia with regular TV and radio appearances, writes for several magazines and blogs, and has authored several books including The Low GI Diet (with Prof Jennie Brand-Miller). Joanna is a proud ambassador for Diabetes Australia and The Skin and Cancer Foundation. She is also a former fitness instructor and continuing exercise enthusiast which she juggles with being mum to two very energetic boys. Find out more at her website: Dr Joanna.
IN THE GI NEWS KITCHEN THIS MONTHAnneka Manning’s Salmon & roast vegetable frittatas • Kate McGhie’s Crisp-skinned salmon in What’s for Dinner • Johanna Burani shares her Sautéed dandelion greens in Italian Kitchen.
Anneka Manning’s Family BakingSalmon and roast vegetable frittatas Make sure you roast extra vegetables when making them for dinner for a quick and easy lunch or light meal the next day. Serve with a green salad.
Makes: 8Preparation time: 15 minutes (+ 5 minutes cooling time)Baking time: 25 minutes
Olive oil, to grease (optional)3½ cups (about 630g) chopped roasted vegetables (see Baker’s Tips) 210g/7oz tin red or pink salmon in spring water, drained and coarsely flaked ½ cup (50g/2½oz) coarsely grated vintage cheddar cheese ⅓ cup chopped chives, flat-leaf parsley and/or basil 6 eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F (170°C/325°F fan-forced). Grease 8 holes of a 1/3 cup (80ml) muffin tin with olive oil or line with paper muffin cases. • Place vegetables, salmon, cheese and herbs in a large mixing bowl and toss gently to combine evenly. Spoon the mixture into the muffin holes, dividing evenly. Crack the eggs into a jug, season well with salt and pepper and then use a fork to whisk to combine. Carefully pour into the muffin holes over the vegetable mixture, dividing evenly. • Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until set and golden. (The eggs will continue to cook in the tin, so it’s ok if the centre is a little soft, just not runny). Stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then use a small palette knife or butter knife to remove the frittatas from the tin. Serve warm or room temperature with a green salad.
Baker’s tips • Roasted pumpkin, capsicum, carrots, sweet potato, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms all work well in these frittatas. • Add chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, sage or thyme to your vegetables before roasting for an extra flavour hit. • These frittatas will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature or reheat
in an oven preheated to 180°C/350°F (160°C/320°F fan-forced) for 5–10 minutes.
GI News - June 2015 Page 9
Per serve (one frittata) 630 kJ/ 150 calories; 13 g protein; 8 g fat (includes 3 g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.6); 5 g available carbs (includes 2.5 g sugars and 2.5 g starch); 5 g fibre; 340 mg sodium
Anneka Manning, founder of BakeClub, shares her delicious better-for-you recipes for snacks, desserts and treats the whole family will love. Through both her writing and cooking school, Anneka teaches home cooks to bake in practical and approachable yet inspiring ways that assure success in the kitchen. In 2015 she is offering a wide range of classes including healthy Kids Lunchboxes, Savoury Baking and Gluten-free Baking. You can find out more about them HERE. www.bakeclub.com.au
What’s for dinner with Kate McGhieKate McGhie is Australia’s most trusted source of kitchen wisdom, providing recipes and invaluable cooking advice to millions of readers in her legendary column in Melbourne’s Herald Sun.
Crisp-skinned salmonWhen cooking salmon, don’t use a temperature that is too high (it’ll scorch the fish) or too low (it’ll stew). A strong and moderately high heat will give you a really crisp, golden skin. This is best cooked in a non-stick frying pan. If you don’t have one, lightly flour the skin of the fish first to help prevent the skin from sticking to the pan and give a crisp finish. Photographed here, the salmon was served with Cannellini Bean Mash and Apple Vinaigrette (see Cooks’ tips).
Preparation time: 5 minutesCooking time: 5–8 minutesResting time: 3 minutesServes: 4
4 pieces salmon about 180g/6oz each (middle section is best)1 tablespoon olive oilSea or kosher salt
MethodPat the fish dry with kitchen paper • Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over moderate heat. • Salt the skin of the fish with salt and place skin-side down in the pan and cook until golden and crispy. This can take 5–8 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the fish pieces. By the time the skin is crisp, the fish is almost cooked • Turn the fish over carefully, then remove from the pan and allow to rest uncovered (not on its skin side) for 3 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking it perfectly. • Serve with plenty of veggies or salad following our healthy plate plan.
Per serving (salmon only)295 calories/1240 kJ; 35 g protein; 17 g fat (includes 3.5 g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio = 0.26); 0 g available carbs; 0 g fibre; 540 mg sodium
Cook’s tips• To make Cannellini Bean Mash: Rinse and drain a 400g/14oz can of beans and pulse blend in a processor to a
mash with ½ teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme leaves and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. • Slowly pour in enough olive oil (about ¼ cup/60ml/2fl.oz.) to make a soft puree and season to taste. • Warm in a preheated oven (180°C/350°F) for about 5 minutes in a heatproof dish. Whisk before serving.
• To make Apple Vinaigrette: In a bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil, 2 tablespoons (40ml) apple cider vinegar, pinch salt and ½ teaspoon crushed garlic.
GI News - June 2015 Page 10
Johanna Burani’s Italian kitchenSautéed dandelion greensI have been eating dandelion greens all my life. Although we lived on the outskirts of New York City, my family had a garden in the back of our house where dandelions grew. Whenever there were enough, my father would pick them and my mother would prepare them for our evening meal. The dandelion plant is full of antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and potassium, and also contains iron, calcium and some B vitamins. It is a natural and effective diuretic. As a child I wasn’t fond of this vegetable on my plate because of its underlying bitterness. Now I could make a whole meal out of them! The following recipe is as simple as its star ingredient. Servings: 4 (approx. 1 cup each)
1 lb (450g) dandelion greens2 tablespoons (30ml) extra virgin olive oil2–3 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashedsea salt, to taste
MethodWash the dandelion leaves thoroughly, shaking off excess water. Cut into 2-inch (5 cm) strips and steam in a large Dutch oven (casserole) over 1 inch (2.5cm) water for 8 minutes. • Remove the greens from the pot. Drain any remaining water from the pot, rinse and dry it thoroughly. • Add the oil to the pot and warm over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the greens and salt. Continue sautéing for another 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve hot.
Per serving 120 calories/490kJ; 3g protein; 8g fat (includes 1g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio = 0.14); 7g available carbs; 4g fibre
American dietitian and author of the best-selling Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Johanna Burani, shares her favourite recipes with a low or moderate GI. For more information, check out Johanna’s website. The photographs are by Sergio Burani. His food, travel and wine photography website is photosbysergio.com.
GLYCEMIC INDEX FOUNDATION NEWS
Snacking made easyI have been reading a few articles this month and they all seem to centre around snacking. We often get asked what are the best healthy snack foods. You want to look for something that is nutrient dense, low GI, comes in small portions and easy to access so you dont go searching in the cookie jar.
I must admit you can’t go past simple low GI fruits like in season apple varieties, pears, grapes, lady finger bananas, berries and most citrus and stone fruits. Not only are these great on their own as a mid morning/afternoon snack and are easy to add to your lunch box or include in a smoothie but they also make a delicious compliment to salads and that cheeky dessert.
My other favourite is the addition of nuts. There is so much positive research about the benefits of having a handful of nuts a day that it has even led the Nut Association in the United Kingdom to recently submit a paper to their Public Health authority to have nuts included as part of the countries 5 a day recommendation for fruit and vegetables.
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Just remember your choice of snacks will impact on your energy levels, amount of food you eat at the next meal and your weight. A low GI snack will not only help maintain your energy, but also your weight. In general low GI foods will help you with concentration, energy and make you feel fuller for longer – helping to curb cravings and keep you satisfied until your next main meal. The following snack ideas are perfect for work places and/or an easy snack on the go or at home. The brands mentioned are Australian but look out for similar products in your local supermarket.
Desk Fridge Freeze ’n toast Home
10 dried apricot halves e.g. Coles Dried Turkish apricots
Glass (250ml) of skim milk 1 slice of fruit toast like Bur-gen Fruit & Muesli bread
1 slice of wholegrain toast with beans on top. Try Coles Low GI Harvest Loaf
½ cup canned fruit in natural juice
1 small tub low fat plain or fruit yoghurt
1 slice of wholegrain or authentic sourdough with Jam, honey or vegemite (Australia)
1 cup (250ml) Smoothie on skim or reduced fat milk with fresh fruit and no fat yoghurt
⅓ cup low GI muesli varieties – eat dry for a snack. Try Coles Vanilla flavoured Oat clusters
Milo or low GI hot chocolate made with 1 cup skim milk or reduced fat milk
Mission foods low GI White Corn Tortilla with salsa
Low fat hummus with carrot sticks
Fresh fruit – 1 small apple, banana or pear
Add milk or yoghurt to your low GI muesli for a snack
Small serve (½ cup) of ver-micelli noodles
Mini can baked beans Fresh fruit – apple, grapes or pear
Handful of nuts (30g). Try Coles cashews, almonds or pecan nuts
Anneka Manning’s fruit skewers with passionfruit yoghurt dip You could also use 30 grams of dried fruit, such as apricots or peaches, as part of your fruit selection if you wish. From The Low GI Family Cookbook • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: Choose 4 portions of seasonal fresh fruit from: 1 pear, cored, cut into thin wedges; 1 firm ripe banana, thickly sliced; 1 apple (such as royal gala, pink lady or golden delicious), cored, cut into thin wedges; 125g (4½oz) strawberries, hulled, halved if large; 1 orange, peeled and segmented; 1 large peach, deseeded, cut into thin wedges; 2 large apricots, deseeded, cut into thin wedges; ½ large ripe mango, flesh cut into chunks.
Method: Thread the fruit on to short skewers and serve with low-fat passionfruit yoghurt.
Dianna Crisp is the Communications and Partnership Manager at the Glycemic Index Foundation, a not-for-profit, health promotions charity. Website: www.gisymbol.comFacebookTwitter
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Q&A WITH JENNIE BRAND-MILLER
Jennie – Is it true that people with diabetes should eat snacks between meals and before going to bed?
We are often asked about this. Some diet sheets for people with diabetes include snacks. This is usually because people with diabetes taking some types of insulin or tablets may need a carbohydrate snack between meals to stop their blood glucose dropping too low. But, with the newer forms of medication, it less likely that they need to do this.
In addition, studies in people with type 2 diabetes examining the metabolic effects of small frequent meals (‘grazing’) versus two or three large meals in people have found that blood glucose and blood fats may improve when meal frequency increases. There’s also some evidence that you will reap metabolic rewards by eating at set times rather than at different times on different days.
The jury is still out on whether snacking is good for your weight. There are pros and cons. In adults, regular snacks help prevent extreme hunger, and thus may reduce the amount of food eaten at a single sitting.
Snacking is not good news for your teeth. Each time you eat the bacteria in plaque attack tooth enamel. For dental health it’s a good idea to leave at least two hours between drinks or snacks.
Although snacking can make a significant contribution to a healthy diet in some circumstances, and certainly helps little children who don’t have big appetites get sufficient calories (kilojoules), it does not mean eating more food. It is simply a way to spread the same amount of food over more frequent and smaller meals.
WHAT TO SNACK ON? The glycemic index is especially important when you eat carbohydrate by itself as is the case with between-meal snacks, and not as part of a mixed meal. This is because carbohydrate tends to have a stronger effect on blood glucose levels when it is eaten alone rather than as part of a meal with protein foods, for example.
What to choose can be a huge challenge given the tempting range of individually packed foods with “SNACK” boldly written on the packaging. In reality, the best snacks don’t usually come in packaging. They are portable, inexpensive and nutritionally faultless foods. And they all have a low GI value. It is fresh fruit of course – an apple, a banana, a small bunch of grapes, a pear, a nectarine or a mandarin or orange. If your hunger pangs are getting to you, combine it with a source of protein such as some nuts, peanut butter (or almond butter if you prefer), or cottage cheese.
The is an edited extract from Managing Type 2 Diabetes by Prof Jennie Brand-Miller, Kaye Foster-Powell, Prof Stephen Colagiuri and Dr Alan Barclay published by Hachette in Australia and Da Capo Life Long in the US.
Professor Jennie Brand-Miller (AM, PhD, FAIFST, FNSA, MAICD) is an internationally recognised authority on carbohydrates and the glycemic index with over 250 scientific publications. She holds a Personal Chair in Human Nutrition in the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. She is the co-author of many books for the consumer on the glycemic index and health.
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