Confidence has slowly been fading in the Heart Foundation’s iconic ‘Tick’ program, the nationally recognised seal of approval for healthy food choices. Plenty has been going on behind the scenes to roll out a new front-of-pack system labelling system, aimed at helping shoppers make informed food choices. Reminiscent of the system used to rank household appliances by their energy efficiency, the Health Star Rating System awards food products a rating […]
Last week, a Victorian toddler died and four other children aged 1 to 4 fell seriously ill after drinking raw milk. The tragic death has led to various health bodies to urge for the sale of raw milk to be outlawed, with Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Rosemary Lester, commenting, “If this was a food, it is something we would recall.” The problem is that raw milk is sold under […]
It’s somewhat comforting to see that, in the midst of what seems like a full-blown war on grains by the hardcore Paleo tribe, others are revelling in the plethora of seeds and cereals on offer. Take Yotam Ottolenghi, for example: an Israeli chef and restaurant owner known for injecting excitement into vegetable- and grain-based meals. The self-confessed ‘grain man’ has been championed worldwide for bringing grains and vegetables from side […]
The hot topic of water coolers worldwide, Isagenix has been garnering a great deal of interest since its establishment in 2002. Isagenix is a US-based company marketing dietary and weight-loss supplements. They draw a yearly revenue in excess of $300 million, and employ over 200,000 sales representatives. Their advertising is heavy on testimonials, and they advocate ‘cleansing’ alongside their line of shakes, bars and snacks. Being an innate sceptic, I’m […]
There’s no doubt that obesity is an issue that needs addressing. In the western world, a person is more likely to die due to obesity-related conditions than undereating or starvation. In Australia alone, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 3 in 5 people are overweight or obese. 1 in 4 Australian kids are overweight or obese. Those are some pretty frightening statistics. Obviously something needs to be […]
Each week seems to be marked by a new and improved diet plan, bringing with it promises of renewed health and weight loss, but most are forgotten once the novelty wears off and the weight starts creeping back on. But after conducting a year-long dietary study on nearly 800 adults, scientists from Denmark are confident that their proposed diet is the real deal. So confident, in fact, that they’ve dubbed […]
This morning, those in the field of dietetics heaved a collective sigh of exasperation in response to a Facebook status from celebrity chef, ‘health coach’ and activated almond enthusiast Pete Evans. “No wonder the public is confused. Each and every time an article comes out about health and nutrition in this country, the journalists always feel the need to get a spokesperson from the Dieticians Association of Australia to add […]
Rewind a decade or so, and very few people followed a gluten free diet, let alone knew what gluten was. Fast-forward to present day, and gluten-free products and menus have taken the world by storm, with everyone from ‘diet gurus’ to Kim Kardashian singing the praises of a life without gluten. So let’s take a crash course in gluten: what is it, and why all the hate? Gluten – […]
We’ve been hearing it for years. I can even remember back in the 90s watching Happy Harold from the Life Education van banging on about it. But how important is including a variety of different foods in our diet? The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that we The Japanese Dietary Guidelines take the idea of variety even more seriously, recommending that people “eat 30 or more different kinds of food daily”.
It’s that time again. Over 200 Accredited Practicing Dietitians have voted on the three worst diets of the year just past, and the results are of absolutely no surprise. In an online survey conducted by the country’s peak nutrition body, the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), over 200 members agreed that the top three diets to avoid in 2014 are The Lemon Detox Diet SkinnyMe Tea Ashy Bines Bikini Body […]
Felicity Curtain 