Shop for health

Dietitian Caitlin Reid reveals the products you should buy (and avoid!) for better health.

• High cholesterol
• Bone health
• Digestive health
• Fatigue
• and more ...

What to look for: Bone health

Products to limit

• Salt and high-salt products
• Caffeine-containing beverages (particularly if your diet is low in calcium)
• Cigarettes
• Alcohol (stick to the alcohol guidelines)
• Foods high in saturated fat

Consume calcium

Research shows not all sources of calcium are equal. Choosing calcium-rich foods is much better for you than relying on supplements. According to a 10-week study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, one group of rats were fed low-fat, dry milk solids and another group of rats calcium carbonate supplements; the former were found to have denser, stronger and longer bones. So only use calcium supplements as an additional measure if calcium intake cannot be met through diet alone.

High-calcium foods

• Tinned salmon such as John West or Greenseas
• Low-fat yoghurt and soy yoghurt such as Soy Life
• Calcium-fortified rice milk such as So Good or Vitasoy; perfect for those allergic to soy or dairy
• Soy milk with extra calcium such as Vitasoy Calci-Plus and So Good Essential
• Calcium-fortified milk such as Anlene, PhysiCAL
• Tofu set in calcium

Protein power

Protein is usually more closely associated with building muscle, but it also promotes bone growth and retards bone loss by promoting the release of an important hormone that strengthens bones.

High-protein foods

• Lean red meat, such as beef and lamb
• Fish, including white and oily varieties
• Skinless chicken
• Eggs
• Low-fat dairy products
• A mixture of legumes such as chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans and broad beans
• Nuts and seeds
• Tofu and other soy products

Absorb vitamin D

Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the gut, helps maintain calcium levels in the blood and helps strengthen the skeleton, yet 42 per cent of Australians have inadequate vitamin D levels. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones become thin, brittle or misshapen, causing rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, but you can also boost levels by choosing certain foods.

Vitamin D-rich foods

• Fresh, oily fish such as salmon and tuna
• Milk-fortified with vitamin D (Anlene and PhysiCAL)
• Nesquik Plus, fortified with calcium and vitamin D – when mixed with milk gives children 50 per cent of their daily calcium needs and 25 per cent of their daily vitamin D needs
• Table spread fortified with vitamin D, such as Meadow Lea Extra Lite Spread Plus Vitamins

What to look for: High cholesterol

Products to limit

• Fatty takeaways
• Fatty or processed meats
• Salt
• Chicken skin
• Biscuits and cakes

Focus on plant sterols

Plant sterols are essential components of plant membranes and play an important role in regulating heart disease. They have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol but are not absorbed to the same extent in the body. In fact, plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption and therefore reduce the amount of circulating cholesterol in the bloodstream. To benefit, research shows you just need to include 2–3 grams per day.

Plant-sterol-fortified foods

• Table spreads including Meadow Lea Logicol Spread and Flora Pro-Activ Spread
• Milks, such as Pura Heart Active
• Oils such as rice bran oil and soybean oil

Eat beta-glucan

Beta-glucan, a soluble fibre found in oats, has been shown to lower cholesterol re-absorption. Beta-glucan is believed to ‘trap’ cholesterol, preventing its absorption in the body and removing it from the body as waste.

Beta-glucan-containing foods

• Oat-containing breads, such as Country Life Low-Chol and Burgen Bread Oatbran & Honey
• Oats such as Uncle Toby’s Oats Traditional, Lowan Oats Rolled Wholegrain and Wild Oats Hot Stuff Multigrain
• Vitasoy Oat Milk
• Oat-containing breakfast cereals such as Uncle Toby’s Oat Brits and Sanitarium Oat & Barley Bites.

Increase unsaturated fats

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help to lower cholesterol levels in the body, when used in place of saturated or trans fats. Of the unsaturated fats, omega-3 fats are particularly important for reducing the risk of heart disease. Two long-chain omega-3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are precursors for the prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) that reduce blood clots and inflammation, as well as improve blood flow. Research shows long-chain omega-3 fats lower triglycerides levels in the blood and increase good HDL cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated fat-containing foods

• Hass avocados
• Plant-based oils such as olive, canola and safflower
• Nuts such as Sunbeam Just Nuts
• Smoked salmon and fresh and tinned fish

What to look for: Low mood

Products to limit

• Sugary cakes and muffins
• Fatty takeaway foods
• Deep-fried foods
• Fatty meats
• Sugary beverages

Boost your B vitamins

Not only do vitamin B6, folate and vitamin B12 control homocysteine levels in the body, they also maintain the production of neurotransmitters (mood regulators). Low levels of these are believed to contribute to depression. Deficiency in these B vitamins result in high levels of homocysteine, with up to 55 per cent of people with depression showing elevated levels. Elevated homocysteine levels then cause a decrease in S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), consequently resulting in impaired metabolism of neurotransmitters, phospholipids, myelin and receptors, which are all important in mood regulation.

B vitamin-rich foods

• Breakfast cereals fortified with folate such as Kellogg’s Special K, Sanitarium Weet-Bix and Uncle Tobys Healthwise
• Bananas
• Skinless chicken and turkey
• Oatmeal
• Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale
• All animal products contain vitamin B12

Up the tryptophan

This amino acid also plays a vital role in boosting serotonin levels. Carbohydrates mixed with tryptophan become important here as well, because they make tryptophan more available to the brain, while calcium makes the brain more efficient at using tryptophan.

Tryptophan-rich foods

• Low-fat yoghurt such as Vaalia, Yoplait and Nestlé
• Dark chocolate, including Lindt Dark Chocolate and Nestlé Club; enjoy in small portions
• Low-fat milk varieties such as Pura and PhysiCAL
• Fresh and frozen turkey such as Inghams Whole Turkey
• Skinless chicken

Consume carbs

Ever felt content after a carb-loaded meal? That’s because carbohydrates boost the levels of the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter, serotonin. Serotonin has a calming effect and regulates memory and learning. Inadequate amounts of serotonin are linked to insomnia and aggressive behaviour.

Carbohydrate-rich foods

• Pasta such as Latina pasta and San Remo wholemeal pasta
• Wholegrain bread such as Burgen Mixed Grain Bread
• Crackers such as Ryvita Original Crispbread
• Sweet potato
• Basmati rice such as Riviana Basmati Long Grain Rice, Tilda and SunRice; and Doongara rice such as SunRice
• Doongara Clever Rice

What to look for: Digestive health

Products to limit

• Carbonated drinks
• Chewing gum (increases the likelihood of swallowing air and creating discomfort)
• Fatty takeaway foods
• Caffeine-containing foods
• Salt (high salt diets can increase fluid retention and lead to bloating)

Probiotics and Prebiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics work together to keep your belly happy. Probiotics such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli spp. are live, friendly bacteria that live in your digestive system and reduce the number of harmful bacteria that reside in your gut, keeping the right balance. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a non-digestible carbohydrate that passes through the body undigested until reaching the bowel. Once there, they ferment and also become food for probiotics, helping them flourish in numbers. Both help to keep your digestive system healthy.

Probiotic-rich foods

• Yakult – fermented milk with beneficial bacteria
• Inner Health Plus – probiotic containing acidophilus and bifidobacteria
• Yoghurts containing probiotics, such as Yoplait Elivaé and Vaalia

Prebiotic foods

• Bread with added inulin such as Burgen Rye Bread
• Sanitarium Up & Go and Up & Go Vive
• Garlic and asparagus

Avoid gluten (if medically required)

For people with coeliac disease, the protein gluten needs to be avoided in order to improve bowel function and overall health. For them, gluten causes bloating, gas abdominal pain, fatigue and diarrhoea, and damage to the lining of the small intestines – this damage decreases its ability to absorb important nutrients and can result in serious illness.

Gluten-free products

• Gluten-free snacks such as Freedom Foods Chick Pea Chips and Eskal Gluten Free Pretzels
• Gluten-free pasta such as Orgran Rice & Corn Pasta and San Remo Gluten Free Spaghetti
• Gluten-free breakfast cereal such as Food For Health Gluten Free Muesli, Lowan Rice Porridge.

Fibre

To keep bowels regular you need plenty of dietary fibre, both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre soaks up water like a sponge, plumping up faeces and slowing the rate of digestion. Insoluble fibre makes soft, bulky stools that are easier to pass, preventing or relieving constipation. A high-fibre diet can reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer by 40 per cent.

High-fibre products include

• Fresh, canned and frozen fruit and vegetables
• High-fibre breakfast cereals such as Carman’s Muesli
• Linseed, sunflower seeds and almond meal mix, such as Woolworths Naytura LSA
• Cereals such as Uncle Tobys Shredded Wheat

What to look for: Cognitive health

Products to limit

• Butter
• Cream
• Deep-fried foods
• Sugary cakes and biscuits
• Fatty takeaway

Add the antioxidants

Forgotten when you left your keys? (Again?) Add polyphenols called anthocyanins to your menu. These antioxidants lower oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain and combat the damaging effects of free radicals. This in turn is believed to reduce the effect of age-related deficits in cognitive and motor function such as those seen with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Why is this so? The anthocyanins are believed to help your brain cells communicate more effectively. So include these foods on your shopping list:

• Fresh and frozen berries
• Fresh and tinned beetroot
• Eggplant
• Pomegranate juice such as POM Wonderful

Choline

Help improve cognitive function and memory at all stages of life by including the water-soluble nutrient, choline in your diet. Research has linked choline deficiency to poor cognitive function in some people. Include these choline-rich foods in your diet:

• Eggs
• Dried soybeans
• Cod
• Wheat germ

The 3 Bs

Folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 work together to reduce the risk of not only Alzheimer’s Disease, but other cognitive disorders such as dementia too. They do this by keeping the levels of the amino acid, homocysteine in the body low. Elevated homocysteine levels are believed to lower cognitive performance, so you’ll benefit by having these three B vitamins in your diet:

• Green leafy vegetables
• Breakfast cereals fortified with folate such as Kellogg’s Special K
• Bananas
• Skinless chicken and turkey
• Oatmeal

The omega-3s

Memory is just another benefit to add to the long list of those which omega-3 fats offer you. A 2002 study published in the British Medical Journal found that older people who ate omega-3 fats once a week in the form of fish and seafood had a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. A 2007 study from the Netherlands found that people who consumed 400mg of omega-3 fats over a five-year period had less cognitive decline than those who consumed only 20mg of omega-3 fats each day. Yes, fish does gives you brain power.

Omega-3-rich foods

• Eco Eggs
• Fresh, frozen and tinned salmon
• Walnuts such as Lucky Golden Walnuts and Freshlife California Walnuts
• Omega-3 fortified products such as Vaalia Low Fat Yoghurt with Omega-3, Farmer’s Best No Cholesterol with Omega-3, Lucky Almond Meal with Omega-3

What to look for: Fatigue

Products to limit

• White bread
• Highly processed, sugary muffins
• Lollies
• Fatty takeaway foods
• Deep-fried foods

Choose low-GI carbs

A diet lacking in carbohydrates leaves you running on empty, especially if you exercise regularly. But, not all carbohydrates are created equal. Low-GI carbohydrates maintain blood sugar levels between meals, which helps maintain your energy levels throughout the day. High-GI foods provide you with a short burst of energy, only to have you crashing back down shortly after.

Low-GI, carbohydrate-rich foods

• Pasta
• Wholegrain bread
• Wholegrain crackers
• Sweet potato
• Basmati or Doongara rice

Add iron

Inadequate iron intake or absorption can lead to fatigue, a lack of energy and weakness. Among other functions, iron is part of haemoglobin in blood, which carries oxygen to cells throughout the body. When you’re low in iron, there is less oxygen to be transported around the body, so you may feel a little fatigued. You’re also more susceptible to colds and flu, as iron plays an essential role in immune function.

Iron-rich foods

• Lean red meat, such as beef and lamb
• Fish, both white and oily varieties; fresh and frozen such as Bird’s Eye Lemon and Parsley Steam Fish Fillets Legumes

Benefit from vitamin B

Get back your bounce with B vitamins. The B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin are essential for energy production inside cells, as they help your body unlock the energy from food. And according to research, supplements may be just as good as food for getting your B vitamins. Include in your diet:

• Bananas
• Oatmeal
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale

What to look for: Eye health

Products to limit

• High-GI foods (like white bread and sugary breakfast cereals, especially important for people with type 2 diabetes)
• Cigarettes
• Salt and high salt-products
• Fatty takeaway
• Deep-fried foods

Drop the salt

We all know that too much salt increases our blood pressure, but did you know that high blood pressure damages our eyes? Hypertension can damage the blood vessels in the retina of the eye – that’s the area at the back of the eye where images focus – causing the condition known as hypertensive retinopathy. Reducing the salt in your diet to 4–6g per day will help you maintain a healthy blood pressure, as well as protect your eyes.

Salt-reduced products

• Reduced-salt stock cubes such as Massel
• No added salt tomato products such as Leggo’s Tomato Paste No Salt
• Canned vegetables with no added salt such as Edgell No Added Salt Corn

Include the carotenoids

The carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are believed to protect the retina from oxidative stress, as well as play an important role in an antioxidant cascade that prevents the damaging effects of free radicals. Low concentrations of these carotenoids have been linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Although there is no RDI for lutein, a Harvard University study found that 6mg of lutein daily may reduce AMD risk.

Include in your diet:

• Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale
• Broccoli
• Frozen spinach such as Heinz Finely Chopped Spinach
• Fresh and frozen corn, broccoli and carrots
• Egg yolks

Eat vitamin A

This antioxidant is essential for the retina in the eye to function properly. It helps prevent night blindness by helping the eye to adapt between bright light and darkness. Vitamin A is also believed to reduce the risk of developing AMD and forming cataracts. A large research trial called the ‘Age-related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)’ shows that high quantities of vitamin A, C, E, beta-carotene and the minerals zinc and copper can help slow down the progression of AMD.

Vitamin A-rich foods

• Orange vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato
• Orange fruit such as oranges, rockmelon, apricots and peaches
• Meadow Lea Extra Lite Spread plus vitamins (fortified with vitamin A)