Diet Related Chronic Disease - latest US figures

In between my vaguely successful attempts at genotyping mice (I'm currently working in the nutrition lab in the School of Molecular Bioscience, Sydney Uni), I have been reading the new USDA Dietary Guidelines. Take a look at the stats on diet related diseases in the US, really scary stuff!

Note the figures for osteoporosis - this can be reduced if people eat more calcium containing foods and undertake weight bearing exercise. Australian women fall short of eating the recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium which ranges from 1000 mg a day to 1300 mg a day pre and post menopause respectively. Making matters worse, only 30 - 40% of calcium is absorbed from food whilst sodium, a high protein diet, caffeine and ageing increase its excretion (a whopping 150 mg of calcium is excreted with every 50g of protein ingested).

The best bioavailable source of calcium is found in dairy foods (milk, cheese, yoghurt). Milk provides approx. 230 mg of calcium per 200 ml regardless of its fat content. The same amount of calcium can be ingested in 120 g of plain yoghurt and 30 g cheese. Other good sources include nuts and seeds, tinned fish with bones, spinach and legumes. Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium and it is recommended you spend a few minutes in the sun every day without sun screen. Osteoporotic fractures can lead to long term pain and disability, loss of independence and premature death. Simply put, you can reduce the likelihood of having an osteoporosis related fracture by eating the right amount of calcium, doing weight bearing exercise and getting a little sun!

References
USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
FSANZ Australian Food Composition Tables 2006
Samman, S. Calcium. School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Sydney

Banana and Date Smoothie

I had this smoothie at a cafe in the Middle East over Christmas. Such a perfect combination of flavours – I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it earlier. At the time I was hungry but didn’t feel like eating a large meal. This smoothie was the perfect remedy for curbing the hunger pangs. I was determined to make myself one as soon as I got home but forgot all about it until this weekend when I rediscovered it in a café in Avalon. It was a hot day, too hot to eat a proper lunch, so once again I turned to this smoothie for a quick fix. I use full fat milk and yoghurt so I get a good combination of fat, protein and carbs in one drink. You can of course swap for low fat dairy options or soy.  Dates are high in fibre, non haem iron, selenium and potassium. They can help reduce cholesterol, improve bowel function, build blood and prevent oxidation in the body. They are also rich in other vitamins and minerals such as B complex, calcium and magnesium. Dates contain lots of simple sugars making them ideal for an instant energy boost. Bananas are also high in potassium, fibre, magnesium and B6 and in simple sugars when ripe. I like to combine these fruits with full fat dairy in an attempt to slow down the absorption of the sugars into the bloodstream. You could add a couple of prunes for extra fibre if you like. This is a calorie-laden smoothie but it tastes good and its full of good stuff.

• 1/3 cup of boiling water
• 4 dried dates (pitted)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 ½  tablespoon of organic full fat natural yoghurt
• Organic unhomogenised full fat milk

Soak the dates in the hot water for 30 minutes until soft. Then combine the dates, soaking water, banana and yoghurt in a blender and blend until smooth. Add milk to a smoothie thickness of your liking as you blend.

Mango and Ricotta Muffins for Marci

I miss my Canadian friend Marci. She left Australia in May this year and gave me the most incredible muffin cookbook as a leaving present. So after chatting to Marci this morning, I made muffins to remind me of all those mornings we drank coffee and shared a muffin at Single Origin in Surry Hills. I am a big fan of ricotta in muffins, it adds a dose of animal protein to an otherwise carb heavy snack and it tastes yummy. There are no ricotta muffin recipes in the book so this is my version.

I have used organic stone ground spelt flour which does not rise as well as refined white flour but has a better glycaemic index (GI).  The glycaemic index is a measure of how much a food raises blood glucose levels after eating. This year, we were lucky enough to be lectured in carbohydrate science by Professor Jennie Brand-Miller who is well known for her work on the GI. Conventional milling is very efficient in removing all of the bran from the endosperm, which increases its digestibility and thus its GI. To make wholemeal flour, ground bran is simply added back into refined flour. Stone ground flour is a lot coarser and it is less susceptible to gelatinisation resulting in a lower GI. The GI of food is important for those with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes and low GI foods have been shown to improve these conditions. You can read more about the glycaemic index here.

• 2 cups of whole spelt flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cups of sugar
• 1 cup of unhomogenised whole milk
• 70 ml of grapeseed oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped mango (not overripe)
• 100 g crumbly whole milk ricotta

Combine flour with baking powder salt and sugar and in a separate bowl mix the egg with milk and oil. Add the wet to the dry ingredients but do not over mix. Add the chopped mango and crumbled ricotta and carefully fold into the mixture. Spoon into prepared muffin tins and bake for 17 minutes at 220^o.

Prawn and mango salad with tamari and lime dressing

With the house full of dust and builders, I am currently living in a serviced apartment which makes cooking a bit of a challenge. I am already missing my cake and muffin tins and my beloved mortar and pestle but with summer around the corner, there are plenty of simple recipes that require little preparation. This is my favourite Sydney salad utilising some of the best produce Australia has to offer. Mangoes are coming into season and reed avocados are cheap and creamy. I love macadamias but you can add other nuts or seeds instead.

Serves 4 as starter or 2 as a main

Salad

• 250 – 300 g of cooked Australian prawns
• Red capsicum thinly sliced
• 3 large handfuls of rocket
• ½ large kensington mango, cubed
• ½ large reed avocado, sliced
• 1 handful of mint leaves chopped
• ¼ cup of macadamias –chopped or smashed

Dressing

• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 red chilli sliced finely
• salt and pepper

Toss the rocket and capsicum and top with avocado, mango, prawns, nuts and mint. Mix the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad.

Mushroom and Leek Barley Risotto

I know! I have completely neglected the blog. Study took over my life in May and June and then I took a lovely trip home to England in July. I am hoping to get a few recipes in before the 12 hour study days resume.


Europe was beautifully bright and sunny with lots of refreshing salads and summer fruits. I almost forgot it was winter in Sydney until I woke up to a black rainy sky at 6.30 am on my return. It’s a shock to the system being thrown back into winter fruit and vegetables. My body is still craving those lovely salads but it’s just too cold to eat them! At least we have blood oranges, the saviour of winter.

This risotto is rich and warming - perfect for winter - and uses pearl barley instead of rice. Arborio rice, commonly used in risottos, has a high glycaemic index. Some quick science behind the reason for this. White rices such as Arborio, Calrose, Jasmine and Japonica rice (such as that used in sushi) are mostly short grain varieties with a high level of amylopectin starch. Amylopectin is a starch made up of branched chains of glucose units. The branched structure allows water to penetrate the grain easily during cooking and gelatinise the starch. Gelatinised starch is broken down rapidly by our digestive system into glucose units which causes a sharp spike in blood glucose levels. Longer grain rices such as basmati have a lower level of amylopectin with increased amounts of amylose starch. Amylose consists of unbranched chains of glucose units which pack tightly together. This does not allow water to penetrate easily and the starch is not gelatinised to the same extent. Thus, amylose starch is broken down into glucose and released into the blood stream much more slowly. This makes sense when you think about what each rice variety is used for. Short grain rice is used for sushi and asian dishes because its sticky while basmati is a much drier rice when cooked. And remember that barley lowers cholesterol due to its beta-glucan content as discussed before.


Ok, back to the recipe! Serves approx 4
I have approximated in cups as I rarely cook using scales.

• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Red onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 3 - 4 cups of chopped mushrooms – you can use a mixture of flat, portobello, oyster and shiitake
• 3 cups of baby spinach
• Handful of chopped parsley
• 5 cups of chicken stock plus more if needed (heated)
• 1 cup of pearl barley
• ¾ cup of labneh (yoghurt cheese – this is optional)
• 2 - 3 cups of baby spinach
• Salt and pepper

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, add leeks and half the garlic and cook until soft. Add barley, stir and then add two cups of warm chicken stock. Bring mixture to boil and then reduce heat and simmer until most of stock is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender.


Meanwhile, melt the butter and gently sauté the mushrooms. After about three minutes, add the remaining garlic and stir until mushrooms are golden. Add to risotto and when ready to serve stir in the spinach, labneh, parsley, salt and pepper.


I sometimes serve with a little parmesan or a drizzle of lemon olive oil or flaxseed oil.


P.s. Dave, send me a pic if you make this risotto, mine was taken with an Iphone...

Tuna sashimi, orange and fennel salad with lime and honey dressing

I ate way too many simple carbs today and by the time it got to six o’clock, I was desperate for some good quality protein and a green crunchy salad. On the way home, I was very excited to see there was still some australian sashimi grade tuna at the local fishmonger. I thought this would go perfectly with in-season fennel, oranges and lime – and also rid me of the sluggishness that comes with a day of unbalanced eating.

There are lots of reasons to eat fish. It is an excellent source of protein, low in saturated fats and contains omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s have been linked to maintaining cardiovascular health and the healthy development of the brain, eyes, skin and nervous system. Omega 3 fats are also believed to protect against inflammation, depression and behavioural disorders. Try to eat at least 100g of fish 2-3 times a week.

Ingredients

• 200g fillet of tuna (sashimi grade) 

• 3 cups of mixed lettuce leaves and rocket
• 1 cup thinly sliced fennel

• 1 orange (segmented)
• cherry tomatoes
• Tbsp of chives (chopped)

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tbsp honey
• 5 tbsp olive oil 

• 1 tbsp of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 1 tbsp of Mirin
• Tbsp of sesame seeds
• Salt and Pepper

Serves 4 as starter or 2 as main course

Source for fish information: Jukic, K. 2010. Fish and Seafood lecture. University of Sydney

Cruciferous vegetables - Broccoli and cauliflower soup

What happened? The clocks went back and I went from wearing cotton and bare feet to jeans and woolly socks in the space of two days. After an incredible March, autumn is finally upon us and the cooler temperatures will put soup back on the menu. I had some broccoli and cauliflower in the fridge left over from my organic bob box and didn’t feel like eating meat so I came up with the soup below. I have added butter beans and yoghurt to thicken the soup and to increase the protein content.

This recipe gives me the opportunity to quickly talk about cruciferous vegetables, the family from which broccoli and cauliflower originate. The cruciferous family, which also includes cabbages, bok choy and brussels sprouts, has been the subject of many studies for its cancer fighting properties. These are most likely due to numerous antioxidants or phytochemicals contained in these vegetables which inhibit oxidation and prevent the deterioration of cells and organs. Studies indicate that consumption of vegetables like cruciferous veg is associated with a lower prevalence of some types of cancer and heart disease. However, the same effect has not always been observed when antioxidant supplements are used.  Other constituents in the vegetables might be important which is why it is so important to eat lots of fruit and veg and not just supplement with tablets. Other advantages of these types of vegetable include soluble fibre, protein, Vitamin C, folate and potassium.

·       Tbsp olive oil

·       1 carrot finely chopped

·       1 onion finely chopped

·       Piece of celery finely chopped

·       2 cloves garlic finely chopped

·       Tsp of cumin seeds

·       Head of broccoli separated into florets

·       ½ cauliflower separated into florets

·       1 litre of homemade chicken stock

·       400g of cooked butter beans

·       Cup of full fat natural yoghurt

·       Chopped parsley

·       Salt and pepper

Gently fry the carrot, celery and onion in olive oil until soft, then add garlic and cumin seeds and continue to fry for a couple more minutes. Stir in the broccoli and cauliflower and add chicken stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add butter beans, simmer for a couple more minutes and then puree the soup with a hand blender. If the soup is not thick enough, simmer without a lid to reduce. Before serving, stir yoghurt through the soup and season to taste. Serve with fresh parsley, a drizzle of flaxseed oil and sourdough bread.

References

Jukic, K. 2010. Fruit and Vegetables Lecture. University of Sydney

Mann, J. & Trusswell. A. S. 2007. Essentials of Human Nutrition. 3^rd Ed. Oxford University Press

USDA Nutrient Database