Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
The once humble prune forges ahead as the most super of the super fruits Christmas is just around the corner and it’s a time when we turn to fruit cake, fruit and nut slices, nuts, dried fruit … which makes me think of prunes. One of the loveliest of all dried fruits, prunes are one …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
In search of the ultimate Greek salad … and purslane On holiday in the sunny Greek islands in peak season, the Greek salad turned out to be my best option for getting my daily fix of greens and providing the perfect counterfoil to our meals of barbecued octopus, lamb souvlaki or grilled fish. It was …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
Tomatoes are tops in any healthy diet Cherry, egg, vine-ripened, ox-heart or teardrop; raw, grilled, oven-roasted or sun-dried; canned, bottled or in paste form – whichever way you eat them, tomatoes are a versatile ingredient of any healthy diet and a top super food. In terms of consumption, they are our second favourite vegetable after …
Foodwatch with Karen Kingham
Apples – an affordable super food Apples have always been a staple in my home. My children eat them any time of the day or night. I often give thanks for this because they’re super convenient – no sticky fingers, no need to peel and they don’t squash in the schoolbag. And, as a health …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
Spotlight on chia When I first read about chia, all I could think was: ‘Yeah, sure, sounds way too good to be true.’ And it does sound amazing – tiny seeds, smaller in size than sesame seeds or flax, yet supposedly loaded with so much omega-3, fibre, protein and calcium that they are proclaimed to …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
Spotlight on psyllium Catherine Saxelby Psyllium (pronounced sill-ee-um), which looks like fine flakes of wheat bran and consists of the outer husks of Plantago psyllium or Psyllium ovata seeds, is an important source of soluble fibre. In fact, it contains 5–6 times more soluble fibre than oat bran. It’s also rich in mucilages which take …
Foodwatch with Glenn Cardwell
Mushrooms and cancer Glenn Caldwell Mushroom eaters get many health benefits (one serve provides more than 20% of our daily needs of the essential nutrients riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, copper and selenium). Back in October 2008, GI News reported on a US study that found mushrooms to be an ideal way to cut calories …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
Stevia to the rescue in the noncaloric beverage business Catherine Saxelby Zero-calorie sweetener, stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) hit the headlines in the Wall Street Journal in December 2008 with the announcement that the FDA were approving two rebiana-based sweeteners (from rebaudioside A, a highly purified extract of stevia) as being safe for use as a general …
Foodwatch with Catherine Saxelby
Lupin – dream ingredient or allergy nightmare? Catherine Saxelby I have to say right up front, lupin looks promising but the jury is still out. Here’s the story so far. Research from Western Australia published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a bread with 40% added lupin kernel flour lowered both systolic …
Food of the Month with Catherine Saxelby
Culinary spices and herbs – a surprising source of antioxidants Catherine Saxelby Culinary spices and dried herbs are the latest ingredients to move into the nutrition spotlight. They are surprisingly rich in antioxidants and phyto-chemicals and are packed with vitamins and minerals. With their hit of flavour they can help you cut back on excess …
