By Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director of Food & Nutrition Australia

While some people may cut dairy foods out of their diet in an effort to manage their weight, recent research suggests including dairy foods as part of a balanced, kilojoule controlled diet, may have certain benefits. Read on to find out why.

1. Dairy foods can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer
Foods high in protein, like dairy foods, help prolong the feeling of fullness after eating, therefore helping to reduce cravings and unintentional overeating ^1-3. This in turn can help you manage your total kilojoule intake for the day. A glass of Pauls Zymil provides 8.5grams of protein, representing around 17% of your daily needs.

2. Dairy foods are rich in nutrients
Dairy foods contain a wide variety of nutrients in addition to calcium, for example vitamins A, B2, B12 and the minerals magnesium and potassium. Having a variety of nutrients in one food makes it easier to meet daily nutritional requirements, which is particularly important when you may be reducing the amount of food you eat in order to manage your weight.

3. Dairy foods provide calcium and vitamin D
Research suggests calcium and vitamin D are linked with a healthier weight ⁴. People with higher calcium intakes and higher levels of vitamin D in the blood have been found to have greater success in achieving their weight goals over a two year period compared to those who have lower calcium intakes and lower vitamin D levels. Pauls Zymil makes a significant contribution to daily needs for calcium by providing at least a third of your recommended intake in one glass.

By including 2-3 serves of low fat or reduced fat dairy foods daily, such as low fat Pauls Zymil, as part of a balanced, kilojoule controlled diet ⁵ you will be on your way to a healthier weight while also benefiting from the essential nutrients dairy foods provide.

For individualised advice on weight management visit an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

1. Dove, E.R., et al., Skim milk compared with a fruit drink acutely reduces appetite and energy intake in overweight men and women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009. 90(1): p. 70-75.

2. Holt, S.H., et al., A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1995. 49(9): p. 675-90.

3. van Meijl, L.E.C., R. Vrolix, and R.P. Mensink, Dairy product consumption and the metabolic syndrome. Nutrition Research Reviews, 2008. 21(02): p. 148-157.

4. Shahar, D.R., et al., Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010. [Epub ahead of print]: p. ajcn.2010.29355.

5. National Health and Medical Research Council, Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults. 2003.

Coeliac disease affects around 1 in 100 Australians, yet around 75% of sufferers remain undiagnosed!

If you have food sensitivities and have enjoyed the lifestyle and health benefits of being diagnosed, you know better than anyone how much value can be added to your life by a simple visit to your GP.

Please copy this message to your Facebook status update to help spread the word:

1 in 100 Australians has coeliac disease (gluten intolerance) but a whopping 75% remain undiagnosed! If you suspect you may be gluten intolerant, please see your GP. Help improve the lives of 157,000 undiagnosed Australians by copying and pasting this status update. Read more at http://www.coeliacsociety.com.au.

By Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director of Food & Nutrition Australia

People often mistake food intolerance for food allergy. While these terms may seem like they’re referring to the same thing, they are actually medically quite different conditions.  As food allergy and food intolerance can often be confused, we’re taking the time to unscramble the main differences between the two.

1. Involvement of the immune system

Food allergy is an overreaction by the body’s immune system to a specific but usually harmless part of food, generally a protein found in foods such as cow’s milk, egg, peanuts or fish¹. The body reacts as if the protein is a foreign substance. Food intolerance, on the other hand, does not involve the immune system but rather arises because certain components are either not digested properly, or aggravate certain systems in the body².

2. Style of symptoms

Generally symptoms caused by food allergy develop very quickly after eating the problem food, often within 30 minutes³, while the symptoms caused by food intolerance can take hours or even days to develop¹.

Another key difference in the symptoms of intolerance and allergy can be the style and severity of symptoms. Using milk as an example, allergic reactions can include skin irritation and in the most extreme case, narrowing of airways and anaphylaxis. With a milk intolerance, symptoms can include bloating, cramps and sometimes diarrhoea.

Note: If you suspect you may be allergic or intolerant to certain foods, it is important to confirm this with a health professional to ensure you’re not removing foods unnecessarily from your diet and to rule out any other medical issues that could be causing your symptoms.

3. Common causes

Food allergies are most commonly triggered by protein in foods such as cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, soy, wheat, shellfish and fish; whereas food intolerance is usually caused by natural and/or added chemicals or components of food. Substances and foods commonly linked to food intolerance include lactose found in milk and yoghurt; salicylates found in many fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices; and amines found in bananas, baked meat, certain vegetables, red wine, avocados and chocolate ^{3, 4}.

4. Key to management

To manage a food allergy it’s important to completely avoid the problem food or food component³. For example, a person who has a cow’s milk allergy must avoid all products made with cow’s milk. However adverse reactions caused by food intolerance tend to be related to the amount of the offending food or substance consumed⁵. This means if you have a food intolerance you may still be able to consume small amounts of these foods or substances. For example a person who has trouble digesting lactose may be able to include a small tub of yoghurt daily, as well as benefiting from the inclusion of lactose free foods, such as Pauls Zymil.

For more information visit:

http://www.allergy.org.au
www.daa.asn.au

1. Hodge, L., A. Swain, and K. Faulkner-Hogg, Food allergy and intolerance. Australian Family Physician, 2009. 38(9): p. 705-707.

2. Hark, L. and D. Deen, Nutrition: the definitive australian guide to eating for good health. 2005, Camberwell: Dorling Kindersley.

3. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Food Allergy.  2010; Available from: http://www.allergy.org.au/content/view/167/140/.

4. Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Food Intolerance.  2009; Available from: http://www.allergy.org.au/content/view/155/142/.

5. Wahlqvist, M., Food and Nutrition. Second ed. 2002, Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

By Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director of Food & Nutrition Australia

Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt and triticale and foods made from these grains. There can be different reasons why people are sensitive to gluten, some of which are more serious than others. Some people with a gluten sensitivity need to follow a strict gluten free diet for life¹ while others may think they are sensitive to gluten when in fact they are actually sensitive to wheat or another food ingredient. If you suspect you have a problem with gluten, before removing any foods from your diet it is important to visit your GP for an accurate diagnosis.

If you’ve been diagnosed as being sensitive to gluten, you may find grocery shopping more challenging than it used to be. The following 5 tips will help make it easier for you to identify foods that contain gluten.

5 tips for identifying gluten-containing foods

1. Be aware of major sources of gluten

Major sources of gluten include wheat, oats, rye, barley, spelt or triticale. Common foods containing these ingredients include biscuits, most breads, breakfast cereals, cakes, crispbreads, cous cous, flour, noodles, oatmeal, pasta, pastries, pies, porridge, puddings, semolina and soups containing barley.

2. Check the ingredient list for hidden sources of gluten

Gluten is contained in many manufactured and processed foods such as sausages, small goods, soups, stock cubes and sauces. This is because wheat derived ingredients, for example wheat flour or wheat starch, are commonly used as a processing aid, binder, filler, thickener or as a carrier for flavourings and spices. Trace amounts of gluten may also be present in products containing ingredients derived from barley or oats, for example, malt and vegetable gum (from oats).

3. Look for gluten on the pack

Foods containing ingredients that are a source of gluten must be declared on the food label no matter how small in quantity².

4. Check medications and supplements

Certain drugs and medications contain gluten. Check with your pharmacist if a medication you purchase or are prescribed contains gluten. Please seek the advice of your GP before continuing or changing medication.

5. Seek expert advice

Some useful websites include:

www.coeliacsociety.com.au

www.daa.asn.au

By being aware of all the sources of gluten in your diet, you’ll be in control of your daily intake and your daily wellbeing!

1. Shepherd, S. and P.R. Gibson, Understanding the gluten-free diet for teaching in Australia. Nutrition and Dietetics, 2006. 63(3): p. 155-165.

2. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, Standard 1.2.3 – Mandatory Warning and Advisory Statements and Declarations.

By Sharon Natoli, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Director of Food & Nutrition Australia

Do you find a glass of warm milk helps you fall asleep?

Many people believe milk can help when they’re having trouble getting to sleep but is there any truth to this or is it just an old wives’ tale? This blog investigates the science and finds drinking warm milk before bed may be a useful precursor for a good night’s sleep.

Milk produces a sleep inducing chemical

Milk may help encourage sleep as it contains tryptophan, an amino acid or building block of protein, which the brain converts to a sleep inducing chemical called serotonin^1,2. There is much debate over whether tryptophan explains the effect many people believe milk has on sleep³, however indications are that it may be a contributing factor.

High GI foods help increase tryptophan uptake into the brain

Researchers have found high GI foods (those that contain sugars and starches that are quickly digested), may help increase the rate at which tryptophan enters the brain where it can be converted into serotonin⁴.  So adding a teaspoon of sugar or honey to your warm milk may enhance its sleep inducing properties.

Warm milk increases body temperature which signals the brain to sleep

Drinking warm milk may help to increase body temperature, which in turn may help with sleep. A Dutch study⁵ found that a slight increase in skin temperature may help to decrease the time it takes for a person to fall asleep. The theory is that skin temperature may signal the sleep regulating areas of the brain to sleep or stay awake.

So, does milk help you sleep – fact or fiction?

It seems drinking milk before going to bed is worth a try if you need help getting to sleep. Irrespective of its sleep inducing properties, drinking milk at night is a healthy addition to any routine as calcium loss from bones is at its highest at night⁶. The extra calcium from milk consumed at night, will help to maintain calcium levels in the blood⁷ and help keep bones strong.

1. Hartmann, E., et al. Sleep induced by L-tryptophan: effect of dosages within the normal dietary intake. J Nerv Ment Dis. 167:497–9 (1979).

2. Hartmann, E. Effect of L-Tryptophan on sleepiness and on sleep. J Psychiatr Res. 17:107-13 (1982/1983).

3. Sarris, J., et al. A systematic review of insomnia and complementary medicine. Sleep Med Rev (2010) [Epub ahead of print].

4. Afaghi, A., et al. High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset. Am J Clin Nutr 85, 426-30 (2007).

5. Raymann RJ., et al. Cutaneous warming promotes sleep onset. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 288(6): R1589-97 (2005).

6. Scopacasa, F., et al. Effects of dose and timing of calcium supplementation on bone resorption in early menopausal women. Horm Metab Res. 34: 44-47 (2002).

7. Scopacasa, F., et al. Calcium supplementation suppresses bone resorption in early postmenopausal women. Calcif Tissue Int. 62: 8-12 (1998).

As you probably well know, going to restaurants and cafés when you have a food sensitivity can be a tedious, annoying and sometimes embarrassing affair. So, it’s best to be prepared. In our experience it’s a very good idea to make sure that your sensitivity can be catered for ahead of time where possible. Here are a few tips to make things easier:

• Check out the restaurant or café’s online menu to see if they cater for special dietary requirements as standard, or if they provide any information on their website with regards to food sensitivities.

• Talk to someone who knows what they’re talking about over the phone. Usually the Maître d will have the best available knowledge of the menu and restaurant policies, or simply ask to speak to the owner or have them give you a call back (you’ll often find that owners tend to be more accommodating and helpful than staff too!).

• If you happen to be walking past restaurants that you’re thinking of visiting at a later stage, why not check out their menu at the front or even talk to a staff member to save yourself the hassle of having to find out later on.

As you amass knowledge of which cafés and restaurants in your area are best suited to you, your tummy and tastebuds will become increasingly happy.

Do you have any suggestions of your own, or horror stories of food establishments being less than accommodating? Feel free to share in the comments.