There has been much debate amongst experts and the general public over the past few months about the quality and quantity of starchy carbohydrate foods for diabetics.  The confusion seems to be stemming from the interpretation of recommended amounts of carbs to consume from around the globe.  Australia’s current recommendation for starchy carbohydrates such as grains and cereals are 6 serves per day and it is recommended that wholegrain and/or high fibre varieties are chosen.

This number has dropped significantly in comparison to previous recommendations, as has the actual serving size.  For example,

1 serve of carbohydrate in 2006 was 2 slices of bread, it is now only 1 slice of bread

1 cup of cooked pasta has now been changed to ½ cup cooked pasta.

For those with diabetes, this could impact the way in which they consume their carbohydrates and manage their blood glucose levels (BGLs).

When it comes to controlling BGLs the amount of carbohydrate is important; however, the type of carbohydrate is also important.  For instance the GI (Glycaemic Index), nutrient density and the fibre content of a carbohydrate are now being assessed when choosing an appropriate carbohydrate food.  The ‘quality’ of a carbohydrate is now growing strength and therefore good sources of dietary fibre, legumes, pulses, fruit and genuine wholegrain foods should be considered before processed, low fibre alternatives.  Professor Jim Mann (2013) has argued that the focus on the GI of a food alone is not enough and that the other nutritional attributes of food should be considered when prescribing an eating plan for those with diabetes.

One of the biggest issued raised by Professor Mann was regarding ‘wholegrain’ vs ‘wholemeal’ foods.  Unfortunately in this day and age the marketing of products and the numerous health claims displayed on packages are used in abundance to sway consumers to purchase products. ‘Wholegrain’ doesn’t necessarily mean intact grains which can lead to a rise in the GI of that product.  Rapidly digestible starches such as white rice, potatoes, wholemeal and white bread varieties should be reduced or avoided; this even includes some products that are labelled wholegrain.    Quality carbohydrate foods such as legumes, vegetables, pulses, fruit and ‘genuine’ wholegrain carbohydrates are the better choices, with the dietary fibre of a product being taken into consideration as well.

So what can you do?  Reading food labels and ingredient lists can help to distinguish the inferior products to the genuine wholegrain products.  Looking at the dietary fibre content of products could also help you to identify better options; we should aim to have more than 3g or more per 100g. Another factor that you should consider when looking at the nutritional information panel is the sugar content.  If the product contains ‘real’ fruit then chose a product with 25g or less of sugar per 100g.  If that product doesn’t contain real fruit in the ingredients list then chose products that contain 10g or less per 100g of sugar.    If you have any questions or queries on the new guidelines or would like an eating plan that takes all of these factors into consideration then please contact the Eat Smart team.

Written by Rebecca Evans

Many Australians have drastically reduced their intake of carbohydrates in an effort to reach their weight goals. Core grain foods are still an essential part of a balanced nutrition plan ensuring a variety of fibre types for bowel health, essential micronutrients such as thiamin and magnesium, as well as a source of physical and mental energy. Wholegrains also help protect against diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

The new dietary guidelines recommend 3-4 grain food serves per day even if you are watching your weight. Focus on low GI, high fibre wholegrain choices to ensure they provide maximum ‘bang for your bucks’! This could include oats for breakfast, wholegrain bread or a quinoa salad at lunch, a small serve of brown basmati rice or soba noodles at dinner, or a wholegrain cracker with hummus as a snack.

The new guidelines also encourage the inclusion of legumes 2-3 times per week. They are very budget friendly, low in saturated fats, contain protein, fibre, zinc and iron, as well as a range of other vitamins and minerals. They can be used as a protein alternative or as part of your vegetable intake. There are a great range of canned beans and legumes if you don’t have time to soak and cook in  the traditional way.

Try baked eggs with cannelini beans for breakfast, minestrone soup or four bean mix with tuna in a salad for lunch, and chilli with kidney beans for dinner. Roasted soy or chicknuts are also a great snack alternative.

Author: Holly Frail

Another piece in the obesity and metabolic disease puzzle may be related to inflammation. Recent research has linked low grade systemic inflammation in our bodies to diabetes, heart disease and weight issues. Inflammation seems to influence glucose and fat metabolism – and not in a good way! The culprits seem to be high glycaemic index carbohydrates, saturated and trans fats and perhaps processed foods. To combat this, foods such as vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils and herbs and spices seem to be anti-inflammatory – as well as tea and small amounts of alcohol such as wine.  Beware though, as overdoing the tipple may increase inflammation. Regular physical activity is also protective – although high intensity/long duration exercise actually increases the inflammatory response. Losing weight is also a positive step. In a nut shell, the correct energy balance with moderate regular exercise and a leaning towards the Mediterranean style diet is still the way to go.

Coffee – Is it simply a very popular (and legal!) social drug, or does a couple of cups a day actually have some positive health benefits?

Most people know that a source of caffeine such as coffee can spark us up – it stimulates our central nervous system, makes us more alert, reduces reaction time, and is used by some athletes to improve their performance. For some individuals however, more than one or two coffees in a day has some some seriously negative effects.

Recently a number of studies have highlighted how coffee may reduce the risk, or help fight the effects, of some fairly major diseases.

In the case of Type 2 diabetes, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance seem to be improved with coffee drinking. A moderate intake has also been linked to a lower incidence of liver cancer and some protection against cirrhosis. Another study showed that a few coffees per day may reduce the risk of prostate cancer, Alzheimers and even some aspects of heart disease. In some of these cases the benefits may be attributed to the particular antioxidants found in coffee rather than the caffeine per se.

In most case the amount of coffee required is within the ‘safe’ level for most people ie 3-5 coffees or about 600mg/day. Remember that if you choose your coffee from your favourite barista rather than good old instant spoonful, then 1 ‘cup’ could give you anywhere from 80-300mg of caffeine per serve!

There are also of course some individuals who suffer the consequences of too much caffeine – insomnia, headaches, palpitations, hypertension, reduced iron absorption and diarrhoea. You need to know your own tolerance levels! Pregnant women, children and adolescents should definitely limit their intake.

So for most of us, a few guilt-free expressos or lattes per day can be on the ‘healthy’ menu – just keep an eye on any added fat and sugar kilojoules!

How are your Vitamin D levels? Why is it important? Don’t we get enough from the good old Aussie sun? Well recent research has uncovered a few more important roles for this nutrient and some surprising facts about who may be deficient. Most people have heard that Vitamin D is important for your bones but research over the last few years has found relationships to athletic performance, better immunity, reduced risk of diabetes, cancer and some auto-immune diseases just for starters. In the US and UK many elite athletes are being regularly screened and supplemented with this important nutrient.

A number of our own sporting teams are now starting to test their athletes’ Vitamin D levels in their quest for optimal muscle mass and strength, as well as recovery, repair and resistance to illness. So why would say a football player be low you may ask? Well if you have darker skin, wear plenty of sunscreen, train or compete indoors or away from the hottest part of the day, your exposure as well as your ability to absorb the vitamin from the sun is greatly reduced. Hey even surfers in Hawaii have been found to have low Vitamin D levels! You are also at risk if you carry some extra body fat.

The best dietary sources are not that easy to obtain for the average person – they include wild salmon and liver – so supplements may be necessary. You may like to check with your doctor as to whether you can be tested. Of course 10-15 minutes in the sun between 10am and 2pm will give you more Vitamin D than you could possibly absorb from food and reasonable supplementation. But you may need to think about your skin type and skin cancer risk before deciding if this is the best option for you.