Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist, Blogger, Award Winning Author
  • 18 September 2023

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading ple...
  • 21 June 2023

    The Foodwatch site is closing

    From the end of June 2023, nutritionist Catherine Saxelby will be retiring. It's been an action packed whirlwind of activity ov...
  • 14 June 2023

    Protein-rich foods – serve sizes

    Protein, protein, protein. Are you getting enough? Here is a handy list of MEAT and NON-MEAT SOURCES of protein for you to prin...
  • 07 June 2023

    The truth behind coconut oil

    Many “health gurus” tout the benefits of coconut oil. Just type the term into any search engine and you’ll be flooded with arti...
  • 31 May 2023

    Gardening – is it really exercise?

    Did you know that gardening can reduce your risk of heart diseaset?  This month I’ll share this and the latest posts from ...
  • 17 May 2023

    Plant-based meat substitutes

    What do YOU think about plant-based meat substitutes? Veggie-loaded burgers? All-vegetable rissoles? Meatless Mondays?Yet anoth...
  • 10 May 2023

    The truth about lecithin

    What IS lecithin, I hear you ask. A popular “health food” supplement, lecithin is a type of fat called a phospholipid, which ha...
  • 03 May 2023

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restrictio...
  • 26 April 2023

    Reduce your risk of a knee replacement - if you lose weight

    Did you know that you can reduce your risk of needing a knee replacement by losing weight?  I’ll share this and the latest...
  • 19 April 2023

    Brighten your diet – eat by the rainbow

    What’s the first thing that strikes you when you walk into a fresh produce store? If you’re imagining the rainbow of colour…so ...

Super foods - making each mouthful count

Written by Catherine Saxelby on Tuesday, 01 June 2010.

Super foods - making each mouthful count
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Hardly a month goes by without us reading about a new “super food” or “magic ingredient” that can prevent cancer, lower our cholesterol, boost the immune system or keep us looking young.

 

Evaluating the claims

Sometimes the headlines are premature; sometimes they don’t tell you the huge quantities you need to eat to see a clinical effect.

  • Cranberry juice, for instance, with solid research to show that it can keep urinary tract infections at bay, requires you to drink at least 300 mL (a large glass) every day to see any benefit.
  • To be free of hot flushes during those menopausal years means a commitment to soy – around 1 litre (4 cups) of soy beverage a day is what’s needed to get enough of those mighty phyto-oestrogens.
  • Garlic, king of the super foods, has been shown to lower cholesterol in many - but not all studies - but the volunteers were taking in at least 4 cloves a day, or equivalent in garlic extract or powder.

What makes a food a super power?

Despite the hype, it’s clear that foods are not created equal.

Although there is no formal definition on what exactly is a superfood, here’s what I look for in deciding whether a food is ‘super’ or not. It should have one or more of these 8 qualities (mine do):

  1. Be rich in vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fat or fibre compared to its kilojoule/calorie count (have a high nutrient density). They stand out from the rest!
  1. Have 25 per cent or more of the recommended intake of two or more nutrients in a serve OR be outstanding rich in one nutrient, having 50 per cent or more of its recommended intake for the day.
  1. In addition to the normal nutrients, contain significant quantities of what could be regarded as health-promoting and/or protective substances such as phytonutrients or other substances not usually found in foods in its class.
  1. Be minimally processed without being enriched.
  1. Provide essential nutrients without overloading the body with salt, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar or other compounds linked to poor health.
  1. Have research linking it to a potential reduced risk of illness or poor health.
  1. Be easily available and affordable
  1. Have medicinal or healing qualities which have been acknowledged by traditional medicine - effects beyond nutrition (think of the folklore behind garlic or ginger).

In a nutshell, they’re nutrient-rich, natural and won’t overload you. AND they’re easy to incorporate into your daily diet.

Apples ain’t apples

A dietitian may encourage you to “eat a piece of fruit” but the choice you reach for can bring vastly differing nutrients. Put simply, an orange is not equivalent to an apple.

  • An orange has 10 times more vitamin C and beta-carotene, 4 times more thiamin and a huge 40 times more folate, a B vitamin that prevents birth defects than an apple.
  • Broccoli is nutritionally superior to beans, zucchini or other green veges (so are its relatives cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts).
  • Liver towers over red meats including kangaroo and venison.
  • Garlic lords it over leeks onion, shallots and chives, even though they are all cousins.
  • Dark chocolate is the one with the catechin antioxidants (the more bitter, the better). Milk chocolate has only around one-third and white chocolate - forget it!

New super powers on the food scene

Research can morph everyday foods into “healing foods” overnight. Cinnamon (3 grams a day, about half a teaspoon) has been shown to lower blood glucose in people with diabetes.

Rosemary and oregano are documented to have strong antioxidant contents along with anti-bacterial qualities which is thought to be the reason why they helped preserve meat dishes in early times before refrigeration.

Tea doesn’t have to be green to be good. A cuppa of regular tea now appears to contain the same antioxidant potential – both come from the same bush Camellia sinensis.

So how to make each kilojoule count?


Smart choices within each food group

Dr Adam Drewnowski, Director of the Centre for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington believes, in today’s climate of obesity concern, we should “make each kilojoule count”. Using the concept of nutrient density, he’s ranked hundreds of natural foods against the kilojoules they provide to come up with what he calls “naturally nutrient-rich foods”.  “These are the power kilojoules that maximize the vitamins, minerals and protein from every kilojoule you consume,” explains Drewnowski.

His research is backed up by a classification of over 1113 foods ranked them for their total content of antioxidant compounds by a Norwegian research group.  Putting these analyses together and weighing up the research from other papers over the years leads me to my master list of super foods or star foods within each food group.

Vegetables

All vegetables are a nutritionist’s delight but the superstars that turn up time and time again are spinach, members of the cruciferous family (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), dark-green lettuces (mignonette, rocket, baby spinach leaves), avocadoes, beetroot and orange sweet potato (kumera). You get the highest quantities of vitamin C, folate, fibre, and minerals without overloading your system. Also included in this group is fresh garlic thanks to its ability to fend off bacteria and viruses, reduce cholesterol levels and thin the blood.

Grains and grain foods

Concentrated sprinkles such as wheatgerm and lecithin rank highly for B vitamins and minerals. They are an easy nutrition supplement for your breakfast.

Brans have fibre concentrated and make a handy addition to top up fibre and prevent constipation e.g. wheat bran, rice bran, oat bran and psyllium.

Dairy

Hardly surprisingly, it’s low-fat yoghurt (and milk) that gives you the most bang for your nutrition buck.

Proteins

Top of the class are pink or red salmon, lean beef steak, pork loin and eggs. Liver and kidney are concentrated in things like iron and vitamin A but have long suffered in popularity with their strong flavour.

Nuts and seeds

Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts rank the highest for nuts.  Flaxseed and chia tick the most boxes for the seeds.

Legumes

It’s soy that shines over the other beans and peas.

Fruits

While all fruit is nutritious and variety is important, you can still notice two main types as outstanding. Go for the berries especially blueberries (but also strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and cranberries) and any of the citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, mandarins). Kiwi fruit come close as a contender.

Herbs and spices

Of all the foods, spices and dried herbs are the most concentrated in phytonutrients. Those that pack the most powerful punch are cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, sage, mint, saffron and ginger. Chilli also makes this list. Just remember you need to use culinary herbs and spices in generous quantities – not just a garnish - and consume them regularly.


References quoted:  ♦ Darmon N, Darmon M, Maillot M, Drewnowski A. A nutrient density standard for vegetables and fruits: Nutrients per calorie and nutrients per unit cost. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005; 105:1881-1887.  ♦ LC Tapsell, I Hemphill, DR Sullivan et al. Health benefits of herbs and spices: the past, the present, the future. Medical Journal of Australia (supplement), volume 185 number 4, 21 August 2006.  ♦ Bente L Halvorsen, Monica H Carlsen, Katherine M Phillips, Siv K Bøhn, Kari Holte, David R Jacobs, Jr, and Rune Blomhoff Content of redox-active compounds (ie, antioxidants) in foods consumed in the United States Am J Clin Nutr 2006 84: 95-135.  ♦ Carlson MH et al. The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutrition Jrnl 2010;9 22 Jan.

Reviews

  • Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    Product snapshot: Tomato pasta sauces

    18 September 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What’s in your favourite tomato pasta sauce, and how much of it? Here are the most popular sauces reviewed for your reading pleasure.

    I’ve rated nine of the most popular tomato pasta sauces in terms of their nutrition, ingredient lists and jar size. You’ll find many of these in your local supermarket. The sauces are ranked:

    • from Italian (Italy grows the reddest full-flavoured tomatoes) to Australian
    • per 100 grams, which is equivalent to 3½ ounces (the standard for comparing food products)
    • by serving size (varies between brands but is generally 100–175 g in size)
    • by ingredient list, jar size and where made (with each product’s website as the source)

    The bottom line

    When you’re next out shopping, run your eyes down the per 100 g column and look for products containing less than 400 mg sodium AND less than 5 g fat (which equals 5% fat). Most of the brands are below these levels. I like Barilla, Sacla, Leggo’s, La Gina and Mutti – but that’s just me!

    Read more
  • Product Review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    Product review: Low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer

    1 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Want something to drink before dinner? Something that’s LOWER in alcohol than wine? To match his beer? Then look no further than Bundaberg’s low-sugar alcoholic ginger beer.

    You can drink Bundaberg low-sugar ginger beer straight from the can, or pour it into a long glass over ice with a slice of lime.

     

  • Product snapshot: Khorasan Macaroni

    Product snapshot: Berkelo’s Khorasan Macaroni

    14 September 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    I’m loving this macaroni from Berkelo. I was sent a sample for Whole Grain Week 2022 by the Grains Legume Nutrition Council. I cooked it up and found that it was just divine! Read on for more …

  • Product Review: super-high-oleic-safflower-oil

    Product review: Super high-oleic safflower oil

    11 May 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    “What does super high-oleic mean?” I hear you ask.  Also, “I haven’t heard of safflower for ages. What’s the deal?” Read on and all will be explained.

  • Product Review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    Product review: Healthy Life Food Tracker

    6 April 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When I was first asked to write this review, I thought, Not another tracker.

    After all, there have been several in recent years, such as My Fitness Pal and Everyday Diet Diary. But this one is different. It works by using your Everyday Rewards card AND your shop at Woolworths.

  • Product review: Lite n' Easy

    Product review: Lite n' Easy

    20 October 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    With home delivery on the rise, this post is reviewing none other than that stalwart Lite n’ Easy. We all know their meals are good for weight loss (which we all need after COVID-19!), but did you know they’re also good for general health and wellbeing ? Eating well to nourish yourself – putting your mental health and wellbeing at the forefront – is gaining momentum. Lite n’ Easy meals also ensures you satisfy your need for vitamins, minerals, fibre and phyto-compounds, such as sterols and carotenoids.

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Lite n' Easy.  

     

  • Product review:  Birds Eye Plant Based range

    Product review: Birds Eye Plant Based range

    15 September 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    When you think of Birds Eye, their frozen peas and fish fingers probably come to mind. But I bet you’d never think of plant-based products!

    clipboardThis post has been sponsored by Birds Eye. 

Healthy Weight Loss

  • Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    Intermittent fasting vs daily calorie restriction

    3 May 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    As you probably know already, intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favour as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Fasting is shown to extend the lifespan of rats, and has been associated with metabolic benefits in humans, yet the results so far have been inconsistent. So, which regimen is best for healthy weight loss?

    Read more
  • The lifestyle diet craze

    The lifestyle diet craze

    15 March 2023 by, Catherine Saxelby

    What sort of a diet should you follow to lose that excess weight? These days, it’s pretty confusing with high-protein Keto advocates clashing with plant-protein followers … as well as intermittent fasters, juice-only dieters, no-carb dieters and no-animal (aka plant-based) dieters. Plus all the ads for anti-hunger supplements, meal-replacement shakes and home-delivered meals, more of which somehow appear every day. So, what sort of diet should YOU follow to lose that excess?

  • Protein shakes for weight loss

    Protein shakes for weight loss

    9 November 2022 by, Catherine Saxelby

    These days, protein shakes aren’t bought by just body builders – they’re so popular that you can readily buy a 400 g tub at your local supermarket or service station. And with tempting claims such as ‘Facilitates muscle toning’, ‘Contains transformation-making protein’ and ‘Tastes incredible, mixes easily’, why wouldn’t you grab one? But protein shakes aren’t the magic answer to all your weight-loss woes. Let’s take a look at what you get for your money.

    Guest post by dietitian Zoe Wilson APD

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to beat those cravings

    20 January 2021 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Many of us have cravings from time to time and for different reasons. One thing is certain, they can sabotage all your best efforts at a healthy diet and/or weight loss. The good news? You CAN beat them. I’ll tell you how.

  • What is your relationship with food and eating?

    How to lose weight WITHOUT going on a diet

    14 October 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    The word 'diet' is a turn-off for most people. It sounds hard, unpleasant and unpalatable. Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard AND it doesn’t have mean sticking to a 'diet'. You can forget Paleo, Keto, Vegan and Raw, Gluten-free and Intermittent Fasting. To lose weight, you don’t have to follow any specific diet. What you need is simple, healthy, nutritious food and a few tips and tricks.

  • What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    What IS a healthy balanced diet for weight loss?

    16 September 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

    Healthy weight loss happens when you lose weight slowly and steadily (around 1 kg or 2 pounds weight loss a week). Your goal is to lose weight while still getting your essential nutrients but from smaller portions. You certainly don’t want to be tired with no energy! That’s why you need regular healthy meals and snacks on hand to ensure your vitamins, minerals, omega-3s and fibre needs can be easily met. There is a new range of healthy weight loss meals available and it’s one that I’d like to recommend. With these ready meals, you’ll say goodbye to meal planning, shopping, meal preparation and cooking.

    This post is sponsored by Chefgood 

  • Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    Kitchen make-over for the New Year

    8 January 2020 by, Catherine Saxelby

     “This year, I'm going to lose weight!”, or “This year I’m opting for a healthier lifestyle!” Is your 2020 New Year's resolution something like one of these? If so, how is it going to happen?