Emma Nutrition

Nutritionist: simplifying the science, cooking with awareness, educating through knowledge. When I'm not on Mummy duties…

Author Archives: EmmaNutrition


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What are the best calorie counting and exercise trackers

Being a fitness gadget lover I get excited about a shiny new toy. It spurs me on to be a bit more healthy and to keep track of my diet and exercise. I’m more of a believer in a holistic approach than solely the simplistic principle of calories in versus calories out. I do however find it helpful to track my food intake. It makes me more mindful of what I’m eating, and gives me a little boost to see what exercise I’ve done that week. Not that its always recorded but its good to go back to it if I find myself slipping…so I’ve compiled this list of food and exercise resources that I have used or found helpful.

Food databases and calorie trackers:

Calorie King

Livestrong

Calorie Count

My Fitness Pal

FitDay

Spark People

Smartphone Applications:

Lose It!

Livestrong

My Food Diary

My Fitness Pal

MyNetDiary

Spark People

Body Fitness Free

MapMyFitness

Go Meals

You are your own gym (a personal favourite of mine!)

Physical activity aids:

Google Maps

Map My Walk

iTreadmill

Map My Run

Pedometers- New Lifestyles, Accusplit, Oregon

Accelerometers- Fitbit, Gruve, FitBug, Ki Fit

Heart rate monitors- Polar, Garmin

Any cool stuff missing? Let me know!


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Summer cocktails that are not fattening!

Fancy a cocktail to celebrate the incoming summer?! I know, it’s not great outside today but it is coming I’m sure…

My friend Jackie over at Jackie Diss sent these today. Check them out. I’m loving the sound of the Piña Colada recipe…

Summer Cocktails That Are Bikini Friendly

Skinny Piña Colada
2 oz Barcardi Rock Coconut Rum
5 oz coconut water
2 oz pineapple juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake shake shake shake, maybe garnish with a little pineapple

Chocci Rocket
1 oz. vodka
2 oz. coffee
3 oz. light almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine ingredients in a blender, whizz up, stick in a straw and ENJOY!

HEALTHY GIRL MARGARITA OR DAIQUIRI
1 cup coconut water
1/4 cup honey
1 packet Stevia
4 shots tequila (for margaritas) or rum (for daiquiris)
Juice from 1 lemon
Juice from 1 lime
6 fresh strawberries
1 cup ice
Combine ingredients in a blender, whizz it up then sip it up

From Emma’s personal Nutrition notes:
Coconut water is much lower in calories than coconut milk yet still full of that summery coconut flavour. It is not a substitute for coconut milk in cooking however in drinks it is tasty and refreshing. Almond milk contains healthy fats (yet is low in calories ~40 per serving), calcium, magnesium, selenium and is free from casein so is low allergenic – great for those with lactose intolerance, milk protein intolerance or just sticking to a low allergenic diet. Stevia is a natural sweetener without any chemicals. It is 10x sweeter than sugar.


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Soft drink increases the risk of diabetes

Drinking one 12oz (336ml) serving of sugar-sweetened soft drink per day can be enough to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by 22%.

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It’s not possible to mitigate this risk by consuming artificially sweetened soft drinks either as these are also associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes!

Naturally sweetened drinks such as juices and nectars do affect blood sugar levels so its probably best to water these down or make flavoured water by using pieces if fruit. This method contains alot less sugar than drinking juice or nectar.

Reference:
The InterAct consortium. Consumption of sweet beverages and type 2 diabetes incidence in European adults: results from EPIC-InterAct. Diabetologia, 2013 (in press) DOI: 10.1007/s00125-013-2899-8


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Which cheeses are safe in pregnancy?

Cheeses which are SAFE to eat in pregnancy

Hard cheeses:
Austrian smoked, Babybel, Caerphilly, Cheddar, Cheshire, Derby, Double Gloucester, Edam, Emmental, English goat’s cheddar, feta, Gouda, Gruyere, Halloumi, Havarti, Jarlsberg, Lancashire, Manchego, Orkney, paneer, Parmesan, Pecorino (hard), Provolone, Red Leicester.

Soft and processed cheeses:
Boursin, cottage cheese, cream cheese, feta, goat’s cheese without a white rind, mascarpone, mozzarella, Philadelphia, processed cheese (such as cheese spread), Quark, ricotta.

Yoghurts: (all varieties) Probiotic drinks, fromage frais, soured cream and crème fraîche – any variety, including natural, flavoured and biologically active – are all safe to eat.

Cheeses to AVOID in pregnancy

Mould-ripened soft cheeses:
Brie, Blue Brie, Cambozola, Camembert, Chaumes, chèvre (goats cheese with a white rind), Pont L’Eveque, Taleggio, Vacherin-Fribourgeois

Blue-veined cheeses:
Bergader, Bleu d’Auvergne, Blue Wensleydale, Shropshire Blue, Danish Blue, Dolcelatte, Gorgonzola, Roncal, Roquefort, Stilton, tomme, Wensleydale (blue).

Soft, unpasteurised cheese, including goat and sheep’s cheeses:
Chabichou, Pyramide, Torta del Cesar.


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Protein-rich breakfasts prevent unhealthy snacking in the evening, study finds

An interesting study I found this morning while eating my (egg!) breakfast.

In my experience personally and in my clients a protein breakfast is one of the most achievable and successful ways of reducing cravings and therefore snacking. Uncontrolled snacking that is….where you reach for a high sugar or high carb snack that will only satisfy for a few minutes. To curb cravings try eating an egg at breakfast or a protein drink a couple of hours after breakfast.

Protein-rich breakfasts prevent unhealthy snacking in the evening, study finds.

*note this study was funded by beef and egg boards but is valid research in my opinion.


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Food Intolerance Test (advice from a Nutritionist)

I have promised some of you a food intolerance test so here it is! It is rather comprehensive and used as a tool to ascertain whether you may have a food intolerance. Unfortunately there is not one simple answer to the question “do I have a food intolerance” however I do hope this serves as a tool to analyse your symptoms and understand a little more about your body.

The Food Intolerance Questionnaire

Food Intolerance Results 

Any questions please ask!


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Share your questions with me!

Hi there! I would love to hear your Number 1 question about Nutrition.

Would you like to know:

  • How you can make your kitchen healthier?
  • What diet tips you can use to treat your IBS/fertility/arthritis etc?
  • Which brands of supplements are best?
  • What specific condition or illness would you like to know more about?
  • What topics you would like to see more information on

    Whatever your questions or topics please share them with me below!

    Thanks so much for your time :)

    Emma


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    Eating breakfast makes us skinny!

    A study of 236 teenagers proves that infrequent breakfast consumption is associated with higher body adiposity and abdominal obesity.

    Breakfast consumption patterns showed that only half of the participants (50%) were consuming breakfast daily. Those eating breakfast at least 5 times a week had significantly lower body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, body fat mass and percent body fat (%BF) compared to infrequent breakfast eaters, after adjustment for age, household income, pubertal status, eating-out and snacking practices, daily energy intakes, and daily physical activity levels.

    Therefore daily breakfast consumption with healthy food choices should be encouraged in growing children and adolescents to prevent adiposity during these critical years of growth.

    Emma


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    ANH Exclusive! Official EU data indicate lightning more likely to kill than herbs or vitamins

    Preventable medical injury in EU hospitals poses the greatest risk of death to EU citizens – some 351,220 times the risk of consuming food supplements, and 206,600 times the risk posed by herbal medicines…….yet food supplements and herbal medicines are being legislated because they pose a risk to public health.

    Risk analysis states that food supplements and herbs are very safe products.

    Check this out for some interesting facts:

    ANH Exclusive! Official EU data indicate lightning more likely to kill than herbs or vitamins.

     

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