CHEWS WISELY
SUSHI
SUSHI looks like a healthy option – but experts say it would be a better to cut back on the rice and increase the protein.
Shona Wilkinson, nutritionist at health and wellbeing shopping site SuperfoodUK.com, said: “The amount of protein and vegetables you actually get in sushi is often very tiny in comparison to the amount of white rice in each serving. Brown rice sushi which would be better, but that is still a higher serving of starchy carbs to vegetables and protein.
“It would be healthier to have a fist-sized portion of protein with half a dining plate’s worth of vegetables and a brown rice portion that fits into an espresso coffee mug.”
HONEY
ALTHOUGH honey is a natural sugar you should still be careful how much you use. Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Natural Alternatives to Sugar, (www.marilynglenville.com) said: “Although this is a natural sugar, you should only use it sparingly.
“Honey is a simple sugar, made up primarily of glucose and fructose, and so is absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, hence it’s not ideal for controlling your blood sugar, or trying to lose weight. The fructose content can be up to 40 per cent in some honeys.”
RICE MILK
IF YOU’RE you’re avoiding animal milk and are looking for plant-based alternatives then you might want to rethink rice milk.
Shona says: “Plant milks are not only a helpful alternative for those Smoothies and muesli seem like healthy options but nutritionists warn some foods could be hiding some unhealthy ingredients. MARIA CROCE asks experts whether some of the popular choices for a better diet are not as good for us as they appear at first glance who genuinely cannot tolerate animal milks but many people drink them because of the trend to consume less dairy.
Rice milk, unfortunately, is made from white rice, which is quite sugary and releases its sugar more quickly than brown rice. Instead, look for a brown rice brand.”
TOFU BURGERS
YOU might think soya is a healthier option than eating meat but nutritionist Cassandra Barns says you have to be cautious about how much you eat.
She says soya contains small amounts of plant oestrogens which may be helpful for women who have gone through the menopause because their natural supply of oestrogen will have diminished. But otherwise women often don’t need the extra oestrogen.
Cassandra says: “Eating soya products in moderation is preferable once or twice per week, but not all day every day.”
CEREAL BARS
EATING a cereal bar looks like a healthy option but beware of the hidden sugar that could be included.
Shona says: “Cereal itself may be fine – especially if it’s wholegrain. But many cereal bars contain a great deal of refined sugar and worse – sugar syrups, such as glucose and high fructose corn syrup. These types of sugar travel through our bodies very quickly and are potentially damaging on a cellular level – which isn’t good for the immune system and skin, for example. Fruit added to cereal bars is often pre-coated in sweet syrups so that just loads on more sugar.”
MUESLI
MUESLI looks healthy – but read the label as some are packed with extra sugar and salt.
Marilyn says: “Not all mueslis are the same, and as with anything you buy you need to read the label and not just go by the hype on the front of the packet. Many can be laden with high amounts of added sugar and salt and this can turn a healthy breakfast into an unhealthy one.”
READY-MADE SMOOTHIES
YOU might want to make smoothies yourself as some shop versions contain lots of sugar.
Shona says: “A single serving bottle of fruit smoothie can easily contain 25 grams of sugar or more – that’s five to six teaspoons.
“Try making your own smoothie at home with 100g of berries, quarter of a large avocado (or half a small one), a small handful of spinach and topped up with unsweetened almond milk.
“As well as containing less sugar, it will fill you up for longer and make you less likely to want to snack on sweet foods later on.”
LOW FAT FRUIT YOGHURT
YOGHURTS that are low-fat might appear healthy but they could contain lots of sugar.
Marilyn says: “Yoghurt can contain up to eight teaspoons of added refined sugar. Often sugar is the next ingredient after milk in highest amounts in the yogurt.
“This type of yogurt will be a high GI food, causing your body to release more insulin to deal with the quick rise in blood sugar and insulin is the fat-storing hormone of the body.”