At Home With Lorraine Kelly 2017 - 178

▲ FOOD & NUTRITION
body to bloat. But is it all bad news
for white bread?
A recent Israeli study of 20
individuals hit the headlines when
researchers got surprising results.
When comparing the health impact
of wholegrain sourdough and factorymade white bread, rather than show
that the wholegrain was better for
all, the study found half of the people
had a higher blood glucose response
to white bread, the other half had a
higher blood glucose response to the
sourdough bread.
The key was the individual gut
microbiomes, again showing one size
doesn t t a .
ie agrees the sca e
of the blood sugar spike can vary from
person to person and recommends
balance. Yes, eat white bread but
control your glycemic response by
consuming low-GI foods for the
rest of the day.

3

BUTTER

Rich in saturated fats, butter
became the big baddie in the
1980s, with consumption linked to
coronary heart disease; as a result, we
swapped butter for lower fat spreads.
However, a study by the University of
Cambridge in 2014 concluded there
was no 'clearly supportive evidence' for
the guidelines that encourage cutting
saturated fat from the diet.
And many more have argued that
the fats you need to avoid are the exact
same ones declared 'healthy' by the
various heart foundations including
polyunsaturated fats - 'vegetable' oils
(seed oils extracted only by industrial/
chemical processes), and trans fats.
'It's not necessary to cut all saturated
fat from our diets,' agrees Amie. 'But
there is no doubt butter is best as a
spread and quality is vital. Organic,
grass- ed butter contains ve ti es
more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
than butter from grain-fed cows. CLA
is o u ar as a at oss su e ent
and studies show it can have powerful
effects on hea th. utter ro grass- ed
cows is also much higher in omega-3
fatty acids and vitamin K2, compared
to butter from grain-fed cows.'

4

EGGS

In the 1970s and 80s, eggs
were a no-no for healthy
eaters who wanted to cut back on
cholesterol. But eggs are now widely
seen as a superfood. They are not only
vitamin-dense, the yolks also contain
lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which
help age-related macular degeneration
and heart disease.
'Eggs are the nucleus of life and
a powerhouse of nutrition,' says Amie.
178 | AUGUST 2017

'Better still they are a cheap source of
protein and micronutrients so choose
organic (twice the omega-3 content)
and enjoy eggs every day if you wish.'
One grey area has been for those
with diabetes - a 2013 large review
of research (carried out over 20 years,
looking at 16 studies) suggested eggs
should be avoided, however subsequent
smaller studies have countered this
and Diabetes UK is of the opinion
that eggs are not a restricted food.

5

RED MEAT

Dozens of studies spearheaded
by scientists at the Harvard
School of Public Health in the US,
have found that low fat diets are no
healthier than moderate or high fat
diets and that saturated fat, for a
long time on the blacklist, isn't as
harmful to heart health as
once thought. However,
Richmond points
out, 'not all fats are
created equally and
REMEMBER: GRASS-FED
poor quality, processed
AND ORGANIC MEAT IS
animal fats can prove
VERY DIFFERENT FROM
di cu t or our bodies
FACTORY-FARMED,
to digest and clear.'
PROCESSED MEAT.
Red meat is ironrich and a great source
of protein and omega-3 fats
if you opt for quality animal fat,
from animals raised on pasture.
Bacon, sausages and processed red
meat should be eaten in moderation
as they are still linked to cancers like
bowel cancer. The Department of
Health advises people eat no more
than 70g (cooked weight) of red and
processed meat a day.

e mis e

6

COFFEE

ue to the caffeine content
and the side effects o over
doing it - such as restlessness, tremors
and problems with blood pressure
coffee o en gets bad ress.
However, like many nutrition
stories, it's not clear cut advice any
ore. offee is u o antioxidants
which studies show help protect
against free radical damage and
therefore diseases such as cancer
and Alzheimer's,' says Amie.
affeine can a so he i rove
your memory and mood. When you
drink a cu o coffee the caffeine is
absorbed into the bloodstream and
travels to the brain. Once in the
brain the caffeine b ocks an inhibitory
neurotransmitter called adenosine,
which in turn allows an increase in
your alertness and memory'.

7

CHOCOLATE

he sweet stuff has been
lambasted and on the banned
list for dieters and healthy eaters for
many years. But it's not the chocolate
that's been the problem - it's the
added sugar e u si ers and ats
which have turned it into a 'ticking
time bomb of health problems when
consumed in excess,' says Amie.
Thankfully we can now enjoy the
pleasure of chocolate by choosing raw,
organic versions (70% cocoa).
'Cacao, which is the base of
chocolate, is full of micronutrients
and is considered a superfood,'
explains Amie. 'It can help with
cardiovascular health due to its high
magnesium levels.'
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of At Home With Lorraine Kelly 2017
