Nutrition Facts

Did you know that avocados are a fruit? They contain around 25% fat BUT it’s the type of fat in avocados that is key – they have a high ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats (i.e. more ‘good’ fats) which makes avocados good for heart health. Avocados are also rich in vitamin E - a fat soluble vitamin which acts as a powerful antioxidant. So if you are watching your waistline, avocado is a great alternative to butter as a spread with around 1/3 the calories of butter and much healthier fats. But you still want to be mindful of how much avocado you eat – an average avocado provides around 400 calories!

Blueberries are a great ready-to-go low-calorie snack. Fresh or frozen, blueberries are also boosting with good nutrition – mainly due to their antioxidant properties which they get from their blue colour (a phytonutrient called anthocyanins). The antioxidants in blueberries are believed to help counteract the age-related decline in brain function, as well as protect against cancer and help lower cholesterol. Blueberries are also a good source of fibre, manganese and vitamin C. So there are plenty of reasons to include these power berries in your diet! Add blueberries to your breakfast cereal, to smoothies or use in baking.

Coconut oil has recently gained popularity for its health benefits as being a ‘superfood’. Coconut oil is composed of 92% saturated fat which is why it is solid at room temperature (just like butter). Adding coconut oil to each and every meal is not going to solve any health issues; but it may add extra calories and promote weight gain. The current recommendation from the Heart Foundation is to still use poly and monounsaturated plant oils (e.g. olive oil, canola oil) as your main oils. If using coconut oil, use it as you would with butter – in small amounts.

Kilojoules (kJ) are a measure of how much energy we get from consuming a food or drink. KJ and calories mean the same; they are just two different measures. To convert kJ to calories, divide by 4.184 or simply by 4. All food/drink contain calories but how many calories depends on the contents of carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol. Energy value per gram:

• Fat: 9 calories
• Alcohol: 7 calories
• Protein/carbohydrate: 4 calories
• Water: 0 calories

So the best option is to go for less energy dense foods with lower fat and alcohol contents and a higher water content – fruit and veges are full of water!

Honey is often thought of as a healthier alternative to sugar, but unfortunately the nutritional benefits from honey over sugar are minimal. Calorie-wise or for people with diabetes, honey should be counted as sugar. Teaspoon for teaspoon, honey has more calories than sugar because it is denser, so using 1 tsp of honey instead of sugar actually means you are consuming more calories, not less. Honey does have B-vitamins and minerals but the amounts are tiny. So just remember, honey is still a form of sugar – but if honey is your preferred sweetener, use it as you would use sugar – sparingly!

Iron is essential to life as it transports and stores oxygen around in our body. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide – and iron is particularly important for women of reproductive age. There are two types of iron in our diet: haem iron which comes from animal sources (e.g. red meat) and non-haem iron from plant sources (e.g. green leafy vegetables, legumes, tofu). The iron in plant foods is not as well absorbed by the body as that from meat. Tips to help the body better absorb the iron from plant foods:

• Eat vitamin C rich foods with your meal (i.e. citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, capsicum)
• Have meat/fish/poultry with the plant-based sources
• Avoid drinking tea up to one hour before and after a meal

Oats are a ‘must have’ pantry food. They are cheap, versatile and full of goodness. Oats have a low-medium GI which provides a slow release of energy. One ½ cup serve of rolled oats contains 5g of fibre – which helps with digestion and keeps you fuller for longer. Oats also contain a special type of soluble fibre, beta-glucans, which have been shown to help lower total blood cholesterol when eaten as part of an overall healthy diet.

• Add oats to smoothies
• Make porridge, muesli or oaty pancakes
• Use as a healthier fruit crumble topping

Quinoa is one of those new and often talked about foods on the supermarket shelf. It’s a wholegrain and being both gluten-free and a ‘complete protein’ (i.e. provides all essential amino acids) makes it a good alternative to people with gluten intolerance/coeliac disease as well as vegetarians. It’s very versatile in the kitchen – great in both cold and warm salads, as a replacement for rice or couscous, and added to casseroles to add extra bulk. Compared to other grains, quinoa has higher levels of protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phytonutrients. So be sure to try out this exciting nutritious grain!

Vitamin D is often referred to as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ which is because we get the majority of our vitamin D from exposing our skin to sunlight (UVB rays). Vitamin D is important for healthy bones along with calcium. Vitamin D is found in small amounts in few foods (such as oily fish, eggs, and fortified foods such as Yellow Top milk). But as the vitamin D we get from these foods is limited it’s important to get outside and enjoy the sun – in a sensible way without getting sun burnt. The sun as a source of vitamin D is important for people of all skin colours.