Contradictory advice about what to eat or how to lose weight can be confusing. The Nutrition Foundation's inaugural Nutrition Week aims to clarify some of the myths, fads and fashions in eating. Charmian Smith reports.
People have access to so much nutrition information, it is easy to get the wrong end of the stick or take it out of context, Caroline Cairncross, spokeswoman for the Nutrition Foundation says.
The inaugural national Nutrition Week, this week, aims to debunk nutrition myths and explain the important but simple things about a healthy diet in a user-friendly way.
There's so much information that people get confused, like the woman who was concerned about her children's iron levels, Ms Cairncross said.
''She'd heard that spinach can help stop absorption of iron, which it can do, so she wasn't going to feed them spinach because of that. So her children would be missing out on the green leafy vegetables and their fibre and nutrients,'' she said.
Nutrition Week is an opportunity for people to take time out from their busy schedules to think about their nutrition and what they are eating and take into account the good and bad parts of their diet, and reassess them, Assoc Prof Richard Gearry, of the University of Otago and medical director of the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation says.
''A lot of what exists in the nutrition sphere is opinion and we are keen to make sure science, as much as possible, fills the gaps.
"It can't fill all the gaps, so obviously, it's important to acknowledge what we know and also to acknowledge what we don't know, and where there are gaps to try and close those,'' Prof Gearry, a gastroenterologist, said.
The current gluten-free trend is an example.
For people with coeliac disease or an unusual rash called dermatitis herpetiformis, the medical treatment was to follow a gluten-free diet, which would alleviate the condition and allow them to live an otherwise normal life, with no risk of other problems, Prof Gearry said.
However, other people find avoiding wheat can make them feel better and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms, such as diarrhoea and bloating.
This may be because when you take gluten out of the diet you also remove some fructans, which can cause these symptoms in some people, so they are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
Nevertheless, for most people avoiding gluten is not a good idea, as they may not replace the vitamins, minerals and fibre and end up with an unbalanced diet, putting themselves at risk, he said.
• Many of us confuse treats, things you shouldn't eat often as they are high in fat or sugar or salt, with snacks, which have beneficial nutrients and keep us going between meals, Ms Cairncross said.
Children in particular need healthy snacks as their stomachs are small and just three meals a day is not enough to keep them going, she said.
''It's when we start having treats instead of snacks it becomes an issue on the nutrition front.
"If you went to a primary or secondary school and looked at what the children were having as snacks, a lot of them are packaged foods that come into the treat category.
"The one that springs to mind is potato crisps, because they are in small pack sizes and will fit into a lunchbox, so children will have them every day when they are really a treat food, because of the high fat and salt.''
Years ago, when crisps only came in large packs, they were something you only had at birthday parties, like soft drinks.
The changing food environment, where less healthy food is the easy choice, contributes to the confusion, she said.
Another myth the foundation aims to expose is that of superfoods - foods which are full of nutrients but often exotic and expensive - and the idea that we need to eat a lot of them to improve our health, she said.
''A lot of people think if they concentrate on these superfoods in their diet, it's going to be better for them than eating a wide range of foods.''
However, not all superfoods are expensive.
The foundation has come up with a list of everyday superfoods that are so common we tend to overlook the fact they are power-packed with beneficial nutrients.
But the best general advice is to eat a range of foods, especially vegetables and fruit - the 5+ a day rule is simple and very good advice for a healthy diet, she said.
One size doesn't fit all when it comes to diet, Ms Cairncross said, and specific groups of people, such as children, pregnant women and old people, need something different from that recommended for the rest of us.
This week, the foundation is focusing on old people, particularly those who need extra care.
''One of the big concerns is that they lose muscle mass and weight, which makes them more frail and more susceptible to falls, so they need more protein and may need more meals a day, like hot drinks with lots of milk or milky custards, to increase their appetite and maintain a healthy body weight so they are not so frail,'' Ms Cairncross said.
The way we eat is also important. Families eating together sitting around a table with the television turned off so they can discuss what has happened during the day, increases the children's social skills, self-esteem and connectedness within the family, she said.
If you eat while watching television, you tend to eat mindlessly and are not aware of how much you are eating.
Studies have shown that a home-cooked meal, especially one that is planned, is going to be healthier than a meal bought outside the home, she said.
Treats v snacks
Many New Zealanders have become confused between what is a snack and what is a treat.
A snack is a small portion of food eaten between meals. A healthy snack is filling and has lots of beneficial nutrients.
A treat is a special-occasion food which often rates poorly on the nutrition scale, being high in fat, salt and sugar. Kept to special occasions, these foods form part of a varied diet. When they are consumed on a routine basis they will start to impact on nutrition and body weight.
Just because it comes in a small packet it doesn't mean it's a healthy snack!
Our food environment has changed over the past decade. All supermarkets now have a snack food aisle which is enticing and full of colour. Think of the multi-pack foods available now in small sizes - muesli and cereal bars, chips, biscuits, chocolates, pretzels, lollies. These packages are convenient for lunchboxes and handbags, staying fresh for a long time. However, a lot of these foods are still treats.
Every day in New Zealand schools kilograms of food wrappers are collected in the rubbish bin. A majority of the children have a small packet of chippies or packaged food in their lunchbox every day. Foods such as potato crisps, which are deep fried and have salt added, should in fact be considered a treat food - having them every day normalises them into a food children think they can eat regularly, rather than occasionally. This has implications in future life, as dietary habits tend to follow from childhood into adolescence and adulthood.
For healthy snacks consider the following:Fruit, vegetable sticks, plain popcorn, yoghurt and dairy food, nuts and dried fruit, sandwiches, low-fat crackers and hummus, Some cereal bars (less than 600kJ per bar).
10 New Zealand superfoods
• Lean mince. A low-cost meat containing good quantities of iron, complete protein and vitamin B12 - important in NZ to combat the levels of iron anaemia and B12 deficiency, especially among our young children and women.
• Eggs. Also inexpensive, good-quality protein, containing plenty of minerals and virtually all vitamins, except vitamin C.
• Beans, baked, dry and canned. Beans are high in fibre, protein and slowly digested carbohydrate. In baked beans, the tomato sauce is high in lycopene (a phytochemical that protects against prostate cancer). Tinned beans, e.g. chickpeas, are the basis of a fast meal and an excellent stew and casserole extender.
• Tinned fish such as mackerel, sardines and tuna in water. A great source of high quality protein, omega-3 fats, iodine and calcium. In these good fats are the vitamins A, D, E and K, important for a range of health benefits.
• Frozen mixed vegetables. The nutrition content is often higher in frozen vegetables than in fresh produce that has been on the shop shelves for a while. Frozen vegetables are a cheaper alternative when vegetables are out of season. Vegetables are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and protective phytochemicals. Being frozen and already chopped small means they are convenient, easily stored in your freezer and quickly cooked. Another way to quickly make your plate half vegetables of different colours.
• Green kiwifruit. High in fibre, vitamin C and a protein that helps digestive health, including laxation.
• Green vegetables. Green vegetables are good sources of folate - essential for growth and development. Some, such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, are rich in isothiocyanates and phytochemicals, which help to fight cancer.
• Tap water. While not traditionally listed as a food, water is the only single nutrient that we will die without. While water is in fruit, vegetables, milk, tea and coffee and many foods, the best drink when you are thirsty is tap water. No packaging to dispose of and it's free. Water is one thing that New Zealand has plenty of and the addition of chloride is important to prevent water borne illness. Fluoride is a bonus for our children's and our dental health. Another myth is that we need eight glasses of water a day, there is no evidence for this and other sources of water should be considered.
• Potato with skin - boiled, baked and microwaved. Compared with white rice and white flour, potatoes are a much better choice for a mainly carbohydrate food. Remember to eat the skin - next to and in the skin (on all plant products) is where most vitamins and minerals are found!
• Skim milk powder. Skim milk powder is high in protein and calcium and works out as cheaper than, or the same price as, fresh or long-life milk, but keeps for longer.
