Plant polyphenols

Have you ever stopped to think that chocolate is really a plant food? You know those plant foods that us dietitians keep harping on about as being good for you and antioxidant rich? Well it’s not always, but it certainly can be according to the Heart Foundation review:

Our scientific review found that consuming high polyphenol cocoa/chocolate [such as raw, unroasted cocoa powder] reduced risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as endothelial function and high blood pressure.  While the research showed benefits… everyday products that use high polyphenol cocoa/chocolate are not widely available.

Photo source: www.williescacao.com

Enter Willie

Willie Harcourt-Cooze is the kind of free-spirited, big dreaming man that could get addicted to many things. His love affair and obsession with chocolate has driven him over fifteen years to source and build the ultimate cacao farm deep in the jungles of Venezuela.  And later on (back home) a farm shed factory in Devon, South West England complete with antique machinery, gold wrapped bars and 100% cacao cylinders.  Both locations are the subject of fascinating documentary series’ that you must watch for a foodie education, Willie’s Chocolate Revolution and Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory.  But for now jump across when you have time and read the amazing (and delicate process) of winnowing, conching and tempering that goes on.  You can buy single origin 100% cacao from his farm or from handsourced beans from select growing regions.  My choice was Indonesian Black as it fits with my locavore sensibilities.  According to Willie, “This bar is made from beans which come from the Island of Java and are a highly prized strain of cacao.  The beans are visually striking as they are exceptionally light in colour and they have a slightly higher cacao butter content than usual. They produce a surprisingly light dark chocolate with soft caramel (and mouthwatering berry) notes.” Oh my.

#RecipeReDux 100% cacao chocolate sorbet

Inspired by recipes from Stephanie Alexander’s Cooks Companion, Smitten Kitchen and David Lebovitz’s The Perfect Scoop.

Makes around 1litre

Ingredients

180g 100% Cacao chocolate (minus a bite)

3/4 cup premium Dutch cocoa

1 cup castor sugar

2 cups water (+50ml)

No cinnamon, vanilla, citrus zest, roasted nuts, coconut or all the other perfect matches for chocolate – we want to let the cacao bouquet shine through.

Mix sugar and cocoa together in a saucepan and slowly add water to form a smooth paste then liquid.  Bring to the boil to cook the starch in the cocoa, whisking for around 1 minute.

Remove from the heat to take off the boil and then mix in broken cacao until melted. Chill very well in the fridge and then follow your ice-cream maker instructions (add a little more water if needed to create a thin enough consistency and whisk well before churning).

You only need one scoop of rich deliciousness to be supremely satisifed.  Trust me.  See? Absolutely healthy after all.

You’re going to love the ReDux roundup this month too:

About our expert:

Amanda Clark is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with 25 years experience. Amanda runs a busy private practice Great Ideas in Nutrition, in Queensland, Australia.  She is the creator of Portion Perfection, a visual weight control plan that guides you on the exact amounts to eat if you want to lose or maintain weight.

Shop smart and save big

With supermarket prices at an all time high and obesity rates skyrocketing (it’s estimated 73% of Australians will be overweight or obese by  2025. This includes one-third of our children and three-quarters of our adult population) it makes sense to tighten your financial belt both at the checkout and when it comes to your waistline.

Saving money at the supermarket checkout and keeping your diet under control go hand in hand. It’s easy to be tempted by “extra” foods you don’t really need to buy.  Extra foods can add hundreds of unwanted calories to your daily intake, contributing towards weight gain and adding a hefty amount to your shopping bill.

How to be supermarket savvy?

It’s really very easy, all you need is some forward planning and insight into the tricks of the supermarket trade.

Aim to:

Focus on the outside perimeters of the supermarket – that’s where you find the basic foods like fruit and vegetables, dairy products and meat. Processed foods will always cost more.

Skip the aisles with lollies, biscuits and soft drinks – these are luxury calories, calories you don’t need. But you can have something little if you really want it and you budget for it. If it’s not in your calorie or financial budget don’t risk looking.

Supermarkets know the eye level and reach level for our children – either standing or in the trolley. So keep children busy by giving them their own little shopping list, from the healthy food aisles.

Choose a checkout lane without snacks on display – research shows that there is a good chance of impulse buying at the checkout that’s why there is always something deliciously tempting on display.

Create a list before you leave and plan your menus from a healthy cookbook (for a range of dietitian-recommended books check out my list) – sticking to your list will not only save money and calories, it will also save time.  Save a template or checklist on an app or your computer of all the things you need at the supermarket so you don’t have to re-write the same list every time.

Stock up on low calorie staples and buy in bulk when your regular items are on special – good quality mince meat is not so expensive when you get the portion size right. 100g of lean mince could cost about $1.00. Rice, pasta and sweet potato are low cost carbohydrate choices. Iceberg or whole lettuces give you more for your money than the pre-washed and bagged salad leaves. Choose vegetables on special and in season to fill half your plate.

Shop for home brands – some home brand items are just as good as the higher priced brand named products. Pasta, rice and canned tomatoes are good examples of this.

Perfect portions?

Once you’ve become a savvy shopper you’ll have a fridge and pantry full of healthy options.  Then you only need to learn how to prepare the right amount to eat (unless you are cooking in bulk to freeze later). How often do you find leftovers lurking in the back of the fridge in no fit state to eat? Or eat until you are uncomfortably full because you want to finish everything on your plate?

If you get your portions right, it’s a win, win situation. You lose (or maintain weight) and save money.

My recommendation of the ideal proportion for a balanced meal is ¼ carbohydrate foods to ¼ protein foods and ½ salads and low-starch vegetables. At Portion Perfection we’ve done all the calculations so you can get the portions right no matter what you eat.  Our visual weight control plan shows you exactly the right amount to eat if you want to lose or maintain weight.   It has hundreds of pictures showing popular packaged foods, including almost every brand of yoghurt, cereal, muesli bar and crisps available in Australia, as well as common take-away foods. There’s also a Portion Perfection plate and bowl to help you serve up the right amount and a handy Australian Healthy Snack Bible to take to the supermarket to identify the right packaged products.  All the Portion Perfection products are available at www.greatideas.net.au

Editor’s comments:

Thanks Amanda.  Portion control is so important as you say and it’s certainly not about going hungry.  Readers may be interested in our video post on Dr Brian Wansink’s research on portion size cues and crockery and glassware sizes too. I think there are some excellent foods in the middle aisles like raw nuts and wholegrain cereals, but we can easily skip other aisles most times.  In fact this year I’m spending more time outside the big supermarkets, stay tuned for news on how you can get involved dear readers, in The #UrbanForage Files real soon.  Love to hear your tips too on how to shop savvy and control portions below?  Or perhaps you have a question for Amanda?

About our expert:

Nicole Senior is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist, author of several books including her latest Food Myths, speaker and nutrition consultant to Made for You Foods.  She is a regular contributor to Scoop Nutrition and also gives fantastic tweets @NicoleMSenior.

New convenience products for people watching their blood sugar: Made for You Foods

Have you ever felt confused by food labels? Have you ever longed for your own personal nutritionist to come shopping with you and show you what’s best to buy? You’re not alone. But imagine if you also had to watch your blood sugar levels as well? Welcome to the world of the rapidly growing number of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes. The difficulties faced by people watching their blood sugars just trying to do their weekly shop – and their desire to enjoy great tasting food – is the reason Made for You Foods was born. Co-founded by chef and author Peter Howard who also has type 2 diabetes, the company’s aim is to make delicious food inspired by Peter’s recipes that are also a healthy choice people for people watching their blood sugar levels. Read more about Made for You Foods at their website here.

D-tick symbol

But the company also wants to make healthy choices easy to spot: enter the D-tick symbol. The D-tick is a food approval program developed with the needs of people watching their blood sugar in mind. Only foods that meet the D-tick nutrition criteria will be able to use the D-tick symbol on the label. While the D-tick is new and only appears on Made for You Foods right now, other manufacturers will be invited to use the D-tick symbol on eligible foods as well. It is hoped many more foods with the D-tick will become available making shopping for healthy options even easier. Read more about D-tick here.

The company had their culinary course set, but the credibility of D-tick required solid nutrition criteria and that was my task. We benchmarked existing food approval programs like the Heart Foundation Tick, GI Symbol and FSANZ Health Claims Nutrient Profiling Calculator, but needed the specific requirements for people with diabetes incorporated as well and this is where collaboration with Australian Diabetes Council (ADC) was invaluable. We used the ADC Healthy Shopping Guide criteria and our shared expert knowledge of evidence-based practice in the dietary management of diabetes to arrive at criteria that ADC was happy to approve (see table below).

The important consideration when developing the criteria for the first meal-type products was overall balance and the presence of positive nutrients, so meals must contain vegetables and fibre. More specifically, meals must be portion controlled (kilojoules/calories), low GI, contain an appropriate amount of carbohydrate (exchanges) and controlled sodium (salt) and saturated fat levels. Criteria development for other packaged food categories are in progress and we are going through the same development process for each.

On the menu?

The first five Made for You products are frozen meals: Supreme Pizza, Beef Lasagne, Vegetable Lasagne, Thai Green Chicken Curry and Thai Red Beef Curry available in the frozen section of Woolworths supermarkets. These first products were chosen because market research revealed people with diabetes wanted convenient, healthier versions of foods  they considered off-limits.

Editor’s comment:

Thanks Nicole and congrats, it’s so encouraging to see the indepth planning and involvement of a dietitian in this process.  Nutrient selection criteria is very tricky and I believe a comprehensive approach like D-tick is needed.  I’m sorry I couldn’t make the launch but I hope some of our colleagues who attended can let us in on the taste?  And I bet our readers have a question or few for you below?

About our expert:

Sharon Brooks is a Registered Nutritionist and the January Scoop Sub of the Month.  You can read her full bio here and check our her daily tips on her brand new facebook page – Sharon’s Nutrition.

Many factors affect your perceived taste

Salty taste receptors are located throughout the entire oral cavity.  However, the intensity of the salty flavour detected is determined by several factors such as the concentration of salt in the food, whether salt is on the surface of the food or combined within it, the time it takes for the food to be chewed and swallowed and its aftertaste.

Liking for salty foods is influenced by prior exposure

To date there is little evidence to suggest that salty preferences are influenced by genes. The science in fact suggests infants and children’s preference for salt and subsequent adult preferences are influenced by foods consumed just after 6 months of age.  That is, early exposure conditions us to a certain level of salt that suits each individual.  Researchers at Deakin University Sensory Science have dubbed this our “bliss” level.  As we age and our taste receptors diminish it’s common to season food more heavily to arrive at our recognised or learned level of saltiness.

Salt imparts more than flavour in food

There are many reasons for salt addition in food products. Traditionally, salt was added as a preserving agent to compensate for the lack of cooling devices such as fridges and freezers. Salt is comprised of sodium and chloride. The sodium component heightens the sensory properties of food. It does this by increasing sweetness and saltiness and by decreasing bitterness. Sodium also provides textural and technological support to foods. For example, the addition of salt to dough facilitates the ‘stretch’. Salt addition also affects the starter culture activity in cheese making.

The pressure’s on to shake the salt habit

The Australian Division of World Action and Salt Health (AWASH) have launched a “Drop the Salt” campaign that encourages processed foods to be lowered in salt by 25% in 5 years. In addition many governments around the globe have set sodium targets across food categories.  Removing and/or lowering the salt content in foods is actually quite difficult. Common salt replacers such as potassium chloride and calcium chloride tend to leave unappealing after tastes such as bitter, metallic and astringent flavours.

Many of your favourite food products are being (carefully) reformulated

The removal or reduction of salt also substantially alters the sensory properties of the food. Removing too high a quantity too soon may reduce consumer likeability for that product. In other words your favourite packet of chips will no longer taste like your favourite packet of chips and sales will drop.  However, responsible leaders in the food industry like Unilever have shown through extensive research that incremental reductions are effective. If they slowly step down the level of salt overtime, guess what? You get used to it and your favourite packet of chips tastes exactly the same.  Your tastebuds become used to the revised flavour.

Top tips:

• Compare the sodium content of like food products.  Look at the mg of sodium in the per 100g column.  A low salt food is less than 120mg/100g by Australian food law.

• Many chefs believe they have a trained palate to season food correctly, however the science supports the need for individual choice.  If you’re preparing food it is better to under-season and allow your diners or guests to salt at the table.

• Aim to step down the salt level in your favourite recipes over time and trick your tastebuds to a new “bliss” level.

• Invest in a quality finishing sea or rock salt from fleur de sel to Himalayan Pink.  Stick to local choices where you can, like the divine Mount Zero here in Australia.

• Explore your culinary toolkit of aromatics to enhance flavour with less salt – roasted spices, pungent fresh herbs, lime zest, garlic, fresh ginger and more.

Editor’s comment:

Thanks Sharon, it’s been fantastic having you on board this month.  There are some foods that I just have to add salt, like egg on toast, but overall my palate is fairly sensitive.  I often find cafe salads overly salty.  How about you lovely readers? Are you a salt craver? Have you thought about slowly weaning yourself by stepping down the salt content in cooking or products you buy?  Love to hear and share in the comments below.

I’ve been sharing tips on twitter about packing smart (pre-prepared food and ingredients) for a healthy holiday.  My box of red organic quinoa (pronounced keen-wa)  inspired this recipe. I’m rather keen on this ancient, gluten free seed, rich in protein and with a distinct nutty flavour.

Breakfast Quinoa with Quince Balsamic Berries

Serves 1

1 cup cooked quinoa (see tips below)

1/2 cup fresh berries

2 teaspoons quince balsamic – this was a gorgeous gift from Star Anis from dietetic student @1stCulinarian

2 tablespoons natural or vanilla yogurt

Method

Prepare a batch of quinoa to last up to 3 days for breakfast, salads or a rice replacement. Place 2 cups quinoa seeds in a strainer and rinse well. Pour 2 cups water into a saucepan, add quinoa and simmer with covered lid for 15-20min until water is absorbed.  Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Slice strawberries and add to a bowl with whole berries. Drizzle with quince balsamic (or other fruit balsamic) and allow to marinate while you make coffee or more likely downunder, an English Breakfast tea.  The balsamic enhances the berries and imparts a subtle quince flavour without the need for added sugar.  It is definitely the wow factor, so track down a fruit balsamic for your pantry.

Plate a bed of quinoa, top with berries and yogurt. Find a tranquil place to sit, hopefully in the sun for some vitamin D, and enjoy a slow breakfast to steady your mind before the day ahead.

Are you keen on quinoa? Have you recently had a super relaxing or active holiday? Love to hear a comment from YOU below and make sure you check out the fresh start breakfast ideas.  I’m off to ride another wave.

About our experts:

Food?Sick is the brain child of Milena Katz and Liz Beavis, two Sydney dietitians with expertise in food intolerances who are keen to take nutrition into the techno age. They have been working together since 2006 when they set up a Sydney nutrition practice Ahead In Health Nutrition and Lifestyle Centre. Last year they found a gap in current practice when their clients found it difficult to keep track of their food intolerance symptoms after eating food, and decided to build an iphone app to help other dietitians and their clients.

Intolerances to certain foods are not uncommon, but it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint which foods are triggering your symptoms, and to confuse the issue other lifestyle factors (such as stress or hayfever) can interact and make recognising patterns very difficult.  It would be great if there was an easy test for food intolerances, but frustratingly many food intolerances cannot be identified by blood or skin tests.

Dietitians recognise that one of the best ways to recognise food intolerances is to keep a record of what we eat and our symptoms. For years we have asked our clients to write everything down, but invariably the diary gets left at home, lost down the bottom of a handbag, or has coffee spilled on it. And from our Gen Y & Z clients we get a strange look of ‘pen & paper’? What century are we in?

So we decided it was time to take step into the technological age – there’s got to be an app for that!

Food?Sick a new iphone application

Using our expertise in recognising and managing food intolerance we partnered with the technical expertise of Alexander Courtis from Efficiency Solutions Ltd to create Food?Sick an iphone application. While it may look simple on the outside, it has taken months of hard work (and learning how an iPhone thinks!) to bring this application to life.

Food?Sick is an App that helps you to identify patterns in symptoms that you may experience after eating foods. By identifying patterns it can help you to identify which foods trigger your symptoms.

Food intolerances may trigger headaches, bloating, rashes and behavioural symptoms (and many other seemingly random symptoms!) in susceptible individuals.

Sometimes symptoms occur immediately after eating a food – these intolerances are the easiest to identify. However, sometime symptoms can be delayed by a few hours or even the next day, which can be a little tricky to spot if you are can’t remember what you ate yesterday! Where it gets even more tricky is when you get symptoms after a ‘build up’ of a particular food (or group of similar foods) over a day or even over several days. To be able to spot these sort of patterns keeping a record of what you eat is essential. Moreover, it is important to get a professional eye cast over your diary so you don’t fall into the trap of blaming the wrong foods and eliminating them from your diet unnecessarily!

What can Food?Sick do?

Food?Sick allows you to record everything that you eat and drink – if it’s not in the database of foods you can easily add it. A new function in version 1.1 allows you to take photos of what you eat, which might help to provide extra details that you haven’t written down. You can also record your symptoms, and even rate them on a scale of 1-5. You can take note of other factors that affect your symptoms (eg pollens in the air or stress) and record any medications (eg antihistamine for hayfever) that you take which may affect your symptoms.

So now you have a detailed record, what do you do with it? Software that tries to guess what foods are causing your symptoms based on what you last ate are way too simplistic when there are so many interacting factors (and many different ways that food can trigger symptoms), is more likely to do harm than good, cutting innocent foods out of your diet and may leave you missing out on important nutrients.  So we advise you to use the expertise of food intolerance specialists.

Food?Sick will generate an emailable report that can help look at the big picture to view any obvious patterns. We recommend that you make an appointment with a dietitian who specialises in food intolerances (some experts are available online if there are none in your area) so they can take a look at your report with an experienced eye to help you identify the more complex patterns. If you do need to remove certain foods from your diet your dietitian can also make sure you aren’t missing out on important nutrients when you do so.

Why should I use Food?Sick?

If you want to start taking control of your health and identify what foods may be triggering your symptoms Food?Sick is the ideal first step. Food?Sick is easy to use and goes with you everywhere (we know you and your iPhone are rarely parted!). Food?Sick allows you to stop worrying about your symptoms and gives you the tools to start focusing on what you can change to start feeling better.

Food?Sick version 1.1 is available now at the App store for $AUD2.99

Editor’s comment:

Thanks Milena and Liz.  I absolutely love seeing dietitians developing new technology this way.  And of course I love apps in all shapes and sizes.  I’m sure our Scoop community have questions for you about the app usage.  Drop us a comment or question for the girls below lovely readers.

Every year I have a New Year list of to do’s and goals, previously resolutions.  Over the years as I’ve discovered more about myself and my habits, the style of the list has changed. Instead of “cook more interesting dishes”, I will now write “set up that progressive dinner party with the 4 neighbours to start in Feb”. Many of you will know these as SMART goals.  So much more positive than “resolving” NOT to do something.  I hope you have health goals on YOUR list? My January guest post on GI News looks at choosing health as a path to weight loss and explores the Health at Every Size approach.  Here are 12 more ways to choose health and a healthy relationship with food this new year.

Book the cooks

Sign up for the growing number of new cooking classes with a healthy or traditional diet focus.  I’ve signed up for events at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival like this kitchen garden forage and cooking class at Heidi.  Try Japanese or Mediterranean cuisine to get back to the source and unlock those health secrets.  Open your mind to new ingredients and flavour pairings.

Try Feb Fast

If you’re looking to quit smoking, curb the booze or work on another habit that is hard to break, don’t even think about going it alone.  Seek out expertise and support.  Get involved in monthly alcohol free challenges like Feb Fast or Dry July. Or better still why not explore Hello Sunday Morning.  Circle the calendar or wall planner now.

Check it

Don’t put off that health check, routine blood or fitness test, or review with your doctor.  Have you had the recommended checks for men or women listed here?  Book your appointments this week.

Run away to the circus

Find a fitness plan that is fun (most of the time)  and works for you. It’s taken me decades to realise I best love and respond to outdoor, group style, constantly changing and challenging classes, so Step into Life works for me.  Extend and stretch yourself and try something new. Why not try acrobatics or circus skills like our Oct Sub of the Month Ashleigh Jones? Sign up for a block of surf lessons? Indoor rock climbing? Parkour?

Slow down

Look at your New Year list and cross off a couple of goals right now.  Go on.  You know it’s going to be hard to fit everything in. Be realistic. Be kind to yourself. You can schedule these to start in July.  Find space for slow days and slow food.

Mark-et

Instead of doing the supermarket rush when it’s super busy on the weekend – you only end up getting stressed in the aisles and falling prey to pester power or impulse purchases.  Why not change your habits and shake things up?  Try your local farmers market or community swap.  I’m going to try marking my calendar with no appointments on Wednesdays so I can do a mid-week shop and “research” at the South Melbourne or Footscray Markets.  Then I can pop to one of the majors at 7am after morning training midweek, to stock up on non-perishables.

Give back and share

I’m looking forward to mentoring more upcoming nutritionists and dietitians in our Sub of the Month program.  I’m also going to continue to volunteer my time to community causes like food security.  How about registering at your local soup kitchen, community garden or Foodbank? How about giving blood? Doing something for others helps put life in perspective and makes you appreciate what you have, right here, today.  It’s good for your mental health.

Plan that vac-ay

Are you one those people with weeks of holidays owing? Why? If you’re saving them up for a sabatical, house renovation project or major trip, well ok. But if you just haven’t got around to it, you’re doing your health a disservice. I’ve just handed Mr Surfer Dude the 2012 wall planner.  We’ve mapped the school and public holidays and are now onto plotting the fun runs, marathons (him) and the active holidays and beach short breaks.  He’s a fish out of water without a surf safari to look forward to. Your mind, mood and body needs a break too.

Buddy up

Phone a friend, join a class with your mum, set up a powerwalk program with your bestie and surround yourself with support.  Roll with people that have similar goals to you and suss out your saboteurs.

See the experts

You don’t ask your plumber for legal advice, do you? If you have a medical nutrition issue or need expert advice and coaching on nutrition see an Accredited Practising or Registered Dietitian.

Go techno and social

Get appy with your smart phone to help you stay on the health track.  We look forward to bringing you more reviews soon. I’m loving my ipad for recipe videos wall mounted with the Wallee in my kitchen. And as Weight Watchers Nutrition Advisor I can tell you that the new iphone app and etools is proving a huge success with Members.  Also check out Healthshare new online health community for sharing and caring with people and patients like you. I’m one of the expert panel members and there’s a huge number of health bodies involved.

Read it, before you eat it

Last but not least, make sure you catch all our posts. You can sign up to receive them by email in the top right corner by clicking on the envelope symbol or “like” our Scoop facebook page. We have so much planned and promise to bring you the scoop on the latest and greatest nutrition news plus more fabulous experts.  Leave a comment or two, we know we have a lot to learn from YOU this year too.  What are your goals or plans for 2012? With health as a focus I know it’s going to be a good one.

About our expert:

Jenna Obeid is a Bachelor of Food Science and Nutrition student at Deakin University in Melbourne and our December Sub of the Month.  She is a gymnast and competitive cheerleader and represents Australia in the World Cheer leading Championships. Her team picked up a silver medal in the USA in 2011. Check out her full bio and connect with her on Twitter @J_Obe.

Go Natural’s Hi Protein Performance Snack bars are designed for sportspeople needing to keep their protein and carbohydrate levels up to maximise performance in endurance-based events.

As I train regularly and at quite an intense level for an extended period of time (up to 5 hours per session), I always like to refuel during the session and replenish my body with protein and carbs post-training for optimal recovery.

It is well documented that carbohydrate ingestion during endurance exercise enhances performance (Temesi et al, 2011).  However according to leading Sports Dietitian and spokesperson for Go Natural, Susie Burrell, “For events of longer duration, research supports that a mix of a small amount of protein, coupled with larger proportions of carbohydrates is needed.  This not only optimises the fuelling of the muscle during activity but the protein load helps to preserve muscle mass and control insulin release, resulting in more stable blood glucose levels over time. This is of particular relevance to endurance activities and sports including triathlons and cycling events in which training and competition can go for many hours.”

Bar breakdown

Available in two flavours – Almond & Apricot and Choc Berry – the 80g bars contain 12.5g of high quality, whey protein, 28g of carbohydrates and are fortified with calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin E and B1. “The formulation has ensured that the bars are ‘low bulk’, soft and easy to chew which is crucial for any athlete attempting to refuel on the go,” says Susie.

How does it differ from a typical muesli or sports bar?

The bars are quite high in overall energy/kilojoules for an 80g serve and you can see that the Go Natural bar is an excellent source of protein and carbs, far greater than a typical muesli bar.   While munching on my bar, I noted the smooth texture and wondered how much fat was in it. But when comparing nutrition panels of the Hi Protein bar and the usual protein bar I consume, it has less saturated fat (2.8g per bar), which was a pleasant surprise.

But best of all Go Natural Hi Protein bars taste delicious.  The choc berry kind of resembles a chocolate crackle – nom, nom, nom.

Go for it?

If you’re a very active person that’s looking for a balanced fuel to enhance performance during endurance events or training, something that tastes yummy and is easy to eat, then go for Go Natural Hi Protein Bars. Susie suggests that a portion of the bar is consumed every 40-60 minutes during a longer event (2-3hrs) or training session.  For individualised advice see a Sports Dietitian, in Australia a member of Sports Dietitians Australia.

But if you are a recreational exerciser, especially one watching their weight, be careful.  These bars are high in kilojoules and as a general rule you shouldn’t need to refuel during a gym session or fitness class.  It’s a good idea to keep a check on your recovery fuel.  Read more in the Scoop post on Proactive recovery nutrition for runners – with guest Nutritionist Kate Freeman.

Where can I try them?

If you’re in Australia pick up a bar in Coles supermarkets, 7 Eleven stores or online at www.gonatural.com.au at $3.95 RRP.

Editor’s comment:

Thanks Jenna. It’s been fantastic having you on board during December. We look forward to watching your nutrition career evolve and can’t wait to have you back soon on Scoop.  How about you lovely readers? What training challenges are you planning in 2012? I’m down for a half marathon, Mr Surfer Dude wants to do the Great Ocean Road full marathon and our friend Rusty Berther is just back from the Ice Marathon in Antartica.  Are you stretching yourself? I never thought I could run.  And I still can’t.  But after training and improved fitness I can now jog my way around 21kms and even enjoy it (some of the time). We’d love to hear your ideas and share in the comments below.

As we reflect on a fantastic year at The Scoop on Nutrition we hope we’ve DONE enough to show you that dietitians are food lovers, that are big on sound science and health, as well as great taste.  It’s time to say thank you. Firstly to our nutrition colleagues here in Australia and around the globe that continue to inspire us, like Regan, Deanna and Serena of the Recipe Redux – the first recipe challenge by registered dietitians.

This month’s Recipe Redux theme is Putting the Pea in Potluck. Translation for the locals: create a festive dish that you can feed a crowd that also encourages greater consumption of legumes. There’s no better way to avoid a larger tush this holiday season, than my red and green Middle Eastern, Festive Fattoush Salad.

Festive Fattoush

Ingredients

1 large wholemeal Lebanese Pita bread

Olive oil, plus olive oil spray

2 teaspoon Sumac

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (organic if you can)

1 punnet mixed grape tomatoes, halved

1 Lebanese cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into chunks

5 small radishes, quartered

1/2 cup continental parsley, chopped

1/2 cup whole mint leaves

1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Place the pita bread on a lined baking tray, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sumac. Bake until crisp and just golden for around 10 minutes.

In a large bowl combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, onion, herbs and sumac and lightly toss to combine.

In a jar or small glass jug, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil and pomegranate molasses.  Add the dressing to the salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Break cooled pita into pieces and either toss small pieces through the salad or serve on the side.

Check out all the other fab Redux recipes below and download the latest health info on grains and legumes here: Go Grains.

And now for the most important part of this post.  A big thank you. Yes to you, our lovely readers, Sub of the Month’s especially our December girl, Jenna Obeid and contributors for all your support.  We absolutely love your input and having you as part of our fast growing Scoop community. We would love you to say hi and share your festive food ideas or thoughts in the comments below.

And so this is Christmas.  I (truly) hope you have fun.  The near and the dear one.  The old and the young.  A very merry Christmas. Emma x

Chef Mel Haynes – check out her bio

Wish list: Thermomix – every home cooks dream and to whizz up a storm at my healthy cooking classes.  iBike Dash and Power Cycling Computer – for clocking up all the cycling kilometres I’m planning in 2012.

Melissa Carmody APD – check out her bio

Wish list: A  whole crate of handpicked and delivered cherries from Snowgoose. The Culinary Herb Garden Kit for my new digs in Orange.  And a subscription to the Healthy Food Guide magazine for first class nutrition articles and delish recipes.

Ashleigh Jones APD (on right) – check out her bio

Wish list: This very “cheesy” art print from Etsy. Benchtop cereal dispensers for easy portion control from Mindless Products for my new home and kitchen in 2012.  And these fab Stainless Steel Lunch Canisters to keep my healthy, home packed lunch fresh during a long commute.

Deb Blakley APD (on right) – check out her bio

Wish list: A potted Blueberry bush of my very own to keep me in blueberries all summer long. This gorgeous children’s book and audio CD, “Nanna’s Carrots” by Aunty Rozzy.   Loveable characters, Harriette the Rabbit and Perry the Parrot, share their love of a versatile vegetable – the carrot!  And a kids garden tool set plus these Easy Raised Garden Beds from Productive Gardens for more locavore adventures in 2012.

Jenna Obeid nutrition student – check out her bio

Wish list: A large Nutshack Christmas Hamper with nuts, dried fruits, dried veges, chips and lollies. My favourite is the yoghurt coated fruit. Or the sweet potato chips. So good!  And  Wrist Weights – great when you want to up the ante when going for walks or runs.

Emma Stirling APD (on right in Pittsburgh, USA) – Editor

Thanks marvelous Sub of the Months.  Such stories in those photos.  A quizzical Mel Haynes dissecting her pressie, Mel Carmody getting in morning exercise before she’s even dressed, Ash really not sure about this whole santa thing, Deb already embracing those rainbow of produce emblems and Jenna, what can I say, Santa in shades!  What about me you ask? I’d love a years supply of Melbourne City Rooftop Honey and a weekend cooking trip to The Agrarian Kitchen in Tasmania.  I’m also popping hot nutrition and cooking books over here on my Pinterest page, so let me know in the comments if you have ideas to add.  And more importantly what do you want for Christmas lovely readers? Drop us your wish list below.