Posts Tagged ‘carlow’
Monday, September 20th, 2010
In Ireland, one in four of us is taking a nutritional supplement (Food Safety Authority of Ireland, 2008), often to make
up for what we feel is a lack in our normal diet, or because we feel generally run down, or to help fight off colds in the winter. But can they really make a difference?
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements are needed for your body to work properly. However, that does not mean that taking a supplement is necessarily going to be beneficial.
There is a variety of reasons why taking supplements is not as effective as you have been lead to believe, these include the following:
- Intakes of vitamins and minerals can be taken in much larger amounts in pill form than would ever be managed from food alone, potentially leading to an ‘over-dose’ of a particular vitamin or mineral.
- In general supplements do not work as well as nutrients obtained from food as they are not as biologically active; that means the body cannot use them as efficiently.
So as much as certain companies would like you to believe the bottom line is….
If you have a balanced diet, for most of us it shouldn’t be necessary to have vitamin and mineral supplements.
However if you really want to take a supplement keep to a one-a-day vitamin and mineral that provides no more than the daily recommended amounts and avoid taking supplements of single vitamins or minerals.
There are as ever some exceptions where due to pregnancy, certain medical conditions, gut surgery or restricted diets that a supplement will be recommended.
Tags: carlow, cold, diet, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals, winter
Posted in General | Comments Off
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for energy, so you should eat lots of foods that are rich in starchy carbohydrates.
Many different foods contain carbohydrate. The richest sources of carbohydrate are bread, rice, pasta, cereals and potatoes, but other foods also contain useful amounts, such as: fruit, vegetables, beans, pulses, yoghurt and milk.
Carbohydrate is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen, and if you get tired during your sport or activity, this might be because your glycogen stores are running low.
The more you exercise, the more carbohydrate you need. The actual amount you need depends upon the type of exercise you’re doing, the intensity, duration and frequency of the exercise, and your fitness level.
The bigger the glycogen stores in your muscles, the longer you can perform. So this is particularly important if you do an endurance sport such as marathon running or long distance cycling.
After exercise, your muscles can refuel their glycogen stores twice as fast as normal, so it’s important to eat foods containing carbohydrate soon after you have finished exercising.
Tags: activity, carbohydrate, carlow, energy, glycogen, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, Sport, starchy
Posted in Sport | Comments Off
Monday, August 9th, 2010
Eating a healthy balanced diet will provide you with all the nutrients you need to take part in your favourite sport or activity.
This means eating a wide variety of foods, see below for how to get the balance right.
If you take part in a sport regularly, perhaps you’re a member of a club or team, or a regular at your local gym, then the best way to get the most out of your sport is to:
- drink plenty of fluids
- eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
- eat plenty of starchy foods (carbohydrate) to keep you going during exercise such as rice, bread, pasta (try to choose wholegrain varieties when you can) and potatoes.
- eat some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and pulses
- have some milk and dairy foods
- just eat a small amount of foods high in fat, salt and sugar
- eat enough food for your level of activity. If you eat too little then you won’t be able to keep up your exercise levels
It is important to eat a variety of these foods to make sure we get all the nutrients our bodies need.
Timing of meals around workouts is just as important as what you eat if you want to keep your energy levels up. For the first two hours after exercise, muscles can refuel their glycogen stores twice as fast as normal so it’s important to eat carbohydrate-containing foods as soon as possible after a workout or exercise session.
See my next blog for more on starchy foods for exercise.
Tags: activity, carbohydrate, carlow, fruit, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutritional concepts, portion, Sport, team, vegetables, vitamins and minerals
Posted in Sport | Comments Off
Monday, July 12th, 2010
Colourful, fun and a great way to give fresh fruit to your children.
Ingredients
250g strawberries
4½ tbsp runny honey
3 large ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled, stoned and sliced
5 large kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Method
1. Puree the strawberries with a hand blender. Sieve the puree to get rid of the seeds.
2. Stir 1 ½ tbsp of the honey into the puree. Then pour the strawberry puree into each of the ice lolly moulds until each mould is ⅓ full.
3. Freeze until firm – this should take 1 ½ hours.
4. Repeat this process with the peaches and 1 ½ tbsp of the honey, then the kiwi fruit with the rest of the honey, freezing between each fruit.
Prep time: 10 min, plus several hours freezing
Cook time: 0 min
Serves: 8
Tags: 5 a day, carlow, fruit, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, portion, tasty
Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized | Comments Off
Monday, June 28th, 2010
Dietitians may well encourage you to drink as little as possible, after all alcoholic drinks are usually full of calories, once you have one you tend to drink another and you can very quickly pile on the pounds!
However the official guidelines are -
Men are advised to drink no more than 3 to 4 units a day.
Women are advised to drink no more than 2 to 3 units a day.
So what is a unit? 1 unit is equal to -
- ½ pint beer
- 1 glass wine
- 1 measure of spirits
The government recommended safe limits are:
- Men 21 units per week
- Women 14 units per week
|
|
The list below shows the number of units of alcohol in common drinks –
|
A pint of ordinary strength lager
(e.g. Heineken, Fosters)
|
2 units
|
|
A pint of strong lager
(e.g. Stella Artois, Kronenbourg 1664)
|
3 units
|
|
A pint of ordinary strength cider
(e.g. Bulmers, Cashels)
|
2 units
|
|
A pint of ordinary strength stout
(e.g. Guiness, Murphys)
|
2 units
|
|
A 175ml glass of red or white wine
|
Around 2 units
|
|
A pub measure of spirits
|
1 unit
|
|
An alcopop
(e.g. Smirnoff Ice, Bacardi Breezer, WKD)
|
Around 1.5 units
|
How do you change your drinking habits?
- Try to eat before you drink, so you won’t miss out on essential nutrients.
- Try non-alcoholic drinks instead of alcohol.
- Dilute alcoholic drinks with low calorie mixers or water.
- Try drinking more slowly – take smaller sips and pace your drinking.
- Refrain from drinking for 48 hours after a heavy drinking occasion.
- Don’t snack while drinking alcohol, remember that eating crisps and nuts will add to the calories and fat you consume. Salty foods will make you thirstier.
|
| |
Tags: alcohol, carlow, drinking, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, unit
Posted in General | Comments Off
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables will give you plenty of vitamins and mi
nerals. For example, many are naturally high in folic acid, vitamin C and potassium. Fruit and vegetables are also a good source of fibre and other substances, such as antioxidants. All these nutrients are important for your health. Fruit and vegetables are generally low fat and low calorie foods. So eating fruit and vegetables instead of foods that are high in fat and added sugars may help you achieve or keep to a healthy weight.
Fruit and vegetables can help protect you from diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Try to have at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. In fact, the more you eat the better! Fresh, frozen, chilled, canned in juice (not syrup), 100% fruit juice, and dried fruit and vegetables all count.
Check the table below to find out what counts as one portion. How many do you eat a day?
If you are not yet eating 5 a day, then build up to this amount (or more!).
Try to choose 5 different fruits and vegetables.
But what is a portion?
| ONE portion = 80g = any of these |
| 1 apple, banana, pear, orange or other similar sized fruit |
| 2 plums or similar sized fruit |
| ½ a grapefruit or avocado |
| 1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple |
| 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned) |
| 3 heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses (however much you eat, beans and pulses count as a maximum of one portion a day) |
| 3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad (fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit |
| 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots) |
| 1 handful of grapes, cherries or berries |
| a dessert bowl of salad |
| a glass (150ml) of fruit juice (however much you drink, fruit juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day) |
Tips: a day’s worth might be: a banana and a glass of fruit juice with breakfast, salad and an apple with lunch, and carrots with your dinner.
Tags: 5 a day, carlow, fruit, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, portion, vegetables, vitamins and minerals
Posted in General | Comments Off
Monday, May 31st, 2010
 Eat enough calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.
- Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat.
- Keep portions moderate, especially high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Foods high in complex carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, low in fat, and free of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, local produce.
- Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins.
- Limit sugary foods, salt and refined-grain products.
- Don’t be the food police. You can enjoy your favourite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those cakes and biscuits are not!
- Get moving. A healthy diet improves your energy and feelings of well-being while reducing your risk of many diseases. Adding regular exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better.
- One step at a time. Establishing new food habits is much easier if you focus on and take action on one food group or food fact at a time.
|
| |
Tags: calories, carlow, fruit, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, vegetables
Posted in General | Comments Off
Monday, May 17th, 2010
OBESITY & WEIGHT LOSS
Most of us would admit to wanting to lose weight. Today’s lifestyle makes weight gain something of the norm.
Research shows that we all have different ways of losing weight, but when it comes to keeping weight off, there are three main factors which are common in those that succeed: regular weighing, a low-fat diet and regular exercise.
At Nutritional Concepts you will be given time to explore ways that would be suitable for you to lose weight. Your diet will be analysed in detail to ascertain your calorie intake and how you can make simple changes to your diet to reduce your energy intake without having to make unrealistic changes that you cannot maintain.
What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?
Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals around the world use BMI to determine whether a person is overweight or clinically obese. Obesity now affects 16 per cent of women and 20 per cent of men in Ireland, according to the North South Food Consumption Survey (2001). A further 33 per cent of men and 46 per cent of men are overweight. This means they have a greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, stroke and certain cancers.
A significant drawback with BMI is that it doesn’t take into account a person’s body fat content which is an indicator of the risk of future health problems.
Adults and BMI
Your BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared. You can estimate your BMI using our calculator. The result you get is then classified into the following groups
| Recommended BMI Chart |
| Underweight |
BMI less than 18.5 |
| Ideal |
BMI 18.5 – 24.9 |
| Overweight |
BMI 25 – 29.9 |
| Obese – should lose weight |
BMI 30 – 39.9 |
| Very obese – lose weight now |
BMI greater than 40 |
A BMI measurement is not as accurate if you’re an athlete or very muscular (muscle weighs more than fat) as this can push you into a higher BMI category even if you have a healthy level of body fat. It’s also not accurate for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or people who are frail.
Tags: BMI, carlow, diet, kilkenny, lose weight, nutritional concepts, obesity
Posted in General | Comments Off
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
Jacket potatoes can provide a speedy, healthy and tasty meal in a matter of minutes but the benefits can last much longer. Potatoes are a good source of energy and many other nutrients including vitamin C and folate. Simply combine with chicken, fish, beans or cheese and a salad or green vegetables, for a complete meal on a plate.
If you simply microwave a potato, it is fluffy inside but you do not get any crispiness on the outside. Instead I prefer to microwave the potato to save time but finish it off in the oven – so I get the best of both worlds – speed AND flavour!
* Wash and prick the potato all over with a fork and place in the microwave on full power for around 6-7 minutes, depending on its size.
* In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200 ° C.
* When the potato is finished in the microwave, place on a baking tray, drizzle a little olive oil over the top, sprinkle with sea salt and place in the hot oven for approximately 15 minutes.
The result is a beautifully fluffy jacket potato in the middle but crispy and tasty on the outside too.
Once it is cooked, why not try one of these toppings:
Beans and Cheese
Chilli and Soured Cream
Tuna, Red Onion and Pepper
Tuna, Sweetcorn and Mayonnaise
Prawns and Mayonnaise
Bacon, Garlic and Mushroom
Cream Cheese and Chives
These are just a few of the many hundreds of topping ideas for a quick and tasty meal. A jacket potato is very nutritious so it is a great fallback when you can’t find inspiration or you don’t have much time to cook dinner.
Tags: carlow, healthy eating, Jacket potato, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, nutritious, speedy, tasty, topping
Posted in Recipes | Comments Off
Monday, April 5th, 2010
To snack or not to snack in between meals?
Sabrina at Nutritional Concepts offers a little advice on whether you should snack when you are trying to maintain a healthy balanced diet or lose some weight.
Is it okay to have a snack in between meals or should you cut out snacks altogether?
Usually when we think of losing weight the first thing we do is cut out all snacks. However, this may not always be the right thing to do!
It is wise to cut out snacks if the foods we are snacking on are high in fat and sugar. However,
cutting out all snacks may not help us to lose weight any faster. When it comes to losing weight it is very important to establish a regular eating pattern.
Actually snacks can form an important part of helping us to lose weight as long as it is the right type of snack and at the right time.
Snacks can help bridge the gap in between meals. There shouldn’t be long gaps in between meals as this slows the body’s metabolism down and you probably are more likely to have a larger meal as you will be hungrier.
Tags: carlow, healthy eating, kilkenny, nutrition, nutritional concepts, snack
Posted in General | Comments Off
