Welcome to the Nutritional Concepts Tips and Advice Blog is brought to you by Nutritional Concepts in the Carlow and Kilkenny area. The focus of this blog is to provide dietary and nutrition tips, advice, recipes and up to date nutrition news. Blog home page.
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.
The list below shows the number of units of alcohol in common drinks –
How do you change your drinking habits?
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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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between what a dietitian and a nutritionist does. Nutritional Concepts was founded by Sabrina Doyle who is herself from the Carlow/Kilkenny area to provide the latest diet and nutrition information in a professional, friendly and innovative way. Nutritional Concepts hopes that this blog entry will explain the differences and help you to decide which service suits your dietary needs best.
Dietitian
Definition: A dietitian is a health professional who has university qualifications consisting of a 4-year Bachelor Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics or a 3-year Science Degree followed by a Master Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, including a certain period of practical training in different hospital and community settings. Some dietitians also further their knowledge and skills by pursuing various Specialist Dietetic qualifications. Dietitian is an expert in prescribing therapeutic nutrition.
Regulation: All qualified Dietitians should have met national/international standards for professional legislation. The title “Dietitian” is protected by law in many countries such as Canada, USA, Australia, UK and Ireland.
Work: Dietitians can translate the science of nutrition into everyday information about food. They also have special skills in translating medical decisions related to food and health to inform the general public. Dietitians can work in both the hospital and community. They may work with people who have special dietary needs, inform the general public about nutrition, evaluate and improve treatments and educate clients, doctors, nurses, health professionals and community groups. They undertake the practical application of nutrition with both individuals and population groups to promote well-being and to prevent nutrition related problems. They are also involved in the diagnoses and dietary treatment of many diseases, such as food allergies, kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.
Your safety: Registered Dietitians are members of one or more professional bodies, and therefore they are held accountable for their conduct and the care they provide. Because of this, the reliability and safety of their professional advice and care are ensured.
Nutritionist
Definition and Regulation: A nutritionist is a non-accredited title that may apply to somebody who has done a short course in nutrition or who has given themselves this title. The term Nutritionist is not protected by law in almost all countries so people with different levels of and knowledge can call themselves a “Nutritionist”.
Work: There are also qualified nutritionists, who are people who have completed University Degrees in Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, or Food Technology. They are also called Food Scientists. University qualified Nutritionists and Food Scientists normally work for food manufacturers, retailed businesses, in research and public health promotion. Some may work as Dietitian Assistants or Food Journalists. Nutritionists do not have any professional practical training, and therefore they should not be involved in the diagnosis and dietary treatment of any diseases.
Your safety: Since the title ‘nutritionist’ has been used by many unqualified people to describe their involvement in food and nutrition related practice, you should be careful when choosing a qualified nutritional professional.
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