Category: Carbohydrates, grains

Too many: One year of your life lost, too few: Four years of your life lost. A recent study and meta-analysis of nearly half a million people throughout the world, looking at data collected over five to 29 years, shows current nutrition recommendations of 50-55 per cent energy from carbs is indeed the best for

Just what exactly are ‘supergrains’? What do they do for us and how easy are they to cook with? We’ve got the goods on grains. Grains are a staple in our diet — we commonly base our meals around the familiar bread, rice, pasta and cereal. Grains give us lots of important nutrients such as

Low-carb diets are back in a big way, but that doesn’t mean bread has to come off the menu. What are the benefits and drawbacks of going low carb? Are carbs your friend or foe? Low-carbohydrate diets are nothing new. From Atkins to Paleo and the trendy Ketogenic diet, carbs have been demonised so much

Instant polenta is a great pantry staple, especially for anyone following a gluten-free diet. Here are some easy ways to enjoy this versatile ingredient. 1. Polenta chips Prepare polenta following packet directions then pour into a baking pan. Cover and refrigerate to set. This may take up to 6 hours so overnight is a good

Another article popped up online recently, discussing low-carb, paleo diets. The title contained the words the ‘downside’ of carbohydrates – something that annoys me to read. It doesn’t make sense to say that nutrients have a downside. Anything can have a downside – what we need to look at is context. And, for nutrition, the

Rice is high in carbohydrate, low in saturated fat, sodium and sugar – and it’s gluten-free. Here are 10 ways to use leftover cooked rice. 1.  Go nuts for salad Combine brown rice, almonds, toasted pine nuts, sliced tomato, crumbled feta cheese, sliced red onion and chopped parsley. Dress with olive oil, red wine vinegar

Eating whole grains can help reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer, according to cancer prevention experts. Eating three serves of whole grains (90g) a day can reduce your risk by 17 per cent, a research review by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research has found. The findings in

Nutritionists Cindy Williams and Rose Carr explain how GI works and some of the traps to be avoided. The glycaemic index (GI) can be a useful tool in your armoury of healthy eating and including more low-GI carbohydrates in your diet can be beneficial to your health. But the GI needs to be kept in

Polenta, also known as cornmeal, is ground corn. Like other grains, polenta is mainly carbohydrate but also adds protein and fibre to a meal. Polenta can be white or yellow and may be finely or coarsely ground. There are also quick-cook varieties that take only around three minutes to prepare, compared with the 30—40 minutes

This ancient grain is simple to prepare, highly nutritious and delicious! What is it? Quinoa (pronounced ‘keenwa’) is a whole grain that is actually the seed of a leafy plant distantly related to spinach. It is versatile in its use and gluten-free. Quinoa is available as white grains, ‘Inca red’ grains, as well as a