Smart eating

Nutritionist Catherine Saxelby answers your questions on nutrition.

How can you tell if a recipe is healthy?

• If there’s not too much sugar, fat or white flour or rice.
• If there are healthy fats, such as mono and polyunsaturated fats, instead of unhealthy saturated and trans fats.
• If there’s not too much salt. Watch out for hidden salt in stock (liquid, cubes or powder), soy sauce,
  fish sauce or similar Asian salty sauces, bacon, anchovies and even cheese.
• If the recipe calls for steaming, grilling, roasting on an oven tray, or pan fried in a non-stick pan
  with only a thin smear or spray of oil.

Is there a substitute for salt in cooking to add flavour without the health risk?

The healthiest way to substitute salt is by cooking with lots of garlic, onion, ginger, spices, lemon and
fresh herbs. It takes about two weeks, but once you start cooking this way, it won’t be long before you
begin to enjoy food’s true flavours unmasked by salt.

Or you can buy a salt substitute based on potassium chloride rather than sodium chloride which adds
a salt-like flavour. But before you buy this, check with your doctor, as too much potassium can be
harmful if you have kidney problems or are taking certain medications. 

Resources

For more questions and answers on nutrition log on to Nutrition FAQs
(http://www.managingmenopause.org.au/content/view/107/122/)

Hot nights, cool dessert

Berries with pistachio nuts and sesame seeds

Ingredients

1 punnet blueberries 1 punnet strawberries 2 dessertspoons raw pistachio kernels 2 dessertspoons unhulled sesame seeds

½ cup water3–4 fresh or dried dates Fresh juice of an orange Dark organic chocolate (optional) Serves 4

Method

Soak sesame seeds, pistachio nuts and dates in water overnight, at room temperature. The natural sugar in the dates makes a sweet syrup, and the seeds and  nuts soften. When ready to prepare, put berries in a bowl and pour orange juice over them. Chop and add dates and syrup with the seeds and nuts. Mix gently.

Serve as a dessert with low-fat yoghurt. For added antioxidants, top with chopped or shaved good-quality organic dark chocolate. It is also delicious on  porridge or cereal with yoghurt, or as a topping for pancakes for Sunday brunch.

Nutritional value

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and may play a role in the prevention of cancer and some age-related eye diseases. Blueberries, as well as strawberries, may help protect our memory and brain function. Strawberries contain the highest amount of vitamin C of all berries.

When berries are not available fresh, frozen ones can be used. The freezing process reduces some of the vitamin C but does not reduce the antioxidants.

Pistachio nuts and sesame seeds contain phytosterols,   a class of plant chemicals that help reduce cholesterol levels and improve heart health. Many women will notice an increase in cholesterol levels around  menopause.

Sesame seeds have the highest levels of phytosterols among the nuts and seeds. Unhulled sesame seeds are nine to 10 times higher in calcium than regular sesame seeds, which can contribute to the ovarall calcium in the diet. They are a little harder to find but worth the effort.

While seeds and nuts are high in calories, many weight-loss diets suggest a serve of up to two dessertspoons per day of raw seeds or nuts, as  they  also help to make you feel full.

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Note: This article is an archive. Whilst the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health has made every effort to ensure this information was accurate at the time of publication, the article content has not been updated since the date listed below.

Content updated November 28, 2006