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AmandaUrsell.com E-Newsletter Portfolio diet Many of you have been asking for a pdf version of my portfolio diet which you can download and printout. You can now access this from the portfolio diet page on my website here www.amandaursell.com/html/portfolio_diet-all.pdf. Alternatively, access the portfolio page online here: www.amandaursell.com/html/portfolio_diet.html. What is it The Portfolio Diet? News Grapefruit juice A new study in America has shown that a fungus called Aspergillus niger deactivates the furanocomarins. One day, it may be possible to buy grapefruit juice with this added fungus so that statin users can one enjoy this citrus based juice again. Multivitamin and mineral supplements New Products Planet Lunch Called Plant Lunch, I was sceptical when I was first introduced to them, but to my huge surprise, they are as healthy and tasty as the marketing and public relations blurb makes out. Using 100% natural ingredients, controlled levels of fat, salt and added sugars as well as being free from additives, the range ticks the 'health' boxes while the packaging appeals to children. Including bread bites, dipping bread sticks, tomato and red pepper dips, a fruit and oat bar which counts towards one fruit and vegetable a day plus sugar-controlled fruit drinks and squeezable smoothies, they are a lunch box 'goodie' you can feel happy to pack. The only problem is, they are so moreish, you will probably find that you end up snacking on them as well; although on second thought, because they are so well formulated and portion controlled, this is probably a good thing! Check out www.plantlunch.co.uk for more information and see my quick guide to putting together nutritious lunch boxes for your children below. Green Chocolate The Five-Point Guide to a Healthy Lunchbox Creating a healthy lunch-box day in, day out is a daunting task. Using this five-point template can help to ensure that you are getting the nutrition right while appealing to your children's tastes.
Did You Know? Bloating can add 12cm to your waistband Although probiotic yoghurts have had bad press recently, there is good research to show that eating two a day which contain the good bacteria called Bifidus ActiRegularis can speed up the rate at which waste moves through the colon, giving gas producing bacteria less time to work and reducing bloating. If you suffer with bloating, also try to eat slowly and don't chew gum or chat while chewing to avoid swallowing too much air. Also avoid fizzy drinks and milk shakes which contain bubbles of gas. Fighting Infections Research from Japan suggests that drinking five or more cups of green tea each day may help to fight off winter infections. The study, carried out over 12 years showed that when women had this kind of daily intake of green tea, they were 47% less likely to die of pneumonia than those eschewing this popular brew. Other lifestyle factors may well have been exerting protective roles, but researchers say that there may be something in the antioxidants in green tea which suppress the multiplication of viruses. A Good Nut I think that most of us automatically think 'nuts = loads of calories'. In fact research has shown that people who eat almonds regularly tend to have lower body mass indexes than those who do not. This may be down to the fact that almonds give us quite a bit of protein which helps, along with the fibre they contain, to fill us up. They are also 'low gi'; in other words they get digested slowly and provide a gentle release of energy to keep us going. It also looks from research, as though some of the fat (and therefore calories) in almonds does not actually get absorbed, because the fibre carries it through our bodies undigested. The bottom line is if you swap your normal snacks with a handful of almonds (about 23), you should not gain weight and may find yourself even dropping a few pounds along the way. Readers of my newsletter can get a great, free little container which fits in a handful of almonds. Just mail [email protected] to ask for your free container. Beating the Calorie Trap If you are trying hard to shift the pounds but they never seem to budge, you could be caught in the calorie trap. A trap in which seemingly 'good' choices are actually disguising unseen calories that thwart the best-laid weight loss plans. It is a trap into which women particularly seem prone to fall. For example, psychologists have shown that many women are 'plate watchers'. In other words we restrain and refine things we eat in public to give the impression that we are trying to be 'good'. This makes us easy prey for manufacturers who cunningly camouflage the calorific value of their food by giving it a 'healthy' feel and packaging. Keen to appear to ourselves and others that we are making the 'right' choices, we may therefore virtuously select a slice of carrot loaf unaware that however healthy it sounds, a 100g slice clocks up 352 calories, which is actually more than two and a half (apparently far more indulgent) chocolate cup cakes. But this is not the only reason for our downfall. Scandinavian research reveals there are innate gender differences in food choices, which can also lead into problems. This may help to explain why men more often than not go for meat based dishes whereas women automatically steer towards eggs, cheese, chicken, fish and salads. Which presumably is why 'real men don't eat quiche' but leave it for us instead. Mores the pity because while a chap is digging into his manly looking 6oz steak with 300 calories and 12 grams of fat, we are left with a 135g (5oz) serving of pastry clad, egg, cheese and cream filled tomato quiche with 416 calories and over double the fat of the succulent steak. To add insult to injury, it appears that women are also more sensitive to bitter flavours than men. In times past this would have helped to ensure a healthy pregnancy because in nature, bitter tasting foods are often poisonous. A natural tendency to select sweet foods like fruit would have improved the chances of successful reproduction. The problem is that these days our urge for sweet foods usually leads us not to fruit to satisfy our craving but calorie laden sweets, biscuits, chocolate and cakes. So how can we beat the pitfalls of the calorie trap? It is not as difficult as it sounds. Check out the advice below and soon you will be cutting 1000s of calories from your weekly total. Take the coffee shop breakfast... You sensibly avoid the bumper size Danish pastries and plump for the healthy looking oat filled flapjack instead. Most carry no nutritional labelling, so how are you to know that a typical 110g flapjack packs in 481 calories and 28g of fat? Nip round to the local café, sit down with the boys and you have a poached egg on one slice of buttered toast with grilled tomatoes and mushrooms for half of that. Or how about those tempting blueberry muffins? They may look like an innocent fruit filled way to start the day, but to your hips, tum and bum their 450 calories and 23g of fat look the same as a bumper bacon sandwich. Surprisingly, a Pret a Manger egg and tomato breakfast baguette with just 281 calories makes a lower calorie choice. Many of today's grab and go breakfasts pack in cleverly concealed excess calories before you have so much as sipped a drink which can be a disaster zone in their own right. Any calorie savvy slimmer will know not to plump for the hot chocolate on offer. With 450 calories and 24g of fat for a typical 'grande' serving this is certainly wise, but do not be lulled into a false sense of security with all things 'skinny'. A venti cappuccino made with skimmed milk still supplies 225 calories - the same as a slice of toast and boiled egg or a big crumpet thickly spread with peanut butter. Why drink your calories when you can eat them instead? What ever happened to a coffee with a splash of milk sporting 10 calories maximum? Or for that matter an honest, low calorie British cuppa? If you breakfast at home then watch out for healthy looking cereals, which are actually packed with sugar and sometimes, fat as well. The 'crunchy' oat cereals are the biggest culprits. While looking wholesome and muesli-like bear in mind that their crisp texture comes from added sugar and oil, which is how a 50g bowl with milk ends up providing 300 calories. Topped with Greek style yoghurt and honey you hike the calories to 560 blissfully unaware that it is far from a conscientious start to the day. Stick with a sturdy bowl of Shredded wheat or porridge. Both have around just 200 calories, are filling and virtually free from fat. Not only that they take ages to chew which helps to satisfy hunger and their slowly released energy keeps blood sugars steady and appetite at bay for the morning ahead. When it comes to main meals it could be time to give up more of those obvious girlie choices. Dishes based on chicken, fish and salad may not be as 'light' as they first appear. A Chicken Caesar salad packs in 700 calories and a walloping 30g of fat. If you go for a chicken salad skip all the fatty dressings and use Balsamic vinegar instead. Sometimes salads are not the best option. A typical Pizza Express Salad Nicoise provides 729 calories and 37g of fat. For this you could have a whole Margherita pizza for 526. That is a saving of 203 calories - enough for a big glass of wine with your meal. But before you get to your main course try hard not to trot out that typically female 'Ohh, I won't have a starter thanks' routine. How often have you done this only to wolf down the basket of bread because you feel left out while others tuck into their first course? Two average chunks of French bread with butter tot up 434 calories. You could dig into a big plate of Parma ham for 230 calories less and not feel left out of the fun. And remember vegetarian options can throw even the most diligent dieter unwittingly way off track. Vegetarians with a life long commitment to the cause understand the calorific pitfalls; those skipping meat in the hopes of saving calories could be in for a shock. A vegetable curry, dahl, pilau rice, naan and a vegetable bhaji manages to total 1850 calories and a staggering 105g of fat. With 480 calories and 27g of fat, a tandoori chicken, some rhaita and a couple of pappadums make a much more calorie friendly option. Vegetable lasagne and side salad provide 663 calories and 37g of fat while spaghetti with a pesto sauce made from crushed pine nuts, loads of oil and grated Parmesan cheese packs in 600 calories and 35g of fat. That is 100 calories more than a traditional meat bolognaise topping. Expect to find 650 calories in a risotto or a vegetable bake and 640 for two vegetarian burgers minus the bun. And remember, vegetarian pies, whatever their filling are still encased in calorie pastry and are not exactly a dieters dream. You would be better off with two lean pork chops. Thankfully puddings do not require such detective skills. Black forest gateaux is an obvious no-no, the cheese board is clearly out of bounds. Do be careful however not to fall for the fruity sounding options. Things like Pavlova create a false sense of security with their perky raspberry toppings. But never forget they come perched on piles of meringue and cream. At 430 calories a serving that is 319 more than a scoop of luxury ice cream. Safer still go for fruit salad with a splash of single cream and stick to fruit at snack times too. Although as a final word of warning, it is ironic that you do need to keep a beady eye on the versions available in health food stores - some are far from healthy. Munching your way through a 100g pack of banana chips for example clocks up 511 calories, not to mention 31g of fat. For that you can crunch your way through three 200g bowls of ready made fruit salad, flagrantly indulge in a Galaxy Ripple and still have 56 calories spare. The 100-Calorie Snack Guide
Tis the Season to Over Indulge With the festive season fast approaching and the Yule-tide party circuit about to begin it is a good time to get gemmed up on the ins and outs of alcohol so that come Christmas day you feel on top form and have not unwittingly gained a few pounds in the general social whirl. Knowledge is, as ever, power. We all know that as women in general, we are affected more rapidly drink for drink than our men-folk. This is partly down to the fact that put simply, we have smaller livers and so produce less alcohol-breaking enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase). But other factors are also at play. For instance, men have a higher percentage of body water than us which means alcohol is more diluted in their bodies than ours. Check out the Facts
What about Hangovers?
What to Drink
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