Nutrition

This category is for posts and articles that are related to nutrition.

Symprove Spotlight Series

I was honoured to be asked to take part in Symprove’s Spotlight Series and share my expertise on plant based eating and gut health. Symprove is one of the most widely researched and evidenced based probiotic supplements. Probiotics supplements populate the gut with  ‘good’ gut bacteria. And a healthy digestive tract is needed to support many processes such as immune function and cardiovascular health

This interview is on  ‘plant based eating’ and the microbiome. Plant foods are essentially ‘pre biotics’. They are rich in fibre and phytonutrients which ‘feed’ the good bacteria. But did you know the term ‘plant based eating’ actually describes a whole spectrum of eating habits and not just veganism? 

Read on for more detail on

  • The latest research/recommendations regarding plant-based eating and gut health
  • Which types of plant-foods that are particularly beneficial for gut health 
  • Whether vegans have healthier gut microbiomes and overall gut health compared with non-vegans?
  • Simple and practical suggestions to eat more plant-based foods
  • Which nutrients should to be aware of on a vegan/plant-based diet
A delicious vegan meal

Vegan Patients with Nutrition Support – A Dietitian’s Perspective

Interview with Aymes Nutrition

It was great to be interviewed by Aymes. This UK wide supplement company is leading the way with vegan oral nutrition supplements. In my interview I share my approach to achieving a sustainable diet, the challenges faced by malnourished vegan patients and my top tips for a plant based diet.

As someone who has been in the field of nutrition for decades,  it’s exciting to see the whole landscape of clinical nutrition and dietetics develop to meet consumer demand for such products. Commercial vegan supplement drinks have been on the market for sometime but these clinical products are carefully formulated with malnutrition in mind. When I practised as a clinical Dietitian (a few years ago now !! ) We only had access to supplements that used whey (milk proteins). The plant protein used in these products is soya. The fat is palm oil – I was pleased to find out it is RSPO certified sustainable palm oil . Developments like this reduce the worries and potential barriers for vegans experiencing malnutrition in hospitals or undernutrition at home. 

As a Clinical Dietitian I worked in the area of nutrition support and still use these skills in my individual consultations today. 

If you are interested in a consultation, please get in touch here

https://aymes.com/blogs/expert-opinions/a-dietitian-s-perspective-on-helping-vegan-patients-with-nutrition-support?_pos=1&_sid=d49347c8b&_ss=r

The Marriage of Nutrition and Osteopathy

I’m delighted to join Halos Osteopathy as their team nutritionist.

Good nutrition is the foundation of musculoskeletal health. I work with their clients to develop tailored plans which promote recovery and build physical resilience.

What might this mean in practice? For some, it could be targeted nutritional strategies to support inflammation resolution. For others it might mean bespoke meal planning.

The Halos clinic is based in Oxted but I also offer nutritional services for osteopath clients around the UK on a remote basis.

http://halosclinic.co.uk/

https://www.baumhausspaces.com/

The danger of monocultures

The Sustainability of Bananas

Like much of the UK population, bananas are my favourite fruit. They’re packed with potassium, Vitamin B6 and many other vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. They make a perfect snack to sustain energy levels thanks to a combination of ‘quick’ and ‘slow’ releasing sugars. To meet our desire for this fabulous fruit we import around 5 billion bananas into the UK every year!

Environmental credentials

In terms of sustainability, bananas have a fairly low environmental impact. This is due to their low carbon footprint which is estimated at 0.48 kg CO2e per kilo. If we compare this to UK tomatoes (grown in greenhouses) which are 2.5 kg CO2e per kilo, this seems quite small. Bananas are energy efficient as they use natural sunlight to grow. They also come with their own tough skin which acts as natural packaging. This is favourable compared to soft berries that need plastic packaging to keep them in perfect condition.

The drama

Global plantations are now under serious threat from Panama disease. Major companies such as Fyfes and Del Monte, have become over-reliant on growing just one species known as the Cavendish. This variety is popular because it was (at first) disease resistant, easy to grow, easy to transport and sweet. Global production methods which rely growing only one species (monoculture) can be problematic. Bananas have become a monoculture crop. Planting the same crop in the same place each year drains nutrients from the soil. This is because nutrients are not naturally replenished as with polyculture and crop rotation techniques. As monoculture soils need more fertilisers it keeps the artificial cycle of nutrient depletion and repletion going. Furthermore, when disease strikes all the plants are susceptible and killed off in one go as there is no natural variety to limit the damage.  All that’s left is infertile waste land.

Panama disease is now spreading rapidly throughout plantations and threatening the survival of this Cavendish variety. So far it’s spread through Sout- East Asia, China, Australia and Africa. It seems like a ‘no brainer’ but if banana plantations diversified species then one disease wouldn’t have such a disastrous effect.


So what can we do?

It’s tricky as we are at the mercy of what industry provides us! However, if consumers are willing to try new varieties it may encourage producers and suppliers to invest in these crops meaning we will have a more secure supply in the long term.

There are some alternative varieties to the Cavendish such as the ‘Latundan‘ banana (also known as Tundan/Apple Bananas) and these can already be found in some supermarkets.

If you’re working for a food company or retail chain, find ways to identify, sample and try new varieties of banana. Whether this be for new product formulation or simply to be marketed straight to the consumer. This will help our banana supply be more sustainable in the long term.

I offer consultation services to the food industry including: Product Development, Menu Design, Supply Chain Analysis and Sustainability Cooordination. If you would like best-in-class guidance on this or any foods, please get in touch.

Citations

  • How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Footprint of Everything (Mike Berners-Lee, 2010)
  • Coop life cycle analysis (2009)

streetcube logo

I’m a trusted advocate of streetcube

Streetcube is a new project which transforms shipping containers into street kitchens which serve sustainable gastronomy food.

Streetcube’s innovative sustainable kitchens

They’re launching all over the UK, with the first one being opened in Wandsworth last week.

As a Dietitian with expertise in food sustainability, I am closely aligned with their core values. I’m really pleased to have been chosen as one of their Trusted Advocates. Other Advocates include Raymond Blanc, Dr Clare Pettinger and Professor Philip Sloan.

This project has recently been launched and I’m looking forward to working with the founder and his team on food sourcing, recipe development and creative content for the web platform. Watch this space…

Louise and Hazel on the food medic podcast

My interview on the Food Medic Podcast

I was delighted to be interviewed on the Food Medic Podcast with the lovely Hazel Wallace.

This was my first podcast experience and despite a bit of newbie-nerves I think it went really well!

It was recorded at Global Studios, London in February 2019.

For those who don’t know Hazel’s work, she is a Doctor specialising in nutritional medicine (and an awesome podcast host too!)

In this episode we discussed some really interesting topics including:

  • What do we mean by a sustainable diet?
  • Why is it important to think about the cost of human health as well as the health of the planet?
  • Is a Vegan diet the most sustainable way of eating for the planet?
  • The EAT-Lancet report; what it is it and what does it actually mean with respect to UK public health message?
  • The social and economical factors which can influence and inhibit sustainable dietary recommendations?
  • The sustainability of plant based milks.
  • Sourcing of sustainable and healthy meat.

You can find the podcast here (Season 2 Episode 9)….don’t forget to subscribe: https://thefoodmedic.co.uk/the-podcast/season-2/

Or on the Apple podcast app here

dietitian in a chair

Nutritionist locations in Brighton and Hove

I am delighted to be offering my nutrition services from new facilities in Brighton and Hove.

The clinic rooms are bright, modern, comfortable and private

An example of one of the Therapy rooms available

There are 3 locations, 2 in Hove and 1 in Brighton, details are here.

I am also listed on the Brighton and Hove Therapy Hub

If you would like to book a nutrition consultation with me, then click here. Don’t forget, home visits are also available

sunflower

Sunflower facts

Did you know:

  • The seeds are full of Vitamin E (great for immunity, skin, eyes)
  • They also have lots of fibre (good for the gut and digestion)
  • The seeds are arranged in complex mathematical a fibonacci sequence!

 

Pitta Pizzas

A classic quick and easy children’s favourite.

I use wholemeal pittas for added fibre and Quorn ham for a tasty sustainable topping.

You only need to grill the top of the pizza after adding the toppings.