Healthy Family, Happy Family (3 page)

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Don’t you just want to strangle them sometimes?

No, I’m not referring to your gorgeous family. I’m talking about those wellmeaning people who give you unsolicited advice about how you should be feeding your family. ‘Fish is brain food,’ they say as you try to explain the life-threatening allergic reaction your child has to seafood. ‘You’re not going to deprive your child of lollies are you?’ the corner store lady scoffs as you prise that choc bar out of your eight-month-old’s hand. It’s hard enough being a parent without having others judge you. Often these are your own relatives or spouse offering blunt statements such as: ‘Give Lachlan more meat, you don’t want to stunt his growth.’ It’s hard to decipher what’s fact or fad these days as there is so much information being broadcast, printed and emailed to us each day. Although the main aim of this book is to give you the tools and tips you need to refine your family’s eating habits, it’s essential to have some basic nutritional facts under your belt first.

Omega-3 fatty acids
Found in fish and other seafood, linseeds/flaxseeds, flaxseed oil,* walnuts, dark leafy greens, wild game such as kangaroo.

[* Flaxseed oil is a great addition to salad dressings (note: heat damages flaxseed oil and it goes rancid easily so refrigerate it at all times and use within five weeks of opening the bottle).]

Why?
Heart health, proper brain development in the foetus and children, smoother skin and less skin roughness and scaling.[1]

Monounsaturated fats
Found in avocado, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as olive oil. Why? Rich in antioxidants and omega-6 fatty acids, which are beneficial for health. Use avocado, tahini, Hummus Dip and Parsley Pesto as healthy alternatives to margarine and butter.

Why?
Rich in about 30 different antioxidants. The antioxidants can minimise the carcinogens produced during high heat cooking such as when barbecuing meats.

Why?
Trans fat-free oil, low in salicylates, suitable for people with eczema and psoriasis; mild tasting oil.

Saturated fats
Found in red meats, chicken skin, butter, cheese and full-fat dairy products. Why? Raises LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, altered blood clotting and the inflammation seen in eczema, psoriasis and acne.

Why?
Although natural and far less processed than margarine, butter is still rich in saturated fat, which can be harmful to health if consumed excessively. Only use butter sparingly—this means scraped thinly onto toast with no obvious globules.

Why?
Genetically modified and often contains unhealthy trans fats. Favour other types of cooking oils.

Why?
Contains large amounts of saturated fats so it should be limited.

Trans fats
These are artificial fats found in cheap vegetable cooking oils, canola oil, doughnuts, Danish pastries, biscuits, Nutella, chicken nuggets, some margarines, deep fried foods such as fried chicken and chips/French fries, imitation cheese, confectionary fats and many snack foods.

Why?
They’re damaged fats that impersonate saturated fats, raising LDL cholesterol and lowering the good cholesterol (hello heart attack). Check the nutrition information panel on product packaging to check the trans fat content (however, this is not always listed).

Hydrogenated vegetable oils
Found in packaged biscuits and cookies, margarines, crackers, pastries, pizza dough and many fast foods.

Why?
Contains unhealthy trans fats, which raise bad cholesterol. Look for wording on product labels such as ‘partially hydrogenated soybean oil’ as this indicates the oil is damaged and not beneficial for health.

Why?
A highly processed spread containing oils that have been damaged in order to make them appear solid. Full of artificial ingredients, and studies show that families who use margarine are more likely to have children with eczema (as opposed to butter intake, which did not increase risk). Some cheaper margarines contain trans fats.

Carbohydrates are basically food components such as sugars, starches and certain kinds of fibre. The simple explanation of carbs is that they can make food taste sweet and they are broken down by the body into glucose, which supplies energy for your body and brain. Carbohydrates are found in fruit and wholegrains (as well as junk food such as cakes). Carbs are the starchy parts of potatoes and peas, bread, pasta, rice and cereals. Legumes such as beans and lentils contain carbohydrates and protein, so do dairy products, which contain a milk sugar called lactose, a carbohydrate.

According to research published in
The New Glucose Revolution,
the glycaemic index, or GI, is a measure of how foods, specifically a food’s carbohydrate content, affect our blood glucose levels. You might know these as ‘blood sugar levels’.

Low GI foods fall in the range of 0–55, medium GI is 56–69, and high GI foods are above 70.2 Low GI foods, such as most vegetables, are digested at a slow rate so they release glucose into your bloodstream gradually. This is ideal, and will help you to feel fuller for longer. High GI foods such as pide (Turkish/flat bread) and other white breads or simple carbohydrates are digested rapidly and flood your bloodstream with large amounts of glucose. In the short term, this means you’ll start feeling hungry again sooner. Over time, these glucose influxes can damage blood vessels and stress the pancreas (the organ that dishes out insulin). You don’t want to create too much work for your pancreas because he’ll quit on you one day if he’s always having to compensate for your poor diet rich in high GI foods (hello diabetes and insulin needles and goodbye fun foods).

People who suffer from Type II diabetes, heart disease, acne and other skin problems may benefit from favouring low GI foods. Practically all of the recipes in this book use low GI ingredients (apart from the desserts). When I design a recipe such as a stir-fry I’ll either recommend basmati rice so the meal has a lower GI or I’ll suggest brown rice to boost your wholegrain intake for the day, although brown rice has a higher GI. You can choose whichever one you prefer.

Healthy low GI
foods Such as legumes (including chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans), basmati and doongara rice, vegetables and most fruits.

Why?
They supply your body with vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants as well as helping you feel fuller for longer.

Healthy high
GI foods Including amaranth, dates, millet, parsnip, pumpkin (winter squash), tapioca, watermelon and brown rice.

Why?
They may have a high GI but they offer vitamins, minerals and bowel-cleansing fibre so feel free to pop them on your plate.

This is a low GI carbohydrate food that can be enjoyed in moderation.

Problematic high GI foods
Including white bread, pide (Turkish/flat bread—it’s the worst!), jasmine rice and most other white rice varieties, cakes, pastries, sweet biscuits/cookies, flavoured rice crackers, doughnuts and most other junk foods.

You can eat a combination of white (refined) and wholegrain carbohydrates throughout the day. For example, for breakfast you might have wholegrain cereal such as Bircher Muesli. A snack might be grainy crispbread or a Strawberry and Honey Muffin. For lunch you could have a Brainy Grain Sandwich containing wholegrains, and for dinner you might like to try a refined, low GI carbohydrate such as pasta or basmati rice as a small side to your protein and vegetables, such as Pink Fish on Sticks

The table below indicates the daily amounts of wholegrains that should be eaten for optimal health by each age group.

Serve your child two to four different types of vegetables daily. Each serving should be about the size of their fist.[3] See the table below for the recommended daily amounts of vegies for each age group.

Serve your child one to three pieces of fruit daily. Fresh is best but have canned and frozen fruit handy (ensure these have no added sugar or artificial additives).

Healthy protein foods include lean red meat, skinless free-range chicken, free-range eggs, legumes (beans, lentils) and seafood. Processed meats such as salami and most sausages can increase cancer risk so I do not recommend them.

Make sure you consume some sort of protein every day—preferably in two of your main meals. Between 65g and 100g (2 1⁄3 and 3 1⁄2oz) of cooked meat such as chicken will provide adults with sufficient daily protein, as will two small lean chops, two slices of roast meat or half a breast fillet. An 80–120g serve (2 1⁄2–4 1⁄2oz) of fish or two eggs will also give you enough protein for the day. One cup of lentils, beans, chickpeas, split peas or soy beans served with carbohydrates will provide your daily protein needs as will 1⁄3 cup of almonds served with breakfast cereal such as porridge.

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, have two to three serves of vegetarian ‘combined’ protein each day (see ‘Vegetarian protein’).

Protein obtained from animal sources is considered ‘whole’: that is, it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. However, protein from non-animal sources—the kind vegetarians consume in their diet—is low in one or two essential amino acids and is therefore not ‘complete’. There is a simple rule to follow to make this so-called second-class protein ‘complete’ so your body can utilise the protein: legumes (a group of vegetables that includes lentils, beans and peas), seeds or nuts plus grains equals complete protein. The table gives some examples of ways to combine proteins to gain complete protein in a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Legumes are rich in minerals such as magnesium and potassium, and supply dietary fibre, protein and slow-release carbohydrate for energy. Canned legumes such as brown lentils, chickpeas and mixed beans are available and are a convenient and tasty option if you’re a typical time-poor parent. However, some nutrients are destroyed during the canning process so dried, home-cooked legumes are a more nutritious option. Here is your guide for cooking legumes:

Whether using canned or dried legumes, it’s important to rinse the legumes and pick out any discoloured or shrivelled legumes or small stones.

Most dried legumes should be soaked overnight in water. This helps to promote even cooking and reduces simmering time. For every 1 cup of legumes use 4 cups water.

Long soak method:
Place legumes and water in a saucepan, cover and soak overnight at room temperature (8+hours). Discard the water and use new water for cooking.

Quick soak method:
Boil the legumes in water for 5 minutes and then remove from heat, cover and soak for 1–2 hours (preferably two). Discard the water. Then add fresh water for cooking (refer to step 3).