Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

That’s it for Q & A Thursday for this month. As ever, thanks to all the readers who lodged questions. If you have any thoughts or comments, then join in the discussions underneath each post. Otherwise the next Q & A Thursday will be in June – on Thursday 5th. If you have any questions for then let me know by email.

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The last question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Antti-Juhani: bq. what is the effect of sourdough fermentation on the macronutrient content of a bread dough? Really, really, really good question . . . but one I’m not able to answer. So I’m wondering if anyone else can help? h3. What I do know about sourdoughs: # Sourdough bread is made with a starter culture, which is a blend of bacteria and yeast. This culture reacts with …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I know that most of you are headed into Spring and Summer. I read enough Northern Hemisphere blogs to know you’re excited about asparagus season and the onset of warm weather. Here in Australia though, we’re moving rapidly into winter. And . . . the cold and flu season has already kicked off. Stephanie, Patrick and Helen have all asked about beating winter illness. So I’m going to combine all the questions into one answer. Beating a cold, flu …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I’m going to tread carefully here – commenting on the nutritional value of an Australian icon. Despina has asked – is vegemite healthy? The short answer is – it’s not too bad. There are better foods and there are worse foods. Vegemite is a dark brown paste made from yeast extract, that was first invented in the 1920s. For those living in the UK and New Zealand, it’s similar to marmite. Vegemite is a concentrated source of some of …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Continuing from Naomi’s question about iron and B12 . . . B12 is a whole different kettle of fish. It’s a curious, complex vitamin. Instead of being one molecule, B12 is actually a group of compounds, which are structurally similar and all contain cobalt. h3. What is vitamin B12? B12 can’t be made by either plants or animals. Instead it’s manufactured by bacteria and it ends up in our food as a result of this bacterial activity. And the …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

You have about 3 – 4 grams of iron in your body at any one time. Much of this is in the haemoglobin molecules in your red blood cells. A smaller amount forms part of certain enzymes, while the rest is in transit, bound to a protein called transferrin. Transferrin manoeuvres iron around your body to wherever it’s needed. Every day we lose a small amount of iron. Simple bodily functions like sweating, the shedding of skin and cells …

Read more 08 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

This is a Q & A Thursday week – so if you have any questions about food, diet and nutrition then send me an email. For those of you new to Limes & Lycopene Q & A Thursday is a monthly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. The Q & A Thursday forum is all about simple, practical answers to food and diet dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d …

Read more 06 May, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Cold and flu season seems to have reared it’s ugly, snotty head this week. Clients, shop assistants, bloggers, readers – there seems to be a lot of sickness about. So how do I get rid of this *%#!@ cold seems to be the question of the week. In answer I thought I’d link back to some older posts: * The fabulous ginger, honey and lemon tea. Drink 4 – 6 cups of this a day at the first sign …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Courtney has asked a common question: bq. I know it is bad to eat late at night, but two nights a week I go straight from work to a 3 hour fencing practice. I usually eat an apple or some granola before practice but by the time I get home around 9 pm I am starving. Can you suggest some things that are acceptable to eat and won’t totally negate all the hard work I did at practice? h3. ...

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Carolyn asks is using brown or raw sugar better for you than using white sugar? Brown sugar has a healthier reputation than white sugar. It’s often sold as “raw sugar” and has a natural, unprocessed image. But, there’s little difference between the two. h3. What is brown sugar? Brown sugar differs from white sugar because of its molasses content. Molasses is a dark syrup, that’s a by-product of sugar refining. When small amounts of molasses are mixed in with …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Following my post on using frozen vegetables when you’re busy Bruno has asked about canned vegetables – do they lose nutrients in the canning process? Much like frozen vegies, there are some vitamin and antioxidant losses in tinned vegetables. But they can still be a useful dietary back up – especially if your fresh vegies are starting to look a bit tired. h3. How fresh is “fresh”? Vegetables are canned soon after harvest – at their nutritional best. Whereas …

Read more 03 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday – the first of the monthly editions of this forum in 2008. For newcomers to Limes & Lycopene, Q & A Thursday is a regular question and answer forum, where you get to pick the topics. Note: I used to encourage people to leave their questions in the comments. However as Q & A Thursday has become bigger and brighter, I now request all questions be emailed to me directly. Makes it easier …

Read more 02 April, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Q & A Month is officially over. Thank you to everyone who sent me questions and responded so positively to the posts. I was quite overwhelmed by the wonderful feedback and involvement. If I’ve missed any questions, then my apologies – and please let me know by email. h3. Q & A Thursday Regular Q & A Thursdays will be returning in 2008. But it’s going to be a monthly event. I’ll be running them on the first Thursday …

Read more 06 March, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Paul has asked the question – why do yoghurts that contain sugar still have a low GI? Most yoghurts have a GI of between about 14 and 40. Despite the variety of scores, this puts yoghurt in the low GI category. Even the ones that contain sugar have a low GI. In the pre-GI days of nutrition, carbohydrate foods were separated into two categories: simple and complex. This distinction was solely based on the stucture of the carbohydrate itself. ...

Read more 28 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question is all about bread. Wendy from A Wee Bit of Cooking fame asks: bq. What’s the best type to eat? Brown, wholemeal, seeded, rye . . . Bread is a staple food for many. Different countries and different cultures have been baking bread for centuries. In our supermarkets bread often takes up a whole aisle of it’s own. It’s stocked by corner shops and service stations. However, all bread’s are NOT created equal. At the …

Read more 19 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The eagle-eyed among you will have noted Q & A Month is turning into Q & A Six-Weeks! It’s proved very popular. I still have a question backlog to get through. But I’m hoping to finish with a flurry and answer the rest over the next seven days. Hoping anyway. Moving quickly along then – the next question is from Claire and it’s about rice milk: bq. I would like to know if there is something wrong with drinking …

Read more 16 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Month is a BIG and difficult question. Steve wants to know: bq. What is the deterioration rate of nutrients in fruit and vegetables – from the time they are picked, sold to you, kept in your fridge and finally eaten? Is it the same rate for all fruits and vegetables or do some lose their nutrients faster than others? This is a really hard question to answer, as there are so many ifs, buts …

Read more 14 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Paul has asked: bq. I was just wondering, with all the great fresh fruits around, which have the highest amounts of antioxidants? I’ve heard pomegranates, but what about blueberries, and oranges? I have to admit I find it hard to keep up with the list of top antioxidant containing foods. It seems to change with annoying regularity. At the moment I’m pretty sure it’s a toss up between acai berry and pomegranate juice. Although “Indian gooseberries are also making …

Read more 06 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I’m back from Melbourne. I’ve cleared my inbox and in-tray, so it’s time to continue with Q & A Month. The next question is from Justine, who asks about water: bq. I over-indulged over Christmas and the New Year alcohol-wise, so am drinking lots & lots of water now I’m back at work. I’ve heard that too much water can be damaging . . . how much water is too much? You’ve almost certainly heard how important it is …

Read more 05 February, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Continuing the sweet theme, Milly has asked: bq. What would be a good non sugar based alternate to honey? I’m allergic to honey and in its place I have been using golden syrup, which clearly isn’t quite as nutritionally beneficial. Is there anything that will have the same sweetening effect and consistency, but isn’t really bad for me (and my teeth)? h3. Golden syrup vs honey It may seem counter-intuitive, but when you compare golden syrup and honey, _the …

Read more 30 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Month Sophia asks a question about sultanas: bq. I have an active little boy, nearly 2yrs old. I am trying to avoid too much sugar and processed food in his diet, so for snacks I give him a mix of sultanas, dried apricots and dried banana chips, as well as rice cakes. He especially loves sultanas . . . Is there such a thing as too many sultanas? . . . I give him …

Read more 28 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Kate has asked a follow up question to my What I eat series. This was the two weeks at the end of last year when I posted a pictorial diary of what I’d been eating. Kate wants to know: bq. Do you have to stop yourself from having chocolate bars and other snacky stuff? Do you have to force yourself to eat the way you do? The short answer is – no, _but I do make it easy on …

Read more 23 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The first question for Q & A Month on Limes & Lycopene is from May Lee: bq. I was just wondering if there are many nutrients in the thin skin on lentils. I usually rinse off the skin before cooking them, but after reading that there’s lots of goodness in orange pith and sesame seed hull I’ve been thinking about the skin of the lentil too. Whilel it’s true there are more nutrients in unhulled tahini and “antioxidants in …

Read more 17 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Limes & Lycopene will be light on new posts over the next couple of weeks. I’m moving into my new clinic next week and will be in Melbourne the week after. Plus I’ve just filed 6 new recipes for Life etc, to be photographed next week. And am in the throes of a Wellbeing article. So my working life is what you might call busy. So my normal regular posting schedule will be reduced. Plus I’m not going to …

Read more 16 January, 2008

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I wondered if this might happen. I haven’t received any Q & A Thursday questions! It’s that time of year. The time when everyone’s busy and focus is elsewhere. I’m therefore putting Q & A Thursday on hold until the new year. It’ll be back at the end of January. In the meantime if you want to know more about Q & A Thursday take a look at the introductory post or the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more 20 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

A reminder, this is Q & A Thursday week – a fortnightly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. This will be the last Q & A Thursday for 2007! Given we’re building up to the end of year, I thought I’d particularly focus on questions about surviving the silly season and new year’s resolutions. Let me know if you have a question you’d like answered, by leaving a comment below or sending me an …

Read more 19 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Finally for this Q & A Thursday a reader has asked how to break an addiction to carbs? Second to tiredness, I think sugar and carbohydrate cravings are the most common complaint of clients at my clinic. A lot has been written about carbohydrate cravings. Some dismiss them as an emotional response, while others are convinced they’re a true addiction. I think it’s not a case of one or the other, but for most people it’s a bit of …

Read more 06 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Thursday a reader has asked: bq. I have heard that consuming too much soy can affect a woman’s fertility. Is this correct? There’s a lot of scarey stuff about soy on the internet, but most of it’s complete rubbish. While I do not recommend soy supplements, I’m very sceptical that soy foods could have any negative effect on fertility. The science simply doesn’t add up. I’ve blogged extensively about soy before, so I’m going …

Read more 06 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The first question in this week’s Q & A Thursday is from Jul at Veggie Chic: bq. What’s the difference between shoyu and soy sauce? A Japanese friend told me that “shoyu” basically means “soy sauce” in Japanese. So why do I keep hearing “shoyu” used by English-speakers as if it means something different? You’re right, shoyu is the Japanese word for soy sauce. However, Japanese soy sauce differs from that used in other countries. It’s made from fermented …

Read more 06 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

A reminder, this is Q & A Thursday week – a fortnightly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. On Q & A Thursday I aim to post simple, practical answers to readers’ food and diet dilemmas. Let me know if you have a question you’d like answered, by leaving a comment below or sending me an email. For more information you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more 05 December, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is all about fibre – which foods are high in soluble fibre and low in insoluble fibre? Fibre is a HUGE topic and most people need to concentrate on getting more fibre in their diet. Most people simply don’t eat enough. However there are some digestive complaints which can be exacerbated by the type of fibre you eat. This is true for many people who suffer irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and …

Read more 22 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

In this week’s Q & A Thursday, the first question is: bq. In our household we have both full cream fresh milk (for my cereal) and UHT skim milk (for my partner’s protein shakes). Can you advise if he would be better switching to fresh skim milk, or is there no discernable difference? h3. What is UHT? UHT stands for ultra-high temperature processing. Milk is heated at a temperature of 135°C for 1 – 2 seconds. This is done …

Read more 22 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s Q & A Thursday – a fortnightly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. But I won’t be posting any answers until this afternoon, as I’m talking to staff at the ABC at lunch-time today – about the best foods and diet for skin health. So tune back later this afternoon for the normal Q & A Thursday blogging. If you have a question you’d like answered, leave a comment below or send me …

Read more 22 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

A reminder. Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday – a fortnightly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. If you have any questions about food and healthy eating, then let me know. Leave your question in the comments section below, or send me an email. For more information, take a look at the original Q & A Thursday post. Alternatively you can browse the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more 21 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

If you’ve tuned in today expecting Q & A Thursday, please note for the rest of the year it’s happening every fortnight. Therefore the next Q & A will be Thursday 22nd November. If you have any questions you want answered on that day, then leave a comment below or send me an email. For more information you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more 15 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Jocelyn from She Spills the Beans asked me ages ago about algae oil: bq. I wondered what algae oil was extracted from (algea, obviously, but there must be a more complete answer than that). Might an algae-containing product be a good addition to my diet? Where do the seaweeds rate on omega-3s? h3. What algae is the oil extracted from? There are a number of algaes that are cultivated for oil extraction. They’re mostly micro-algae, which are tiny, single-cell …

Read more 08 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Next on Q & A Thursday we’re into soy sauce substitutes: bq. My GP has advised me to avoid soy sauce as I have Hashimoto’s thyroidism (hypothyroidism). Do you know of a substitute for soy sauce? I love to cook stirfries and want to try the Spicy Noodles recipe, but it includes soy sauce. Any recommendations for substitutes? h3. Why avoid soy? If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) there are a number of foods you should be careful …

Read more 08 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s Q & A Thursday. We’re starting off this week with a question about hair loss: bq. I was hoping you could help my brother who is only 24 years old and who is losing hair! I know he has been stressed out. Searching the internet shows that stress and lack of sleep is a big contributing factor for hair loss. h3. 1. Find out why it’s happening We usually associate hair loss with older people going bald. However, ...

Read more 08 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

As you’ve probably realised, there’s no Q & A Thursday happening today. I’ve decided to run it fortnightly, for the next couple of months. I know this is a popular weekly segment, but I have some big deadlines looming. Plus I want time to throw myself into changes, new ideas and content for Limes & Lycopene. All this means I can’t quite give Q & A Thursday the attention it deserves on a weekly basis. So I’m changing it …

Read more 01 November, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The next question in Q & A Thursday is one I can’t answer! Antti-Juhani has asked about sugar beet fibre flakes: bq. Do you have any comments about sugar beet fiber as a fiber supplement? Are there any reasons one should prefer it to, say, rye bran, or vice versa? Any good or bad points one should be aware of? I’ve never heard of sugar beet fibre flakes and I’ve never seen them in Australian stores. So far my …

Read more 25 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Imagine if you stopped drinking alcohol, ate well balanced meals, cut out junk food, drank lots of water and went to bed early. Hands up who doesn’t think they’d feel better and have more energy? If you eat well and look after yourself, you will feel better. You will have more energy. Those black circles under your eyes will disappear. Your skin will be clearer. *But feeling good and having lots of energy, is not rocket science. It’s not …

Read more 25 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

It’s Q & A Thursday and the first question is about something which appears on every packet of food: the nutrition information panel. LeAnne has asked: bq. I’ve been eating a lot of soy products. Everything I buy is dry and I have to soak it in water before I cook it. The nutrition information is on the box for 100 grams of product. Is that 100 grams before or after I soak it? When it comes to …

Read more 25 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

The reminder Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday. Let me know if you have a question, by leaving a comment or sending me an email. h3. And the warning . . . Limes & Lycopene will be unavailable for about 30 minutes this evening. From 7.30pm AEST we’re upgrading hardware. I know some of you have experienced problems accessing L&L and at times it’s been very slow. The funky, shiny new hardware should sort this out. Thanks for your …

Read more 24 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

Q & A Thursday is over for this week. I haven’t answered all the questions I received. I’ll save the extra ones over for next week. A big thank you to everyone who asked a question, or left a comment. h3. This week’s questions * is there a simple way to convert dried weights of carb foods to cooked weights? * how to get enough calcium when you don’t drink milk * “is fruit really important to a healthy …

Read more 18 October, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Q & A Thursday

I’ve been pulled up on my last two posts in Q & A Thursday: * Are tomatoes part of your fruit or vegetable intake * Is fruit really important to a healthy diet? As Meg and Joanne have both commented there are other “vegetables” that are actually “fruits”. How do these fit into the whole fruit vs vegetables debate?. Hmm, I wasn’t counting on botany being used against me! Okay, it’s true I’ve over-simplified the message – something we …