By Judy Davie
For further information about food and nutrition, visit Judy Davie’s website at www.thefoodcoach.com.au
I seem to have gained weight as a result of switching to soy milk. I thought it was meant to be good for you.
Gail — Turramurra
Many people make the mistake of thinking just because a food has certain health benefits it will have no effect on body weight.
While soy milk has a number of health benefits; to replace dairy where there is lactose intolerance, as a complete protein for people who refuse to eat animal produce, to reduce the effects menopause and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, it is not a diet food. Like all food it carries an energy value which must be taken into account when you’re trying to lose weight. One cup of soy milk can contain around 570kj, which is 10 percent the total daily energy intake on an average weight-loss diet.
To be palatable, most full-strength soy milks will have added vegetable oil and sweeteners and, compared to low-fat dairy milk, will have significantly more fat. Always check the nutritional panel and compare the kilojoule content per 100g of different brands as they can vary significantly.
If you are approaching menopause and eating soy to manage hormones, you should consider other soy products including tofu and soy beans. Soy beans are available dried or frozen fresh in their pods (known as edamame) and have the added advantage of being high in fibre. Edamame can be bought from Asian grocers and are absolutely delicious boiled in salted water and served as a snack.
Like anything, other than fish and green leafy vegetables, too much of anything can be detrimental to the health and excess consumption of soy has been linked to hypothyroidism, so the golden rule is moderation, limiting consumption to one cup and 150g tofu or other soy products a day.
I know I should eat two serves of fruit a day but don’t feel like it during Autumn and Winter. The fruit is so boring and I prefer hot food.
Kate — Moorabin
It is always a little sad when we wave goodbye to the delicious fruits of summer, but as fruit is a good source of vitamin C, fibre, and numerous antioxidants you should still aim to eat two serves a day.
With the many varieties of apples in season now you should be able to find one you like. Apples are particularly good detoxifiers and contain soluble fibre to help reduce cholesterol. If you really don’t like cold fruit, try stewing it. Apples are naturally sweet so stew them in a little water with half tsp cinnamon and serve over hot porridge or with natural yoghurt for a dessert. You can also stew rhubarb but it does need added sweetening. Stevia* is a kilojoule-free natural herb with an intense sweet taste. One tsp of the ground stevia is the equivalent to 30 tsp sugar so you don’t need much. Half a cup of rhubarb made with stevia is a great high-fibre, low-kilojoule treat that will warm you up and do you good.
*Stevia is available from health food stores.
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