GI News – October 2016

Page 1

THIS MONTH: Nick Fuller on A2 milk – what’s the evidence? Ted Kyle on hitting the brakes on sugar for kids; Kevin Klatt on conflicts of interest in nutrition funding research; Alan Barclay on does soda have a place in social drinking? Jennie Brand-Miller on how much protein you get from 20 popular plant foods and staples; Nicole Senior on the top 4 cholesterol beaters; Keep good carbs looks at berries and serves up a Nordic berry compote; In the GI News Kitchen there’s coconut crepes with yoghurt and berries and a seedy crispbread recipe with chia; Dianna Crisp on the sandwich solution with Burgen Pumpkin Seed bread.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

MILKY WAY MARKETING: TO A2 OR NOT TO A2? Supermarket milk in Australia costs $2 a litre. That’s great for families, but not so great for dairy farmers’ incomes. However, say Andrea Koch and Alex McBratney; “adding information about how food is produced can transform Australia's low-cost commodities into highly value-added products.” They make the point that A2 milk for example “commands a nutritional price premium; it is differentiated at the farm through the selection of particular breeds of cows that produce milk with a difference, and this difference is carried right through to the customer.” Is that difference worth the price and is it any better for us than regular cow’s milk? Dr Nicholas Fuller investigates in this edited extract from The Conversation. So what is A2? Cow’s milk contains protein. The primary group of milk proteins are the caseins. A1 and A2 are the two primary types of beta-casein (beta-casein is one of the three major casein proteins) present in milk. They are simply genetic variants of one another that differ in structure by one amino acid. Commonly, both A1 and A2 types of casein are expressed in cow’s milk in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand, and hence the milk we find on our supermarket shelves. The hype surrounding A2 milk came about after the patenting of a genetic test by the a2 Milk company. The patent allows the company to determine what type of protein a cow produces in its milk and therefore license dairy farmers that prove their cows express only A2 protein in their milk (and not A1 protein). A2 milk is marketed by the a2 Milk company to contain only the A2 type of beta-casein. Initially, there were marketing claims that A1 proteins (specifically beta-casomorphin-7 or BCM-7) were harmful to our health, but a full review of the literature by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2009 nullified such claims. Insufficient evidence exists to suggest A1 proteins have a negative effect on our health. The EFSA found no relationship between drinking milk with the A1 protein and non-communicable diseases such as type 1 diabetes, heart disease and autism, which is the focus of much of the hype. After these findings were released to the public, the marketing focus shifted towards the A1 protein causing digestive discomfort and symptoms usually associated with lactose intolerance (for example, bloating and flatulence).

GI News – October 2016

Page 2

What’s the evidence? Two small studies have been carried out to date. The first peer-reviewed human study was conducted with a small number of people (41). Only ten of the participants reported softer stools than when drinking the A2 milk. Softer stools indicate faster intestinal transit so these results go against the evidence in animal studies that the A1 protein slows down the movement of contents through the gastrointestinal system, which could be thought to bulk up stool content and hence result in harder stools. The second study conducted in humans was published in 2016 and it did use common commercial milk that contains both the A1 and A2 milk proteins and compared this to consuming milk containing only the A2 protein. But it included only people (45 subjects) who self-reported an intolerance to cow’s milk. Of the 45 subjects, 23 were diagnosed as lactose-intolerant. Someone who is intolerant to cow’s milk has an inability to digest lactose due to a deficiency in the lactase enzyme. But it is important to note lactose is present in both A1 milk and A2 milk. The results showed A2 milk did not cause an increase in unpleasant digestive symptoms (for example, bloating and flatulence) usually associated with milk consumption in those who are lactose-intolerant. When cow’s milk containing both the A1 and A2 proteins was provided, there was an exacerbation of stomach upset. However, this would be expected for someone who is sensitive to dairy products, or lactose-intolerant. The study also found changes in inflammatory markers, but these need to be interpreted carefully. Despite some statistically significant changes between the two milk groups being noted, these aren’t necessarily clinically relevant and therefore do need further investigation in a much larger study with a greater sample size. What to choose? For those who do not experience any problems with milk consumption, there is no evidence to suggest any benefit in having A2 milk over the common consumed commercial milk, which contains both the A1 and A2 proteins. For less than half the price per litre, the latter would be the favoured option. For those who self-report an intolerance to milk or are lactose-intolerant, A2 milk may be a suitable selection to prevent commonly reported stomach upset complaints, but so too is lactose-free milk. For many people with lactose intolerance small amounts of regular milk can be consumed without symptoms, especially in mixed meals. Lactose-free milk does not contain lactose, which is the naturally occurring sugar that causes the gastrointestinal problems in the lactose-intolerant. Consequently, what is needed is a study comparing the effects of lactose-free milk versus A2 milk in those who are lactose-intolerant. The most important thing is that we don’t exclude milk products from the diet (unless for cultural reasons), as dairy is a rich source of calcium that is readily bio-available (meaning we can absorb the majority of it from this food source). Calcium and dairy are essential for the prevention of osteoporosis (brittle or weak bones) and an adult should aim for three dairy serves a day (milk, yoghurt or cheese).

What next? Longer-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed, as both of the studies conducted in humans to date have been conducted with small numbers over short durations. Dr Nicholas Fuller is Research Fellow, Clinical Trials Development & Analysis, University of Sydney (The Boden Institute, Charles Perkins Centre). If you live in Sydney/NSW and you are interested in participating in clinical trial research for weight loss and prevention of metabolic disease, please email: clinicaltrials.boden@sydney.edu.au or call (02) 8627 0101.

GI News – October 2016

Page 3

NEWS BRIEFS Kevin Klatt of Nutrevolve explores the issue of funding nutrition research and potential conflicts of interest; Ted Kyle of Conscienhealth reports on reducing kids’ sugar intake, sweeteners and food terrorism and our fat pets. FUNDING NUTRITION RESEARCH AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST A recent JAMA Internal Medicine piece reviewed the Sugar Industry's influence of nutrition science back in the 1960s and note in their limitation section that: "There is no direct evidence that the sugar industry wrote or changed the NEJM review manuscript; the evidence that the industry shaped the review’s conclusions is circumstantial". Despite this, much (but not all) media commentary either directly or implicitly state that the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) paid researchers to think in some way and write research for them. “Alas, the nature of the files uncovered can't confirm such a relationship” writes researcher Kevin Klatt in his review of the JAMA piece. He writes: “The major take away from this JAMA-IM analysis, for me, is that industry is going to interact with and sometimes fund researchers with whom the industry believes will view the evidence in a way that can bolster their bottom line; this isn't too surprising. This happens now, and it's happened in the past; there's even evidence that our The Sugar Conspiracy hero/JAMA-IM cited Yudkin was a bit cozy with the egg industry. As long as nutritionists remain interested in studying food and nutrients, there will always be an industry marketing department eager to give some research money. The academic question that remains is the threat that this presents to the integrity of the questions asked, the data generated, and its interpretation by individual researchers and ultimately, policymakers – all needing to be balanced against the potential for unexplored research questions and limited collaborative expertise if industry funding is cast aside. I would like to see the media begin to become critical of zealous researchers and alternative sources of bias. Industry is going to remain especially interested in funding primary research and reviews as zealous scientists and clinicians continue to make hyperbolic claims beyond the causal evidence. Yudkin writing a book titled Pure White and Deadly probably didn't exactly discourage the sugar industry from wanting to throw money at dietary fat researchers who held alternative hypotheses to his hyperbole. In a similar light, the modern day Yudkin – Robert Lustig – penning articles titled ‘The Toxic Truth About Sugar’ and publishing uncontrolled trials of fructose reduction with large associated PR efforts probably isn't discouraging the sugar/sugar sweetened beverage industry from funding researchers to call out the obvious hyperbole and perform highly controlled trials that not surprisingly don't recapitulate weaker lines of evidence. The media and those invested in the conversation need to present all of the questions at hand, not just a narrative of ‘big industry buys scientists to distort the irrefutable evidence’. What are we to do about industry funding researchers with messages some aspects of public health don't like? Does that warrant ending all industry funding? How can industry and academics interact? What balance of industry and private funding should exist if it even should? How do we report on perceived vs actual influence? How do we encourage researchers to take a less biased approach to looking at the evidence, especially when we're surrounded by constant alarms ringing about ending obesity, diabetes, CVD and cancer epidemics? All of these questions are part of a larger conversation that we need to be having and presenting to the tax-paying public who are ultimately going to play a big role in research funding. Calling for less weight to be given to all industry-funded research, and making claims about the modern research environment based on a past lack of transparency to push a narrative of outright industry influence probably isn't exactly my idea of a strong start to this conversation.”

GI News – October 2016

Page 4

HITTING THE BRAKES ON SUGAR FOR KIDS A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) calls for a dramatic cut in sugar for kids. In a scientific statement published this week, AHA recommends that children between 2 and 18 consume no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day. That’s a reduction of two-thirds from the estimated 75 grams that an average American child eats today. Within this guideline, only one small serving of soda is permissible. Those little 7.5-ounce (220 mL) mini cans of Coke have exactly 25 grams of added sugar. A 12-ounce (355 mL) can, with 39 grams, is over the limit. An 8-ounce (235 mL) glass of lemonade is verboten: 28 grams of sugar. Just one cup of flavored yogurt can hit the daily limit of sugar for kids, depending on the type. Bottom line, one serving of just about any sugary treat – flavoured yogurt, soda, cookies, cake, or candy – will take a kid right up to this new daily limit. So how will consumers respond? Expect some unintended consequences. As the consumer response becomes clear, food makers will respond in turn. We predict a surge in “no added sugar” food products – some with dubious dietary quality. We are in the midst of a massive dietary experiment. Click here for the AHA scientific statement and here for more from LiveScience. SWEETENERS AND FOOD TERRORISM The annual meeting of the AADE offered much to like, but a scientific session on sweeteners belongs at the top of the list. Claudia Shwide-Slavin and Alan Barclay gave a concise tour of science and fiction about this sweet stuff that worries the Puritans among us. They had us from the start with a smart list of myths perpetuated by people who should know better. Just a few months ago, Robert Lustig asked for an endorsement of his claim that “sugar is toxic.” We declined. So seeing that claim at the top of the myth list was comforting. But they didn’t stop there. Shwide-Slavin reviewed a series of the absurd headlines that bombard us with fear mongering about all kinds of sweeteners. Barclay aptly labels such reporting as “food terrorism.” Unfortunately, some researchers participate in that circus. They bait the press with sensational press releases about animal studies that might be irrelevant to humans. Not content to stop there, Shwide-Slavin and Barclay moved on to a thorough review of the evidence base for both caloric and noncaloric sweeteners. They patiently explained the weaknesses of studies used for fear mongering. They offered pragmatic advice about how to advise clients about sugars and sweeteners based on facts, not feelings. So take a look at their presentation (here). Or better yet, pick up a copy of their no-nonsense book on sweeteners (here). You’re unlikely to find a more complete review of fact and fiction about the sweet stuff we love and sometimes fear.

GI News – October 2016

Page 5

OBESITY REFLECTED IN THE FACES OF OUR PETS Is human obesity reflected in our pets as they increasingly suffer from the same condition? In Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, a new issue devoted entirely to the subject paints a picture that mirrors the problem in humans. Obesity is perhaps the biggest health problem facing our animal companions. Many owners deny that it’s a problem. And it is devilishly hard to treat. Just as parents are frequently blamed for the obesity of their children, so are owners blamed for the obesity of their pets. The prevailing bias about obesity in pets is that owners cause it. The presumption is, they do it by using food as an expression of love for their animals. Pet health advocates also blame “Big Pet Food” for making food that animals devour greedily. Cats purr and dogs wag at the sight of this “junk food” for pets. Myths and presumptions are hard to separate from facts about pet obesity. One fact is pretty clear. More than half of cats and dogs in the U.S. have excess weight or obesity. The headroom for preventing obesity in our companions is shrinking away. And yet, just as in human obesity, we keep hearing unsubstantiated claims that “this condition is easier to prevent than treat.” If it’s so easy to prevent, why does the prevalence keep growing? Obesity in animals is on an almost perfectly parallel path with humans. The understanding of obesity in animals is incomplete, just as it is in humans. Trying to solve a problem without really understanding it seldom works out well. When we set aside myths, presumptions, and bias, research will lead the way to prevention and treatment that works in both animals and humans. Until then, wheels are spinning. Click here for the special issue of VCNA:SAP. and here for further perspective on obesity in animals. When GI News looked at the shape our pets are in back in May 2013 we included an interview with Zoobiquity author, Dr Barbara Natterson-Horowitz on factors that go beyond calories in and calories out that could very well be influencing metabolism in both individual human patients and other species too – things like the seasonal microbiome, and circadian variation, even climate change, endocrine-modifying chemicals, and perhaps antibiotics in the environment. You can read that story here.

PERSPECTIVES WITH DR ALAN BARCLAY

SOCIAL DRINKING While water is an essential nutrient (it is required in amounts that exceed our body's ability to produce it), in most parts of the world, the consumption of a wide variety of beverages is also an important component of our social lives. We are just as likely to meet friends or family over coffee/tea, or at the local club or bar, as we are for a meal. And when it comes to parties, what’s available on the drinks menu often outweighs the hors d'oeuvres. We all know that water is the best beverage for quenching thirst and meeting our daily fluid requirements: it is the most refreshing beverage (particularly when consumed cold), provides zero kilojoules/calories, plus a few minerals. However, few people meet up for a glass of water, shout a round of water at the local bar, or propose a toast to newly-weds with glasses filled with water.

GI News – October 2016

Page 6

Statements by well-meaning but ill-informed individuals trying to address rising obesity and associated type 2 diabetes rates that we should all “just drink water” are naïve. Luckily, most of us have access to a range of alternative beverages that can help fulfil important social roles. Tea or coffee typically meet people’s day time social requirements in many “Western” nations like Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe. These beverages can be consumed “black” and in this state provide very little energy (kilojoules), vitamins, minerals or dietary fibre. Of course, adding milk increases the energy, vitamin and mineral content, and for many makes the beverage more enjoyable. Nutritive sweeteners like table sugar help decrease the natural bitterness of tea and coffee, but in the process increase the carbohydrate and energy content but do not add any vitamins or minerals. Of course, intensely sweetened alternatives are available at most venues and they contribute very little energy or carbohydrate. For evening drinks and parties, soft drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages are the main contenders in the social arena. As we have discussed in previous editions of GI News, regular sweetened soft drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages all provide similar amounts of energy per ml. Soft drinks and juices provide more carbohydrate than most alcoholic drinks with the exception of some ciders. For many people, “diet” soft drinks are an important party/pub drink as they provide essentially no energy or carbohydrate, and have a bit of “zing”, so they can be sipped slowly, helping deliver some of that important social lubrication. They can even be made in to a range of delightful mocktails for the more adventurous. Perhaps surprisingly, it is likely the social role of diet beverages that appears to make them more effective than water when it comes to longer-term weight maintenance. A recently published randomised controlled study of over 300 adults found that consumption of 710ml of “diet” beverages per day for a year led to increased weight loss (6.2kg decrease) compared to water (2.5kg decrease). This confirms the observations of longer-term weight loss maintainers - a large proportion of whom report consuming “diet” beverages regularly. The authors concluded “Enjoyment provided by consumption of LNCSB [Low/no calorie sweetened beverages] may be particularly important when dealing with the continuous challenge of controlling energy intake during weight loss/weight loss maintenance.” So while water is the beverage of choice for quenching thirst, other beverages play important roles in our social lives and this component should not be overlooked in the global obesity and type 2 diabetes debate.

Alan Barclay PhD is a consultant dietitian and scientific editor of GI News (alan.barclay@gisymbol.com). He worked for Diabetes Australia (NSW) from 1998–2014 and is a member of the editorial board of Diabetes Management Journal (Diabetes Australia) He is author/co-author of more than 30 scientific publications, and co-author of The Low GI Diet: Managing Type 2 Diabetes (Hachette Australia) and The Ultimate Guide to Sugars and Sweeteners (The Experiment, New York). His new book, Reversing Diabetes (Murdoch Books Australia), was reviewed in Glycosmedia Diabetes News

GI News – October 2016

Page 7

Q&A WITH PROF JENNIE BRAND-MILLER

I have read that we should be basing our diet mostly on plant foods for good health. But I have also read that a moderate protein diet will keep us feeling fuller for longer and help us maintain a healthy weight. Can you give me some tips on which low GI plant foods provide protein and how much? Building your diet around plant foods such as wholegrains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds can give you all the nutrients you need for long-term health and wellbeing. It’s not necessary to eat meat, chicken or fish to get enough protein. Plant proteins can provide you with all the essential amino acids you need. To give you an idea how much protein you can get from plant foods, I have selected the following foods (with their sample serving sizes) from The Shopper’s Guide to GI Values. Beans, peas and lentils

• ½ cup (150g) baked beans in tomato sauce (GI 49) provides an average of 7g protein • ½ cup (130g) canned, drained cannellini beans (GI 31) provides an average of 8g protein • ⅔ cup (125g) cooked red lentils (GI 26) provides an average of 12g protein • 1 cup (180g) cooked split peas (GI 25) provides an average of 12g protein • 1 cup (170g) cooked soy beans (GI 18) provides around 23g protein • 100g (3½oz) tofu provides around 10g protein (GI not relevant) • 1 cup (250ml) light soy milk (GI 44) provides around 7g protein

Grains and grain foods

• ¾ cup (30g) Kellogg Special K original (GI 56) provides around 6g protein • ¾ cup (45g) Kellogg All-Bran (GI 44) provides around 7g protein • ¼ cup (30g) uncooked traditional rolled oats (GI 57) provides around 3g protein • 1 slice (35g) Tip Top® 9 Grain™ Original bread (GI 53) provides around 4g protein • 1 slice (40g) Bürgen® Soy-Lin® bread (GI 52) provides around 6g protein • 1 cup (170g) cooked brown rice (GI 59–86, so check the tables and choose a low GI one)

provides around 5g protein • 1 cup (170g) cooked basmati rice (GI 58) provides around 4g protein • 1 cup (180g) cooked pasta (GI 35–54) provides around 6–7g protein • 1 cup (180g) cooked fresh rice noodles (GI 40) provides around 2–3g protein • 1 cup (180g) cooked soba/buckwheat noodles (GI 46) provides around 7g protein • 1 cup (190g) cooked pearl barley (GI 25) provides around 4–5g protein • ½ cup (90g) cooked quinoa (GI 53) provides around 4.5g protein

Nuts and seeds

• A small handful (30g/1oz) of most nuts or seeds will deliver around 5g protein (GI not relevant)

Stock your pantry with legumes, wholegrains (such as grainy breads, muesli, quinoa, amaranth, brown rice, pearl barley and rolled oats), nuts (particularly almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews and peanuts), and seeds (sesame seeds, tahini paste, and pumpkin seeds). They are also good sources of iron and zinc typically sourced from protein-rich foods. It’s even easier if you eat dairy foods and eggs.

GI News – October 2016

Page 8

Professor Jennie Brand-Miller (AM, PhD, FAIFST, FNSA, MAICD) is an internationally recognised authority on carbohydrates and the glycemic index with over 250 scientific publications. She holds a Personal Chair in Human Nutrition in the Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney. She is the co-author of many books for the consumer on the glycemic index and health.

HEARTFELT HEALTH WITH NICOLE SENIOR

Here, I’ll be focusing on good food and good living for heart health throughout 2016. Each month, I’ll bring you news you can use and ideas to inspire you to look after your heart. Whether it’s high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, a big belly or the whole darn lot, you’ll find advice, hints, tips and tricks to help you and your family get back to whole-hearted health. TOP FOUR CHOLESTEROL BEATERS Last month I wrote that blood cholesterol is still an important risk factor to manage, and the right diet can really help whether your doctor has prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication or not. And the European Society of Cardiology agrees in their latest guidelines for the management of high cholesterol. They suggest all patients should receive at least a 50% reduction in LDL, regardless of other risk factors but with a diet and lifestyle focus rather than statin drugs for all. They recommend a diet low in saturated fat with a focus on wholegrains, vegetables, fruit and fish as an important mainstay of treatment. Let food be thy medicine indeed (thank you Hippocrates- you were onto this idea ages ago).

If you want the best cholesterol lowering results for your efforts, start with these star performers.

Good oils The largest effect on your cholesterol levels will come from what you might colloquially call a ‘grease and oil change’. You’ll achieve a significant improvement in your cholesterol numbers by replacing saturated fats in things like butter, lard and cream with unsaturated oils like olive, canola and sunflower. And not just the oils themselves, but products made with them such as margarine spread and salad dressings. Enjoy your meat lean and your dairy products fat-reduced to further enhance the cholesterol-beating powers of good oils. And avoid trans-fats in butter, meat fat, hard cooking ‘stick’ type margarine and commercially produced pastries such as croissants and Danish. Enhancing the flavour of heart-friendly foods with good oils in cooking, dressing and spreading is a tasty prescription with no side effects.

Plant sterols You’ll find this clever ingredient in effective amounts in products that have been fortified with them. The most well-known products in Australia are margarine spreads, however they are available in other products such as milk, and an even wider variety of products in the USA, Europe and Canada. Although plant sterols occur naturally in oils, nuts, seeds and grains, the amounts are tiny, whereas fortified products contain concentrated amounts. Aim to consume 2g of plant sterols daily and you can expect an average cholesterol reduction of 10%. Two grams is typically found in three servings of fortified foods, for example: one Tablespoon of sterol-enriched margarine spread; or 2-3 glasses of sterol enriched milk. Check the labels of products to find out the amount of plant sterols they contain. You can eat plant-sterol enriched foods in cooking as well and this helps make it easy to achieve the target amount.

Soluble fibre Soluble fibre is the kind made famous by the ‘oat bran revolution’ of last century. Oats contain a kind of soluble fibre called beta-glucan that helps lower LDL cholesterol. Porridge or bircher muesli for breakfast could start ticking boxes early in the day. There are a variety of other foods that contain soluble fibres as well, such as pectins and gums in fruits such as apples, oranges, passionfruit, mangoes, avocadoes and berries and vegetables such as Brussels’ sprouts,

GI News – October 2016

Page 9

sweet potato, eggplant (aubergine), carrots and asparagus. Every mouthful of fruit salad, eggplant dip or baked vegetables is doing you good. Pulses and legumes such as lentils, soy beans, kidney beans and split peas are also good sources of soluble fibre. Aim to include legumes in two meals a week: baked beans on toast (or a falafel wrap) counts as one, and adding lentils to your pasta sauce could be the other; Easy.

Nuts The cholesterol-beating power of nuts is probably the best news you’ll hear all year. I can’t think of another food that tastes as good, is as versatile, and also as good for your heart. It’s their unique combination of plant protein, healthy fats, fibre and phytochemicals that make them so effective in improving your cholesterol numbers. All nuts are good so enjoy a variety of what you fancy, ideally unsalted (and leave the candy or chocolate coated nuts to special occasions). Coconut is not actually a nut and will actually increase cholesterol so leave it to occasional indulgence only. Enjoy nuts on their own as a snack, add them to breakfast cereal, salads and stir fries.

Regular readers will know cholesterol and heart health is a special interest and I’ve written a book about it with Veronica Cuskelly. Find more helpful information, useful food tips and delicious recipes in the new revised and updated edition of Eat to Beat Cholesterol (new Holland) here.

Nicole Senior is an Accredited Nutritionist, author, consultant, cook, food enthusiast and mother who strives to make sense of nutrition science and delights in making healthy food delicious. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or check out her website

KEEP GOOD CARBS AND CARRY ON BERRIES Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did” said Dr William Butler back in 1621. Of course we aren’t alone when it comes to fondness for berries and berrying. When North America’s black bears find a patch or bush, they will spend hours delicately plucking them one at a time with their flexible lips. Don’t hang around to watch. Many of us have nostalgic “pick-your-fill” and “fill-your-pail” memories gathering berries in the wild, or family fun at berry-picking farms in the summer months. But of course what we mostly buy these days are punnets (especially on special) from the produce store. And sometimes they aren’t as fresh as they might be. So, check the punnet closely (top and bottom) to make sure they all look well formed, fresh and dry (moisture attracts mould), have a uniform good bright colour, aren’t squashed or damaged (bruising or soft spots) and there’s no oozing juice or fermenting smell. When you get home, open the punnet (or punnets) and sort and remove any bruised or damaged berries says food writer Kate McGhie, author of Apple Blossom Pie. Store in the refrigerator for two to three days in the punnet. With strawberries, it is a good idea to place them on a plate in a single layer on paper towel and cover with plastic wrap. Blueberries are the least perishable of all berries and will last for seven to ten days if refrigerated. Do not rinse berries until you are ready to use them.

GI News – October 2016

Page 10

At a glance Some are sweet, others are tart, all are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients but they have very few calories or carbs (so will have little impact on blood glucose levels). They (especially wild Nordic berries) can also be a source of omega-3 fatty acids.

• 5 medium-sized strawberries (70g or 2½oz) have about 70 kilojoules (17 calories), 1g protein, no fat, 2g carbs (sugars), 1.5g fibre, 90mg potassium and a low GI (40) and GL (1).

• ½ cup blueberries have more carbs—80 g or 2¾oz (about ½ cup) has 9g carbs and a low GI (53) and GL (5).

BERRY COMPOTE The preparation of berries and fruit during late summer is still a beloved and cherished part of Nordic cooking writes Magnus Nilsson in The Nordic Cookbook– a beautiful book published by Phaidon with over 700 authentic recipes from Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. In the summer months, berries are everywhere, piled high in the markets and growing wild in woods and hedgerows ripe for the picking and eating right then and there or planning ahead and turning into jams and jellies, soups and compotes like this one. Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 500–700g (1lb 2 oz–1½lb) raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, rinsed and hulled if necessary Sugar to taste 2–3 tablespoons potato starch (or corn flour/starch) Put three-quarters of the berries in a large pot and pour in 2 cups (500ml/17fl oz) of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then stir in the sugar. • In a small bowl, mix the potato starch with a couple of tablespoons of cold water. Stir it into the compote and return to a simmer. Add the rest of the berries, then take off the heat.

Per serve 320 kJ/ 75 calories; 1 g protein; 0.5 g fat; 15 g available carbs (includes 9 g sugars and 6 g starch); 4 g fibre; 5 mg sodium; 210 mg potassium.

IN THE GI NEWS KITCHEN THIS MONTH

The best of berries and seeds this month with simple and satisfying recipes from Veronica Cuskelly and Simon Bajada.

EAT TO BEAT CHOLESTEROL These delicious crepes make the most of coconut’s delightful texture and taste. The recipe is reproduced from the latest (it’s the third if you are counting) edition of Nicole Senior’s Eat to Beat Cholesterol (New Holland). The recipes were created by Veronica Cuskelly.

Mixed Grain Porridge with berry compote: The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook

GI News – October 2016

Page 11

COCONUT CREPES WITH YOGHURT AND BERRIES If you wish, you can make these gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and dairy-free by using soy-yoghurt and a dairy-free margarine spread. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 6 (makes 12 crepes) Crepes 1 cup plain (all purpose) flour 1 tablespoon black chia seeds 1 x 50g (1½oz) egg 1 tablespoon (20g) melted and cooled cholesterol-lowering margarine ½ cup low–fat vanilla yoghurt 1 cup 100% pure coconut water Olive oil spray Topping 1½ tablespoons moist coconut flakes 1½ cups diced mixed berries (blueberries and strawberries) ½ cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in the chia seeds and make a well in the centre. • Lightly beat the egg, margarine and yoghurt in another mixing bowl. Pour the egg mixture into the flour and using a wire whisk, beat until smooth. Gradually pour in the coconut water mixing until the batter is smooth. Transfer mixture into a jug. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and coat lightly with oil spray. Pour mixture into the pan, swirling to thinly cover the base of the pan. Cook until lightly browned, about 2–3 minutes. Turn crepe with a spatula and cook for about a further 1 minute. Keep warm and continue with the remaining mixture. • Lightly toast the coconut in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly. • Fold crepes onto serving plates, sprinkle with berries and coconut and top with a dollop yoghurt. Per serve (2 crepes) 811kJ/ 186 calories; 7g protein; 6g fat (includes 2g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.5); 27g available carbs; 3g fibre; 97mg sodium

NORDIC FOOD Nordic food is on trend at present. Over the next few months we will be offering readers a taste of its clean, fresh flavours. This recipe is from Nordic Light by Simon Bajada published by Hardie Grant. SEEDY CRISPBREAD This delicious, moreish snack can be eaten on its own, topped with cheese and pickles, crumbled over bowl foods like yoghurt with fruits or broken over salads for texture. As it’s bound by the psyllium husks and chia seeds rather than by wheat, this crispbread is also gluten free and we guesstimate, low GI (it has very little available carbohydrate). Makes 1 crispbread (serves 24) with extra seed mix Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes

GI News – October 2016

Page 12

1 cup chia seeds 1 cup sunflower kernels 2 cups pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup sesame seeds ¾ cup golden or brown linseeds (flax seed) 1 cup psyllium husks 2 tablespoons rapeseed (canola)oil Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). • Mix together all the ingredients, except for the rapeseed oil, in a suitable container. • Measure out 2 cups of the seed mixture and add to a large bowl. Transfer the remaining seed mixture to a sealable container or jar for later use (this quantity will give you enough to make a further 3 crispbreads). • Add 1 cup of water and the oil to a bowl and stir through the seed mix. Leave to sit for 15 minutes. • Using a spatula, pile the mixture into the centre of a sheet of baking paper, then spread it out into a rectangular shape. Lay a second sheet of baking paper on top and roll over that to roll the mixture out into a 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in) rectangle with a thickness of no more than 1 cm (½in). • Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the edges curl up and start to turn golden brown. • Leave the bread to cool on a wire rack to dry out and become crisp. Store in a sealed container for up to a week.

Per serve 915 kJ/ 220 calories; 7g protein; 18g fat (includes 2g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.13); 3g available carbs (includes 0.5g sugars and 2.5g starch); 11g fibre; 215mg sodium; 200mg potassium

GLYCEMIC INDEX FOUNDATION NEWS

SANDWICHES – ONE OF THE FIRST FAST FOODS

We don’t exactly know how long sandwiches been around but the first reference in a cookbook is in Charlotte Mason’s The Lady’s assistant for regulating and supplying her table, containing one hundred and fifty select bills of fare (1773). The sandwich was certainly named after John Montague, Fourth Earl of Sandwich, probably in the 1760s (his sandwich was salt beef between two slices of bread). Whether this meal was to sustain him at his desk (he was a Cabinet Minister who worked long hours) or the card tables as gossip at the time had it, is unclear.

Today the sandwich is everywhere – and eaten all hours of the day. From the Aussie sausage sandwich (a sausage between two slices of bread) to the English cucumber sandwich, they come in all shapes (think kids’ lunch box ideas) and sizes (triple decker sandwich). They are certainly great if you are deskbound (you can eat them with one hand). But also perfect for picnics, meals on the run and sports days. And after hours you can dress them up for special occasions, finger food or for light meals. And what’s not to love about a toasted sandwich?

Burgen® Australia have a range of sandwich ideas on their website and have shared a couple with us made with their deliciously moist Pumpkin Seeds Bread (GI 51). For more information on the Burgen® range, check out the GI Symbol website.

GI News – October 2016

Page 13

MINTED YOGHURT, LAMB AND PUMPKIN Here’s a great way to make the most of leftover roast lamb. Serve as an open sandwich as pictured, or a regular sandwich made with two slices of bread. It is also delicious made as a toast topper. Makes 2 open sandwiches. ½ cup reduced fat Greek yoghurt 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint 1 cup of roasted pumpkin cubes finely sliced red onion if desired 100g (3½oz) lean lamb slices Baby spinach leaves Combine yoghurt, lemon zest, and mint and mix well. Spread evenly over bread slices. Top with pumpkin, onion (if using) and lamb and sprinkle over spinach leaves and serve. • If making a regular sandwich, layer one slice with the pumpkin, onion (if using), lamb and spinach and top with the second slice of bread and cut in half diagonally to serve. Per sandwich 1400 kJ/ 335 calories; 27g protein; 10g fat (includes 4g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.67); 27g available carbs (includes 14g sugars and 13g starch); 10 g fibre; 305mg sodium; 1070mg potassium ANTIPASTO TOASTIE Makes 2 sandwiches 2 tablespoons tomato pesto 2 slices pumpkin seed bread 2 fresh bocconcini, sliced 2 chargrilled red capsicum halves, thinly sliced 2 bottled artichokes, sliced basil leaves Spread pesto over slices of bread. Layer one slice with the bocconcini, capsicum, artichokes and basil leaves. Top with the second slice of bread and pop in a sandwich press and toast until golden and filling has warmed through. Per sandwich 875 kJ/ 210 calories; 11g protein; 8g fat (includes 3 g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.6); 20g available carbs (includes 8g sugars and 12g starch); 7 g fibre; 485mg sodium; 485mg potassium

Dianna Crisp is the Communications and Partnership Manager at the Glycemic Index Foundation, a not-for-profit, health promotions charity. Email on info@gisymbol.com For more on the GI Foundation go to www.gisymbol.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter

GI News – October 2016

Page 14

THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY In this section we will be covering news from the University of Sydney Nutrition Faculty as well as the Charles Perkins Centre. We will also highlight the partnership with the Glycemic Index Foundation and their initiatives including the GI Symbol Program and CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. THE DIABETES AND DEMENTIA SYMPOSIUM ON THE 10TH OCTOBER 2016 The inaugural annual meeting for the Charles Perkins Centre’s Brain and Body Research Node. This is an opportunity to hear from experts in chronic systemic and brain disorders including discussion on how we can leverage our combined knowledge to develop fresh research approaches to both areas. Keynote speakers include: • Professor Suzanne De La Monte, Brown University, Rhode Island who coined the term “Type 3 diabetes" for Alzheimer’s disease • Professor Velandai Srikanth, Monash University whose work focuses on the interface between cerebrovascular disease and neurodegeneration. For further details on the event and program information click here. GLYCEMIC INDEX FOUNDATION The Glycemic Index Foundation (GIF), a not-for-profit health promotion charity supported by the University of Sydney and JDRF (Australia), provides a range of health education materials and tools. Key programs include the GI Symbol program, GI News and the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet.

THE GI SYMBOL PROGRAM This certified symbol identifies foods that have been GI tested following the international standardised method. Manufacturers pay the GI Foundation a licence fee to use the symbol on their products and this income is channelled back to education and research. To earn certification, foods must be a good source of carbohydrate and meet a host of other nutrient criteria including total carbohydrate (to limit glycemic load), kilojoules (calories), total and saturated fat, sodium (salt), and when appropriate, dietary fibre and calcium. You can download the Product Eligibility and Nutrient Criteria here. If you are a food company or retailer and you have a product that you think may be eligible to carry the GI Symbol, we’d love to hear from you.

• Email Dianna Crisp on info@gisymbol.com • Website: www.gisymbol.com • Facebook • Twitter

GI News – October 2016

Page 15

THE TOTAL WELLBEING DIET ONLINE The GI Foundation has partnered with the CSIRO to provide the new, personalised 12-week on-line Total Wellbeing Diet weight-loss program that includes a wide range of low GI carbohydrate foods and meals. The program offers:

• 12 weeks of membership • Over 1000 delicious and family-friendly recipes • Online tools to help track your progress • Weekly tutorials from CSIRO and Glycemic Index Foundation experts • Step-by-step exercise programs • Optional home delivery of your meal plan groceries with Woolworths online

For more information, visit: Total Wellbeing Diet.

t. Copyright © 2016

Editor: Philippa Sandall Science Editor: Alan Barclay, PhD GI Symbol Program: Dianna Crisp Contact: info@gisymbol.com Technical problems or faults: info@gisymbol.com GI testing: sugirs.manager@sydney.edu.au

For more information on permission to reproduce any of the information pertained in this newsletter please contact info@gisymbol.com

GI News – October 2016

Page 16