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Diet Bytes
April 2005
By WLR Dietitian
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Yoghurt beats bad breath
Yoghurt’s not just good for your waistline. According to
new research from Japan, it may also help to beat smelly
breath, tooth decay and gum disease. The research, presented
at last month’s International Association for Dental Research
meeting in America, found that 80 percent of volunteers who
ate just 90g of sugar-free yoghurt every day for six weeks had
lower levels of hydrogen sulphide in their saliva – one of the
main causes of pongy breath! Levels of plaque and gum disease
were also significantly lower. The researchers believe it’s
the active bacteria found in yoghurt that responsible for the
benefits.
Weight Loss Resources says…
Dairy products have been known to be good for teeth for
some time now and some dentists even recommend eating a small
piece of cheese at the end of a meal to help prevent tooth
decay. This is because cheese increases the amount of saliva
in the mouth, which helps to neutralise the harmful acids that
cause decay. Meanwhile, the high calcium and phosphorus
content of cheese may also help to replace some of the
minerals in tooth enamel – the protective coating on teeth –
further strengthening them.
More research is needed to confirm the effects yoghurt may
have on bad breath and tooth decay. But in the meantime,
eating it is unlikely to do you any harm if you go for a
sugar-free or natural variety. Like cheese, yoghurt is packed
with calcium and phosphorus but it’s also lower in fat and
calories, making it a better choice if you’re trying to lose
weight. And it would seem you only need one small pot a day to
get any potential benefits!
Assault on salt
It seems we’re no longer taking health advice to reduce the
amount of sodium in our diets with a pinch of salt. According
to new research from the Food Standards Agency, who launched
their salt awareness campaign in September last year, there’s
been a 32 percent increase in people claiming to be making an
effort to cut down on salt and a 27 percent increase in those
who say that the salt content of a food would affect their
decision to buy the product.
In fact, the campaign has been so successful that results
from this year’s annual Consumer Attitudes Survey carried out
by the FSA, reveals our number one health concern is now the
amount of salt contained in food. Worries about food
poisoning, fat and sugar followed hot on the heels, but
concerns about additives, GM foods, BSE and food allergies
paled by comparison.
Weight Loss Resources says…
It’s great news that we’re finally beginning to wake up to
the fact that too much salt is bad for us, increasing our risk
of high blood pressure, which in turn is a risk factor for
heart disease and stroke. The last big national survey carried
out in the UK in 2001, showed that at least 26 million people
were having more than the recommended maximum daily intake of
6g a day, with men having, on average, 11g a day and women 8g
a day. New evidence suggests a significant improvement on
these figures.
To keep salt intakes down, it’s important to avoid adding
the white stuff to meals or cooking and to eat fewer salty
foods such as sauces, pickles, crisps, savoury snacks, canned
and cured meats, sausages, burgers, ham, canned fish in brine
or tomato sauce, ready meals and canned soups. Meanwhile, the
food industry has made a pledge to cut the salt content of
many foods including bread and breakfast cereals.
If you want to work out how much salt different foods
contain, you may need a calculator. Most food labels provide
details on the sodium content but don’t always convert this
into an equivalent value for salt. To convert sodium into salt
you need to multiply by 2.5. Otherwise, use this as a simple
guideline: according to the FSA, a lot of sodium is considered
to be 0.5g or more per 100g, whereas a little sodium is
considered to be 0.1g or less per 100g.
Chocs away
New research reveals that the chocolates you choose are a
guide to your personality! The poll, carried out by
Woolworth’s found that fans of nutty chocolates tend to be
methodical and think first before acting. Coconut lovers are
perfectionists and thinkers, while those who love toffee
centres are the life and soul of the party. Fudge lovers tend
to act first, think later and are sociable and popular, and
praline and truffle lovers are outgoing, laid back and arty!
Weight Loss Resources says…
No matter what chocolates you choose, it’s worth
remembering they all contain around the same amount of
calories and need to be limited if you want to lose weight!
Individual chocolates can also do more damage to your
waistline than a small bar as it’s easier to overindulge. Next
time you open a box of chocolates, bear in mind that each
chocolate may contain 50 to 100 calories each, so limit
yourself to just a few!
Anyone for tennis?
We can’t promise you’ll get a body like Wimbledon-babe Anna
Kournikova, but playing tennis is a great way to burn calories
and tone up. And now thanks to the Lawn Tennis Association
(LTA), you can have a lesson for free. As part of their annual
Play Tennis scheme, the LTA is offering every single person a
free tennis lesson at their local club so they can learn the
basics. British number one Tim Henman, who’s backing the
scheme, says, ‘Play Tennis is a fantastic initiative and, in
its seventh year, has encouraged more than half a million
people from all abilities to pick up a racket. Tennis can be
played by anyone and is a fun way to get fit with friends.’
For more information or to find your nearest court visit
www.ltaplaytennis.com
Weight Loss Resources says…
Tennis provides a great aerobic workout and tones the
muscles in your arms, shoulders, back, legs, thighs and bottom
– in fact pretty much all over. Better still, an hour on the
court will burn around 500 calories!
News flash!
Doctors have come out on top in an annual poll that asks
the public whom they trust the most. Nine out of 10 people
agreed that doctors were the most trusted professionals,
followed by teachers (88 percent), professors (77 percent),
judges (76 percent) and clergymen (73 percent). Politicians
and journalists came bottom in the trustworthy stakes!
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