Diet Bytes April 2005

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

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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