Diet Bytes April 2006

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

Check Out Chocolate This Easter... Easter might conjure up images of fluffy chicks, daffodils and hot cross buns. But for slimmers, chocolate is likely to be the first thing that springs to mind. With numerous opportunities for indulging in the odd egg, Easter is a time of temptation, especially for dieter’s who’ve avoided chocolate in an effort to lose weight. Read more...

What a Pain... New research from America shows that people who are obese are more susceptible to pain. In the study, 62 people with osteoarthritis of the knee were given a mild electric shock in their ankle before and after a session aimed at helping them to learn how to relax in order to improve pain. Read more...

Ditch the TV Dinners... After years of being bombarded with TV cookery programmes like Ready, Steady, Cook and Masterchef Goes Large, a new survey reveals we’re finally beginning to take notice and dust off our pots and pans. According to this year’s Consumer Attitudes to Food Survey, published by the Food Standards Agency, more than half of us now claim to prepare meals from scratch at least once a day. Read more...

Work it Out... Most WLR members know that taking more exercise and being active every day is crucial when it comes to losing weight – and equally importantly, keeping it off. This month, the medical journals have included some more unusual studies looking at different aspects of exercise in terms of health and well-being. Read more...

Green for Go... After months of research and discussion, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has finally agreed on a ‘traffic light’ system for supermarkets and manufacturers to include on the front of food packaging to help their customers choose a healthier diet. Read more...

Eat to Beat High Cholesterol... A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that eating a certain combination of heart-healthy foods, including fish, oatmeal, almonds and lean meat, can help to reduce ‘bad’ or LDL cholesterol as much as medication. Read more...

Lower Calorie GM Apple... Believe it or not, scientists from the University of California have found a way to make ‘diet’ apples. Researchers have genetically modified apple trees so they store sorbitol instead of fructose. Read more...

Keep Up to Date

If you'd like your Diet Bytes as soon as they're published, register for our free newsletter Diet and Fitness Monthly.