Eating Well - Beaming with Health

Mim Biem 

The Commonsense 

Guide to 

Eating 

Well 

for the 

Nutritionallv 

Bewildered -'

Published by ABC Books for the 

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION 

GPO Box 9994 Sydney NSW 2001 

Copyright O Mim Beim 1998 

First published October 1998 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication 

may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system 

or transmitted in any form or by any means, 

electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording 

or otherwise, without the prior written permission 

of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 

National Library of Australia 

Cataloguing-in-Publication entry 

Beim. Mim, 1960- . 

The commonsense guide to eating well for the nutritionally 

bewildered. 

ISBN 0 7333 0649 7 

1. Health. 2. Nutrition - Requirements. 3. Naturopathy. 

I. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 11. Title 

613.2 

Designed by Midland Typesetters 

Set in 11/14pt Caslon540 by Midland Typesetters, Maryborough, Victoria 

Colour separations by Finsbury, Adelaide 

Printed and bound in Australia by GnBn Press, Addaide

Contents 

Introduction 

Part I: The Geography of Nutrition 

1 The digestive tract 

How the worm turns 

A brief overview 

The ins and outs 

A closer look 

Surprising saliva 

Speed eating 

Stomach acid: double, double, toil and trouble 

Bile: digestive detergent 

Villi: the coal face of digestion 

The end of the tunnel 

Part 11: Essentials 

2 Carbohydrates: fuel and fibre 

Classification 

What happens to glucose in the bloodstream? 

Cows can, horses can, even mice can digest fibre 

Types of fibre 

Dietary recommendations 

What fibre can do for you

The Commonsense Guide to Eating Well 

3 Protein: strength and structure 37 

Look in the mirror - what you see is protein 37 

How much is enough? 38 

Who needs extra? 39 

Amino acids: the Lego blocks of life 40 

EAA: all or nothing at all 41 

Are you getting enough? 43 

Clever vegetarianism: protein combining 44 

4 Fat: not a dirty word 46 

Fat the Rat 46 

Getting to know you 46 

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acics 48 

Better to be a peroxide blonde than a 

peroxide polyunsaturate 49 

Fat and fabulous 50 

Fat tastes fabulous 51 

The tragedy of processed oils 51 

EPD and UFOs: the story of essential fatty acids 52 

Prostaglandins 53 

Mysterous susbstance X 54 

Cholesterol: nightmare or blessing? 56 

Some slick answers to an oily problem 57 

5 Water: the most important nutrient 59 

It's wet, what else? 59 

How do we know when we are thirty? 60 

Diets: the wet and the dry 61 

Tap water, filtered water, spring water - which 

water? 61 

Drink it anyway, you won't regret it 63 

Part 111: Bits and Pieces 

6 Safe or fake: additives, organics and germs 

in the kitchen 67 

Sweet as sweet can be: artificial sweeteners 67

Contents 

Food additives: preserve or punish? 71 

Food safety: not in my kitchen you don't 74 

How bacteria breed and spread and what to do 

about it 77 

Organic shmorganic: chemical free 79 

Part IV: Our Daily Food 

7 The food we eat 

Nuts, seeds and oils 

Herbal tea 

Vegetables 

Grains 

Fruit 

Milk 

Beans 

Meat 

Eggs 

Fish and shellfish 

8 The food we eat: but should we? 

Coffee 

Tea 

Alcohol 

Chocolate 

Part V: Vitamins and Minerals 

9 The basics of micronutrients 143 

Vitamins: water soluble and fat soluble 143 

About minerals 144 

Are vitamins and minerals a waste of money? 145 

To supplement or not to supplement? 145 

Who will benefit from nutritional 

supplementation? 146 

How long should you take a supplement? 147 

What is the RDI and what does it mean for you? 147


Mr Average and Mrs Typical 

When is the best time to take a supplement? 

Synergists and antagonists 

Which vitamins should I take? 

Be nutritionally responsible 

10 Getting to know you: vitamins and minerals 

Antioxidants 

The vitamins 

Bioflavonoids 

The minerals 

Part VI: Nuts and Bolts 

11 Good Diet 

Cornerstones to good nutrition 

12 Tailor-made 

Allergy 

Menopause 

Premenstrual syndrome 

Overweight 

Skin 

Stress 

Healthy heart 

Glossary 

Bibliography

To Bill 

Acknowledgments 

This book is essentially a distillation of ten years of teaching 

nutrition to naturopathic students. I would like to acknowledge 

my good friend Linda van Niekerk, and my good 

husband, Bill Alldritt, for suggesting I create a book from 

these lectures. 

I am deeply appreciative for the help and advice I have 

received from the following people: Lorna Scott, Kerrie 

Murrell, Dannae Brown, Doris Alldritt, Craig Ashley-Russell, 

Lyn Crossley and Phil. Thankyou. 

Special thanks to my publisher, Stuart Neal, for making 

the book writing process as painless as possible.

Introduction 

I have some very smart patients. Sick, but smart. It always 

surprises me how these intelligent, creative, successful 

people often do not have a clue about good nutrition. Oh, 

they might murmur knowingly about the benefits of omega-3 

fatty acids; but when questioned will sheepishly admit to 

being flummoxed. They are not alone! In my 10 years of 

teaching in naturopathic colleges, I have found a mass of 

con-fusion. What is the difference between a legume and a 

grain? Is a legume the same as a bean? Should I care? Why 

do beans give me flatulence? Other questions include: Why 

aren ' t six cups of coffee equivalent to six cups of water?; and 

Why do I feel tired after lunch? Let alone knowing the 

intricacies of fatty acids. In fact, it takes quite a lot of 

background information before one understands that an 

omega-3 fatty acid is scientist-speak for a chain of carbons 

with the first double-bond occurring on the third carbon from the 

methyl end. No wonder people get confused! 

Nearly every magazine and infotainment program has 

something to say about diet and nutrition. Unfortunately, the 

information is often contradictory. For example, take the 

maxim `Cholesterol is bad ' . In fact, cholesterol is not bad. 

Cholesterol is vital. Did you know that from cholesterol the 

body makes oestrogen, phospholipids necessary for brain 

function, vitamin D and the stress hormone cortisol? It 

doesn ' t help to see avocados proudly sporting `no cholesterol ' 

labels when the poor green darlings don ' t possess a liver with 

xi

xii 


which to create cholesterol in the first place. And what's 

more, for most people, their blood cholesterol levels have 

nothing to do with how much cholesterol they eat. 

All this makes me angry and an angry naturopath is a terrible 

thing. To ease my anger I have written this book. I hope 

it gives you easy-to-digest information and the inspiration to 

look after your diet and yourself. After all, you are what you 

eat.

THE GEOGRAPHY 

OF NUTRITION

f-cm 

DESCENDING COLON

The Digestive Tract 

How the worm turns 

In a book about nutrition, why are we discussing the digestive 

tract? Basically, the best nutrition will come to nought if your 

digestive tract is not up to scratch. The digestive tract, also 

known as the alimentary canal or gastrointestinal tract (GIT), 

is simply a hollow tube. Much like an earthworm, the tube 

is open to the world at both ends - mouth and anus. It is the 

interface between the food we eat and our body; essentially, 

the geography of nutrition. 

Our body is fashioned around this tube. In order for the 

saying 'you are what you eat' to be true, what you eat needs 

to make the hazardous journey across the wall of the intestine, 

into the bloodstream. Until this time, food in the tube 

has not been absorbed. What is inside the digestive tract, is 

outside you - strange but true.

4 T&e Commonsense Gaide to Eating Well 

A brief overview 

The GIT begins at the mouth, transforming into the oesophagus, 

then the stomach, followed by the small intestine, large 

intestine, rectum and anus. The muscular tube is essentially 

the same structure throughout, however the terrain changes 

according to a 'need to digest' basis. For example, the 

stomach lining looks very different from the lining of the 

small intestine. The former is thickly coated with acidresistant 

mucus; and the latter looks like a 1970s shagpile 

carpet. On average, the digestive tract is 9 metres long, 

roughly as long as two decent-sized loungerooms. Quite a lot 

of tubing to fit into the short distance from face to fanny. 

digestive -4 

is siqfly 

4 h ojb *be, open fo fhe li/of/d 

Q+ id4 mds - fiod.4 ad anus 

&( bdy is fhrhiW amd +ha &be

The Digestive Tract 5 

In conjunction with the GIT, other structures including the 

pancreas, liver, gall bladder, teeth and salivary glands are 

needed for the digestive system to function. These ancillary 

organs of digestion are attached to, but do not form part of, 

the tubing. 

The ins and outs 

The digestive tract has several functions. The first is ingestion, 

being the act of taking food or liquid into the body, 

which occurs at the top of the tube, the mouth. The second 

function is to facilitate movement along the tube. The wavelike 

muscular motion, which pulses in a downward direction, 

is called peristalsis. If animals relied on gravity alone for food 

to pass along the digestive tract, many a cow or other grazing 

animal would be in big trouble, as their mouths are pointing 

downwards most of the time. 

Function number three gets to the guts of the matter, 

digestion. Digestion is the process whereby we break food 

down into smaller and smaller bits. The first stage of digestion 

is mechanical in nature, where we physically grind the 

food with our teeth and churn it with the thick muscly walls 

of the stomach. The next stage of digestion is chemical, taken 

care of by digestive enzymes. These enzymes convert the 

fragments of food into little itty-bitty bits, small enough to 

cross the intestinal wall. 

Function four is absorption, the passage of digested food 

across the digestive tract into the bloodstream, eventually for 

distribution to all parts of the body. If a food is not absorbed 

across the intestinal wall, it will continue on downwards and 

eventually out the other end of the tube. Of course, the food 

needs to be broken down into small enough bits in order to 

hurdle across. Protein is broken down into amino acids. Fat

6 The Commonsense Guide to Eating Well 

is broken down into glycerol and fatty acids, and carbohydrate 

is broken down into simple sugars. Fibre, which is a form of 

carbohydrate, is unable to be broken down and therefore 

cannot be absorbed. 

The final function of the digestive tract is that of defecation. 

Allowing indigestible substances and waste products to 

leave the body is an important process of elimination. 

A closer look 

Taste sensations 

I spent a good half of my childhood glued to the television set 

watching the Flintstone family. My interest in the evolution of 

eating habits probably stems from these times with Fred, 

Barney, Wilma and Betty. Another favourite, the Jetsons, 

seemed, in the 1960s, a plausible if dysfunctional family of the 

near future. It made me believe that by 1969 (at the latest), we 

would all be eating food pills containing all the nutrients our 

bodies required - and we did, in trips to the moon. 

There are over 10 000 tastebuds dotted over the tongue. 

They clump together in groups of 40 to 60 cells into projections 

called papillae that we call tastebuds. Each bud is penetrated 

by nerve fibres, which are able to transmit information 

about chemicals in food to the brain, which in turn translate 

this into taste. Although the tastebuds are scattered over the 

tongue, there appear to be several areas of taste concentration, 

with the sweet buds located around the tip of the 

tongue, sour on either side, bitter at the back and salt somewhere 

in the middle. 

Tastes escape from our tongue into our language: 'how 1 

sweet life is'; 'she's a sour puss'; 'what a bitter pill to swallow'; 

'Bill is the salt of the earth'. 

Why the Jetson's all-you-ever-needed-in-a-pill didn't take


off is that it lacked taste and smell. Our sense of smell is 

linked with our emotional and memory centre, located in the 

hippocampus in the brain. Certain smells trigger emotions, 

like the smell of bacon and eggs on a Sunday morning (particularly 

if you are an Aussie male) or freshly cooked bread. 

Like Pavlov's dog, exactly the same reflex principle applies 

to human animals. Digestive juices begin to flow when the 

brain detects a wholesome foodsmell. If you feel well, you 

digest well. 

Taste provokes a stronger message than smell. Tastebuds 

that line the tongue are literally nerve endings, ultimately 

triggering other nerves to get the digestive show on the road. 

The major players are sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Other 

contenders include pungent, alkaline (soapy), metallic (the 

coppery taste of blood) and umame, which translates from 

the Japanese as yummy (a taste that monosodium glutamate 

accentuates and is found mainly in meat). Each taste has its 

own shade and nuance. 

Acid 

During my first term of studying Economics at Sydney 

University, I took a Wine Appreciation Course that was held 

each Tuesday lunchtime, just before the Statistics 1 lecture. I 

failed Statistics that year. (As an accountant I make a good 

naturopath!) Nevertheless, it is an ill wind that blows nobody 

good . . . The course tutor set up a series of glasses containing 

distilled water. To each glass he added a drop of acid. A drop 

of tartaric acid in one, a drop of malic acid in another. We 

students took a sip from each glass, noticing which part of the 

tongue was affected by the sourness. The taste was strongest 

at the sides of the tongue, with malic acid below the tartaric. 

Malic acid is more predominant in cooler climate grapes, tartaric 

acid in warmer - we could now show off at dinner parties. 

There are hundreds of different types of acids and other


compounds in many types of foods, not only wine. It stands 

to reason that there would be an equal diversity in sweetness, 

bitterness and even saltiness. 

Sweet, sour, salty and bitter 

One can't ask one's tongue why there are different tastes, so 

any reason given is pure conjecture. Children, in particular, 

like sweet things. It could be because of an association with 

mother's breast milk that has a relatively high sugar (lactose) 

content. In addition, sweet fruit contains vitamin C. Humans 

cannot make their own vitamin C, yet require it daily. 

Perhaps we developed a liking for sweetness, which in nature 

supplied us with this valuable vitamin. Unfortunately, sweet 

foods today, like chocolate bars, rarely contain vitamin C. 

Another reason why it may be evolutionarily sound to be able 

to detect sweetness, is that many carbohydrate foods are 

sweet and carbohydrate is our major source of energy. 

The tastebuds that register sour and bitter have a powerful 

effect on nerves supplying the digestive system, particularly 

to the liver. To help stimulate a sluggish digestive system, I 

often recommend a morning glass of hot water with either a 

teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or the juice of half a lemon 

(both are sour), or a predinner drink of bitters in water. Bitter 

foods have taken a low profile of late, which is a shame as they 

can be powerfully medicinal - also stimulating liver function. 

Examples of bitter foods include radicchio (red lettuce), cress, 

rocket, olives, bitter melon, grapefruit and coffee. 

There are as many savoury tooths as there are sweet tooths. 

Salt is an important substance for the body, needed for many 

biological functions, including fluid balance. It is a shame that 

salt has become so easy to overdo. We can obtain all the salt 

our body needs by eating well. There is no need to add extra, 

although, if you like (and your diet is low in processed foods), 

you could supplement with a little sea salt or natural soy sauce.


Surprising saliva 

We produce about 1 to 1.5 litres of saliva daily. Quite a lot of 

spit, you'll agree. Water makes up 99.5 per cent of saliva, moistening 

the food sufficiently so that it doesn't scrape on the way 

down. The remaining 0.5 per cent is full of surprises. A couple 

of enzymes lurk in saliva: ptyalin (with a silent 'p') starts the 

breakdown of carbohydrate, whereas another enzyme, lysozyme, 

is responsible for killing bacteria. Mucin, also present in 

saliva, helps lubricate the chewed food, so it literally slips down 

the throat. Sodium, potassium and bicarbonates are also present 

to balance the pH, which needs to be slightly on the acid side 

of neutral (see pHocus on pH, page 10). 

Speed eating 

Chewing sends a message to the brain that dinner is about 

to be served. The brain then transmits this information to the 

organs of digestion. If we don't chew, the digestive juices 

don't flow and peristalsis slows down. If we don't chew properly, 

big pieces of food are going to travel down the digestive 

tract and end up in the lower bowel, where they become food 

for bacteria, producing gas. If you suffer bloating and flatulence 

the first thing you need to do is chew. 

There are entire families of speed-eaters. Speed eating is 

a lifelong habit and is usually passed down through the generations. 

Like any habit, speed eating is difficult to break. 

One tip is to put down your knife and fork between each 

mouthful to remind yourself to chew. 

If a patient walks into my consulting room chewing gum, 

I grab a tissue and ask them to spit their gum into the tissue. 

If you are not about to eat a meal, don't chew. Chewing gum

I0 

The Commo~rsense G de to Eating Well 

sends mixed messages to the digestive system and is responsible 

for many a bloated tummy and a few stomach ulcers. 

Stomach acid: double, double, toil and trouble 

Once food gets to the stomach it should be nicely chewed up 

and look soupy. The stomach is a muscle-bound organ, about 

the size of your fist. It is designed to churn the food around 

and mix it with the powerful digestive fluid, hydrochloric acid. 

Hydrochloric acid (see pHocus on pH, below) is designed to 

kill bacteria and other germs, as well as begin the process of 

protein digestion. If the acid is strong enough, around pH 1.2 

to 3.0, the enzyme, pepsin, will be activated to break down the 

bonds joining protein chains together, and the even finer work 

of separating amino acids from one another by snipping peptide 

bonds. A 3 millimetre thick lining of mucus protects the 

stomach wall from being damaged by the acid. 

A pHocus on pH 

There's more to pH than hair conditioners. pH stands 

for hydrogen potential and is a nifly way to measure 

acidity. The more hydrogen ions there are, the more 

acidic it is. The scale swings from very very acid at 0, to 

very very alkaline, the opposite of acid, at 14. Neutral is 

7: neither acid nor alkaline. Levels closer to 0 on the 

scale are more acidlc: 6 is more acid than 7. However, 

6 is not just one time more acidic, but 10 times more 

acidic than 7. A change of one whole number on the 

pH scale represents a 10-fold change. 

0..1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10..11..12..13..14 

acid neutral alkaline

The Digestive Tract 

I 

pH is all very well, but what has it got to do wfth me? 

Maintaining the correct pH is one of the most important 

jobs the body has to do. If the pH of our blood varies 

by as little as 0.5 to pH 7.0 or 8.0 we are in serious 

trouble, courting acidosis or alkalosis. Luckily, the body 

is veq good at keeping pH levels within acceptable 

parameters. The body needs to maintain stable pH 

levels for blood, saliva, inside and outside cells, semen, 

stomach and pancreatic juice. 

Stomach add 

As this book is about nutrition, it seems reasonable to 

focus on the pH of our digestive juices. Stomach acid is 

wicked acid, as you can see from the table on the next 

page, it bubbles away at around a pH of 1.2 to 3.0. If 

you were to accidentally spill a couple of drops of 

stomach acid on your arm, it would bum the flesh away. 

Ouch. We need it to be so acidic to break some of the 

bonds holding protein strands together. Also, acid that 

powerful is an excellent death trap for bacteria and other 

germs. In fact, if stomach acid is not add enough (a 

condition called hypochlorhydria) , protein is inadequately 

digested. This can cause digestive problems, 

such as bloating, as well as increasing the likelihood of 

food allergies, as partially digested protein fragments are 

absorbed thereby setting up an immune response in the 

body. Another down side of insufficient stomach acid is 

lack of zap power. Bacteria, &uses et a1 have a greater 

chance of surviving and setting up shop lower down the 

bowel. People with low stomach acid are more likely to 

suffer food poisoning and travellers' bowel. Other signs 

of low stomach acid include peeling and weak fhgernails, 

burping a lot, flatulence, abdominal bloating,

1.2 T&e Commonsense Guide to Eating Well 

feeling very full after not-so-big meals and dry lips all 

the time. 

A teaspoon of herbal bitters in water before dinner, 

or a digestive tablet containing hydrochloric acid with 

each meal can help restore underactive stomach acid. 

Very rarely do people suffer from an excess of 

stomach acid. Symptoms such as refIux or heartburn 

may feel like there is too much acid, but it is more the 

case of acid being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Similarly with stomach ulcers, the acid should not have 

been able to penetrate the protective mucus lining in 

the fust place. Stomach ulcers are more often the fault 

of bacteria (Heficobactor pylon? andlor damage from 

aspirin, cigarette smoke, alcohol, cortisone or stress. 

1- ~uice, sbh 

acid 

vinegar, wine, carbonaCecl@ drink 

juia, juice, v~jMal fluid 

* 

urine, ~a/iVd 

hqt~ (disfilled) 

hilk, blood, semen 

p4~reafrc )ice, eggs, bile 

hking wid 

milk cf maynesid 

household arnMoniq


After departing the stomach, the ex-meal is jettisoned into 

the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum. It is now 

called chyme, not as in doorbell but as in crime. Immediately, 

we need damage control. The chyme, which is highly acidic, 

has been dumped into a part of the body, the duodenum, 

which (unlike the stomach) is ill-equipped to deal with high 

acid. Alkaline, digestive secretions from the pancreas and gall 

bladder buffer the acid to acceptable levels. 

The pancreas is an ice-cream cone shaped organ that 

spends its life lurking behind the stomach. Around meal-time 

it becomes a hive of activity, on one side excreting pancreatic 

juice into the digestive tract and on the other secreting 

insulin into the bloodstream. The pancreas produces valuable 

digestive enzymes and alkaline fluid (bicarbonate) that are 

collectively delivered into the small intestine. There are pancreatic 

enzymes for every occasion: enzymes for the digestion 

of fat called lipase; enzymes for the digestion of carbohydrate 

called amylase; and enzymes for the digestion of protein 

called protease. These digestive enzymes are able to break 

down fat, carbohydrate and protein into small enough units 

to be able to be absorbed across the wall of the small intestine 

into the bloodstream. 

Bile: digestive detergent 

The gall bladder is a sac that carries bile, a greeny brown 

liquid made by the liver. Bile is an example of recycling in 

action as it is part waste product, part digestive secretion. 

Imagine you are at a barbecue. The scene: 1977. The day 

is Sunday. Early January. It is stinking hot. There are several 

late model Monaros parked on the wilting grass. The music: 

Boz Scaggs. Coleslaw in parquet bowls, garlic bread wrapped 

in foil, potato salad and chops and sausages on the barbie.

14 


Unfortunately you are washing up. You are not environmentally 

aware; you cannot throw the plates away - they are 

your mother's plastic picnic plates and she wants them back, 

clean. The three choices are: 

1. wash the plates under the cold water tap; 

2. wash them under the cold water tap with detergent; or 

3. wash them in hot water with detergent. 

Left to its own devices, fat tends to blob. Mixing it with 

cold water only serves to make things worse, whereas hot 

water melts the fat. Detergent disperses fat into tiny droplets 

that are easier to deal with. This process is called emulsification. 

Choice 3 is the correct answer. 

If we return to the small intestine, we have a similar situation. 

It is very warm (body heat) and bile from the gall 

bladder acts as a digestive detergent, emulsifying the fat into 

smaller droplets. These droplets are small enough so that 

lipase, the fat-digesting enzymes from the pancreas, can 

break down the fat into fatty acids and glycerol. Then they 

can be absorbed across the intestinal wall. 

Villi: the coal face of digestion 

The small intestine is where virtually all digestive action 

happens. The small intestine is 6.4 metres long and is small 

in diameter, roughly 2.5 centimetres. It folds on itself like a 

slippery snake and takes up a fair amount of space in the 

abdomen. The first part of the small intestine, the duodenum, 

is where most absorption occurs, although there are 

opportunities down the entire length, including the jejunum 

and the ileum that joins the large bowel. The nutrients, fatty 

acids, glycerol, amino acids, glucose, vitamins and minerals 

cross over the thin layer of cells into the bloodstream. The 

majority of these nutrients follow the portal vein that takes


blood straight to the liver where they will be sorted out and 

sent on to wherever they are needed. 

The topography of the small intestine consists of fmgerlike 

projections called villi. Each villus is only a 

pis up wiH\ the 

pcrtal vein whih )q 

nkienk 6 +he / i v ~ 

couple of cells thick and is where nutrients are absorbed 

into the bloodstream. The villi are the coal face of digestion. 

These villi are custom made to increase the surface 

area of the small intestine. Some dedicated scientist 

(with a very small tape measure) measured up and 

down each villus for the entire 6.4 metres and calculated 

that the area for absorption is similar to the expanse of 

a football field. 

Amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, glycerol and 

glucose enter the vende (small vein) that joins up to the 

portal vein that goes to the liver. Because of the logistical 

problems of mixing fat in a watery environment, longchain 

fatty acids form into little packages called micelles 

and later chylomicrons that travel in the lacteal (central 

vessel in the villus), which is in fact an outpost of the

16 The Commonsense Guide to Eating WeZZ 

lymphatic system. The chylomicrons eventually enter 

the bloodstream, go to the liver and are then transformed 

into lipoproteins. The arteriole, a small artery, 

feeds the cells of the villus with nutrients and oxygen. 

The end of the tunnel 

The large bowel is much shorter than the small intestine, 

around 1.5 metres long, but it is much wider, 6.5 centimetres 

in diameter. At the end of our digestive journey, over 90 per 

cent of digestion has occurred by now. A few micronutrients 

and some water can be absorbed from here but the large 

bowel is not set up for absorption. 

The large bowel hangs in an upside down 'U', starting from 

the right-hand side where it joins the small intestine at the 

ileo-caecal valve, up the ascending colon, across the transverse 

colon and down the descending colon on the left-hand 

side. The rectum is where faeces are stored before they exit 

Abdominal massage can be very helpful for people who 

are constipated, suffer pain from the likes of diverticulitis, 

or just hold stress in their bowel. Lie down on your 

back, with your head on a pillow and a pillow under 

your bent knees - this will take any muscular tension 

away from the tummy. With the pads of the fingers of 

one hand, slowly and deeply, massage in small circles 

from the right-hand side above your hip, following the 

direction of the bowel. If there is any pain, ease up and 

then go back with a gentler motion. This massage can 

be done with warm oil or talcum powder.

Tde Digestive Tract 17 

via the anus. Throughout the entire digestive tract! there are 

literally billions of microorganisms, many of which are 

beneficial to our wellbeing (see probiotics box, page 34). 

Faeces are 75 per cent water and the rest is made up of 

bacteria (mostly from the bowel itself), fibre and sloughed off 

cells from the intestinal tract. Australians, among others, are 

a timid lot when it comes to talking about poo. Although 

there are enough scatological jokes to fill a library, few of us 

are willing to speak openly about something that is part of 

everyday life. This is unfortunate, as one can learn a lot from 

droppings; not least how well we are digesting our food. My 

first practical understanding of this came soon after I graduated. 

I had found work with a large vitamin company where 

one of my jobs was to answer letters from customers. Mrs P 

had written to complain about the quality of one of our 

vitamin pills. In case we felt inclined to doubt, she had kindly 

returned the tablet in question, fastidiously wrapped in toilet 

paper, after being retrieved from the loo. After recovering, I 

wrote to Mrs P tactfully pointing out that the problem was 

not with our vitamin pill, but with her digestive system. 

On a more serious note, bowel cancer is one of the most 

common forms of cancer. A change in bowel habits or the 

sign of blood could be early warning signs of this deadly 

disease (more often than not red blood is the sign of a haemorrhoid 

or small fissure, but it is silly not to investigate). It 

is a tragedy that we find it difficult to talk about this natural 

process of life openly and free from embarrassment. 

A fart is predominantly hot air expelled from the anus, 

whereas a burp is air released from the other end. 

Flatus, a posh word for fart, is a mixture of carbon 

dioxide, hydrogen and methane with various quantities 

of aromatic substances including hydrogen sulfide


(rotten egg gas), indole, skatole and arnrnonia (smells 

like tomcat wee). On average, we expel half a litre per 

day. Flatus arises from two causes. The first is the result 

of swallowing too much air. Fast eaters and fast talkers 

may find they need to expel excess air. The same may 

be true for mouth-breathers, those for whom the option 

of nostril breathing is blocked, including sinus sufferers 

and snorers. The other cause is home-grown. Of the 

bions of bacteria that inhabit our digestive tract, by far 

the majority live in the large intestine. Many produce gas 

as a by-product. Poor digestion is oAen the cause of 

flatulence and bloating, as the bacteria feast on food that 

has not been digested in the small intestine and has 

travelled down to the large bowel.

ESSENTIALS

Carbohydrates: 

Fuel and Fibre 

The word carbohydrate to many people conjures up plates of 

pasta, mashed spuds and rice. While these are carbohydraterich 

foods, the world of carbohydrates extends to fruits, vegetables, 

honey, sugar and fibre. 

Classification 

Humans love to classify things. Horoscopically: Aries or 

Pisces; racially: Chinese or Greek; religiously: Jewish or 

Buddhist. Carbohydrates are classified according to the 

complexity of their chemical structure. The least complicated 

structures, one or two units, are called 'simple' carbohydrates 

and the more elaborate structures, up to thousands of units, 

are called 'complex' carbohydrates.

22 The Commonsense Gzcide to Bating Well 

From the humblest to the most grandiose carbohydrate 

there are only three elements involved: carbon (C), 

hydrogen (H) and oxygen (0). Fie or six carbons jointo 

form rings, the oxygen and hydrogen just hang 

off these rings. The most common is the six-carbon 

structure, or hexose (hex-six, ose-sugar). And the three 

common hexoses in food are glucose, galactose and 

fructose, with glucose greatly outnumbering the other 

two. 

If you join two monosaccharides together, you have a disaccharide 

(di-two, saccharide-sugar). Joining glucose + glucose 

= maltose (the breakdown product of starches); glucose + 

fructose = sucrose (table sugar); and glucose + galactose = 

lactose (milk sugar). 

Glucose is our body's major fuel. Virtually every cell lives 

for and by glucose. Without glucose we die. However, in 

nature, glucose per se is rarely found. Rather, it is complexed 

with other simple sugars. As a consequence, our physiology 

has adapted to prefer complex carbohydrates. 

Complex carbohydrate no. 1: Starch 

Only plants contain starch, particularly grains, beans, seeds, 

nuts, some vegetables and fruits. A cubic inch of a starchy 

food like potato contains a million starch molecules. Carbohydrates 

should be about 65 to 70 per cent of our diet, with 

much of it in the form of starch. We may eat starch, but in 

order to utilise the fuel, glucose, we have to break the 

complex carbohydrate into single-unit sugar molecules, predominantly 

glucose.

Carbohydrates: Fael and Fibre 23 

Complex carbohydrate no. 2: Glycogen 

Glycogen is the second type of complex carbohydrate. It is 

how the human body stores glucose. Sometimes called 

'animal starch', glycogen does not occur in plants. We store 

most of it in the liver (up to 400 grams) as well as in the 

muscles (up to 100 grams). Glycogen is stored as ready 

energy. Like going to the store for food, if insufficient glucose 

is available from the bloodstream, it can be obtained by 

breaking down stored glycogen. 

Complex carbohydrate no. 3: Ffbre 

The third type of complex carbohydrate is fibre (also see 

fibre, page 29). At first glance under the microscope, fibre 

looks very similar to starch - a large group of glucose molecules. 

Upon closer examination the dissimilarity becomes 

apparent: the bonds holding the glucoses together in starch 

are different from the bonds holding the glucoses together in 

fibre. Humans don't possess the specific enzymes to untie 

these bonds, so the fibre continues down the digestive tract 

undigested. Cows and other animals have these enzymes in 

their rumen which explains why a horse can enjoy a square 

meal of hay and we can't. 

Glycaemtc index 

The glycaernic index is a ranking of foods based on their 

immediate effect on blood sugar levels. The greater the 

index, the quicker and higher blood sugar levels rise. 

Glucose is the gold standard at 100. Blood sugar levels 

are important for many things, including brain function, 

energy levels, insulin production and mood. 

Not all sugars are created equal. Glucose readily 

crosses over the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. 

The other single sugars vary in the speed at which they

' 


I 

cross this barrier, with fructose taking more than double 

the time of glucose and galactose skipping over 10 per 

cent faster. 

This recently acquired information has thrown the 

nutritional world into a tizz. In the past, everyone 

thought that complex carbohydrates have a slower 

impact on blood sugar levels than simple carbohydrates. 

Not so. For instance, take fructose, a single sugar, which 

has a glycaemic index of 23 compared with bread, a 

starchy food, which has a glycaemc index of 75. A total 

reverse of what we formerly thought. This information 

has had the greatest influence on diabetics, a disease 

whose nutritional world revolves around taking insulin 

according to levels of blood sugar. Who would have 

guessed that honey has a more moderate effect on 

blood sugar than parsnips or baked potato? 

There are several factors thought to affect glycaemic 

index, including fibre, anti-nutrients such as phytates 

and tannins, acidity, fat and protein. 

Although the glycaemic index presents us with some 

fascinating information, it is important to realise that the 

index is relevant to that food eaten in isolation. Something 

that rarely happens. We tend to eat foods like 

baked potato with other things like meat and peas, and 

these other foods bring down the glycaemic index to 

less panicky levels. 

What happens to glucose in the bloodstream? 

Once the sugar molecule (whether it came from a jellybean 

or a baked bean) crosses the intestinal wall, it is swept into 

a fast-flowing river of blood (portal circulation) taking all the

Carbohydrates: FzleZ and Fibre 25 

nutrients of digestion straight to the liver to be sorted and 

recirculated. If there are any toxins, the liver will hopefully 

be able to detoxify them before they are allowed to recirculate. 

After a meal, glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream 

and blood glucose levels will increase. A part of the brain, 

the hypothalamus, keeps a check on the amount of glucose. 

If it exceeds or falls below a particular range, orders are issued 

to set things right. The average amount of sugar circulating 

at one time is 20 grams, or four teaspoonsful. So you can see 

that there is not a lot of room to play around with. If something 

is wrong with the regulation, sugar in the blood can 

remain too high, as in the case of diabetes. 

Hypoglycaemia 

Hypoglycaemia cited in medical texts literally means 

'low (hypo) blood (aemia) sugar (glyc)', where the circulating 

blood sugars stay below normal levels for a prolonged 

period. This can be life-threatening and is usually 

drug or alcohol induced. On the other hand, the hypoglycaemia 

that natural therapists frequently diagnose, is 

a condition of fluctuating or seesawing blood sugar 

levels. Symptoms of this include exhaustion, depression, 

anxiety, irritability, mood changes, headaches, dizziness, 

sweating, tremor, fast heart beat (tachycardia), 

muscle pain and weakness, conksion, forgetfulness, 

sweet craving, reduced libido, excessive hunger 

between meals, waking exhausted, nausea before 

meals, tired after lunch and craving sweets, coffee, cigarettes 

and alcohol. Most symptoms improve after 

eating, reflecting an increase in blood sugar. 

The following factors contribute to hypoglycaemia: 

Missing meals, especially breakfast. By the time you 

eat lunch it could be 16 or 17 hours since last night's


dinner. You have effectively entered a fasting state, with 

low blood sugar levels. 

• A sweet tooth. 

• High glycaemic index foods eaten on their own. The 

glycaemic index (GI) ranks foods according to how 

quickly they raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a high 

GI, that is, between 70 and 100, will increase 

blood sugars faster and higher than foods with a low GI. 

• Substances that cause a rapid and unsustained rise in 

blood sugar levels include caffeine (coffee, cola and 

guarana), nicotine and alcohol. 

• Stress causes an increase in adrenalin that raises blood 

sugar levels. 

• Deficiencies in the vitamins and minerals which are 

necessary for sugar metabolism are bound to cause 

problems with sugar metabolism. The nutrients in 

question include zinc, chromium, calcium, magnesium, 

manganese and vitamins B1 and B3. 

What to do 

The treatment of hypoglycaemia is easy and results can be 

felt within a few days. 

• Eat small meals, regularly: breakfast, morning tea, 

lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper. 

• Each meal should contain a little protein and high fibre 

carbohydrate - for example, cheese and wholemeal 

bread, brown rice and dhal, beans on toast, egg and toast, 

tuna and rice, fish and salad. 

• Eat plenty of fibre. Fibre slows down the rate at which 

sugar is absorbed. 

• Avoid the triggers sugar, alcohol, coffee, cigarettes. 

• Foods which are particularly good for stabilising blood

Carbohydrates: Fuel and Fibre 27 

sugar levels include apples, blueberries, rye, oats, 

green beans, fenugreek and beans. 

Take a B-complex each morning or a tablespoon of 

brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast has the advantage of 

containing chromium, an important mineral in sugar 

metabolism. 

Once the glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream, it 

becomes known as blood sugar or blood glucose. Much of it 

enters cells where it will be converted into energy via a series 

of chemical reactions known collectively as the Krebs cycle 

(see box below). Every cell needs energy to do its job. Muscle 

cells use energy to move us around, lung cells use energy to 

accept oxygen. Every cell uses energy for its own health, as 

well as fulfilling its role in the body. The favoured fuel for 

cell energy is glucose. Glucose passes from the blood across 

the cell membrane and into the cell with a small push from 

the hormone insulin. 

Exactly how do I get energy from food? 

The Krebs cycle 

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. After we go through all 

the palaver of digesting our food, further biochemical 

tinkering needs to happen in order to extract energy. The 

body's preferred source of energy is glucose, but energy 

can also be obtained from fat and protein. 

After glucose has been gently shoved into the cell by 

insulin, the next step - glycolysis - begins the energyreleasing 

process. With the help of various enzymes, 

glycolysis is a series of chemical conversions that 

changes the six-carbon glucose ring into 2 three-carbon 

units known as pyruvic acid.


Little energy is released in this process and sometimes 

that is all that is needed, but usually the maximum amount 

of energy is required. The pyruvic acid enters the next 

stage, known as the Krebs cycle or citric acid cycle, a kind 

of biological ferris wheel. At each station of the wheel's 

revolution, the molecule will be set upon by certain 

enzymes, releasing energy along the way. After all the 

energy has been delivered, all that is Iefi is water (H 2 0) 

and carbon dioxide (C02) which can be breathed out of 

the body. The ferris wheel is located on little organelles 

(structures within cells) called the mitochondria. Cells containing 

lots of mitochondria, like muscle cells, are able to 

produce lots of energy. Cells with relatively few rnitochondria, 

like fat cells, produce less energy. 

The Krebs cycle will only be activated if oxygen is 

available. If, for some reason, oxygen is scarce, the 

pyruvic acid will be converted to lactic acid. Movement 

of the body requires muscle power and muscles need 

energy, especially so during exercise. Unless plenty of 

oxygen is available to activate the Krebs cycle there will 

be a build-up of Iactic acid, which causes an unpleasant 

sensation. If a particular group of muscles is worked 

powerfdly for more than a few seconds we often experience 

a burning sensation. 

Incidentally, this is what aerobic exercise is all about. 

With sufficient oxygen, muscles are able to use energy 

obtained via the Krebs cycle. Aerobic exercise includes 

running, swimming and cycling; as opposed to anaerobic 

exercise such as weight lifring, where you're more 

likely to feel the lactic acid burn. 

If the glucose isn't immediately snapped up and used for 

energy it can be packed up and stored for a while to be used


as energy at another time. One way of doing this is creating 

glycogen, the complex carbohydrate mentioned earlier. The 

only hiccup here is that there is limited amount of storage 

space for glycogen: around half a kilo. So, if all the glycogen 

storage space is taken, any extra glucose will be converted to 

fat. 

Our body performs an act of alchemy changing carbohydrate 

into fat. Fat and carbohydrate are completely different 

entities, although they both contain the basic units of carbon, 

hydrogen and oxygen. Eat is the most economical way to 

store extra energy. We store energy as fat because it takes up 

less room than storing it as carbohydrate. 

Cows can, horses can, even mice can digest 

fibre 

Fibre is an important part of our diet, yet it is not a nutrient. 

It contains no calories, thus can give us no energy and 

virtually passes through the digestive system untouched. 

Nevertheless, you will be a very sick puppy if you don't eat 

enough fibre. 

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plants. The human 

digestive system does not have the correct enzymes to break 

down and absorb fibre. However, cows, horses, even mice 

have the enzymes to utilise fibre for fuel. 

Types of fibre 

Until a few years ago fibre was fibre. It was the husky bran 

surrounding wheat called cellulose, the bit that gets stuck in 

your teeth. When it first became apparent that fibre had some 

benefit, we all raced for the bran and began tipping it into


and onto everything. What was formerly sneered at as chaff 

for horses became the `in ' food for the health conscious. Chaff 

suddenly trebled in price with the emergence of bran barons! 

Nowadays, our knowledge of fibre is a lot more extensive. 

For a start, we know that there are several different varieties 

apart from cellulose. 

Cellulose is the fibre that gives plants backbone. It is insol- 

uble in water. Cellulose is found mainly in the bran of grains 

such as wheat. 

Pectin is abundant in fruits; for example, apples, oranges 

and also in some root vegetables. Pectin swells up in size 

when it is dissolved in water and for this reason is helpful in 

treating constipation and diverticulitis, as it helps form a 

bulkier, 

softer stool. It is a soluble fibre, capable of lowering cholesterol 

and removing toxins from the body. 

Mucilage is a type of fibre that is water soluble and forms soft 

and demulcent slippery stuff; for example, linseed, psyllium, 

slippery elm and marshmallow. These fibres are used to help 

soothe irritated linings of the digestive system as in ulcers, 

colitis and diverticulitis. It is also very good for constipation 

where the stool is hard and difficult to pass. 

Algin is a type of fibre found in seaweed. Although it is mostly 

used in the food-processing industry, the fibre in seaweed 

has the ability to chelate with heavy metals such as lead, so it 

makes a very good detoxifier. It also reduces the 

ill-effects of radiation, which made seaweed very popular 

post-Chernobyl. 

Resistant starch is starch which resists digestion and 

passes 

through to the large bowl. Beans contain some of this resistant 

starch, which is known as oligosaccharides. 

Chitin is an unusual fibre, one that is not carbohydrate, found 

in fungi, yeasts and the exoskeleton of invertebrates such as 

insects and crustaceans. It is basically insoluble and has been 

found to absorb fats. The diet industry has cottoned on to


this and has produced tablets containing chiton that will stop 

fat from being absorbed. This is not a good way to lose weight 

as fat brings to us so many important compounds, including 

the fat soluble vitamins. 

Lignin is another non-carbohydrate fibre. It is found in the 

woody parts of plants like the stems and cores of apples and 

pears, as well as in linseeds, rye and buckwheat. Lignin can 

be metabolised by gut microflora into lignan, a phyto-oestrogen, 

offering protection against hormone-dependant cancers 

such as breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. 

Dietary recommendations 

Eat 30 to 40 grams of fibre daily. This looks like: three to 

five vegetable servings, plus two to four fruit servings, plus 

six to eleven wholegrain pasta or bread or legume servings. 

It is best to increase your fibre intake gradually over several 

weeks to allow the digestive system to adapt. Otherwise you 

(and your loved ones) will experience flatulence. 

Drink lots of water, fibre is very thirsty. If you don't drink 

enough water, you will find your stools become dry and hard. 

Select a variety of fibres from a variety of foods; for example, 

fruits (including skin, pits and cores), seeds, vegetables (root 

and leafy), grains and legumes. 

What fibre can do for you 

In the bowel 

Fibre generally accelerates transit time, meaning that it takes 

less time for food to travel the length of the digestive tract 

from mouth to anus. In general, this is seen as a good thing. 

In the Western world, transit time is far too slow, adding to


all sorts of problems including constipation and bowel cancer. 

The longer the stool is present in the bowel, the longer it has 

time to form toxic products of fermentation and putrefactions. 

Some of these will be absorbed into the bloodstream. Fibre 

is as good for constipation as it is for diarrhoea. This may 

sound contradictory but the soluble fibres, including pectin 

and psyllium, swell up so much that they can slow down a 

too-speedy transit time, allowing time for nutrients to be 

absorbed, one of the problems with diarrhoea. 

Heavy metal 

Fibre has the ability to hold on to and excrete heavy metals 

such as lead, aluminium and mercury. The less of these in 

the body, the better. The down side is that fibre can also 

hold on to good minerals such as calcium and iron. This is 

one reason not to add extra bran to the diet but rather to eat 

a diet that is intrinsically rich in fibre; foods that will provide 

extra minerals instead of just removing them. 

Phytates 

Phytates are not a kind of fibre, although they are oAen 

found in cereals and legumes. Phytates or phytic acid 

can reduce the absorption of certain minerals, including 

iron, zinc, calcium and others. Phytic acid is the calcium 

or magnesium salt of inositol and phosphoric acid. Phytates 

are destroyed by heat which means that baked or 

cooked grains and legumes do not contain significant 

amounts of phytates, although consuming large quantities 

of raw bran and uncooked rolled oats could be a 

problem.

Ca~bohyd~ates: Fael and Fibre 33 

Decrease choIestero1 

Fibre, particularly soluble fibre, decreases cholesterol. One of 

the mechanisms is that it will hold on to excess cholesterol 

in the bowel and prevent it from being reabsorbed. 

Help with weight loss 

Fibre slows the rate at which food leaves the stomach. This 

has a twofold benefit. First, you will feel fuller longer after 

you have eaten, helping you to lose weight. Second, as nutrients 

take longer to be absorbed, blood sugar levels rise 

slower, which is very good if you suffer from diabetes or 

hypoglycaemia. 

Prebf 0th 

Because fibre is not absorbed in the small intestine, the bacteria 

in the lower bowel are able to use it for fuel. Fibre is 

the 'prebiotic' that feeds the good bugs, known as probiotics 

(see box on page 34). The bacteria nibble on the fibre and 

in return give us some valuable by-products, including antibiotic 

substances (for example, nisin), which help fight bowel 

infections. In addition, the bacteria produce short-chain fatty 

acids (SCFAs), mainly acetate, propionate and butyrate in the 

ratio 60:24:16 (see box on page 47). These short-chain fatty 

acids have shown to be incredibly beneficial. They are used 

as fuel by the cells that line the bowel and are probably the 

reason behind the statistic that people whose diets are low in 

fibre are more likely to get bowel cancer. A couple of less 

popular by-products include the gases hydrogen, carbon 

dioxide and methane - the main components of flatus. 

Increased fibre has proved to be helpful as part of a treatment 

and preventative regime for the following conditions: 

diverticulitis, constipation, colon cancer, heart disease, 

obesity, gall stones, varicose veins and irritable bowel 

syndrome.


Probf otfcs 

It is ironic that while spending countless dollars and 

hours ridding ourselves and our homes of germs, there 

resides literally biions of the blighters within our 

bodies. There are more bugs in the bowel than there 

are cells in the body. Such bugs are,collectively known 

as bowel microflora and the beneficial ones are called 

pro bio tics. 

At last count there were 100 trillion bacteria in the 

digestive tract weighing in at 1.5 kilograms. 

Thirty per cent of faecal weight is bacteria. 

In each M tre of saliva there are 10 000 bacteria. 

The stomach has 10 000 bacteria per millilitre, less 

than elsewhere in the gastrointestinal tract due to the 

presence of hydrochloric acid and pepsin. 

The small intestine: the duodenum has 10 000 bacteria 

per Mtre; and the ileum has 10 million per 

miIlilitre. 

The large intestine has 100 billion to 1000 billion bacteria 

per milIilitre. 

No doubt these internal interlopers are splitting their 

little sides with laughter as they watch us rub our hands 

raw with disinfectant soap. How they must chortle when 

we pay good money to buy encapsulated bacteria in 

bottles at health food stores and pharmacies. 

Mannerly duoflora 

Before you guzzle down that bottle of Dettol in an 

attempt to terminate their tiny lives, you must know that 

in return for accommodation, certain of these little folk 

go out of their way to provide us with substances beneficial 

to our welfare. 

These rather small bugs have rather large names.

Carbohydrates: Fzcel and Fibre 35 

! 

Some of the more famous beneficial microbes include 

Lactobacillus acidophilus (acidophilus) found in the 

stomach and small intestine, Biiidobacterium biiidm 

(bifidus) found in the lower reaches of the bowel, Lactobacillus 

bulgaricus, Lactobacillus brevis and Streptococcus 

thermophilus who are all transients, which mean 

they do good deeds then go. 

Certain strains of microflora are capable of producing 

the B vitamins biotin, niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic 

acid (B9), as well as vitamin K. Others act as watchdogs 

of the internal environment, secreting substances which 

promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms and 

substances toxic to pathogenic bacteria and viruses. 

Others produce lactase, an enzyme that helps digestion 

of milk sugar. Conditions including acne, constipation, 

psoriasis, bloating, flatulence, even tumours can 

respond positively to the substances created by these 

microorganisms. 

Tipping the balance 

Convinced yet these guys are paying their way? Microflora 

five in a finely balanced world where any change, 

however minor, is likely to tip the balance. This is a state 

of dysbiosis. Such changes can include constipation, 

irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhoea, abdominal X-rays, 

radiotherapy, a serious infection, a sudden change in 

diet, stress, the contraceptive pill, drinking tap water 

containing chlorine (chlorine is antimicrobial), steroids 

such as cortisone and taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are 

designed to kill bacteria - killing the good along with the 

bad. After a course of antibiotics, or if any of the above 

situations apply, then it is wise to go on a short program 

of friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus and bifidus. This 

will help reinstate healthy microflora.


A diet which promotes healthy microflora includes 

whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruit, miso and plain 

yoghurt made with acidophilus, bulgaricus or bifidus 

culture. 

I

Protein: 

Strength and Structure 

Look in the mirror - what you see is protein 

Protein comes from the ancient Greek word protos, meaning 

first. Long thought to be the most important or primary nutrient, 

nowadays we acknowledge protein's significance but also 

recognise the equal importance of carbohydrates and fat. 

Protein provides our physical structure. Pretty much all that 

you see in the mirror - hair, skin, nails, as well as muscle and 

even bone - is predominantly protein. Just as protein creates 

most of our macrostructure, so too is it vital for microstructures; 

the miniature nuts and bolts that keep us ticking over. All 

enzymes, neurotransmitters, blood proteins such as haemoglobin, 

antibodies and many hormones are made out of protein. 

No other nutrient will do; if there is no protein these macroand 

microstructures cannot be built. People whose diets are 

low in protein often suffer symptoms ranging from brittle hair 

and nails, poor immune function and delayed healing to muscle 

weakness. More severe protein deficiency eventually leads to 

to blindness, oedema, muscle wasting and death.

38 TZie Commonsense Gaide to Eating Well 

Kwashiorkor 

Kwashiorkor is the name given to severe protein deficiency. 

African in origin, kwashiorkor literally means 

'disease of the first born when the second baby is put 

on the breast': a terribly sad reality where the only 

protein available is through the mother's milk. An ironic 

symptom of kwashiorkor is a swollen belly. This is 

because the blood protein albumin retains water within 

blood vessels. Without enough protein there is insufficient 

albumin and so water leaks from the blood vessels 

and swells the abdomen. 

Protein can also provide us with calories for energy - 4 calories 

a gram (the same as carbohydrate). However, as neither 

carbohydrate nor fat provide us with the structural building 

blocks that protein supplies, using protein for energy is a tad 

wasteful. 

How much is enough? 

Unlike fat, protein cannot be stored in the body and so it is 

imperative that we eat enough protein each day to rebuild 

and repair muscles, enzymes, fingernails and eyelashes. If the 

body does not receive adequate protein from the diet every 

day, it will procure it somehow, usually by breaking down 

muscle tissue. So it is of no use to go on a protein binge one 

day a week, hoping that on average your protein intake is 

sufficient. The generally accepted recommendation for daily 

protein to keep us out of trouble is 1 gram per body kilogram. 

For instance, a 60 kilogram person requires 60 grams of 

protein a day. Roughly the same weight as a good-sized egg

Protein: Strength and Structure 39 

(although a 60 gram egg contains only 8 grams of protein, the 

rest being carbohydrate, fat and water). 

Who needs extra? 

During pregnancy an extra 6 grams of protein is required 

daily to meet the structural needs of the growing baby. 

Breastfeeding a baby requires that you eat an extra 12 to 16 

grams of protein daily. Children need proportionately double 

the protein an adult needs, due to the need to increase body 

structure. A growing child needs up to 2 grams per body 

kilogram. So a 30 kilogram child would need as much protein 

as a 60 kilogram adult; that is, 60 grams. 

Some body builders keen to be chiselled, cut and sculpted 

eat protein by the bucketload (12 egg whites for breakfast), 

although our body's capacity to build muscle is limited to our 

genetic potential. Excess protein will be used as calories or 

stored as fat and may eventually lead to problems with the 

liver and kidneys. 

The problem with excess protein 

Protein, unlike carbohydrate and fat, contains nitrogen. 

We lose about 30 grams of nitrogen in the general 

house-cleaning and maintenance that goes on in the 

body every day. The liver converts the nitrogen into 

ammonia and then urea, which the kidneys excrete via 

the urine. Normally, the body copes with this amount 

of waste nitrogen. The trouble starts when excess 

protein (more than double our requirements) is consumed 

(remember, we cannot store excess protein). 

The ammonia and urea are toxic and can cause 

damage, especially to the kidneys.

40 The Commonsense Guide to Eating Wedl 

Amino acids: the Lego blocks of life 

Protein is made up of lots of little units called amino acids. 

There are about 100 amino acids in nature and over 20 in the 

human body (see box below). Just like Lego blocks, amino 

acids can join together into all sorts of shapes but most often 

form chains, joined together by peptide bonds. These chains 

can grow quite long, up to hundreds of amino acids in a row, 

and the chains can cross and link with one another to form 

complex structures. 

Although an eyelash looks quite different from a toenail 

(one hopes), nearly all body structures are made up of protein. 

They look different because they contain different variations 

of the 20 amino acids, making an infinite number of combinations. 

It is the type of amino acids and their combination 

in the polypeptide chain, that determine the function and 

look of a particular protein. 

EM: all or nothing at all 

Our body needs all 20 amino acids to make the different 

proteins essential for life. When necessary, the body can 

create a new amino acid out of an old one. A bit of a cut and 

paste job: tack on a few carbons here, take away a few 

hydrogens there. Pretty clever stuff. However, there are a few 

amino acids that cannot be created from others. Known as the 

essential amino acids (EAAs), these amino acids must be 

eaten daily. As mentioned previously, we need 1 gram of 

protein per body kilogram, and that protein must be of good 

quality. Good quality doesn't necessarily mean it comes from 

David Jones, but food that delivers all the essential amino 

acids.

Protein: Strength and Structure 41 

Some people still believe that good quality protein must 

Amino adds in the body 

Alanine (Ala) 

Arginine (Arg) 

Asparagine (Asn) 

Aspartic acid (Asp) 

Cysteine (Cys) 

Glutamic acid (Glu) 

Glutamine (Gln) 

Glydne (Gly) 

Histidine (His) * 

Isoleuane (IIe)* 

Leucine (Leu) * 

Lysine (Lys) * 

Methionine (Met)* 

Phenylalanine (Phe) * 

Proline (Pro) 

Serine (Ser) 

Threonine (Thr) * 

Tryptophan (Try)* 

Tyrosine (Tyr) 

Valine (Val)* 

*means an essential amino acid 

come from meat. Meat does contain all the essential amino 

acids, however, if you cleverly combine foods such as beans 

and grains (see page 44) they will provide you with all the 

essential amino acids. The truth is that when tryptophan is 

needed for toenail manufacture it doesn't matter whether the 

tryptophan came from a peanut or a cow. 

For many years non meat-eaters were depicted as pasty

42 The Commonsense Gzcide to Eating Well 

and anaemic with a predilection towards communist philosophies. 

However, it soon became apparent that vegetarians 

were a defiantly healthy mob. Studies on Seventh Day 

Adventists show they suffer less obesity, heart disease, 

cancer, diabetes and virtually every other modern-day illness. 

And they live longer to enjoy it. The vegetarian diet generally 

is higher in fibre and lower in fat. 

Formerly, it was believed that all the essential amino acids 

needed to be eaten at the same meal. Now we know there 

is some leeway. If you eat a food low in one of the amino 

acids for breakfast, as long as you eat a food that contains a 

reasonable amount of this amino acid sometime in the next 

12 hours or so all will be well. 

Recipe for success and toenails: the art of 

protein synthesis 

How the body knows which protein to make, and when, 

is coded in genes on strands of DNA located in the 

nucleus of nearly all cells. There is information (recipes) 

on every aspect of us in these wispy threads of genetic 

material. When we need to grow a toenail, the recipe 

we need will be located at a particular point on the DNA 

strand - called a gene. If a toenail is required, only that 

recipe will be accessed, however tempting that vanilla 

soume recipe is on the next gene. 

First a copy of the recipe is made (messenger RNA) in 

the nucleus and is taken downstairs to the kitchen (cytoplasm). 

The recipe is very specific as to which amino acids 

go where, causing them to line up in a specific sequence 

to form our peptide chain (for example, Ser-Ser-Gly-Leu- 

Asn-Met-Met-Gln-Pro-Trp and so on). As each consecutive 

amino acid is needed for the recipe, a call goes out 

on the public announcement system for that amino

Protein: StrengfA and Stmctzcn 43 

acid - for example, serine (a non-essential amino acid) - 

to come forth. If there happens to be a serine in the near 

vicinity, it will step into line. If no serine is around, a suitable 

candidate wiII front up and sacrifice itself to a total 

makeover, becoming transformed into serine. In the event 

that an essential amino acid like tryptophan is needed, 

the call will go out on the PA system as before. If no 

tryptophan turns up, another more desperate call will be 

made. If still no tryptophan appears, we are in big 

trouble - the aforementioned toenail cannot be made. 

This may sound like good news (no more nail clippings 

on the carpet), however, if there is no tryptophan for toenails 

there will be no tryptophan for skin, muscle and 

enzymes. We need to have the essential amino acids on 

hand 24 hours a day or all protein making goes on strike. 

This is why it is crucial to our well-being to ensure that 

every day we eat enough protein containing all the essential 

amino acids. 

Are you getting enough? 

When I analyse people's diets, one of the most frequent deficiencies 

is protein. A good example is Michelle. Aged 28, 

Michelle has a busy life: a successful job in marketing, good 

friends and a membership to the gym which she visits daily 

because she thinks she has fat thighs. (She doesn't.) Michelle's 

main reason for seeing me was her lack of energy. When 

questioned, her energy levels had been low for a few years, 

and steadily getting worse. I always ask for people to measure 

their energy levels according to a scale of 0 to10 with 10 being 

'jumping full of beans'. Michelle was a very weary 4 to 5 

on the energy scale. Within two weeks of eating a diet that


contained more protein, Michelle's energy levels had lifted 

to 8 or 9. It is often this simple. 

Part of the problem was that Michelle simply did not know 

what foods contain protein. When I suggested that protein 

may be the answer, she agreed to try this novel approach but 

was worried about putting on weight. (Those thighs again.) 

So I gave her a list of protein foods that were relatively low 

in fat and asked Michelle to have one serve with each meal. 

The list of high proteinllow fat foods was tuna in brine, 

sardines in brine, egg, low-fat humus, low-fat ricotta, cottage 

cheese, lean red meat, chicken without the skin, 10 almonds, 

kidney beans, tofu, low fat yoghurt. 

Clever vegetarianism: protein combining 

Animal-made protein more closely reflects the human requirements 

of essential amino acids, with eggs carrying the 

prize for the most 'complete' protein. (Remember, the total 

amount of protein in the average egg is 8 grams, which would 

mean you would need to eat eight eggs a day if you were 

only getting protein from this source.) 

Generally if you are happy to eat some animal products - 

for example, cheese, yoghurt, eggs, fish, chicken, beef, lamb 

and so on - you don't need to be too conscious of worrying 

about the essential amino acids. 

Nearly 30 years on, the landmark book Diet for a SmaN 

Planet by France Moore Lappe (first published in 1971) is 

still the best book on the subject of protein in vegetarian 

food. Lappe was a card-carrying member of the flower-power 

generation who were vegetarian for various political and 

ethical reasons. Fed up with people saying she would die of 

protein deficiency if she didn't eat meat, Lappe did her 

homework and found that by combining certain plant foods

Protein: StrengtA and Stmctu~e 45 

you would obtain all the necessary essential amino acids. 

Beans, grains, nuts and seeds have the most essential 

amino acids, while fruits and vegetables (except sprouts) tend 

to be a write-off when it comes to protein. Plant proteins, not 

surprisingly, don't reflect the human range of amino acids, 

although soybeans come surprisingly close. Beans lack the 

essential amino acids that grains have in spades and vice 

versa. 

Lappe drew parallels with the world's major cuisines, 

which happen to be predominantly vegetarian, noticing that 

for centuries people have been combining plant foods so as 

to take full advantage of complementary amino acids. For 

example, the South Indian dish of dhal and rice combines 

lentils, a legume, with rice, a grain. The Asian meal of tofu 

and rice combines tofu made from soybeans, a legume, with 

rice, a grain. (Soybeans have the highest protein of any 

legume.) Central Americans combine red or kidney beans, a 

legume, with tortillas made from corn, a grain. In Lebanon, 

the felafel roll combines felafel made from chickpeas, a bean, 

with flat bread made from wheat, a grain. You can add substantially 

to protein levels by throwing in a few toasted sunflower 

seeds, sprouts or sesame seeds, which will add a few 

more essential amino acids. Of course if you add a small 

amount of animal protein to your vegetarian meal, including 

some grated cheese, a dollop of natural yoghurt or even a 

small amount of meat, you will have no worries about getting 

sufficient protein.

Fat: Not a Dirty Word 

Fat the Rat 

It is amazing how three little letters F, A and T can send 

people into paroxysms of fear and loathing. After all, it is just 

a nutrient and a rather valuable one at that. No other nutrient 

gives us the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K; or sterols 

such as cholesterol, oestrogen, testosterone, aldosterone and 

cortisol; let alone the phospholipids that line the outside of 

nerves and create part of each cell membrane; or the 

prostaglandins - chappies that have a profound impact on our 

health. One can expect only so much from carbohydrates and 

protein: only fat delivers these beauties. 

The official name for fat is 'lipid', which refers to the more 

solid fat as well as its liquid counterpart, oil. 

Getting to know you 

Ninety-nine per cent of fat in the body and in food is in the 

form of triglycerides, which are basically three (hence the 'tri')

Fat: Not a Diw Word 17 

chains of fatty acids joined together at one end. A fatty acid 

(the basic unit of fat) is a chain of carbons extending in length 

anywhere from 2 to 22 carbons long. There are short-, mediumand 

long-chain fatty acids, depending on how many carbons 

are present. 

bonds fhd hk tk 

(dce $he 

glucose moleculeS - humaq~ do not- possess 

the enzymes .to b d Ynese bonds 

- ~ h is ~ w l M kgeEt Cik ) 

When scientists classify fatty acids, they don't just call 

them Bobby-joe or Charlie. They name them according 

to the number of carbons, how many double bonds and 

where the first double bond is positioned. For example, 

EPA is 20:5w3. This means it has 20 carbons, five 

double bonds with the first double bond occurring on 

the third carbon from the end, which also makes it an 

omega3 fatty acid.

48 TAe Commonsense Gzkide to Eahag WeZZ 

I0leic. acid (18: 1 ~9) 

H H H H H H H H H H r ; i H Y H H F I H H 0 

1 I I I I I I I I r 1 1 1 1 r 14 

If- c-C-C-c-C- C-C-C-C = C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-c 

I I I I I I I I ~ I I I 1 J 'On 

ll H H H H H H H N U U H f l H H 

I 

~'EIC ACID (I$: I c 9) is IS arbo on^ long, drub4 

+he ninth carbon . olei~ atid (commonly found in olive oil) is q 

mno-u/rsohmd faHy acid, as it ha only one (mmo) double bmd . 

(Fblyvnsahted Fatfy ads ha@ hue w m e dwbk badr.) 

Saturated Fatty Unsaturated Fatty 

Acids 

Adds 

Butyric Acid 4:O Palmitoleic Acid 16: lw7 

Caproic Acid 6:O Oleic Acid 18: lw9 

Caprylic Acid 6:O Linoleic Acid 18:2w6 

Capric Acid 10:O Alpha-linolenic Acid 18:3w3 

Lauric Acid 12: 0 Gamma-linolenic Acid 18:3w6 

Myristic Acid 14:O Arachidonic Acid 20:4w6 

Palmitic Acid 16:O Seearidonic Acid 18:4w3 

Stearic Acid 18:O Eicoapentaenoic Acid 20:5w3 

Arachidic Acid 20:O Docosahexaenoic Acid 22:6w3 

Table adapted from U. Erasrnzrs, 1993 

Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids 

The fatty acid chain looks like a daisy chain. The daisy flower 

being the carbon, while the stalk represents the bond. Sometimes 

there are two bonds (double bond) joining the carbon

Fat: Not a Dirty Word 49 

atoms together. A double bond is not as stable as a single 

bond; there is a likelihood that one of the bonds will reach 

out and grab something else - for instance, oxygen. If there 

are no double bonds, the fatty acid is called a saturated fatty 

acid. Like a sponge fully saturated with water, there is no 

opportunity for those bonds to hold on to anything else. If 

there are any double bonds it is known as an unsaturated fatty 

acid. Two or more double bonds make it a polyunsaturated 

fatty acid ('poly' meaning many). 

Nattering on about the structure of carbon chains and 

double bonds is all very well if you happen to be looking 

down an electron microscope, however, there is an easier way 

to identify saturated from unsaturated fats just by looking at 

them. The more unsaturated a fat - that is, the greater the 

number of double bonds - the more liquid it appears. This 

means that the more solid fats such as butter and lard contain 

more saturated fatty acids; whereas the runnier oils like 

safflower and sunflower have three and four double bonds 

apiece. Then you have your 'in-between' oils such as olive 

oil, which is liquid until put in the fridge where it gets claggy. 

This is because olive oil (and canola oil) contains monounsaturated 

fatty acids, which means there is only one double 

bond (mono): not as liquid as polyunsaturated and not as hard 

as saturated fats. I am sure there is a more scientific way to 

explain this, but there you go. 

Fats and oils are made up of several types of fatty acids, 

not just one. The different fatty acids will determine how 

saturated or unsaturated a fat is. For instance, butter is predominantly 

saturated and contains a lot of the saturated fatty 

acid butyric acid. Nevertheless, butter will also contain a few 

unsaturated fatty acids as well.


Better to be a peroxide blonde than a peroxide 

polyunsaturate 

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (those with two or more double 

bonds to their name) have a very fragile chemical structure. 

Anything that interferes with that double bond, including 

heat, light and other chemicals, can cause that fatty acid to 

become peroxidated - that is, an oxygen molecule is incorporated 

into the structure. This is bad, bad news. This lipid 

peroxide is capable of causing free radical damage to its 

immediate surroundings, be it a cell membrane or anything 

else. This process is considered to be a trigger in many diseases 

including cancer and atherosclerosis. The dodgy lipid, 

once incorporated into the body, then wreaks havoc unless 

there are suitable defenders available, namely the antioxidants. 

Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble antioxidant and should 

be liberally scattered through all our cell membranes. 

Fat and fabulous 

Fat is the nutritional equivalent of Louis Vuitton luggage: 

you can fit so much in! Each gram of fat supplies us with 

nine calories of energy, whereas carbohydrate and protein 

give us four calories a piece. This means, for weight and size, 

fat is a very economical form of storage. Mountain climbers 

and trekkers who want to travel light carry food high in fat, 

like chocolate and halvah, to provide them with more energy 

gram for gram. If our bodies were to store the equivalent 

amount of energy in the form of carbohydrate, instead of fat, 

we would be the size of a big tree. In fact, trees and other 

plants do happen to store their energy as carbohydrate. 

The average 60 kilogram person has about 15 kilograms 

of fat. There are 135 000 calories of stored energy in 15

Fat.. Not a Dim Word 51 

Trans and ds fatty adds 

Wherever there is a double bond, the chain of carbons 

wilI tend to bend at this place. Nine times out of ten, 

the ends of the chain will fold in towards each other, 

like the letter 'C'. This transfiguration is called 'cis'. Occasionally 

another formation occurs, where the chain continues 

on the opposite side of the double bond - this is 

called a trans fatty acid. Although rare in nature, trans 

fatty acids occur frequently during the processing of fats 

for cooking oil and margarines. Recent information has 

revealed that these trans fatty acids are bad for our 

health. 

For a start, although they are initally accepted by 

the digestive system, when they are incorporated at a 

cellular level, they cause all sorts of trouble. Trouble like 

causing the blood to be stickier, a risk factor in heart 

disease; decreased testosterone levels; and lower 

immune response. 

kilograms of fat (15 000 grams x 9 calories). If the average 

person needs 2000 calories a day, this means there is over 

nine weeks of available energy from fat. This thriftiness has 

probably saved the human race from extinction time and time 

again. My darling father used to tell me it was a good thing 

to carry a little padding to fall back on if you got sick. Speaking 

of falling back on, fat makes a wonderful insulation layer 

between the outside world and you. Which is why women 

have an extra layer covering the womb (mind you, this does 

not explain the extra layer covering the thighs). In these days 

of paranoia about being thin as a stick, we forget the value 

of a little extra padding. Thanks Dad.

52 The Commonsense Gzside to Eating Web 

Fat tastes fabulous 

Truthfully now, what tastes better: a bowl of steamed vegies, 

or a bowl of steamed vegies with a pat of butter melted 

through? Exactly. Carrots taste carottier, potatoes more 

potatoey, because fat releases smell and taste chemicals in 

the food. A fact that fast food outlets cottoned on to decades 

ago. An interesting study on American nut-eaters showed that 

they were less overweight than their non nut-eating compatriots! 

This could be due to the fact that a few nuts make 

you feel pretty full, fuller than an ice cream for instance, 

which contains the same calories. 

The tragedy of processed oils 

Before the dawn of the potato chip, we lived in a world where 

any fat we ate was part of, not added to, food. Stone Age man 

did not go to the back of the cave and bring out a jar of 

mayonnaise for the cycad sprouts, or a slender bottle of olive 

oil to drizzle over the barbecued bronto-rib. 

Because fat is susceptible to light and heat, nature has 

evolved some ingenious solutions. For example, nuts are a highfat 

food and they always have a hard covering that protects the 

fat from light. The high-fat macadamia has the hardest shell 

of all. The avocado is one of the few fruits that store energy 

in the form of fat; it has a dark, leathery skin that protects the 

fatty acids from oxidation. Until relatively recently we did not 

have the technology to obtain fat from food. The earliest 

attempts would have been stone-pressed olive oil and, in cooler 

climates, butter from churning cream. Both these fats are at 

less risk of becoming oxidised because they are monounsaturated 

and saturated respectively (fewer double bonds to worry 

about). Historically, fat has been a luxury food, available only

Fat: Not a Dirty Word 53 

to the wealthy until modern-day improved food technology. 

Today, oil is cheap and readily available on supermarket 

shelves in clear plastic bottles, baring all their little unprotected 

double bonds to the ubiquitous fluorescent lights. 

EPO and UFOs: the story of essential fatty 

acids 

I was fine with the UK. Even the USA posed no threat. Then 

there was UNICEF, ANZUS and eventually KFC. I could 

cope. But it was only when the world of initials (or acronyms) 

struck oil that I realised that the New Age had finally gone 

Space Age. 

More than any other field of nutrition, research into lipids 

(fats or oils) has flourished in recent years. Many people are 

aware of the benefits of EPO and EPA. Some know the 

importance of a high percentage of GLA. Yet, how many of 

us understand what the heck these initials stand for? And 

what exactly is so good about them? 

Fatty acids are the building blocks of fats. There are many 

different fatty acids - for example, oleic acid (OA) found in 

olive oil and butyric acid (BA) found in butter. Linoleic acid 

(LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA) are known as the essential 

fatty acids (EFAs), because of the fact that we cannot do 

without them. They are essential to health. I guess that must 

make them VIP EFAs! It is these EFAs and their derivatives 

that have spectacular health benefits. 

Prostaglandins 

In the body, EFAs can be transformed into biologically active 

substances known as prostaglandins. The study of prostaglandins 

(PGs, wouldn't you know) is very new and very exciting.

54 The Commonsense Ggide to Eating Weld 

The prostaglandins derived from LA and LNA, our EFAs, 

keep blood platelets from sticking together, preventing heart 

attacks and strokes. They also prevent fluid retention and 

decrease the inflammation response, thereby helping with 

menstrual cramps, eczema and arthritis. In addition, they 

improve the functioning of our immune system's T-cells, so 

important in the fight against infection. Regulating hormones 

is another key area, helpful for PMS, menopause, hormonal 

headaches and acne. 

We are able to make these valuable prostaglandins from 

EFAs (LA and LNA) in food. However, the average diet is 

sadly lacking in good quality EFAs derived from seeds, whole 

grains, leafy green vegetables, cold-pressed oils and fish. 

In addition, although our bodies are capable of producing the 

prostaglandins from the EFAs, many people have trouble with 

the first step. As in most biochemical processes, each step 

requires an enzyme. Enzymes are sensitive little characters, 

often requiring the support of vitamins and minerals - in this 

case, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium and vitamin C - some of 

which are deficient in the modern diet. Factors that inhibit this 

enzyme include processed fats such as margarine, alcohol, radiation, 

aspirin, stress and a high-sugar diet. 

Mysterious substance X 

The answer is simple. By eliminating the first step and taking 

the substance that would normally be produced if our enzyme 

was firing on all cylinders, we will conveniently by-pass the 

problem. Let's call this substance 'substance X'. Substance 

X has no difficulty in transforming into prostaglandins. 

Just who or what is substance X? None other than gammalinolenic 

acid (GLA), found in evening primrose oil and

Fat: Not a D iq Word 55 

eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) commonly found in fish and linseeds: 

GLA and EPA are the substances produced after the 

first step. Many people find that supplementing their diet 

with evening primrose oil (containing GLA) and EPA provides 

the key to good health. They help to treat and prevent 

conditions such as eczema, acne, headaches, PMS, hormonal 

irregularities, cancer, heart disease and so on. A combination 

of the two is thought to be preferable to one in isolation. Of 

course we should increase our consumption of EFA-rich 

foods - including linseeds, sunflower and sesame seeds, soy, 

walnuts, dark green leafy vegies, fish and whole grains - in 

addition to helping that errant enzyme by taking foods or 

supplements with the appropriate co-enzyme. 

Good cholesterol and LPs: the tmth about 

what happened to those 12-inch vinyls 

Fat and water don't mix. Fat tends to glob together in a 

blob when it is immersed in water. Blood is 99 per cent 

water and the major transport system of the body, so a 

solution had to be found to this fatlwater incompatabiiity. 

LPs are the answer. Not the 12 inch vinyl variety, 

these LPs (lipoproteins) are fat transport vehicles. Lined 

with a coating of protein, which is water soluble, lipoproteins 

contain a variety of fatty substances including 

triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids, hormones and 

fat-soluble vitamins. 

It depends on the proportions of its cargo whether a 

lipoprotein is high or low density. As protein has more 

density than fat, the less fat a lipoprotein contains, the 

higher its density.


CHnOMICRON This is the lowest density lipoprotein 

of all. It is diet-derived LP that travels 

from the intestine to the liver aAer 

digestion. Chylornicrons ferry fat to 

the tissues before its arrival in the liver. 

VLDL Very Low Density Lipoprotein. This 

contains mostly triglycerides and will 

be converted to LDL. 

LDL 

Low Density Lipoprotein. LDLs contain 

the most cholesterol of all the low 

density group. They are responsible 

for distributing choIestero1 and other 

fats throughout the body. 

HDL High Density Lipoprotein. This contains 

the most protein and hence, has 

the highest density of all the LPs. It is 

capable of returning cholesterol from 

the blood vessels to the liver. The liver 

will then produce bile acids from any 

excess choIesteroI. 

The greater the ratio of HDLs to LDLs the better. When 

we get our cholesterol 'done', a reading of total cholesterol 

is given. This is the choIesteroI found in all the LPs. 

If this is high, then a further reading will be necessary 

to determine whether the cholesterol is 'good' or 'bad'. 

The cholestero1 itself doesn't change, it is whether the 

ratio of HDLs is high relative to the LDLs. 

Cholesterol: nightmare or blessing? 

Cholesterol is the Jack Nicholson of the nutrition world. Constantly 

being given the role of the bad, crazy guy. I can't

Fat: Not a Dim Word 57 

vouch for Jack, but cholesterol has some very positive traits. 

It is the precursor of bile (the fat-digesting secretion of the 

liver), oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol and 

vitamin D. Cholesterol is an integral component of every cell 

membrane and forms part of the myelin sheath around nerve 

fibres. The alarm was initially raised when cholesterol was 

found in artery blockages. However, cholesterol in the arteries 

is just a sign, not the cause. Blaming cholesterol for heart 

disease is like shooting the messenger. 

Cholesterol occurs in animal foods such as chicken, eggs, 

lamb, beef, milk, cheese and pork. It is a type of fat manufactured 

in the liver. We make our own cholesterol, as well as 

consuming cholesterol from the food we eat. You will not find 

cholesterol in plant foods, even those containing fat such as 

avocados and coconuts, as they do not have livers. The amount 

of blood cholesterol usually stays constant: the liver makes less 

if we consume more and vice versa. 

'High' cholesterol means higher than normal levels of cholesterol 

in the bloodstream. High cholesterol is a risk factor for 

atherosclerosis, a common heart disease. More important than 

cholesterol levels is the ratio between the high density lipoproteins 

(HDLs) and low density lipoproteins (LDLs): the 

higher the ratio of HDLs to LDLs, the lower the risk of heart 

disease. As mentioned previously, LDL's job is to deposit fats, 

including cholesterol, throughout the body and on the insides 

of blood vessel walls. HDLs, on the other hand, are capable of 

mopping up excess cholesterol from blood vessel walls and 

taking it back to the liver to be made into bile or one of the 

other useful products that can be made from cholesterol. 

A healthy diet and lifestyle will help you maintain an enviable 

blood fat profile; that is, lowish levels of triglycerides, 

moderate cholesterol, with a good HDLILDL ratio (see the 

tailor-made diet for a healthy heart on page 219).

58 The Commonsense Gaide to Eating Well 

Some slick answers to an oily problem 

Fat is important to keep us healthy, our fur shiny and our 

noses dry, although too much fat is a problem, as is the wrong 

type of fat. 

Enter Nathan Pritikin. During the 1970s, Pritikin was the 

first to popularise the low-fat diet and lifestyle that proved 

to be so effective in reducing heart disease, one of the biggest 

killers in the Western world. Since then, however, it seems 

that there is more to the story than just the quantity of fat 

consumed. Take the Mediterranean diet, which is liberally 

laced with olive oil, yet friendly for the heart. The Innuit or 

Eskimos' traditional cuisine of whale blubber and fish is also 

protective against heart disease. Now we know that it is not 

just how much fat, but the type of fat that affects our health. 

And not only heart disease. The type of fat we consume 

influences the outcome of conditions as diverse as arthritis, 

eczema, PMS and cancer. 

The primary rule is don't add fat. If you have the choice 

to add mayonnaise, sauces, dressing, cream, butter or 

margarine - don't do it. Other principles to follow are: buy 

only cold-pressed oils; if you want to spread something on 

your bread, choose a thin scrape of avocado, tahini, ricotta or 

hommos; never buy or eat margarine if you can avoid it; read 

labels to identify how much fat and what kind it is; and steer 

clear of deep-fried anything, particularly cats. 

Fat should comprise no more than 30 per cent of our diet. 

For the average person, this works out to be about 65 grams. 

It is a worthwhile exercise to buy a small 'fat counter' book 

and tote up the number of grams of fat you eat each day. You 

might be surprised where fat hides. Don't become obsessed 

with the fat counter. Use it for information, not to beat yourself 

up with.

Water: The Most 

Important Nutrient 

Water is the most important nutrient of all. We can live 

without food for weeks if need be, but if deprived of water 

for more than a day or so, we will surely die. Water is often 

the only remedy required for conditions as varied as constipation, 

headaches, dry skin and fatigue. 

We excrete about 2 to 3 litres of water daily: 1.5 litres via 

the urine, 1 litre via sweat and breath and around 100 millilitres 

in poo. Water comprises 60 to 70 per cent of our body 

weight. It is in the blood, in between and inside cells. Even 

bones are 25 per cent water, teeth 10 per cent. We need to 

restore what is lost. In addition to the water in food, try to 

drink an extra 1 to 2 litres of pure water each day. 

It's wet, what else? 

Apart from keeping us alive, water has several less obvious 

roles in the body:


In the same way as the ocean moderates coastal temperatures 

because it takes longer for water to cool and heat than 

does land, our body's water helps us to regulate body 

temperature. 

Nutrients and waste products, hormones and neurotransmitters 

all need to be transported around the body. The 

body's transport system - blood, lymph and the fluid 

between cells (interstitial fluid) - are primarily made up of 

water. 

We need tears not only to express our sorrow, but to allow 

our eyelids to open and close smoothly. Saliva moistens 

food so that it doesn't scrape down the throat. Synovial 

fluid between joints stops bones from grating together. 

Tears, saliva and synovial fluid are predominantly water. 

Water is a marvellous solvent - the medium in which most 

nutrients and body chemicals can dissolve. 

How do we know when we are thirsty? 

This may sound like a silly question. However, by the time 

we feel thirsty, our body is already slightly dehydrated. Thirst 

occurs when receptors in the hypothalamus in the brain are 

stimulated in response to certain changes in the body. These 

changes include the following: 

Reduction in volume of body fluids by 1 per cent - this is 

only about 500 millilitres of water. In a heavy exercise 

session it is easy to lose 1 litre (about a cup and a half) of 

water and you are too busy (waiting for the class to end) 

to notice. This is why it is important to drink water before, 

during and after exercise. 

An increase in the concentration of dissolved substances in 

the blood, such as sugar and salt, will alert the hypothalamus 

of a need for water. Have you ever woken up thirsty

Water: The Most Impoflant Nzltrient 61 

in the middle of the night after eating a salty meal? Canny 

bar owners also bank on this principle by providing salty 

snacks to increase thirst so we buy more drinks. 

If the mouth and throat are dry it's a dead giveaway we 

are thirsty. Some drugs can also cause this sensation. 

Diets: the wet and the dry 

All sorts of factors influence the amount of water we need. 

For instance, taking diuretics for a heart condition will mean 

that we wee out lots more fluid. Accordingly, this means we 

need extra water. Non-prescription diuretics include alcohol, 

tea and coffee. For every one of these consumed, drink an 

extra glass of water. Another factor that influences how much 

water we need is whether our diet is wet or dry. A wet diet 

is full of fruit and vegetables, juices and soups. Five pieces 

of fruit will yield an average of half a litre of water. A dry 

diet is one full of meat, bread, biscuits, alcohol, coffee and 

tea. The former will require us to drink less water than the 

latter. 

Tap water, filtered water, spring water - 

which water? 

It would be superb to drink straight from a pure mountain 

stream as it cascades down from snowcapped mountain peaks, 

or sip the dew from rose petals. Most of us, however, drink 

water from the kitchen tap. 

In Sydney, the Water Board is cracking down on impurities 

in the water supply. Unfortunately there are still a few bugs 

that escape the net, including giardia and cryptosporidium, 

both of which cause tummy problems including nausea and

62 The Commonsense Gecide to Eating Well 

diarrhoea. Ralph Nader, a consumer advocate, from the 

Centre for Responsive Law in the United States, found that 

more than 2000 chemicals exist in water supplies. Only 30 

are tested for. The same is probably true for Australian city 

water supplies. It is what is not tested that could be a 

problem. 

In order to sanitise the water which is supplied to millions 

of people, several chemicals are added, some of which may 

be detrimental to health, including chlorine and fluoride. Aluminium 

was formerly added to reduce cloudiness in the water 

and fortunately is no longer used. The problems with fluoride 

are discussed on page 178. Chlorine is added to the water as 

a disinfectant and antibacterial agent. It has been used since 

1904, when Sir Alexander Houston demonstrated that chlorine 

destroyed typhoid bacillus and cholera. Unfortunately, 

chlorine causes oxidation of cells, hence free radical damage. 

It also depletes vitamins E, C, A, BIZ and selenium. When 

chlorine combines with humic acid (from decaying leaves and 

soil found in the bottom of water reservoirs), a group of chemicals 

known as (trihalomethanes) THM are formed. The best 

known is chloroform, once used as an anaesthetic, now 

banned due to increased risk of liver and kidney cancer. The 

July 1992 issue of the Journal of American PubGic Healtd 

reported that people who drink chlorinated water have a 21 

per cent increased risk of bladder cancer and a 38 per cent 

increased risk of rectal cancer. Chlorine will evaporate if you 

leave water in an opened container overnight. Hot showers 

increase inhaled chloroform, and don't even think about 

indoor council swimming pools. 

The truth of the matter is that it is better to drink tap 

water than no water at all. And as most of us are walking 

around partially dehydrated, the question of which water we 

drink takes a lower priority. However, some people are 

willing to take the extra steps in order to provide purer water

Water: The Most Important Nutrient 63 

for themselves and their families. There are many water 

filters available that cater to this need. Choose a water filter 

that removes chlorine, bacteria, pesticides and asbestos. The 

more expensive models, including reverse osmosis, will also 

remove fluoride and heavy metals such as arsenic, lead and 

mercury. Spring water is also available and very popular, 

although you have to wonder about the environmental consequences 

of millions of discarded plastic bottles. 

Drink it anyway:you won't regret it 

Most people find that their general health improves by drinking 

2 litres of water daily. One major complaint is the 

increased number of visits to the loo. Your bladder takes 

about two to three weeks to get over the shock of all the 

extra fluid and after this time will settle down, happy to 

expand to meet the new circumstances. If you prefer to drink 

mineral water, choose a flat variety rather than the bubbly 

varieties. Carbonated water, whether natural or not, interferes 

with bone calcium and phosphorus ratios and may cause flatulence 

with the added gas.

BITS AND PIECES

Safe or Fake: Additives, 

Organics and Germs in 

the Kitchen 

Sweet as sweet can be: artificial sweeteners 

Artificial sweeteners have been part of the modern diet for 

decades. Most were discovered in laboratories by accident. 

For instance, cyclamates were discovered in 1937 when a 

chemist's ciggie tasted sweet after he was messing around 

with an experiment. Saccharin was similarly discovered when 

a scientist in Johns Hopkins laboratory was munching on a 

sandwich. These men's mothers probably despaired of their 

son's poor hygiene, but would have been really angry when 

they realised that they missed out on mink coats and pearls 

because their boys didn't receive the squillions of dollars that 

the pharmaceutical companies made from the discovery of 

sweeteners.

68 The Commonsense Gzkide to Eating Well 

Saccharin, aspartame and sucralose 

Artificial sweeteners are classified as food additives and have 

insinuated themselves into soft drinks, cake mixes, icecreams, 

chewing gum and are added to many cappuccinos 

(skinnycinnos). 

Saccharin is 300 times sweeter than sugar and contains zero 

calories. It has a bitter, metallic aftertaste. In 1977, saccharin 

was banned in the United States because various studies 

showed that it caused bladder cancer in mice. There was a 

public outcry (Americans don't like being compared with 

rodents) and saccharin was reinstated. Cyclamates share a 

common history with saccharin, however, they are currently 

banned from sale. Saccharine and cyclamates are absorbed 

from the intestines and enter the bloodstream. Once circulating 

in the bloodstream the body has no idea what to do 

with these foreign chemicals and with no biochemical pathways 

to travel, these sweeteners exit the body via the kidneys 

and into the urine. It is possibly while waiting in the bladder 

that the cancer-forming agents are activated. 

Aspartame (sold as Nutra Sweet) holds the largest share of 

the artificially sweet market. Discovered in 1975 (another 

accident, this time during the search for a stomach ulcer 

drug), aspartame is a concoction of two amino acids (units of 

protein) - aspartic acid (40 per cent) and phenylalanine (50 

per cent) - together with a molecule of methanol (10 per 

cent). Being predominantly protein, aspartame has four 

calories a gram, but by a quirk of science tastes 200 times 

sweeter than sugar, so that very much less than 1 gam' is 

required for even the sweetest tooth. 

The two amino acids are broken down and treated accordingly 

in the body. Methanol (wood alcohol) forms the poisonous 

substance formaldehyde and formic acid. A significant 

number of people suffer from side effects from aspartame. 

Symptoms include blurred vision, tinnitus, headaches,

Safe or Fake 69 

dizziness, memory loss, drowsiness, depression and irritability. 

Whether it be from the methanol or the unusual influx 

of single amino acids has not been determined. In addition, 

people suffering from the genetic condition Phenylketonuria 

(PKU) are unable to metabolise the amino acid phenylalanine. 

There are warnings to this effect on the labels of food 

and drink containing aspartame. 

Sucralose tastes like sugar and is chemically similar to sugar 

but has a chlorine molecule attached to it. Unlike sugar, it is 

not recognised at the site of absorption, the small intestine. 

Incapable of being digested, sucralose continues down the 

digestive tract where it will be fodder for the bacteria there. 

Unaccustomed as they are to a sugar molecule.with chlorine, 

the presence of sucralose in the bowel will cause an imbalance 

to the bowel microflora. Bloating and flatulence are 

often the result. If large amounts are consumed there may 

well be diarrhoea, as water will rush into the bowel in order 

to dilute the concentration of sugar-like molecules. Goodness 

only knows the fate of the chlorine molecule, although we 

know that chlorine on its own is a potent free radical (see 

page 152). 

Another group of artificial sweeteners is known as sugar 

alcohols. These include mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol and maltitol. 

They are commonly found in sugar-free chewing gum. 

Sugar alcohols are not absorbed or are absorbed very slowly, 

again causing microflora imbalance and diarrhoea. 

The case against artificial sweeteners 

I do not believe artificial sweetners have any value in a good 

diet. First, the foods they are normally added to - ice-cream, 

biscuits and carbonated drinks - are best avoided anyway. 

Second, they cause bowel disturbances in a large number of 

people. Third, they do nothing to change our taste for sugar. 

Although it is a natural human instinct to like sweetness,


refined sugar and artificial sweeteners were never part of the 

original plan. If we keep eating sweet food, we will keep 

craving sweet food. Most people who swear off sugar are 

delighted to find that after a couple of weeks (a month at the 

most) they lose their desire for chocolates, cakes and lollies. 

An added bonus is that fruit tastes more intense as the fruit 

sugar, fructose, registers on jaded tastebuds. Substituting 

artificial sweeteners for sugar does nothing to change a habit 

of a lifetime. 

Fourth, the diabetic market is saturated with foods containing 

artificial sweeteners. Diabetics are best trying to avoid 

a sweet tooth. Encouraging it is cruel. 

Fifth, there is evidence linking saccharin to bladder cancer 

and aspartame with headaches and neurological problems, 

although the incidence and risk is low. 

Sixth, in my experience people do not lose weight by substituting 

artificial sweeteners for sugar. People lose weight by 

eating less fat and exercising. In fact, there are several 

studies, kept under wraps, which show that people eating 

artificial sweeteners tend to put on more weight than those 

eating sugar. One theory is that if the body is expecting a 

rise in blood sugar levels, as promised by the sweet taste, it 

won't stop till it gets a rise in blood sugar. We probably eat 

more to compensate. 

And finally, a comment on the economic politics of artificial 

sweeteners. In a world with millions starving for want of 

calories (calories are needed to provide energy), we have the 

irony of an industry spending huge amounts of money and 

resources creating substances that contain no calories or 

energy.

Food additives: preserve or punish? 

Safe oor Fake 71 

Fresh food has a tendency to go off. A fact people have 

noticed for thousands of years. And for thousands of years 

keen-minded individuals have set about experimenting with 

ways to preserve food. The ancient Greeks burnt sulphur 

over their wine. During the Middle Ages in Europe, people 

preserved their meat with saltpetre (nitrates), something we 

still do today. 

In the past, it was important to keep a few bits of fruit and 

vegetables pickled or candied for the winter. The great sea 

voyagers salted away carcasses of meat to last them months 

at sea. In cities of millions of people, everyone eating food 

as soon as it is picked is an impossibility. In addition, we 

think it is our right to eat food that is out of season. This is 

achieved either by expensive freighting or by using hot-house 

technology. 

The microscope identified microorganisms - moulds and 

yeasts (fungi) and bacteria - as the cause of fermentation and 

putrefaction and confirmed them as likely candidates for 

sending food off. Mould and yeast love sugar and head for 

carbohydrate foods such as fruit and bread, while bacteria are 

inclined towards protein, infesting meat, chicken and eggs. 

Microorganisms prefer a steady environment, one that 

sounds like a holiday brochure: plenty of food (protein and 

carbohydrate); not too hot nor too cold (around 37 degrees 

Celsius); plenty of fresh air (most microorganisms are aerobic, 

meaning they need oxygen); and go easy on the acid (preferring 

an alkaline environment). (Also see food safety on 

page 74). 

Additives to preserve, to enhance, to tart up 

Food additives are not only for preserving food but are used 

to facilitate many aspects of the production, handling and


processing of our tucker. The official definition of a food 

additive is 'any substance not normally consumed as a food 

by itself and not normally used as a typical ingredient of a 

food, whether or not it has nutritive value'. There are food 

safety requirements that call for the labelling of foods containing 

additives. They are often given a numeric code such 

as 210, which stands for benzoic acid. If you are concerned 

or allergic to food additives, pick up a food additive code 

breaker from your newsagent or bookshop. 

Preservatives (200 to 299) 

Preservatives aim to inhibit the growth of germs, using a 

variety of methods. Antioxidants are sometimes used to 

prevent free radicals from damaging food. Free radicals can 

cause, among other things, rancidity (butter becomes rancid) 

and oxidisation (fzuit that turns brown). Synthetically derived 

antioxidants such as BHT may be used or antioxidant nutrients 

including vitamins E and C. 

The yellow, smelly mineral sulphur or sulphur dioxide is 

often added to wine, beer, jams and dried fruit to prevent 

microbial growth and oxidation. Sulphur-dried apricots are 

always more brightly coloured than their shrivelled sun-dried 

cousins. The down side is that some people are allergic to 

sulphur and may suffer from asthma or other problems after 

consuming it. Sodium metabisulphate is used to clean bottles 

and is present in most wines. When you pull out the cork, 

sulphur dioxide is released. 

Nitrates have been used for centuries to preserve the likes 

of salamis and other deli meats. Not only do they protect 

against deadly bugs causing botulism, they also give dead 

meat a rosy hue. The problem here is that when nitrates 

come in contact with protein in the body they form nitrosamines, 

which are considered to be carcinogenic. Drop that 

salami sandwich immediately.

Safe or- Fake 73 

Other preservatives include benzoic acid, paraben, sorbic 

acid and nisin. 

CoIourfng (100 to 180) 

The use of colour additives has been banned in Norway since 

1978, which must make their fairy bread and Smarties boring. 

Adding colour to food is purely cosmetic and can be quite 

deceptive. For instance, a completely synthetic dessert can 

be called strawberry flavour even though it has never clapped 

eyes on a piece of fruit. Tartrazine (102) is a yellow food 

colouring that can cause skin rashes and asthma in sensitive 

individuals. Ironically, some of the 'natural' colouring additives 

such as annatto may cause more allergic reactions than 

the synthetic additives. 

Flavouring 

Flavouring is added to give bland and indifferent food a bit 

of character or restore flavour lost in processing. Flavouring 

additives are not given code numbers because they are often, 

like Coca Cola 'secret recipes'. Artificial sweeteners are 

another type of flavour enhancer (see page 67). 

Processing agents 

In order for processed food to look the same, pour the same, 

mix the same every time, all sorts of chemicals need to be 

added. For example, anti-caking agents are used to control 

the free-flowing nature of powdered foods such as icing sugar, 

salt and milk powder. Sodium silico aluminate (containing 

aluminium) is sometimes added in free-running salt; bleaching 

agents including chlorine or peroxide are used to achieve 

a consistent white colour in flour; humectants such as glycerol 

are added to prevent food like bread from drying out; thickeners 

and vegetable gums are used to modify the consistency 

of food; and emulsifiers are used to overcome the perennial

74 The Comomense Gzcide to Eating Well 

problem of mixing oil with water. Lecithin is a commonly 

used emulsifier - no health threats here for a change. 

The bottom line 

The bottom line is that we, as consumers, expect our food to 

be consistent. For this to occur, food additives are used. We 

either cop it sweet, or are willing to pay more for organic 

produce that has not been tampered with, or we grow or make 

our own. 

Food safety: not in my kitchen you don't 

If you know about Mr Acidophilus and co. (see pages 34-3, 

then you are probably quite fond of bacteria, particularly 

bowel bacteria. So it's hard to accept that some bugs are out 

to kill us, or at least make us sick to the stomach. 

There are estimated to be two million cases of food poisoning 

in Australia each year. Most at our own hands! While 

most food poisoning is merely a day or two of diarrhoea and 

perhaps a course of antibiotics, sometimes these bugs are 

deadly, particularly for those more vulnerable, which includes 

the elderly, children and the immune suppressed. 

Food safety is seldom taught in schools. My only education 

about food safety and kitchen hygiene came from 1960s 

women's magazines. By the mid-1970s, these magazines were 

full of information on finding one's G-spot or making beef 

wellington and crepe suzettes. The days of aprons and food 

safety tips were gone. Not so for the generations of bacteria, 

viruses and fungi that lived on through the swinging '60s, 

sexy '70s, merchant banking '80s into the enviroconscious 

'90s and beyond. More education is needed.


The usual suspects 

FOOD P~~sONING- THE USUAL SUSPECTS 

bacteria rnoufd virvser> yeasf 

There are four types of microorganisms in food that may 

cause us grief: bacteria, moulds or fungi, yeasts and 

viruses. The most common are bacteria. 

Bacteda Never great believers in birth control, bacteria 

breed at the drop of a hat, usually by dividing in half. 

Their favourite motto is 'divide and conquer'. Family gettogethers 

must be quite boring or harmonious, as bacteria 

in theory are identical brothers and sisters. 

Salmon& Not a female fish, but a bacteria that is 

responsible for the majority of food poisoning outbreaks 

in Australia. Safmonella causes gastro-type symptoms, 

including nausea and vomiting which in the weakened 

can result in death. Outbreaks have been recorded 

mainly from raw meats, poultry and dairy products, but 

also peanut butter, desiccated coconut, chocolate and 

eggs. Most outbreaks occur through cross-contarnination 

from raw food to cooked food. 

Badus cereas 'Cereus' refers not to a sober state ofmind, 

but being first detected in cereal foods. The major syrnptoms 

of infection are diarrhoea and vomiting occurring 

I within 8 to 16 hours aRer eating the contaminated food.


This little critter is found mainly in pre-cooked foods, especially 

starchy vegetables, rice, sauces, puddings and meat 

and can even grow in the fridge. For this reason, precooked 

food should not be stored in the refrigerator for 

more than two to three days. 

Staphylococcus aureus OAen found halfkay up our 

nostril, this bug is a normal inhabitant. Infected cuts and 

sores also contain large numbers and together with 

sneezing on food, these are common ways in which 

infection spreads. Violent abdominal cramps, nausea. 

vomiting and diarrhoea are symptoms which may 

appear very quickly, from one to six hours after eating 

the infected food. Foods commonly implicated include 

ham, frankfurters, cream-fded bakery products and 

some cheeses. 

Campylobacter jejud A relatively common cause of 

food poisoning, so you'd think it would do us the courtesy 

of adopting an easy-to-pronounce nickname like 

'carny' or 'CJ'. Outbreaks of CJ have been linked to the 

consumption of undercooked poultry, mince and sausages 

and cooked poultry which has been contaminated 

by raw poultry (cross-contamination). Diarrhoea and a 

fever may appear two to seven days after eating the 

offending food, and this time delay makes diagnosis a 

bit tricky. Some people contract a kind of arthritis that 

may last weeks to months. 

Other less common microorganisms that cause food 

poisoning include E. coE, Listeria monocyfogenes and 

CIostridum botrrlinum.


How bacteria breed and spread and what to do 

about it 

Hot Is hot, cold is cold 

As a rule, bacteria are sensitive little fellows, particularly to 

temperature. If it is too cold or too hot they either die or 

keep a very low profile. If food is kept in the 'danger zone', 

that is, between 6 and 100 degrees Celsius, this is where the 

trouble begins. Bacteria flourish and multiply, doubling in 

number in as little as 20 minutes. 

Cold food should be kept really cold in the refrigerator - 

4 degrees Celsius and under. Take perishable foods such as 

meat, poultry, milk and seafood home immediately after purchase. 

Buy these foods last on your shopping trip. If you are 

likely to take more than one hour getting home, invest in an 

esky or cool container to store the food before you can put it 

in the fridge. 

Put leftovers in the fridge or freezer promptly after eating. 

Don't leave them on the counter top to cool down overnight. 

Cook foods to at least 100 degrees Celsius - boiling 

point - as this will kill most bacteria and viruses that can 

cause illness. One way to tell for sure is to invest in a meat 

thermometer. This applies to reheating food as well. Make 

sure the food is cooked or heated throughout. This is particularly 

important for mince, sausages and chicken. Steak is 

okay undercooked. Microwave ovens tend to cook food 

unevenly, even on a turntable. Make sure you mix the food 

once or twice during cooking. 

Soap and water 

Most of us feel that a quick rinse of the hands under the cold 

tap is all that is needed. Not so. Wash hands with soap and 

warm water for 20 seconds before handling food. This is especially 

important when handling raw meat, poultry or seafood.


Keeping hands, benchtops and washing cloths squeaky 

clean is of paramount importance. There are antibacterial 

solutions available. In addition, you might like to add a few 

drops of eucalyptus, lemon or lavender oil to rinsing water 

for washcloths and when wiping down benches. These essential 

oils not only smell clean, they are antibacterial. 

From me to you: cross-contamination 

Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria transfer from one 

food to another. For instance, placing a cooked steak on the 

same plate that held it before cooking, allows the bacteria in 

the juices from the raw steak to infect the cooked. 

Another cross-contamination scenario happens when we 

store raw food (particularly meat or poultry) in the fridge 

above cooked food, allowing the juices to drip down. 

Throw in the towel 

For those who hate drying the dishes, this is a great reason 

to throw in the towel. The dirty teatowel, that is. Either leave 

the dishes to dry naturally or buy a dishwasher! Don't throw 

a dirty teatowel over the rack of dishes. Change teatowels 

and dishwashing cloths regularly. 

Cutting boards are a common cause of cross-contamination, 

particularly when using the board after preparing raw meat, 

poultry or seafood. Give them a good scrub with detergent 

in hot water. If you have wooden chopping boards, one way 

of being sure you have killed any bugs is to pop the board 

into the microwave for three minutes. Unfortunately, this is 

not effective for plastic cutting boards. 

I think I thaw it in the fridge 

Don't take short cuts. Never thaw or marinate meat, seafood 

or poultry out of the fridge. Almost half of Australians defrost 

their food on the benchtop or under running water. Plan


ahead and thaw your food in the fridge. It may take longer, 

but it is a safer method. If you choose to defrost using the 

microwave, make sure you cook the food straightaway. 

When in doubt, throw it out 

Those sneaky little microorganisms have many tricks up their 

tiny sleeves and other articles of apparel. One of them is their 

'cloak of invisibility'. Not only can we not see them, but we 

cannot smell, hear or even taste them. When in doubt, throw 

it out. Or give it to the dog, whose stomach is usually hardier 

than our own. 

Lie and let a few live: freedom to the bugs 

Don't let all this disinfecting turn into an obsessive compulsive 

disorder. Take reasonable steps to thwart microorganisms. On 

the other hand, it is illogical to expect that our environment is 

microorganism free, when in and on ourselves are literally billions 

of bugs. If our internal bugs are content, we should be 

able to live in harmony with our environment (see probiotics, 

page 34). Eating probiotic foods such as yoghurt, in addition 

to taking reasonable food safety precautions, will improve our 

resistance against food poisoning. 

If you are using disinfectants, make sure that you rinse 

cutlery and crockery very well. The disinfectant may be 

aimed at bad bugs, but if you swallow the stuff, it will also 

kill good bugs in the gut. 

Organic shmorganic: chemical free 

The National Health and Medical Research Council found 

residues of DDE (a breakdown product of DDT, a pesticide) 

in all samples of human breast milk tested in 1986. DDT had 

already been banned for several years by 1986!

80 T&e Commonsense Gzlide to Eafiztg WeZL 

It took agent orange and the massive backdown of cigarette 

companies to verify that toxic chemicals are dangerous, 

whether we touch them, inhale them or eat them. Many conditions, 

including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, cancer and 

various auto-immune conditions seem to be closely linked 

with an excess of chemicals and sufferers are especially 

sensitive to the chemicals used in farming. Although we are 

becoming more aware of the dangers of toxic chemicals, as 

individuals we can do little about the pollution and paint 

fumes we breathe. However, we can choose what we put in 

our mouth. For this reason, organic farming has spread from 

a wacky, hippie pursuit to mainstream agriculture. Today you 

can buy organic rice and flour at the supermarket, unheard 

of five years ago. 

Organic farming combines modern scientific principles 

with old knowledge and traditions. 'Organic' means farming 

without the addition of artificial chemicals used in (a) preparing 

the soil, (b) growing the crop or (c) storing and 

marketing the produce. Non-organic produce is frequently 

sprayed with pesticides, fungicides and so on. Organic 

animals are allowed to range as freely as possible, and are fed 

organic grains and produce. 

In Australia we have several regulatory organisations, 

including the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture 

(NASAA), Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA) and the 

Bio-Dynamic Farmers of Australia (Demeter). These groups 

monitor the organic farms and their produce. Basically there 

are three main categories of organic-ness. The first or highest, 

come from farms that use no artificial fertilisers or synthetic 

chemicals and have not done so for more than two years. The 

second stage, sometimes called 'conversion', is similar but has 

been that way for less than two years. The third level, 'sustainable', 

means that a minimum of non-toxic sprays have 

been used under strict guidelines.


Although organic produce costs more, it is environmentally 

friendly and studies have shown that the produce contains 

more micronutrients than those produced under mainstream 

farming practices.

OUR DAILY FOOD

The Food We Eat 

Nuts, seeds and oils 

A nut, and we've all known a few, refers to the shell-encased 

single seed of a tree. If you have ever been the recipient of 

the school joke about peanut trees, you will be aware that 

peanuts are not nuts, but legumes. Nevertheless, peanuts are 

de facto nuts. Both seeds and nuts are high in fat and in their 

processed form as 'vegetable' oil, are the source of most of 

the oils we consume, with the exception of olive oil, which 

comes from the olive fruit. Fat is vital to our health, necessary 

for hormones, cell membranes and so much more. People 

who live fat free tend to look desiccated and vaguely 

unhappy. Much better to look healthy with the glowing skin 

and shiny hair that only good quality fats found in nuts and 

seeds can provide. 

Because nuts, seeds and oils are high in fat, they are susceptible 

to becoming rancid (see oil processing, page 51). We

86 The Common~se Ggide to Eating Well 

can minimise this by buying them in small quantities from 

shops that have a high turnover. Keep them covered in dark, 

cool containers, such as a fridge. Cold-processed oils retain 

more vitamins and have less chance of containing oxidised 

fatty acids (a big cause of free radicals in the body). Be aware 

that cold-processed oils taste stronger and look more cloudy 

than their processed-beyond-belief cousins. 

ALMOND 

The almond tree blossoms a treat, just like its relatives the 

cherry, peach and apricot trees. Almonds have plenty of 

essential fatty acids, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and 

vitamin E. Almond paste, made in the same way as peanut 

butter, put through a grinder, is a scrumptious spread on toast 

for breakfast. Marzipan, originating from the Middle East, is 

made from ground almonds, sugar and egg white. 

B ~ R 

Butter is included here because of its oil status. Butter is 

churned from cream, the fattier part of milk. In Australia, 

butter is made from cow's milk but it can also be made from 

other animals, including the buffalo and yak. Butter is mostly 

saturated fat but contains a tiny portion of milk protein and 

sugar. Salt is often added in the processing. Butter provides 

us with vitamins A and D, and can play a small part in a good 

diet. 

BRAZIL NUT 

Brazil nut trees (native to - you guessed it) grow up to 30 

metres tall. Brazil nuts are slightly higher in fat than almonds 

but contain the amino acid methionine, which helps the liver 

metabolise fats. They are a reasonably good source of protein; 

good news for vegans.

The Food We Eat 87 

CASHEW 

Slightly lower in fat than other nuts, cashews are also a good 

source of potassium, iron and zinc. The cashew is a distant 

relative to poison ivy and cashew shells contain a nasty substance 

that burns your skin, which is why cashews are always 

sold naked. 

CHESTNUT 

Chestnuts have never really been a hit in Australia. Maybe 

because our climate doesn't get cold enough (sorry Tasmania) 

for it to be sold over fires on street corners. The chestnut 

was once used as a major food source before the potato hit 

the market in Europe in the sixteenth century. Chestnuts 

have about one-third the fat of other nuts and much more 

starch. 

COCONUT 

Maybe because of its size, we seldom think of the coconut 

as a nut. Coconuts give so much of themselves: milk, oil and 

flesh. Coconut oil is made up of mainly saturated fats, which 

make it a very stable cooking oil. 

HAZELNUT 

Hazelnuts are also known as filberts, which sound more like 

a friendly chipmunk or a computer nerd than a nut. Hazelnuts 

are used in the creation of the liqueur Frangelico but they 

have other uses as well. They provide similar nutrients to 

almonds and are another nut that is lovely ground as a paste 

on toast for breakfast. 

LINSEED 

Linseeds are also known as flax seeds. Linseeds have uses 

other than as a food source, including providing fibre for cloth 

and oil for polishing wood, particularly cricket bats. The seeds


contain lignans that have phyto-oestrogen effects useful for 

controlling the symptoms of menopause. Ground linseeds are 

also very good for constipation and, due to the softening 

action of the linseed fibre, help conditions such as diverticulitis 

and colitis. 

Often recommended to treat conditions such as eczema 

and PMS, cold-pressed linseed oil is prized for its content of 

omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Just make sure you don't 

buy the furniture oil variety instead. 

Macadamia nuts are expensive because their shells need jackhammers 

to open them. Macadamias are actually native to 

Australia. It is just because those canny Hawaiians covered 

them in chocolate and put them in fancy tins everyone thinks 

they are from the fiftieth state. They have a high fat content, 

even for a nut, and don't offer much in the way of micronutrients. 

Macadamia oil makes a very nice massage oil and 

moisturiser. 

OLIVE 

Olives are one of a few fruits that store energy as oil. Raw 

olives are very bitter and need to be soaked in a salty solution 

to remove some of the bitterness. Olives and their oil have 

been around for some time. 'And the dove came in to him in 

the evening: and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt 

off (Genesis, 8, xi). 

'Extra virgin' olive oil is the prized oil that comes from the 

first pressing. Generally, the darker and dirtier-looking the 

olive oil, the purer it is. Other olive oils such as pure or virgin 

are from subsequent pressings. There is nothing 'light' about 

light olive oil except its colour, which means that it has 

undergone excessive processing. Avoid it.

The Food We Eizt 89 

PEANUT 

Peanuts snuck into the nut category (although they are botanically 

a legume) and much to the chagrin of proper nuts, are 

the most popular of the lot. Peanuts are a little lower in fat 

than nuts and are reasonably high in protein. Fresh-ground 

peanut butter is quite a delightful food. However, some 

people have been known to eat large containers at a sitting. 

Shame. 

Peanuts receive a lot of bad press and not merely because 

of the deception regarding their nut status. They are a 

common allergen, causing skin and breathing problems 

among the susceptible. In addition, they often grow a mould 

called AspqiZZus flavus, which produces a poison called 

aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is 20 times more toxic than DDT. The 

Department of Agriculture issue guidelines as to minimum 

quantities of aflatoxin, nevertheless, there is always a little 

present. 

PUMPKIN SEEDS 

Don't throw them out. Baked pumpkin seeds taste very good. 

Pumpkin seeds are high in zinc and are good in preventing 

and treating prostacic problems (see pumpkin on page 100). 

Put them on the male member of the family's plate, covered 

in gravy, so he eats them before realising. People without 

prostates can also indulge in pumpkin seeds because of their 

zinc and essential fatty acids. 

SESAME SEEDS 

Sesame seed oil is used extensively in Asian cooking. Try 

buying the cold-pressed variety as the taste enhances any stirfrying 

or cooking. Sesame seeds contain reasonable amounts 

of lignan, the plant hormone substance so good for menopause 

symptoms. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame 

seeds and is a frequent ingredient in many Middle Eastern

90 The Commonsense Guide to Eahg WeZi 

dishes. Tahini makes a very nice spread on bread: try substituting 

it for butter on salad sandwiches. 

SUNFLOWER SEEDS 

Sunflower seeds taste good on their own or thrown on top of 

salads. A delicious snack is to toss a handful of sunflower 

seeds onto a heated cast-iron pan, move them round a little 

with a wooden spoon so that they brown but do not burn. 

Just as they begin to brown pour in a tiny amount of low-salt 

soy sauce. Take off the heat immediately. Cold-pressed sunflower 

oil contains good quantities of essential fatty acids. 

WALNUT 

Walnuts are the most nutritious of nuts with plenty of vitamin 

E, calcium, iron and zinc. Walnuts have been found to lower 

cholesterol levels. 

Herbal tea 

As a herbalist I generally prescribe herbal tinctures or tablets. 

For some conditions, however, nothing beats a herbal tea, 

because of the release of therapeutic volatile oils, which are 

not available to the same extent from tinctures or tablets. I 

rely on teas such as buchu, cornsilk and uva ursi for urinary 

tract problems. Fenugreek and golden rod are good for mucus 

congestion such as sinusitis. Tea made from catmint, passionflower 

and hops is excellent for sleeping. Herbal concoctions 

of burdock, echinacea and red clover teas are terrific blood 

purifiers; good for skin problems like pimples and eczema. 

Herbs have been used as medicine for as long as plants 

and humans have been together on earth, and some herbs are 

pretty potent. Just as you wouldn't take Aunt Martha's heart 

pills a couple of times a day because you like the taste and


Aunt Martha seems just fine, nor would you drink a herbal 

tea that may have a strong effect without professional advice. 

For instance, one little cup of senna pod tea could have you 

on the loo all night. Generally, herbal teas sold in supermarkets 

and health food shops are fine. But if in doubt, ask. 

Herbal tea tips 

Supermarkets usually carry a range of herbal teas in 

handy teabag form. If you are a herbal tea novice buy 

a small packet or a sampler packet until you have 

decided on your favourites. 

In general, herbal teas do not require milk. The exception 

could be dandelion root, cinnamon and ginger. 

Honey is another option that suits some people and 

some teas more than others. 

Use pure water to make your teas. 

Use one teaspoon of dried herb (two teaspoons of 

fresh herb) per cup of boiling water. Pour boiling 

water over herb in enclosed container; for example, 

a teapot or infuser. 

Chop the leaves and stems of fresh herbs to increase 

the surface area and release volatile oils. 

Keep any excess tea in the fridge and consume within 

24 hours. 

The following herbal teas may be drunk freely, say up to five 

cups a day. However, try to develop a taste for herbal teas 

and drink a variety. 

CHAMOMILE 

Chamomile is gentle enough for babies and the very elderly. 

It is a particular favourite in Germany where it is accepted as

92 The Commonsense Gzlide to Eating Well 

a standard variant for tea or coffee. It helps calm the nervous 

and digestive systems, which makes chamomile the obvious 

choice for those whose digestion is affected by stress. It is 

also good to drink if you suffer period cramps. Allointoin is a 

chemical derived from chamomile that is anti-inflammatory 

and healing. Chamomile tea is recommended as a final hair 

rinse for blondes (cool the tea first, this is not intended as a 

'blonde' joke). Chamomile blends well with a slice of fresh 

ginger root. 

PEPPERMINT 

Peppermint tea is excellent to settle your tummy after a big 

meal. The menthol gives it an uplifting flavour and fragrance 

although it is not a stimulant in the sense of coffee or tea. 

Peppermint is good for any digestive problems, particularly 

nausea, bloating, flatulence and the symptoms of irritable 

bowel syndrome. 

On hot days cool your paws in a bucket of water with a 

few drops of peppermint oil added (never drink essential 

oils). Chilled peppermint tea is also cooling. Women who 

suffer from hot flushes and sweating during menopause will 

benefit from sipping cool peppermint tea. 

ROSEHIP 

Rosehip tea, made from the fruit of the wild dog rose, has an 

interesting, tart flavour and is a dreamy berry colour. Rosehips 

are an excellent source of bioflavonoids and this is probably 

why it has earned its reputation as a winter tea to keep colds 

and flu away. Rosehip tea is slightly astringent and may be 

helpful in mild diarrhoea. Rosehip tea combines well with a 

strong-tasting honey such as leatherwood.


DANDELION ROOT 

Dandelion root tea is often recommended as a substitute for 

coffee, which is rather cruel as the only things it has in 

common with coffee is that it is black and hot. However, 

dandelion root is very, very good for you, particularly your 

liver, and it is well worth acquiring a taste for this bitter herb. 

If you are using chunks of dandelion root you will need to 

boil them for a few minutes; they can also be reused a couple 

of times. Sometimes you can find finely ground dandelion 

root, which you can use in the same way as coffee powder: 

percolate or infuse. The instant version of dandelion root tea 

is usually sweetened with lactose and tastes a bit sickly. Some 

people add soy milk to their dandelion. It is up to you. 

Dandelion leaves are rich in minerals, including potassium, 

and they are extremely diuretic. Only drink dandelion leaf 

tea if that is the effect you are after. It is beneficial for women 

who retain fluid around period time. 

LEMON GRASS 

Lemon grass tastes very different depending on whether you 

use fresh or dried. The flavour is tangy and lemony due to 

the citrus-flavoured oil known as citral. Growing lemon grass 

in a pot or garden is easy. Similar to African violets, it takes 

a lot to kill a lemon grass plant. If you have one growing, 

snip off what you need for a cup of tea just as you put the 

kettle on. Fresh lemon grass is often available at fruit shops 

in the herb section. Buy one or two stalks and keep them in 

the freezer. Dried lemon grass can also be used. Personally, 

I prefer it fresh. Lemon grass combines well with ginger, 

lemon and honey. 

NETTLES 

Nettles are still cooked as a vegetable in some parts of the 

United Kingdom. The leaves need to be boiled so that the

94 The Commo;rzseme Gde 

to Eating Well 

nasty little spikes don't cause internal damage. Nettle tea has 

long been used as a tonic, possibly due to its high mineral 

content, rich in iron. If you suffer from eczema or dermatitis, 

drink the tea and make extra to use as a soak. Nettles are 

very good for any itching and inflamed skin condition. It is 

also widely recommended as a final hair rinse for brunettes. 

FENUGREEK 

These mustard-coloured seeds have an earthy, pungent 

odour. Fenugreek has diaphoretic properties, which means it 

makes you sweat: one of the natural mechanisms our bodies 

have for clearing out the junk. Fenugreek is an excellent lymphatic 

cleanser and can be a powerful adjunct to an internal 

spring-cleaning routine. Fenugreek is safe to drink during 

pregnancy and will improve milk flow during lactation. Fenugreek 

tea helps clear mucous from the sinuses, throat and 

nose. Fenugreek also helps to stabilise blood sugar levels. 

Great for people with a sugar craving. A dab of honey and 

squeeze of lemon may be added if desired. 

RASPBERRY LEAF 

Raspberry leaf tea doesn't taste as yummy as it sounds but 

it's not too bad. A tea often recommended during the latter 

third of pregnancy to 'tone' the uterus. It is also good for 

heavy periods. Drink two or three cups daily. Raspberry leaf 

tea can also help quell a nauseous tummy and is also useful 

for diarrhoea. 

THYME 

Thyme is quite a pleasant tea with very antiseptic qualities. 

Only use fresh (or freshly frozen) thyme as the volatile oils are 

in abundance in the fresh leaves. It is a good tea if you have a 

chesty cold or lung infection. Gargle when cool to relieve a sore 

throat or tonsitilitis. Not one to drink all the thyme!


The classic 'cold' tea incorporates thyme. Chop two to 

three inches of fresh root ginger, a cinnamon stick, the juice 

of one lemon, rind of half a lemon, a few sprigs of fresh thyme 

and honey. Fill the pot or plunger with freshly boiled water 

and drink a few cups to help you through the day. 

Sage is a very astringent tea. Use the fresh leaves if you can, 

although dried will do at a pinch. A strong, cool sage gargle 

will help kill any bugs in the throat. Sage contains phytohormones 

and is often recommended as a cool drink for 

women suffering the hot flushes of menopause. Drink two to 

three cups daily for about a month. 

GINGER 

Ginger makes a very warming winter brew and it is excellent 

for a sluggish circulation. Anyone who feels the cold will 

benefit from ginger. Ginger is also an effective digestive 

remedy, particularly good for nausea. 

Fresh ginger root is best. Take a 2- or 3-centimetre bit of 

root. Peel or wash the outside then chop into little bits. You 

can throw this into a teapot or infuser, or simply place a 

couple of thin slices in the bottom of your cup. 

LEMON JUICE 

Hot water with a sqeeze of lemon is quite pleasant and very 

good for the liver. It is even nicer with a teaspoon of honey. 

A teaspoon of brandy or rum can add interest too, although 

not recommended for liver health. 

CAROB 

The finely ground carob bean pod makes quite a decent 

drink: a bit like a Clayton's hot chocolate. Carob is a rich

96 The Commonsense Guide to Eating Wen 

source of minerals, particularly calcium. I like it with a sprinkle 

of cinnamon, honey and a touch of milk. 

Vegetables 

How very boring when you find that your parents were right. 

It helps a little that they don't know how to surf the Net but 

it's darn annoying about those vegetables. It is a fact that 

people who eat more vegetables have less cancer, constipation, 

heart disease and diabetes. Not only are vegetables low 

in fat, they have plenty of fibre with vitamins and minerals 

to spare. Australians eat an average of 3 kilograms of vegies 

per week, with at least 1 kilogram in potatoes. Unfortunately, 

a number of these potatoes have been transmogrified into 

chips, which defeats the purpose slightly. To save the vitamins, 

vegetables should be cooked with care (not boiled to 

death) or even eaten raw. 

ASPARAGUS 

Asparagus are slim and elegant vegetables; the supermodels 

of the vegetable kingdom. Not surprising, as they are part of 

the absolutely fabulous Lily family. Until I was in my twenties, 

I never realised you could buy asparagus except in a can, 

overcooked and oversalted. When I discovered the fresh 

version I became a convert. Asparagus contains an amino acid, 

asparagine, which is responsible for the almost immediate 

effect on the smell of urine. 

BEANS 

Green beans are actually a legume with a fleshy covering. 

They are good for the kidneys and bladder.


BROCCOLI 

Part of the cabbage family, broccoli, like its smelly brothers, 

has anti-cancer nutrients (indoles) by the bucketload. Broccoli 

also has significant amounts of vitamin C, as long as it has 

not been cooked forever. Anything dark green like broccoli 

has loads of chlorophyll, that wonderful life-giving substance 

that helps plants produce energy from sunlight. 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS 

Similar to broccoli, and even more despised by youngsters, 

brussels sprouts contain similar nutrients and anti-cancer 

potential. 

CABBAGE 

Introduced to Europe by the Celts, cabbage is the most commonly 

used vegetable and the longest cultivated. Common it 

may be but cabbage is uncommonly good for us. It is full of 

antioxidant nutrients - indoles. Red cabbage has the added 

advantage of containing the pigment antioxidant similar to 

red grapes - anthocyanin. 

Cabbage juice is wonderful for the healing of stomach 

ulcers. Don't be a martyr and drink it straight, mix it half/ 

half with carrot juice. 

Cook cabbage with a few caraway seeds to dispel the wind 

in your belly. The longer cabbage is cooked, the more 

cabbagy it tastes. Cabbages are never grown near grapevines 

for fear of the taste contaminating the grapes. The outer 

leaves of a chilled cabbage worn inside the bra are very good 

for the swollen breasts of mastitis. And kake a very elegant 

fashion statement.

98 The Commonsense Gaide to Eating Well 

CARROT 

Carrots are the richest source of beta-carotene (pro-vitamin 

A). Did you know carrots were originally purple or black? The 

orange variety we have come to love is really a mutant! 

CAULIFLOWER 

Cauliflower is another of the ubiquitous cabbage family. 

Because it is white, cauliflower does not contain as many 

carotenes and chlorophyll as coloured vegetables. But it does 

contain boron, a mineral important for calcium being properly 

utilised in bone. 

CELERY 

Celery is rich in potassium and sodium. Towards the flowery 

ends, the celery is bitter. This is good: more bitter means it 

is good for the liver and digestive processes. Celery is used 

as a diuretic and celery seed extract can be helpful in the 

treatment of arthritis. 

CUCUMBER 

Cucumbers are very cooling for the hot person, or for the 

person eating hot, spicy food. Cucumber skin, usually thrown 

out, is a good source of silica, good for the quality of bones, 

hair, skin and nails. 

GARLIC 

Hippocrates, Aristotle, Pliny, in fact all the gang recommended 

garlic for all sorts of ailments. And it tastes great with 

pasta. As much a herb as vegetable, we would be much poorer 

without the health-giving gifts of garlic. 

Garlic helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol; 

enhances the immune system; is antibacterial, antifungal, 

anti-worm (anthelmintic); and it helps eliminate heavy metals 

such as lead from the body.

Tde Food We Eat 99 

L E ~ C E 

The darker the leaf, the more nutrients. Unfortunately, this 

leaves the common iceberg lettuce at the bottom of the nutrient 

barrel. All lettuces are a good source of chlorophyll. 

MUSHROOM 

Mushrooms are not strictly vegetables but a fungus. Mushrooms 

are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They are 

sometimes represented as containing vitamin BIZ. They do 

not. The only way BIZ could be present is from animal 

compost that has become lodged in the fan-like underflesh. 

ONION 

Onions are part of the same Li~~i;:y as garlic and share many 

of garlic's health-giving benefits. Eat an onion every day, 

cooked or raw. Onions will help lower cholesterol. They also 

have a regulating effect on blood sugar levels, which make 

them good for diabetes and hypoglycaemia. Onions are also 

good for coughs. Thinly slice a red, brown or white onion, 

cover with honey and leave overnight. Next day, drink the 

syrup. 

Pickled onions and other pickled vegetables are usually 

high in salt, sugar and other preservatives including nitrates, 

which are carcinogenic. 

POTATO 

Potatoes were brought from the New World to the Old in the 

1500s and by 1800 became the most important food in 

Ireland. A member of the deadly nightshade family but 

generally not a troublemaker, potatoes are the favourite 

vegetable in Australia. Potatoes contain vitamin C as well as 

potassium. Potatoes are low in calories, it is only when they 

touch oil do the calories skyrocket. The skin contains most 

of their nutrients but don't eat the skin if it has turned green,

ZOO 

The Commo~sense Ggide to Eating Web 

as this is a sign that the poisonous alkaloid solanine is present. 

Cutting out the offending green bit is sufficient to remove 

the danger. 

SPINACH 

In Australia we tend to call silver beet, spinach. Silver beet 

has a much stronger flavour and bigger leaves than its refined 

English counterpart. Both are a good source of iron (the nonhaem 

variety) and other nutrients, including chlorophyll. 

PUMPKIN 

A member of the melon family and native to Central America, 

pumpkin is a lovely vegetable, particularly as part of a roast 

dinner. The orange flesh provides plenty of beta-carotene, as 

well as potassium and soluble fibre. 

Pumpkin seeds contain zinc and other factors, including a 

phyto-hormone that is useful in the treatment of the prostate 

gland. 

Grains 

Carbohydrates should make up the lion's share of our diet, 

anywhere up to 70 per cent. Carbohydrate foods are a mixed 

bag: grains, legumes (also a good source of protein), fruit, 

vegetables and sugar. Grains, including wheat, rye, barley, 

rice, oats, millet and corn are the principal food for the majority 

of the world's population. This was not always so. 

Anatomy of a grain 

The endosperm takes up the majority of the grain. It is 

mostly starch and contains soluble fibre, as well as a 

few vitamins and minerals. Inside the endosperm lies

TAe Food We Eat 101 

the germ, the embryonic plant which, if lefi to its own 

devices, would use the endosperm as food to fuel its 

growth into a little seedling. The germ contains protein, 

fatty acids and is a storehouse of minerals and vitamins, 

particularly vitamin E. Protecting the grain is a tough coat 

called the husk or bran. This is where we frnd most of 

the fibre, including celIulose. The husk also contains a 

fair amount of micronutrients, but not as many as the 

aleurone layer, the undercoating that lies snugly over the 

grain and under the husk. Grains contain a large percentage 

of carbohydrate, around 80 per cent. They also 

contain a little more than 10 per cent protein and are in 

general very low in fat, at about 2 per cent. 

Flour power 

Grains, also known as cereals, are the seeds of grasses. As 

hunters and gatherers thousands of years ago, we gathered 

these wild grass seeds, in addition to the roots, leaves, 

flowers, fruits, insects and odd rodent that crossed our wandering 

path. The wild grasses of yesteryear were very different 

from the lush ears of corn and wheat we cultivate today. 

It would have been slim pickings indeed. Not only would it 

have been time consuming to gather these seeds but they are 

virtually inedible in the raw state. So, we would have had to 

lug these seeds on our 40 kilometre walk (the estimated daily 

average distance covered by our fit ancestors) and at the end 

of a long day, grind the pesky seeds on a bit of rock, then 

add water, then cook it over the coals. Pass the insects please. 

So much less trouble. 

Nevertheless, someone was keen to eat their wheaties. 

Humankind became 'civilised' when it began to cultivate 

grain around 10 000 to 15 000 years ago. Sowing seeds in the

102 The Commonsense Ggide to Eating Well 

ground meant that we had to hang around until harvest time. 

Houses, villages and cities were a natural progression. For the 

first time we could store food, in 'granaries'. This gave us 

time for other pursuits like organised religion, literature, 

flower arranging and war. People who controlled the grain, 

controlled society. 

The symbolism of agriculture has deeply permeated 

human consciousness. The Greek goddess Demeter was in 

charge of the harvest; Egyptians revered Osiris, the god of 

agriculture. 

White is Aght? 

The first grainy foods would have been gruels or porridges 

or flat breads: the whole grain broken up with primitive 

mortar and pestle. Then came rotary stone mills, driven by 

water, slave or horsepower. Steel roller milling came with the 

industrial revolution and this is where the trouble began. Up 

until this time, it was very difficult to separate the chaff (bran 

and germ) from the rest of the flour. So breads were invariably 

wholemeal. When processing technology became widespread, 

a more refined, whiter, fluffier bread was achievable 

and, for the first time, affordable. The common man enthusiastically 

embraced white bread that was formerly reserved 

for the toffs on the hill, the upper crust! 

Unfortunately, we now know that removing the bran and 

the germ also removes a good proportion of fibre and micronutrients 

(see the table below). In addition, bleach is added 

to make white flour whiter. Check your labels: 'bread-making 

flour' means white wheat flour. 

Mfcronutdent losses when the germ and bran 

are removed: 

B1 80% Copper 68% 

B2 65% Iron 76%

T4e Food We Eat 103 

B3 

B5 

B6 

B9 

Calcium 

Chromium 

Cobalt 

75% Magnesium 85% 

50% Manganese 86% 

78% Molybdenum 48% 

67% Phosphorus 71% 

60% Potassium 77% 

40% Sodium 78% 

89% Zinc 78% 

Gluten 

Gluten is found in several grains, including wheat, rye, 

barley and oats. Gluten gives flour strength, biding 

quality and elasticity: all desirable qudties in bread, 

pasta and pastry making. Coeliac (see-lee-ak) disease is 

a condition where gluten causes damage to the Iining of 

the intestines. In its most severe form, coeliac affects 

1 in 2000 people and is a condition that is oilen inherited. 

Although only a tiny proportion of people have 

coeliac disease proper, many more people may be 

sensitive or slightly intolerant to gluten. Symptoms 

often include bloating, flatulence and constipation or 

diarrhoea. 

WHEAT 

Wheat is the most commonly consumed grain in Australia. 

On average Australians eat 1.5 kilograms of wheat flour each 

week, mostly in the form of bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits 

and pasta. There are two main types of wheat: Triticzcm 

vaCgare (soft) used for bakery items and breads; and 2". dumm 

(hard) used for pastas and crusty Italian-style breads. Nutritionally, 

they are very similar but hard wheat contains slightly 

more protein. Wheat contains the most gluten of all the


grains, which helps it rise in baking. Some people are allergic 

to the gluten in wheat, others to other parts of the wheat 

grain itself. 

Wheat does not have to be made into flour, other products 

that are wheat based include: 

bulgur - here the wheat grain has been debranned, parboiled, 

dried and cracked: the crunchy bits found in 

tabouleh and kebbeh are bulgur; 

semolina - the hard part of durum wheat; 

cous cous - processed from semolina; and 

matzo meal - flour used to make unleavened bread during 

Passover. 

RICE 

Rice is the staple food for half the world's population. While 

people in Bangladesh eat 65 kilograms of rice yearly, Australians 

average a measly 5.6 kilograms a person. Rice is a 

balancing grain. This doesn't mean you can hold a bowl of 

rice on your head and not let it topple, but that rice helps 

balance an under- and over-stimulated system. Brown rice is 

the whole grain, high in fibre, vitamins and minerals. White 

rice has been rumbled by sugar granules to remove the outer 

husk, in addition to the aleurone (vitamin and mineral-rich) 

layer, while a portion of the germ remains. Converted rice 

(Sungold) is steamed and dried before milling, allowing 

the aleurone layer to remain and is therefore higher in 

micronutrients. 

There are hundreds of varieties of rice, including basmati 

and jasmine. Nutritionally, they are similar. There is no 

gluten in rice. Rice cakes, which look and taste much like 

drink coasters, are brown rice that has been heated to 200 

degrees Celsius for six seconds.


WILD RICE 

Wild rice is not actually a type of rice but a grain in its own 

right, with the exotic botanical name of Zizania apuatica. Traditionally 

gathered by hand in waterways by the North American 

Indians, wild rice is high in protein, and can be cooked 

together with brown rice or other grains. Wild rice does not 

contain gluten and is a low-allergy food. 

BARLEY 

Pliny wrote that Roman gladiators were called 'Hordearii' or 

barley eaters, believing that the barley they ate made them 

strong. You don't see barley much nowadays except in homemade 

soup. The soluble fibre in barley helps lower blood 

cholesterol. It is used medicinally because of its anti-inflammatory 

and cooling properties. A valuable remedy for the 

treatment of the symptoms of cystitis (a bladder inflammation) 

is to simmer 50 grams of barley in 1 litre of water for 

40 minutes. Strain, add lemon and honey. (Barley water will 

help to relieve the discomfort of cystitis but will not get rid 

of an infection.) 

Pot barley is the whole grain, which is very hairy. Pearl 

barley is more commonly used, and has the husk removed. 

Roasted barley is used as a coffee substitute, often with 

chicory added. 

Barley contains gluten, although not in significant 

quantities. 

RyE 

Rye is a cold-climate grain, which explains its popularity in 

northern Europe. Its high water-binding capacity keeps rye 

bread moist for longer and increases satiety (sense of fullness). 

Rye contains gluten, though not quite as much as 

wheat. Most light 'rye' breads contain as little as 30 per cent 

rye flour, the rest being white wheat flour. One hundred per

106 The Commonsense Gzlide to Eating WeZ.2 

cent rye bread is very dark, very heavy and has a distinctive, 

earthy flavour. Pumpernickel is a type of bread made with 

whole grains of rye. 

In the days before pesticides and fungicides, rye crops 

were susceptible to a type of fungus known as black sclerotia 

or ergot. Eating grain infected by this fungus caused a condition 

called St Anthony's Fire. Symptoms included burning 

pains in the arms and legs, gangrene, itching and hallucinations. 

There have been no reported incidences of St Anthony's 

Fire since the 1950s. However, research has shown that 

one of the derivatives of ergot is lysergic acid (LSD), which 

explains the hallucinations! 

OATS 

Oats are fed to horses to give them pep and they will do the 

same for humans who are down on their pep. Oats are one 

of the fattier grains, although by no means high in fat at 8 

per cent. The fats are the good, essential fatty acids (see page 

52) and are especially good for the skin when taken internally 

and externally. Dry skin and eczema will respond well to oats. 

To make an oat sock for use in the bath or shower, take one 

sockette, fill with two handfuls of oats, then tie off the open 

end. The slimy, sticky stuff that exudes from the stocking 

material is very soothing for the skin and can be used instead 

of soap. 

Rolled oats are the most common form of eating oats. The 

whole grain is simply steamed and flattened. It is worth the 

expense to get really good organically grown fresh oats. 

Compare them with your supermarket version, which can 

then be relegated to filling the oat sock. 

CORN 

Corn is the major grain of Central America and Africa, where 

it is called mealie. In Australia, we normally use the fresh


corn as a vegetable, reserving the dried ground flour for 

Mexican dishes like tortillas or in the making of polenta. 

Other grains include the following: 

Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye that was developed in 

1964. As a plant it thrives on sandy, low-fertility soils and is 

resistant to disease. It is high in protein, but seldom seen. 

Triticale contains gluten. 

Amaranth was the staple grain of the Aztec people. Cultivation 

was banned in 1519 by the invading Spaniards in a 

devastating example of economic imperialism. 

Millet is still the major grain of northern China. We call it 

birdseed. It is quick to cook but fairly bland. 

Buckwheat is not, botanically, a grain but for all intents and 

purposes is treated as one. A member of the rhubarb and 

sorrel family, buckwheat has a distinctive nutty flavour. 

Although it does not contain gluten, buckwheat flour is often 

used to thicken soups and sauces. In Russia, the whole grain 

is cooked, called kasha and eaten as a side dish to the main 

meal. A northern European Jewish delicacy are blintz (or 

blinis), little pancakes made from buckwheat flour, wrapped 

around fruit and cream. The Japanese created soba noodles 

from buckwheat flour. 

Breakfast cereals 

Apart from bread and pastry, the most common form 

in which we consume grain is in breakfast cereals. The 

first breakfast cereal would have been a humble gruel 

or porridge. However, since early this century breakfast 

cereals have become crisp, coloured, sugared and 

heavily advertised. 

W1th the exception of one or two, breakfast cereals 

are a waste of time, money and nutritional space. The 

majority contain sugar, some as high as 44 per cent.

108 The Commonsense Guide to Eating Wet!. 

They are mostly made from processed flour that has 

been stripped of its rnicronutrients, manufacturers kindly 

returning one or two of the many they have removed. 

You are much better off having baked beans on 

wholemeal toast, egg, sardines or even last night's Ieftovers. 

However, things started well in the 1800s, when 

nutritional advocate and Seventh Day Adventist, Sylvester 

Graham, started to promote the health-giving qualities of 

wholemeal flour. (In fact, wholemeal flour was dubbed 

Graham flour in his honour.) The first breakfast cereal, 

Post Grape Nuts, was created in 1863 and was baked 

Graham flour, cracked and served with milk. In 1877, 

another Seventh Day Adventist, Dr Harvey Kellogg, produced 

Granola and in 1902 the fvst corn Bake was born. 

Things went downhill from there. 

Fruit contains fructose, a simple sugar that is one-and-a-half 

times as sweet as glucose. Surprisingly, fructose causes blood 

sugar levels to rise more slowly than glucose. For this reason, 

fruit can be included in the diets of people with blood sugar 

problems, including diabetes and hypoglycaemia and makes 

a good, between-meal snack. 

It is preferable to eat the whole fruit rather than just the 

juice of the fruit. For starters, there is more fibre in the whole 

fruit, allowing you to feel fuller than just drinking the juice. 

Let your hair down and try to eat the seeds, core and skin if 

possible. 

Eat plenty of fruit, two to three servings a day. Don't, 

however, overindulge, and end up like poor Fortunatus, at a 

banquet in the first century AD: 'First I was those


sweet fruits the common people called peaches; they never 

tired of serving them to me, and I never tired of eating them; 

soon my stomach was distended like that of a woman about 

to give birth; I wondered how it was that I could stretch so 

far. Thunder growled and rolled within me, wandering in my 

entrails. There was great wind.' Fortunatus was the chaplain 

to Queen Radegonde of Germany. 

Stewing fruit is a forgotten art of winter. Not only does it 

make your home smell loved, stewed fruit is calming and an 

excellent food for stress. Pears, apples, peaches, apricots and 

quinces do very nicely stewed. Half fill a large pot with water, 

add a few spoonfuls of honey, some cardamon pods, a cinnamon 

stick and a few cloves. Wait for the water to reach the 

boil, take the pot away from the stove then place your fruit, 

cheek by cheek, nearly submerged. Put the lid back on the 

pot and let the fruit sit there steaming quietly at excessively 

low heat for two or so hours. 

Dried fruits are energy packed and make a good snack 

food when combined with a few raw nuts and seeds. 

Unfortunately, fruits are ofien dried with sulphur dioxide. 

Some people are allergic to sulphur and their symptoms 

may include asthma, eczema and in extreme cases, a 

nasty closing of the throat. Buy sun-dried fnrits if you 

are sulphur sensitive. Another packaging trick is to add 

mineral oil to sultanas and raisins to make them look 

moist. Don't be fooled. Buy naturally dried sultanas from 

the health food store. They taste better anyway. 

, 

APPLE 

Snow White and William Tell knew about them, even Eve 

couldn't resist munching on one. Apples are strewn through


human history, rich with symbolism. When an apple is cut in 

half horizontally you can see a five-pointed star, the pentagram, 

the geometric shape that sends witches and warlocks 

into an esoteric frenzy. 

Apples contain pectin, particularly around the core. Pectin 

is a soluble fibre that helps restore healthy microflora in the 

bowel, as well as removing excess cholesterol from the body. 

Apple cider vinegar in hot water is an old Vermont remedy 

for arthritis. Dab a bit of neat apple cider vinegar on bites 

and stings to reduce itching and inflammation. An oldfashioned 

cure for diarrhoea is to grate an apple (green or 

red) and eat it after it turns brown. 

APRICOT 

Apricots are a sunny cousin of the almond, cherry, peach and 

plum. Apricots are a good source of potassium, magnesium, 

iron and beta-carotene. 

AVOCADO 

The avocado is actually a fruit but most people think of it as 

a vegetable. A native to Central America, the creamy flesh of 

the avocado has seduced palates worldwide. Avocados are one 

of the few plant foods that contain fat, around 20 per cent. 

This is because avocado chooses to store energy as fat, rather 

than in the usual form, starch. Don't be put off, the fat in 

avocados gives us an opportunity to benefit from the lovely 

essential fatty acids, as well as providing us with vitamin E. 

Avocados are terrific for dry skin problems. 

BANANA 

Bananas are the favourite of babies and grannies and make a 

mean daiquiri too. Did I say daiquiri? I meant smoothie. Full 

of potassium, 440 milligrams a pop, bananas are. filling 

without being fattening.


Bananas, particularly those on the green side, are very good 

for healing ulcers of the digestive tract, including stomach 

ulcers and ulcerative colitis. 

BERRIES 

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. The 

vibrant colours of berries are due to a group of pigments 

called flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants. 

CHERRY 

Cherries, with their beautiful red colouring, are another fruit 

with plenty of the antioxidant-rich flavonoids, including 

anthocyanin. In fact, that's where they get their blue-red 

colour from. 

DATE 

Dates, palms, deserts and desserts go together. Most often 

eaten dried, dates are a delicious fruit packed full of fruit 

sugar and fibre. Dates satisfy even the hardened sweet tooth. 

FIG - 

Figs are native to the Middle East (the first tree mentioned 

in the Bible) but are equally popular in Greece, Portugal and 

Spain. Figs are available fresh or dried, tasting not a bit alike. 

Figs are rich in a range of micronutrients, including calcium, 

magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. All those little 

seedy things in the middle are good fibre. 

GRAPEFRUIT 

Grapefruits are high in pectin, a soluble fibre, found in the 

pithy white bits most of us pick off. Pectin lowers cholesterol 

levels and helps remove heavy metals from the body. Grapefruit 

is also bitter, making it an excellent tonic for the liver 

and gall bladder.


GRAPE 

Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. Grape seeds 

have been found to have high levels of the flavonoid proanthocyanidin, 

which is an antioxidant and is particularly good 

for the blood vessels. So stop spitting them out. 

LEMON 

Lemons contain vitamin C. Their sourness complements liver 

function and a substance in lemons called limonene has been 

found to be useful in treating gallstones. The juice of half a 

lemon in hot water makes a good first-thing-in-the-morning 

drink, with or without honey. 

MANGO 

Mangoes are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, potassium and 

beta-carotene. No-one has yet found the substance that 

makes mangoes addictive, but each summer, hundreds of 

thousands of Australians diligently apply their research skills 

to this question. 

ORANGE 

Oranges are a good source of vitamin C, soluble fibre, potassium 

and folic acid. Watch the allergy factor. If you have 

oranges every single day and have a health problem such as 

eczema, cut out the oranges (yes that includes OJ) for a week 

or two and see if your symptoms improve. If they don't, then 

you're welcome to go back to your oranges. Sometimes the 

allergy can be due to preservatives in the orange juice. In 

Europe in the nineteenth century, poor children dreamed all 

year of receiving an orange for Christmas. It is easy toforget 

how lucky we are in Australia, with our fantastic range of 

produce.


PEACH 

Native to China, basically yummy when ripe and reminds one 

of summer; also a good source of potassium and flavonoids. 

In Edwardian England, the peach was a symbol of virginity, 

hence the term 'she's a peach'. 

PEKR 

Having been hired to talk to 54 radio stations about pears, I 

feel I am in a unique position to tell you pears contain the 

most fibre of any fruit. They are also a low allergy fruit. 

Thank you. 

PLUM AND PRUNE 

Any dark-coloured fruit (unless they are dark because they 

are bruised) is bound to be a good source of the flavonoids. 

Plums are no exception. Prunes are dried plums and are the 

darlings of hospitals and convalescence homes due to their 

laxative effect. Both are a very good source of potassium and 

iron. 

TOMATO 

Tomatoes are actually a fruit but are happy to join the 

vegetable camp. Another member of the deadly nightshade 

family, tomatoes can be an allergy food. Containing the antioxidant 

lycopene, four servings of tomatoes (including sauce) 

a week is helpful in reducing the incidence and severity of 

prostate cancer. 

Pasta would be unthinkable without a tomato-based sauce. 

But it was not until after the discovery of America that tomatoes 

found their way into the kitchens of Europe and Italy in 

particular. And stayed there.


PEACH 

Native to China, basically yummy when ripe and reminds one 

of summer; also a good source of potassium and flavonoids. 

In Edwardian England, the peach was a symbol of virginity, 

hence the term 'she's a peach'. 

PEKR 

Having been hired to talk to 54 radio stations about pears, I 

feel I am in a unique position to tell you pears contain the 

most fibre of any fruit. They are also a low allergy fruit. 

Thank you. 

PLUM AND PRUNE 

Any dark-coloured fruit (unless they are dark because they 

are bruised) is bound to be a good source of the flavonoids. 

Plums are no exception. Prunes are dried plums and are the 

darlings of hospitals and convalescence homes due to their 

laxative effect. Both are a very good source of potassium and 

iron. 

TOMATO 

Tomatoes are actually a fruit but are happy to join the 

vegetable camp. Another member of the deadly nightshade 

family, tomatoes can be an allergy food. Containing the antioxidant 

lycopene, four servings of tomatoes (including sauce) 

a week is helpful in reducing the incidence and severity of 

prostate cancer. 

Pasta would be unthinkable without a tomato-based sauce. 

But it was not until after the discovery of America that tomatoes 

found their way into the kitchens of Europe and Italy in 

particular. And stayed there.

114 The Commonsense Gzlide to Eating WeCl 

WATERMELON 

Watermelons, as the name implies, are mostly water. They 

make a very good tonic for the kidneys and bladder. 

. 

Milk 

Paradise lost 

Milk is the perfect food, containing protein, fat, carbohydrate, 

vitamins and minerals - all the nutrients mammals (animals 

with breasts) need to sustain them through babyhood and 

early growing years. Unfortunately, for many people milk 

causes health problems. 

Use it or lose It 

Humans are the only mammals who continue to drink milk 

after being weaned. Your pussy cat may enjoy (or demand) a 

saucer of milk but in the wild, puss wouldn't touch the stuff. 

Lactase, the enzyme responsible for digesting milk sugar 

(lactose), diminishes at around the time we lose our 'milk 

teeth' at five to seven years old. Another enzyme, rennin, 

which digests the milk protein casein in the stomach, also 

diminishes at this time. Although this is true for the majority 

of people, milk-digesting enzymes remain more active in 

some races, especially people of Scandinavian origin. Classically, 

the case of 'use it or lose it', Nordic folk have a long 

history of farming moocows and eating dairy products. Over 

trhe generations, their physiology has adapted to a diet that 

contains lots of cheese and milk. 

Among my patients, I find that if someone has Danish, 

Dutch or Swedish blood in their veins, they usually thrive on 

milk products, whereas someone of Asian descent should 

invariably avoid milk.


I15 

Horses for courses 

What are humans drinking cow's milk for in the first place? 

Although we have established that milk is a perfect food, we 

need to be clear about whose milk is good for whom. Goat's 

milk is perfect for kids; cow's milk is perfect for calves; and 

human milk is perfect for human babies. So far, supermarkets 

have not seen the marketing potential of selling bottled 

human milk. 

In terms of infant survival, obviously any milk is better 

than no milk. My neighbours rescued a kitten who was 

dumped and left to die. Their 14-year-old female Dachshund, 

Koo, who had her last litter 10 years ago, started to secrete 

milk to feed the kitten. The kitten, Smudge, is flourishing 

on Koo's doggy milk! 

Here are a few interesting points of comparison between 

cow and human milk. First, cow's milk has more than four 

times more calcium and protein per millilitre than human 

milk. However, more is not necessarily better. A calf doubles 

its birth weight in 50 days, whereas babies double their birth 

weight in 100 days. Our early development is more skewed 

towards nourishing the nervous system rather than bulk. 

Second, there are two main types of protein in milk, casein 

and whey, which translate into little Miss Muffet's curds and 

whey. Cow's milk contains more casein than whey and 

human milk contains more whey than casein. People with 

milk allergy tend to be more allergic to casein than whey. It 

turns out the balance of essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in 

human breast milk is terribly important for the neurological 

development of infants. Pre-term babies fed on formula can 

become blind and neurologically deficient, and can have 

measurable IQ differences.

lf 6 


What's the problem? 

With milk there are two possible problems. The first is a milk 

sugar (lactose) intolerance; the second a milk protein allergy. 

In order to be absorbed, lactose (a disaccharide) needs to 

be snipped into two separate units: glucose and galactose. 

The enzyme lactase is just the man for the job. If lactase is 

not available, lactose cannot be broken down and absorbed 

and will continue down the bowel. Water will enter the bowel 

to dilute the sugar, causing diarrhoea. In addition, bacteria 

will eat the sugar, producing bloating and flatulence. The 

symptoms of lactose intolerance are diarrhoea and flatulence. 

Ninety-five per cent of Asian people are lactose intolerant, 

whereas northern European and Scandinavian races are better 

able to tolerate it. 

Lactose intolerance is an 'intolerance' to lactose simply 

because there are insufficient quantities of the enzyme 

lactase to deal with it. Milk allergy is a different story. As 

previously mentioned, it is the casein in milk that seems to 

be the troublemaker. It appears that the immune system of 

the sensitive individual will react when a fragment of casein 

is absorbed. When the immune system gets involved it is 

truly an allergy. The reactions to a milk allergy are not as 

immediate as ,that of lactose intolerance. Symptoms fall into 

three main groups: skin, mucus and emotional. Skin-related 

symptoms are usually eczema or skin rashes. Mucus-related 

symptoms can manifest as chronic sinusitis, post-nasal drip 

(mucus dripping down the back of the throat) and a constant 

stuffed-up nose. Milk allergy also contributes to ongoing 

colds, asthma, tonsillitis and glue ear in children. Emotional 

symptoms are a lot more difficult to detect. 

Addictive allergies 

About 10 years ago, a psychologist and nutritionist called 

Alexander Schauss researched a group of troubled teenage

The Food We Eat 11 7 

boys who were held in detention centres in the United States. 

He noticed that all the boys ate a diet very high in milk 

products: milk, ice-cream, cheese and chocolate. Schauss took 

a number of boys off milk products entirely and found that 

within a few weeks their negative and violent behaviour had 

changed significantly. On the whole, the boys were calmer 

and less angry. This was confirmed by the carers and the boys 

themselves. Interestingly, they still craved milk products. 

Fascinated by the change, Schauss recorded these results and 

developed a theory about addictive allergies. 

There are receptor sites in the brain that act like tiny baseball 

mitts, which grab a fragment of protein (called endorphins), 

like grabbing a baseball. With an addiction, the mitts get desperate 

to hold the ball. If there is a shortage of balls - craving 

will result. Craving is a sign of physical addiction. The milk 

protein fragments, Schauss believes, act in a similar way to the 

body's own endorphins, setting up a constant craving for milk 

products and mood problems when milk is unavailable. 

If milk protein is a problem, avoid yellow cheese, cottage 

cheese, ice-cream, whole milk and skim milk (skim milk has 

less fat, not less protein). 

The olden days: what's changed 

Old naturopathic texts recommend raw milk for all sorts of 

diseases, including catarrhal or mucus related conditions. Most 

modern naturopaths shudder at the thought of milk. Something 

must have changed. Pasteurisation has been the law for several 

decades (unpasteurised goat's milk is sometimes available). 

Pasteurisation, named for Louis Pasteur who confirmed the 

presence of disease-causing germs, involves heating milk at 

62 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. This will kill most bugs. 

Formerly, milk was frequently infected with diseases including 

tuberculosis, which could be transmitted throughout the community. 

Although there have been no modern studies to my

118 T4e Commonsense Guide to Eating Well 

knowledge comparing the difference between pasteurised and 

non-pasteurised milk on our health, the intense heating of milk 

may change its protein structure, possibly increasing the likelihood 

of milk allergy in the sensitive individual. 

Another, more recent process is homogenisation, the breaking 

up of fat so that fat droplets are evenly distributed 

throughout the milk. Cream no longer floats to the surface of 

the milk bottle to be a treat for your cat; even the bottle has 

gone! Homogenisation increases the rate at which milk goes 

off due to the increased surface area of the fat droplets. There 

are raised levels of the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which has 

been implicated in atherosclerosis. 

Antibiotics, pesticides and hormones can all be detected in 

milk, due to today's intensive farming techniques, adding to 

our chemical burden. 

What to do 

When it comes to food allergies there appears to be a threshold. 

If you are travelling well health-wise, you might be able 

to deal with one or more servings of milk products but when 

the immune system is under challenge, whether it be from 

stress or infection, you will not be able to tolerate the same 

amount of milk products and they are best avoided at this 

time. Get to know the signs from your body. Stay away from 

known food allergens, including milk, when you know your 

body is under extra stress (see tailor-made for food allergies, 

page 205). 

Yoghurt 

Even if you are sensitive to milk, you may be able to tolerate 

small amounts of yoghurt. The bacteria that make yoghurt 

feed on the lactose, so already we have reduced one problem. 

In addition, the bacteria excrete lactic acid, which changes 

the protein structure slightly, so that it presents less of an


allergic challenge. The best yoghurt to choose is plain, not 

flavoured, made with acidophilus, bifidus or bulgaricus 

bacteria. 

Sheep and goat's milk 

Still the milk of choice in several European rural communities, 

sheep and goat's milk tend not to cause as many allergy 

problems as cow's milk (although the lactose levels are the 

same). Goat's milk is an acquired taste but the cheese is quite 

delicious. Sheep's milk takes less getting used to but is 

harder to come by in delis and healthfood shops. However, 

the yoghurt is more readily available and is yummy. 

Soy milk, dce milk, almond milk 

Soy milk has many benefits, not least by providing the phytooestrogens 

(see soy, page 124). However, soybeans do not 

have breasts. Soy milk, or any other 'milk' derived from a 

seed, nut or grain, is not the same as milk from a mammal. 

They do provide certain nutrients but should not be considered 

as a total food in the same way as animal or human milk. 

This is particularly important for babies and young children. 

In addition, many people are now becoming allergic to soy 

milk if they drink lots of it. 

Mtfk and osteoporos~s 

Calcium is important for bones and in the prevention of 

osteoporosis, a common problem among women and, 

increasingly, men in Australia. Calcium is a mineral available 

from a variety of foods, not just milk products. 

Interestingly, in countries like China, which traditionally 

do not have d k in their diet, osteoporosis is not a significant 

health problem. The Beijing Osteoporosis Prow 

1996 concluded that 'hip fracture rates (usually caused

120 The Commomense Guide to Eating Well 

by osteoporosis) in Beijiig are among the lowest in the 

world'. 

Over- 60 per cent of Australian women consume 

less thah the recommended daily amount of calcium. 

Although milk is a reliable source there are many other 

foods that provide calcium. 

The following is a list of non-dairy, calcium-fich foods: 

Nlflllgrams of calcfam per cup 

Sesame seeds 2100 

Sardines with bones 1000 

Almonds 750 

Chestnuts 600 

Salmon with bones 490 

Molasses 410 

Tofu 400 

Cooked spinach 250 

Oysters (6) 240 

Figs (5) 126 

Beans 

Legumes, also known as beans or pulses, have been around 

gastronomically much longer than grains. Currently, however, 

beans are not in favour, which is a great shame as they have 

much to offer nutritionally, being low in fat and high in fibre, 

protein and micronutrients. Beans have the same calories as 

grains but four times the protein. Beans are high in soluble 

fibre, which means they help lower cholesterol, reduce the 

risk of heart dhease, prevent constipation and stabilise blood 

sugar levels. 

Quite possibly, the bean's relatively recent fall from grace


is due to a combination of factors. One is the reduction of 

available time for pottering around the kitchen. Beans take 

some time to cook. The second reason may be cultural; the 

fading of traditional recipes over the generations. Many cuisines 

have great bean dishes such as the Greek dip sava, the 

Italian lentil soup lenticce and, of course, the Mexican refried 

beans. 

Beans can be stored for a long time in your cupboard and 

retain most of their nutrients during storage and cooking. In 

fact, beans have to be cooked. Trypsin inhibitors are on the 

outside of legumes. Thought to be the legume's protection 

against digestion by birds and other animals, trypsin inhibitors 

stop the action of trypsin, a protein-digesting enzyme. 

Without trypsin, the bean cannot be properly digested. 

Trypsin inhibitors can be broken down by soaking, then 

cooking the legume. 

Canned beans are a time-saving alternative to soaking and 

cooking beans yourself. For example, adding a can of kidney 

beans to a little bolognaise sauce increases the fibre, or adding 

a can of beans to a vegetable soup lifts the protein content 

considerably. 

Beans means farts 

Beans are accused of causing flatulence. Humans pass 

wind 14 times daily, on average 600 milIiIitres of gas, 

most of which is swallowed air. The rest comprises 40 

per cent carbon dioxide produced by gut bacteria, 10 

per cent hydrogen, methane, sulphur and by-products 

of bacteria, including skatoles, ammonia and hydrogen 

sulphide (rotten egg gas). So where do beans fit in? 

Beans contain oligosaccharide - a type of starch that is 

resistant to digestion. As the oligosaccharides pass 

through the small intestine to the colon, resident bacteria


will break them down and cause gas. People who are 

used to legumes in their diet will, over time, produce 

microflora that are less likely to cause the problem of 

excess flatulence. So the more beans you eat, the less 

flatulence you will have. 

ADZUKI BEANS 

Also known as red beans, adzuki beans are a favourite in 

Japan. This small, round, reddish-brown bean has a light, 

nutty, sweet flavour. It is often made into candied bean cakes. 

Although it tastes sweet, this bean helps regulate blood sugar 

levels. Since the Han Dynasty in China (206 BC to AD 220), 

the red bean has meant good luck and so is always included 

in any festive meal. Dried beans are put out to ward off evil 

spirits at Chinese New Year. 

BLACK BEANS 

Black beans are used in South American and Caribbean 

cooking. They form the basis for the salty, fermented and 

yummy Chinese black bean sauce. 

BORLOTTI BEANS 

Borlotti beans are brown or speckled pink and also travel 

under the name Romano. They are native to tropical America 

and were introduced to Europe via the Spaniards. In 1528, 

some of these beans were sent to Pope Clement VII in Italy, 

possibly the first beans in Italy. Borlotti beans are popular in 

Italian soups and stews to this day. 

BROAD BEANS 

Broad beans are also known as fava, and were first cultivated 

during the Iron and Bronze ages. They were the staple food


for the poor in ancient Egypt. In ancient Rome, dry broad 

beans were used as counters for voting in Roman elections. 

Broad beans can be eaten green and uncooked, however, they 

may cause a form of anaemia known as favism in some Mediterranean 

people with a special sensitivity to a toxin found 

in the beans. 

CHICKPEAS 

Chickpeas or garbanzos are a round, light brown-coloured 

bean with a chicken-beak point at one end. They are a 

favourite throughout the Middle East, India, Spain, Italy and 

Greece. Hommos, felafel and besan flour are all chickpea 

products. Dry roasted chickpeas flavoured with salt, spices 

and chilli are a popular snackfood in India. 

HARICOT BEANS 

These are the common garden variety baked bean or navy 

bean. Canned baked beans are a staple food for many single 

young men. Haricot beans make a quick, high protein, low 

fat breakfast or snack. 

KIDNEY BEANS 

Kidney beans are best known for their leading role in chilli 

con carne and as a support act in three-bean mix. 

LENTILS 

Lentils are called lentils because their shape resembles the 

lens of the eye. Lentils, whether they are red, green or brown, 

are big news in India where they form the basis of dhal. 

Lentils need no soaking and cook in around 20 minutes.


PEAS 

Peas are legumes. We normally eat them fresh or thawed, 

reserving the split dried peas for pea and ham soup. The olde 

English 'pease pudding' featured split peas. 

SOYBEANS 

The soybean is native to China, where it has been cultivated 

for 13 000 years. It is the most widely grown and utilised 

legume and is the biggest cash crop in United States, used 

mostly as feed for livestock. Soybeans contain more oil than 

most beans; around 17 per cent of the dried bean. But the 

fat is good fat, high in the essential fatty acids. 

One of the main reasons for soy's popularity (it can't be 

the taste), is that soybeans have the highest protein content 

of any plant food, exceeding many animal foods. 

Soybeans have received a lot of attention because they 

contain the isoflavone genistin, a plant substance that is structurally 

similar to but much weaker than oestrogen, and is 

actually able to bind onto oestrogen receptor sites in the 

body. This is a boon for menopausal women who are running 

low in their own oestrogen (see tailor-made menopause diet, 

page 209). The beauty of phyto-oestrogens is that if you are 

making sufficient oestrogen, they won't be adding any more. 

Our own oestrogen is stronger by far. Phyto-oestrogens only 

make up any shortfall. 

Value-added soy 

A 'second generation' soy product is tofu or beancurd. 

This white, fm (or floppy), custard-like preparation is 

as boring as batshit unless dolled up with spice or 

hidden in a stew or stir-fn( but is very high in protein. 

Tofu is made by soaking the soybeans, then draining 

them. The beans are then pureed and strained to yield


I25 

a soybean milk. This is boiled, a coagulant added, then 

strained. Tempeh is fermented tofu and is a reliable 

source of protein and B12 (good for vegans whose main 

source of protein is soy). 

Those ghastly sausage-looking things called TVP (textured 

vegetable protein) that come in cans are made 

from soybeans. 

Miso is fermented soy paste made by inoculating 

trays of rice with the mould Aspergillus oryzae. A ground 

preparation of cooked soybeans and salt is then mixed 

in and the mass is allowed to ferment for several days 

before being ground into a paste that has the consistency 

of peanut butter. The entire rniso process takes 10 

to 40 days. Miso is used as a fIavouring for soups and 

on vegetables. Miso is also nice spread thinly on 

wholemeal bread with a layer of tahini and sprinkled 

sunflower seeds on top. Miso is a source of B 12 as well 

as bowel-friendly bacteria. 

Sprouts 

Sprouts are excellent food. Germination of the seed into 

a sprout increases the available nutrients and improves 

digestibility. The sight of a few shrivelled alfalfa sprouts 

on the side of the plate is enough to put anyone OR. But 

eat them anyway. Sprouting deactivates any trypsin 

inhibitors that may be present in the raw bean. 

If you are clever you can sprout your own. Mime 

invariably turn mouldy so I buy them from the supermarket 

or greengrocer. If you are game to sprout your 

own buy only organic seeds; assume all others have 

been sprayed.

126 T&e Commonsense Ggide to Eating Well 

Types of sprouts include alfalfa, mung bean, fenugreek 

and red clover. Sprouts can be eaten raw or added 

to soups and stews. 

Meat 

There is plenty of evidence humans were born to eat meat. 

Look at our canines (teeth, not dogs), meat-stripping stomach 

acid, guns and quite a mean streak. Yet we are omnivores, taking 

a bet both ways, equipped to handle plant food as well as meat. 

Vegetadans, B12, protein and Iron 

By combining legumes and grains, vegetarians are less 

likely to be protein deficient. The vegetarians most at risk 

of deficiencies, especially of B12 and iron, are vegans. 

Vegans, oAen inspired by ethical reasons, eat nothing 

made from an animal, including miIk products and even 

honey. As B12 is made by animals, it is relatively 

common for vegans to be low in this vitamin. Eating 

fermented foods such as miso and tempeh (fermented 

tofu) is a way of obtaining B12. Taking some vitamin C, 

or eating vitamin C-rich food will enhance absorption of 

iron from the likes of spinach, parsley and kelp. 

BEEF 

7 

In 1938, the first year of food-consumption statistics, Australians 

ate an average of 64 kilograms of beef (including veal) 

each. By 1997, we were eating about 39 kilograms a piece - 

still quite a lot of cow. The difference in consumption 

between the prewar years and now is not that we have turned

into a country of vegetarians but consumption of other meat 

has increased, especially chicken and pork. 

Beef, like most animal products, is a reliable source of 

protein, containing the full spectrum of essential amino acids. 

Importantly, beef contains haem iron, the type of iron that is 

well absorbed, as opposed to non-haem iron found in vegetables. 

Beef contains B vitamins and zinc, a mineral we need 

and that is often in short supply. The nutritional down side 

to beef is that it contains quite a lot of fat: older cattle more 

than yearlings; grain-fed more than those that roam the range. 

Beef feedlots are a growing trend in Australia, particularly in 

export beef. This practice crowds the cows together in restrictive 

feedlots and has been deemed to be cruel by the RSPCA. 

LANIB 

Lamb contains more fat than beef but is still a terrific source 

of protein and iron. Australians eat 11 kilograms of lamb each 

per year (1997). Lambs are often born in the bush and for 

most of their short lives (less than one year) receive little 

intervention from man, until they are killed. Unlike chickens 

and pigs, they are free to chew on bits of scrub and are not 

routinely given antibiotics or hormones. Lamb is a reasonably 

'clean' meat as far as chemicals go, the down side is that there 

is more fat by weight than protein. 

PORK 

Porkers have a tough life, often being confined to small pens. 

Pork used to have a bad name because it was likely to be 

infected by the parasite trichinosis, but this is no longer a 

problem. Pork has quite a following in Australia with average 

consumption around 18 kilograms each per year. Pork has traditionally 

been a high-fat meat, until the use of hormones that 

produce leaner pigs - 'low-fat porkers'. We are seeing a lot 

more of these technologically enhanced foods. The pigs were

128 Tie Commonsense Gzlide to Eating Well 

not given gym memberships to lose weight, they are given 

hormones. Being a 'white' meat, pork does not contain as much 

iron as beef or lamb, although it is a good source of protein. 

DEU MEAT 

Bacon, cabanossi, chorizo, frankfurts, kransky, pepperoni, 

mortadella, pastrami, devon, salami and ham: all these 

yummy deli meats (mostly pig products) are bad news. Sorry. 

For starters they are high in fat, an excessive one-and-a-half 

times more fat than protein. In addition to lots of salt, nitrites 

are added to keep them a pink colour (after all, they are the 

product of animals who have been dead for some time). 

Nitrites are preservatives that are carcinogenic. Eat deli meats 

infrequently. They are not part of a health fest. 

GAME: EMU, KANGAROO. VENISON, BUFFALO 

Meat from wild(ish) animals is highly nutritious - very low 

in fat but a good source of the essential fatty acids, no chemicals 

and high in protein. A good choice. 

FOWL 

Chicken used to be rarer than hen's teeth on the dinner tables 

of Australians in the 1950s and 1960s, reserved for festivities 

like Christmas and birthdays. Nowadays, we eat an average of 

28 kilograms each per year. Most of the fat in chickens is located 

under their skin; once removed, chicken is a relatively low-fat 

meat, high in protein but relatively low in iron. Unfortunately, 

chickens have been taken under Big Brother's wing, so to 

speak. They are housed in unspeakable conditions, often 

de-clawed and de-beaked. They are routinely fed antibiotics 

and hormones. Although more expensive, free-range birds are 

available and have fewer chemicals. 

Ducks, in comparison with chickens, lead charmed lives. 

It could be that their nature is less submissive or demand for


duckmeat is not as high. Duck is slightly higher in fat, particularly 

the skin, and high in protein, with fewer chemicals. 

Those ducks you see hanging upside down in Chinese restaurants 

are quite high in fat and are sweetened. 

Eggs are a near-perfect food, containing all nutrients required 

for the embryonic bird. Chicken eggs are the most commonly 

consumed in Australia but duck and quail eggs are also available. 

Eggs, unlike meat, contain lots of vitamins and minerals 

including zinc, sulphur, vitamin A, choline and so on, in fact, 

nearly all of them except vitamin C. They are also relatively 

low in fat. Now that the cholesterol issue has been debunked 

(see page 56), and as long as your diet is not too high in fat, 

you can eat your googie eggs and enjoy them anyway you 

want, except fried. 

Battery hens are possibly the most badly treated farm 

animals. They are de-beaked, de-clawed, fed hormones and 

antibiotics and even orange dye is put in their food to make 

the yolks look yellower. Make sure you buy your eggs from 

chickens that have been well treated. Alternatively, buy them 

from shops that sell their eggs. The best are from organically 

farmed birds, as 'free range' does not necessarily mean they 

are free to range outside, just slightly freer than a tiny cage, 

and may well be given the same chemical cocktail as their 

penned-in cousins. 

Call me old fashioned, but in my book (and by chance, 

this is my book!) chickens don't normally eat fish. No 

doubt the omega3 eggs are developed in the interest 

of good health, but let's leave the omega-3s in fish 

where they belong.


not given gym memberships to lose weight, they are given 

hormones. Being a 'white' meat, pork does not contain as much 

iron as beef or lamb, although it is a good source of protein. 

DELI MEAT 

Bacon, cabanossi, chorizo, frankfurts, kransky, pepperoni, 

mortadella, pastrami, devon, salami and ham: all these 

yummy deli meats (mostly pig products) are bad news. Sorry. 

For starters they are high in fat, an excessive one-and-a-half 

times more fat than protein. In addition to lots of salt, nitrites 

are added to keep them a pink colour (after all, they are the 

product of animals who have been dead for some time). 

Nitrites are preservatives that are carcinogenic. Eat deli meats 

infrequently. They are not part of a health fest. 

GAME: EMU, KANGAROO, VENISON, BUFFALO 

Meat from wild(ish) animals is highly nutritious - very low 

in fat but a good source of the essential fatty acids, no chemicals 

and high in protein. A good choice. 

FOWL 

Chicken used to be rarer than hen's teeth on the dinner tables 

of Australians in the 1950s and 1960s, reserved for festivities 

like Christmas and birthdays. Nowadays, we eat an average of 

28 kilograms each per year. Most of the fat in chickens is located 

under their skin; once removed, chicken is a relatively low-fat 

meat, high in protein but relatively low in iron. Unfortunately, 

chickens have been taken under Big Brother's wing, so to 

speak. They are housed in unspeakable conditions, often 

de-clawed and de-beaked. They are routinely fed antibiotics 

and hormones. Although more expensive, free-range birds are 

available and have fewer chemicals. 

Ducks, in comparison with chickens, lead charmed lives. 

It could be that their nature is less submissive or demand for


duckmeat is not as high. Duck is slightly higher in fat, particularly 

the skin, and high in protein, with fewer chemicals. 

Those ducks you see hanging upside down in Chinese restaurants 

are quite high in fat and are sweetened. 

Eggs are a near-perfect food, containing all nutrients required 

for the embryonic bird. Chicken eggs are the most commonly 

consumed in Australia but duck and quail eggs are also available. 

Eggs, unlike meat, contain lots of vitamins and minerals 

including zinc, sulphur, vitamin A, choline and so on, in fact, 

nearly all of them except vitamin C. They are also relatively 

low in fat. Now that the cholesterol issue has been debunked 

(see page 56), and as long as your diet is not too high in fat, 

you can eat your googie eggs and enjoy them anyway you 

want, except fried. 

Battery hens are possibly the most badly treated farm 

animals. They are de-beaked, de-clawed, fed hormones and 

antibiotics and even orange dye is put in their food to make 

the yolks look yellower. Make sure you buy your eggs from 

chickens that have been well treated. Alternatively, buy them 

from shops that sell their eggs. The best are from organically 

farmed birds, as 'free range' does not necessarily mean they 

are free to range outside, just slightly freer than a tiny cage, 

and may well be given the same chemical cocktail as their 

penned-in cousins. 

Call me old fashioned, but in my book (and by chance, 

this is my book!) chickens don't normally eat fish. No 

doubt the omega-3 eggs are developed in the interest 

of good health, but let's leave the omega-3s in fish 

where they belong.

130 The Conzmonsen~e Guide to Eating Well 

Fish and shellfish 

Fish are a good source of protein and generally low in fat. 

What fat there is, is the highly prized omega3 variety (see 

page 47). The amount of omega3 fatty acids in a few servings 

of fish is enough to treat health problems like PMS and 

eczema. The fish with the highest amount of omega3 fatty 

acids include mullet, trout and salmon. Some fish, including 

whitebait and sardines, have edible bones, which are an 

excellent source of calcium. All in all, fish is a fantastic addition 

to the diet. Eat it three to four times a week. Three 

servings of fish a week reduce by half the risk of sudden 

death by heart attack in those with cardiovascular disease. 

One problem is that heavy metals like mercury have been 

found in the flesh of bigger fish, especially shark (flake). 

CRAB, LOBSTER, OYSTERS, MUSSELS, PRAWNS, SCALLOPS 

People go bananas over the exotic, subtle flavours of shellfish. 

Unfortunately, they are a common allergy food. 

We now know that the cholesterol in shellfish is the 'good' 

type, meaning that you can eat them with abandon, if you 

can afford to do so. The only problem with shellfish is where 

they come from. As they naturally live and feed around estuaries, 

they are more likely to be contaminated with pollutants 

being washed offshore and heavy metals, including aluminium 

and mercury.

The Food We Eat: 

But Should We? 

Coffee 

Directly below my clinic is an Italian coffee shop. I often see 

patients furtively gulping a cappuccino minutes before their 

appointment time with me, thinking that coffee and naturopaths 

don't mix. 

Coffee can be compatible with good health. However, 

some people are definitely better off without it. Coffee is a 

frequently used negotiating tool by me when designing diets. 

I'll let you have one cup of coffee a day if you sacrifice the 

camembert and chocolate. Mostly, it's a win-win situation. 

Coffee is the world's favourite drug and the second most 

important export after oil. It has a long history of use in Arabia 

and Ethiopia and was sipped in China back in 2000 BC. 

Coffee spread to Europe in the fifteenth century and was 

used as a medicine and to help keep monks awake during 

hours of meditation. Voltaire, the French poet and revolutionary, 

was said to drink 50 cups of coffee a day. The highest 

consumption I have come across was a merchant banker who 

drank 25 cups a day.

132 The Commonsense Guide to Eating We!/ 

Caffeine 

There are over 200 chemical constituents in the roasted 

coffee bean. Some responsible for its heavenly aroma, others 

for flavour. Caffeine (a plant alkaloid known as methyl xanthine) 

is probably the most widely studied constituent of 

coffee, although there is evidence that many of the actions 

of coffee on the body come from chemicals other than caffeine. 

Caffeine is present in several other plants, including 

tea, mate, kola nut and guarana. 

One gram (1000 milligrams) of caffeine can have toxic 

effects; 10 grams of pure caffeine is lethal. The average cup 

of coffee delivers around 100 milligrams of caffeine and most 

people stay within safe limits. However, I have seen sensitive 

people have side effects such as insomnia and high blood 

pressure from as little as one cup of coffee a day. 

Bodily effects 

Caffeine is a nervous system stimulant. A couple of 

cups can improve attention, concentration and coordination. 

More than this can lead to, or exacerbate, 

all sorts of problems ranging from insomnia, panic 

attacks, headaches, irritability and depression. Watch 

for caffeine in cola and other soA drinks. Children 

especially, can get hyped up with caffeine in their 

systems. 

Caffeine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, 

although this doesn't appear to be a problem for 

long-term coffee drinkers. Some people experience 

erratic heartbeat or arrythmia. For people with heart 

disease, more than a couple of cups a day is not recommended 

as caffeine has proven to increase blood 

fats - a risk factor in heart disease. 

Coffee tastes bitter and like all true herbal bitters,

T&e Food We Eat: But SAozsB We? 133 

coffee increases production of gastric and other digestive 

juices. This is probably why a cup of coffee is 

commonly had after dinner, to aid digestion. As it 

powerfully stirs up gastric juices, coffee is to be 

avoided by anyone with a stomach ulcer, gastritis, 

reflux, or tender tummy. For these people particularly 

avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Caffeine 

relaxes the oesophageal sphincter, increasing the likelihood 

of reflux. 

Caffeine is a smooth muscle relaxant. Smooth muscle 

lines the bowel and blood vessels. For this reason, a 

strong cup of coffee may help some headaches or 

migraines that are caused by constricted blood 

vessels (take care that the headache is not merely a 

symptom of caffeine withdrawal). The other effect is 

to relax the bowel. For some people this means a 

strong coffee will cause diarrhoea, for others a cup of 

coffee is necessary for regular bowel movements. If 

coffee helps you to move your bowels, the cause of 

your constipation is most likely stress, as you hold 

tension in your bowel. 

You don't have to have sugar in your coffee to 

increase your blood sugar levels. Caffeine stimulates 

the release of adrenalin, the buzzy stress hormone. 

Adrenalin causes a sudden rush in blood sugar. 

Unfortunately, this increase in blood sugar levels 

quickly slides into a fall. Those with a tendency 

towards hypoglycaemia (see page 25) will do best by 

avoiding caffeine altogether. 

Caffeine is a diuretic, increasing the flow of urine. As 

a result, minerals including iron and calcium are 

passed out in the urine. Clients often look crestfallen 

when I counter their proud claim of fwe cups of water 

(in coffee) with the fact that they are excreting more

134 The Commonsense Guide to Eating Well' 

water than they are drinking. Cruel but fair. Drink a 

glass of water to every one cup of coffee. 

Pregnant women oAen tend to turn off coffee. Which 

is well and good as the unborn baby has a terrible 

time of metabolising caffeine. It takes the foetus up 

to 140 hours to process what it takes the adult one 

hour to do. It is wise to omit coffee when you are 

trying to fall pregnant as some studies show that caffeine 

reduces fertility (in women) by half. Caffeine is 

not only able to cross the placenta but also passes 

into breast milk. Cut down the coffee if you have a 

fractious breast-fed bubby. 

There is a proven link between caffeine and breast 

lumps (non-cancerous) and frbroids. It also adds to 

premenstrual breast tenderness. 

Athletes have been using caffeine to enhance performance 

for many years. Robert de Castella used to 

drink a cup of coffee before every marathon. Caffeine 

has been found to increase (for a short time) muscle 

stamina and strength. Due to its effect of increasing 

blood fats it makes available a source of fuel for 

muscles and saves precious stored glycogen in endurance 

events such as a marathon. 

The following are some conditions that may well respond 

positively to a caffeine-free lifestyle: panic attacks, high blood 

pressure, painful periods, fibrocystic breast and uterine 

disease, PMS, restless leg syndrome, heart disease, high 

cholesterol, diarrhoea, depression, insomnia, hyperactivity, 

stomach ulcers, gastritis and gastro-oesophageal reflux. 

Most people are able to handle one or two cups of coffee 

a day. However, if you have one of the conditions above or

The Food We Eat: Bllt S&ould We2 135 

are particularly sensitive to caffeine, then even this small 

amount will have negative results. 

Caffefne withdrawal - cold turkey 

If you think caffeine may have a negative effect on your 

health, the best way to test your theory is to eliminate 

caffeine (including tea, cola and chocolate) for one week. 

The chemical caffeine does not accumulate in the body 

and has a half life (the time taken to reduce the level in 

the body to half its initial value) of around four hours. 

Peak concentration of caffeine occurs within one hour of 

consumption. At around 18 hours aAer your last cup of 

coffee, the levels of caffeine are very low and this is the 

time to be wary of caffeine withdrawal. Lock yourself 

away for the next 24 to 48 hours. You will probably 

experience throbbing headaches, irritab'iltty and extreme 

fatigue, which wiIl help you develop the convincing argument 

that in order to feel better, all you need Is a cup 

of coffee. Don't do it. 

Tea 

From the tea ceremony in Japan to the Australian tradition 

of a cup of tea with a lamington, tea has had symbolic and 

cultural significance for over 2000 years. 

Green tea has risen in popularity since the discovery of its 

cancer-protective qualities, mainly due to a tannin called E$igallocatechin 

gallate, which helps in liver detoxification and 

strengthening the immune system. Black tea also contains 

some of these antioxidants, although the fermenting process 

which turns green tea into black diminishes the quantity a 

little.


Tea contains a certain amount of caffeine but because of 

the tannins less caffeine is absorbed into the body. Some 

sensitive individuals will notice a caffeine effect but generally 

tea gives you a gentle lift rather than a caffeine kick. 

Puffy eyes from a late night respond to a 10 minute, 

cool teabag compress. A solution made from weak 

black tea sprayed finely over mattresses and pillows 

deactivates omnipresent dust mites. 

Tea seems to slow down peristalsis, the snaky muscular 

movement of the bowel, increasing a tendency towards constipation. 

There is some evidence that tea may decrease bile 

secretion, thereby hindering fat digestion. 

Both tea and coffee reduce our absorption of iron and 

calcium from food. Theophylline, the alkaloid in tea, is a 

stronger diuretic than coffee, so make sure you drink a glass 

of water for every cup of tea. 

Alcohol 

One for the road 

Most of us like a drink or two. A glass of wine or beer marks 

the end of a busy day, the celebration of a happy event, part 

of a romantic dinner, or a fun night out with friends. 

Ages ago humans cottoned on to the fact that any fermenting 

vegetable or fruit will give us a fine old time. Fermented 

grapes turn into wine and brandy; potatoes and grains 

into vodka; and rye into rye whisky. Not surprisingly, the 

human animal has evolved mechanisms to cope with alcohol. 

Alcohol is the scientific name of a group of substances that

The Food We Eat: But Shozcrld' We? 237 

includes ethanol. Ethanol is the alcohol in alcoholic beverages. 

Ethanol is toxic in the smallest amount. Methanol, even 

more deadly, is the alcohol in methylated spirits. 

Alcohol is soluble in fat and water. This may not sound 

like something to write home about, but it is the key to why 

alcohol is so deadly. The membranes that line our cells are 

made up of a combination of fat (phospholipid) and protein. 

Alcohol, because of its fat solubility, is able to enter cells 

uninvited causing immediate damage. 

While most nutrients wait until they reach the small intestine 

before being absorbed, alcohol is impatient, 20 per cent 

being absorbed straight from the stomach. This is why we 

can feel the effect seconds after the first sip and the reason 

why we get drunk faster on an empty stomach. When alcohol 

crosses the stomach wall, some hydrochloric acid will seep 

across, disturbing the thick mucus lining that normally protects 

the stomach wall from damage. Over time, stomach 

inflammation (gastritis) and stomach ulcers may occur. These 

effects are made worse by drinking alcohol on an empty 

stomach - food acts as a buffer. 

VIP needs to be shown the door ASAP 

After absorption, alcohol is treated as a VIP not because it is 

worthy of respect but because it is one toxic individual and 

needs to be dealt with ASAP. Alcohol increases the risk of 

cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, bowel and pancreas. As 

well as increasing blood fats and cholesterol levels, it is also 

a risk factor in diabetes, impotence and heart disease. 

The first by-product of alcohol is acetaldehyde and it is 

this creature that is responsible for many of the more unpleasant 

sensations of alcohol: facial flushing, headache and 

nausea. Behind the scenes, acetaldehyde causes nerve and 

brain damage, as well as slowing down liver function. Acetaldehyde 

is also the chemical of addiction. We have certain

138 The Commonsense Guide to Eating We!'/ 

receptor sites in the brain, willing and able to receive molecules 

of acetaldehyde. The more of these receptor sites, the 

more alcohol we desire. There have been some controversial 

studies that suggest that alcoholics are born with more receptor 

sites than non-alcoholics. 

Acetaldehyde is the chemical of addiction. Some people 

crave the feeling of euphoria it brings. Alcohol is a nervous 

system depressant. A few drinks will depress normal inhibitions 

and is the reason behind many embarrassing office party 

incidents. It also compounds many cases of domestic violence, 

child ause and road accident deaths. 

Various enzymes are responsible for the conversion of 

alcohol into acetaldehyde and indeed, the remaining metabolic 

conversions. These enzymes require the assistance of 

certain micronutrients including zinc, B1 and B3 in order to 

do their duty. If the body is low in any of these nutrients, 

alcohol will take longer to be broken down, allowing a longer 

time to wreak its damage. 

Acetaldehyde is finally broken down into acetyl groups 

that can be used for energy but is more often converted into 

fat. A gram of alcohol yields seven calories a gram, which is 

more than carbohydrate and protein and less than fat. Even 

at seven calories a gram, alcohol is not a preferred source of 

energy as it causes so much damage and uses up lots of micronutrients 

in the bargain. 

Cheers: the case for the defence 

In defence of the odd grog, there are plenty of healthy octogenarians 

who swear by a daily tipple. A glass of wine with 

dinner helps us to unwind. A relaxed digestive system is more 

likely to do a good job of digesting dinner. If we are well 

nourished, particularly in the micronutrient department, our 

body can deal with alcohol - just not to excess. The liver

TAe Food We Eat: But Should We.p 139 

takes one hour to metabolise 10 grams of alcohol, the equivalent 

of a standard drink. 

Information arising from the 'French Paradox' research 

gives cause for celebration for red wine aficionados. Several 

years ago, scrawny, fat-deprived nutritionists became 

inflamed with indignation when they realised their French 

cousins were enjoying escargots literally swimming (do snails 

swim?) in olive oil, salads dripping in fragrant dressing and to 

top it all off were seen to guzzle litres of Beaujoulais - and 

that was just for lunch. After much intensive research into 

the wee small hours in quaint Parisian cafes, it was determined 

that the bioflavonoids, proanthocyanidins, found in red 

grapes are a powerful antioxidant. These bioflavonoids possibly 

prevent the onset of heart disease (see bioflavonoids, 

page 172). 

Chocolate 

The Aztecs prized their beloved but unpronounceable cacahuaquchtl 

tree, even calling it 'food of the gods'. The invading 

Spaniards sent some of the dried cocoa berries home. The 

original 'hot chocolate' was born, by brewing up a few beans 

together with vanilla and a dash of chilli. 

Throughout the 1700s chocolate was used medicinally as 

a heart tonic, probably due to cocoa's diuretic properties. 

(Diuretics are often prescribed for people with high blood 

pressure to reduce blood volume therefore reducing overall 

pressure in the blood vessels.) In addition, chocolate is a 

warming food. For people with poor circulation who hate 

wintertime, hot chocolate made with good quality cocoa, hot 

water and honey can be quite therapeutic. 

Chocolate holds a special place in the hearts, minds 

and stomachs of many of us. There is some evidence that


phenylethylamine (PEA), a chemical found naturally in cocoa 

beans, is the reason for chocolate's allure. PEA is an neurotransmitter 

that appears to act as an antidepressant and has 

been dubbed 'the chemical of love' - which explains the 

contradictory behaviour of eating chocolate bars when we feel 

fat and unhappy. 

Chocolate contains goodish amounts of magnesium, iron, 

copper and some B vitamins but don't think of it as a multivitamin 

substitute. The down side of chocolate is that it 

contains oxalic acid which can be a problem for people with 

a tendency to kidney stones, as oxalic acid readily combines 

with calcium and most kidney stones are calcium oxalate. 

There is a small amount of caffeine in chocolate, and this 

should be taken into account if you have any problems with 

caffeine (see page 131). Chocolate can also be an allergy food 

for some unfortunate people, particularly those who are 

plagued by migraines but also mouth ulcers, heartburn, constipation 

and facial swelling. Chocolates are made with added 

fat, milk and sugar, which makes it a high calorie food.

VITAMINS AND 

MINERALS

The basics of 

micronutrients 

Nowadays, it seems you can't walk past a supermarket or 

newsagent without being bombarded with information about 

vitamins and minerals. Although most of us know that vitamins 

and minerals are important, exactly what they do in the 

body and why we may need extra is rarely explained. 

There are six types of nutrients necessary for good nutrition: 

carbohydrates, fat, protein, water and last but not least, vitamins 

and minerals. Vitamins and minerals, also known as micro 

(small) nutrients, occupy a tiny 5 per cent of our diet, yet they 

play a key role in maintaining health. If we are deficient in any 

of these micronutrients our well-being will surely suffer. 

Vitamins: water soluble and fat soluble 

Vitamins are found in plants and animals; they are necessary 

for growth and maintenance of health. With few exceptions,


the body must obtain micronutrients from food or dietary 

supplements. Vitamins B2, B9, B12 and K are capable of 

being made in the body by our own bowel bacteria, although 

often not in sufficient quantities for the body's needs. 

There are two categories of vitamins: (1) water soluble, 

including vitamin C, B-complex vitamins and the bioflavonoids; 

and (2) fat soluble, including vitamins A, D, E and K. 

The solubility of a vitamin relates to the way it is absorbed 

and transported throughout the body. Water-soluble vitamins 

must be consumed daily as they cannot be stored for long 

before they are excreted from the body. Fat-soluble vitamins 

are absorbed from the small intestine in the same way as fat 

in food, with the help of bile and fat-metabolising enzymes. 

Fat-soluble vitamins may be stored for some time in fat and 

liver cells. People who have problems digesting fat or are on 

extremely low-fat diets may be at risk of becoming deficient 

in these fat-soluble vitamins. 

About minerals 

Minerals are naturally occurring elements found in the earth's 

surface. Minerals coexist with vitamins in the body and their 

work is interrelated. There are two main groups of minerals: 

(1) those we require in larger amounts, including calcium, 

magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus; and (2) those 

we require in smaller amounts, and these are called the 'trace' ' 

minerals, including zinc, iron, copper, manganese, chromium, 

selenium and iodine.

The basics of micronutrients 145 

Are vitamins and minerals a waste of money? 

One common misconception is that if vitamins and minerals 

are excreted in the urine, this must mean they have not been 

used by the body at all and are, in effect, a waste of money. 

Vitamin BZ - riboflavin - is a prime offender here, causing 

the urine to glow fluorescent yellow. Micronutrients are not 

used up, in fact they are recycled, making them very good 

value for money. A vitamin or mineral can be used many, 

many times as a 'coenzyme', partnering with various enzymes 

within the body. Without its micronutrient 'partner' the 

enzyme is rendered useless. A micronutrient can partner 

several enzymes, before being filtered by the kidneys and 

excreted into urine. 

To supplement or not to supplement? 

If I eat reasonably well, do I need to take a supplement? In 

an ideal world, where there is no illness, stress, pollution or 

processed foods, then the answer to this question would be 

'no'. However, for most of us a daily supplement is necessary 

to replace nutrients lost in cooking and processing, as well as 

those nutrients used up in our battle against stress, cigarettes, 

alcohol, pollution and other elements common to modern-day 

life. Nutritional supplements are one way to redress this 

imbalance. 

Where have all our minerals gone? 

The soil in which our food is grown is either deficient or 

has become deficient in minerals over the years, particularly 

potassium, calcium, sulphur, selenium, manganese, 

copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum and cobalt.


Some medications deplete or interact with vitamins in 

the body; for example, antibiotics deplete vitamins B1, 

B2, B6, B12, C, A, D, K, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium, 

magnesium and zinc. Similarly, the oral contraceptive 

pill, cholesterol-lowering drugs and laxatives all 

contribute to a depletion of vitamins. 

Each cigarette uses up 50 milligrams of vitamin C. 

Twenty cigarettes a day uses up 1000 milligrams of 

vitamin C, an amount you are unlikely to obtain from 

your diet. Cigarettes contain hundreds of different chemicals, 

many toxic. The body deals with these chemicals 

in various ways with detoxifl'mg enzymes in the liver 

and antioxidants. Both need the help of vitamins and 

minerals in their detoxiwng roles. 

Heat destroys many vitamins, particularly the B group 

and C. Any cooking, particularly overcooked or reheated 

foods will have fewer vitamins. 

Who will benefit from nutritional 

supplementation? 

Two groups of people benefit from nutritional supplementation. 

The first group use a dietary supplement as 'nutritional 

insurance' to prevent illness. These folk are usually 

healthy but hectic. They need to ensure 100 per cent efficiency 

in their busy lifestyle. A multivitamin with an emphasis 

on the B group would be perfect for these people. Perhaps 

with extra garlic and vitamin C to help the immune system 

ward off colds and flus. 

The second group of people are those with a particular 

condition that will respond favourably to nutritional therapy. 

At these times it is best to consult your practitioner.

The basics of micronutlr'ents 147 

How long should you take a supplement? 

Like most things worthwhile, natural medicine takes its own 

good time. Vitamins, minerals and herbs are not 'quick fixes'. 

It takes time, commitment and patience to appreciate the 

health benefits natural supplements have to offer. One rule 

of thumb is to expect one month of treatment for every year 

of an ailment. For instance, if you have had eczema for 15 

years then expect the treatment to take as long as 15 months, 

although you will probably see results well before then. As 

far as 'nutritional insurance' goes, good news is no news! 

Nutritional supplementation can help all sorts of conditions. 

However, it is most unwise to withdraw or reduce any 

medication for an illness without first seeking advice from a 

competent practitioner. Another word of caution: it is easy to 

confuse signs and symptoms of one illness with another, so 

it is advisable to seek an informed diagnosis before commencing 

any treatment. 

What is the RDI and what does it mean for 

you? 

The initials RDI stand for the Recommended Dietary Intake, 

which is based on the American equivalent RDA (Recommended 

Daily Allowance) adapted by the Food and Drug 

Administration Board, judged to be sufficient to maintain 

health in the average person. 

As anyone who has studied statistics (bless them) knows, 

population curves peak at the 'average' or 'mean' point and 

then taper down either side, from very very below average, 

to very very above average. Each one of us is unique. Just as 

our nose, eyes and hair colour differ, so too does our internal 

biochemistry. Any one of us may have exceedingly high


biochemical demands for a particular nutrient, say zinc, while 

having normal needs for others. In this case, if your diet contained 

'normal' RDI quantities of zinc, your body wouldn't 

think it sufficient and you may show zinc deficiency signs - 

such as poor immune function, delayed skin healing and 

menstrual problems or cystic acne - even though your zinc 

intake is 'normal'. In addition, certain illnesses or habits like 

alcohol or cigarettes may cause a deficiency or a need for 

more than 'average' amount of micronutrients. 

Mr Average and Mrs Typical 

The RDI may be appropriate for Mr and Mrs Average, but 

supplements are more appropriate for Mr and Mrs Typical. 

A typical person who may benefit from nutritional supplementation 

includes anyone who suffers stress, encounters pollution, 

is elderly, pregnant or breastfeeding, is an athlete, has 

a less than perfect digestive tract, misses meals, eats fast food; 

all of which are indications that there is a higher than 

'average' need for micronutrients. 

When is the best time to take a supplement? 

The best time to take supplements is generally with a meal 

or at the end of a meal. When we eat, all our digestive organs 

are revved up, giving the best chance for all nutrients to be 

absorbed. The exception to this rule is vitamin C, which can 

be taken between meals as well. 

If possible, it is preferable to take your vitamins in divided 

doses; that is, little and often. This will assist in better absorption. 

In reality, many people find this inconvenient and will 

forget to take the lunchtime supplement. If this sounds like

The basics of micronzctl$ents 149 

you, then it is usually better to take the supplement at one 

regular time, say after breakfast. If you are under the care of 

a naturopath, he or she may have good reason why you need 

to take your herbs or supplements more frequently. 

Synergists and antagonists 

Most nutrients work best in combination with others. This is 

the way they are found in nature. For instance, the bioflavonoids 

enhance the action of vitamin C and by no coincidence, 

bioflavonoids exist together with vitamin C in fruit 

and vegetables. 

Vitamins and minerals are just like people, they have 

friends and foes. Micronutrients that assist with the absorption 

and utilisation of others are called 'synergists'. In the 

example above, Vitamin C and the bioflavonoids are synergists. 

Micronutrients or other substances that prevent or 

hinder absorption and utilisation are called 'antagonists', or 

nutrient thieves. Vitamin E and iron are antagonists and if 

possible should be taken at either end of the day. Don't worry 

if your multivitamin contains both nutrients, you will find it 

difficult to remove the E from the tablet! This rule only 

applies if you are taking separate tablets of iron and E. 

Another rule is when taking a single B vitamin, say B12, 

is that you take a B complex as well, as they tend to work as 

a team. B12 needs B1, B5, B6, B9 and biotin to be utilised. 

Which vitamins should I take? 

The Therapeutic Goods Act (TGA) is a mixed blessing for 

the health food industry. On the one hand, companies have 

had to clean up their act or be tapped on the shoulder by the


long finger of the law, There were instances when what was 

claimed on the label bore no resemblance to what was in the 

bottle. In addition, anyone was allowed to claim that their 

product cured anything, from cancer to ingrown toenails. The 

guidelines in the TGA make it very difficult to make any 

claims. The most a manufacturer can do is to claim temporary 

relief of minor symptoms. This causes a great deal of uncertainty 

as people mill around the vitamin shelves unsure about 

what to take. There is little reliable information around. I 

may be accused of beating my own drum but it will be cost 

effective and more useful to seek the advice of a good naturopath 

who specialises in supplements, to recommend which 

supplements you should take and in what quantities. 

As far as quality goes, it is best to stick to medium- to 

top-of-the-range products. Usually, if manufacturers are 

concerned with their reputation, they will include quality 

ingredients and good formulations. Rather than buying five 

or six different vitamins, often there is a formulation which 

will suit your needs. For example, women's multivitamins 

help with menstrual problems, in addition to being a good 

all-round multi. 

Be nutritionally responsible 

Many people find that supplements fill a nutrient gap and 

they start to feel a whole lot better. Unfortunately, some 

people abuse vitamins and minerals, substituting a pill for a 

good diet and lifestyle. 

Even when we take a nutritional supplement, we still need 

to take responsibility for our health. Good food, rest and 

regular hours cannot be provided in a capsule. Supplements 

are not a bandaid solution; vitamins and minerals work for us 

when we use them wisely.

The basis of micronutrients 151 

Here are a few commonsense rules to follow to help 

ensure a diet rich in nutrients: 

Reduce coffee, tea, cigarettes and alcohol 

Eat fresh food instead of canned, frozen or presewed 

where possible 

Choose wholemeal over refined (white) flour and rice 

products 

Eat plenty of aII vegetables and fruit 

Avoid food and drinks with chemicals, preservatives, 

artificial sweeteners and colourings 

Exercise regularly 

Manage your stress 

Drink plenty of water

Getting to Know You: 

Vitamins and Minerals 

Antioxidants 

Just what are antioxidants? And how can they improve your 

health now and into the future? 

Increased interest in the field of antioxidants has resulted 

in fascinating new information. In fact, a revolution has 

occurred in the way we view the onset of certain diseases and 

even ageing has come under scrutiny. Antioxidants appear to 

help prevent or delay these processes. 

Free radicals: a necessary evil 

To understand why antioxidants are so good, we must first 

become acquainted with their nemesis - free radicals. A free 

radical is defined as any molecule that has an unpaired electron 

in its outer orbit. Molecules prefer their electrons paired, 

so this situation is disturbing. The free radical molecule with 

the unpaired electron is unbalanced and therefore highly 

reactive. In non-technical language, a troublemaker! 

Free radicals are formed in the body and have an important

Getting to Know You 153 

role to play in energy production, the immune system and 

detoxification. We have internal safety mechanisms to deal 

with them. An excess of free radicals in the system is a 

problem, as they tend to form a destructive chain reaction. 

The number of free radicals grows as we age. Pollution, pesticides, 

radiation, excessive exercise, joint and tissue injuries, 

surgery and emotional stress are all capable of increasing free 

radicals in the body. 

Although they are tiny, free radicals can wreak havoc to 

our cells. Free radicals cause harm in two distinct ways. First, 

they cause damage to the cell membrane. This means that 

nutrients and oxygen cannot enter the cell from the bloodstream 

and, conversely, waste products are unable to leave 

the cell. This effectively means cell death. Second, free radicals 

may also enter the cell and disturb the RNA and DNA, 

our cell's genetic material. Mutations will occur when the cell 

next divides if free radicals have changed the genetic code. 

Free radical damage has been found to be the cause, or promoter 

of, diseases such as cancer; heart disease; asthma; autoimmune 

conditions like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid 

arthritis; the effects of ageing such as memory loss and 

wrinkles; diabetes; and heart disease. 

Antioxidants: fighting the good fight 

The connection between free radicals and antioxidants is that 

antioxidants have the ability to stop free radicals in their tracks. 

In fact, antioxidants are often termed 'free radical scavengers' 

or 'free radical sinks'. No wonder antioxidants are popular. 

They reportedly help delay the rate of ageing and form protection 

against various chronic illnesses, as well as ward off the 

harmful effects of stress. The antioxidants are either nutrients 

or enzymes that require nutrients. Many of these nutrients are 

vitamins and minerals we are already familiar with, including 

vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and selenium.


Just as the body is capable of making free radicals, so is it 

capable of creating antioxidants. ,There are several enzymes, 

including catalase and superoxide dismutase, which are antioxidant. 

These enzymes require nutrients like copper, selenium, 

manganese and zinc in order to function. In addition 

to the homemade arsenal, the body imports antioxidants from 

food (and supplements) that may be positioned into cell 

walls, such as vitamin E, or wander through the body doing 

good antioxidant deeds along the way, such as vitamin C and 

the bioflavonoids. As research continues into antioxidants 

more nutrients are showing their colours, including the catechins 

from green tea, anthocyanidins from red wine, lycopene 

from tomatoes and substances from bilberry, ginkgo 

biloba, St Mary's thistle and rosemary. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra antioxidants 

Everyone is at risk of free radical damage. A daily vitamin 

tablet that focuses on the antioxidant nutrients is highly 

recommended. If you have a family history of heart disease 

or cancer, take a precautionary antioxidant supplement 

regularly. 

Food sources of antioxidants 

Green, red and orange fruits and vegetables; green tea; red 

wine; garlic; and various herbs such as ginko, St Mary's thistle 

and bilberry. 

The vitamins 

Vitamin A 

Vitamin A is very important for the eyes. The specialised eye 

cells of the retina, rods and cones need vitamin A to function. 

Without sufficient vitamin A, the condition known as night


blindness is likely to occur. The scientific name for vitamin 

A is retinol, and our body can store quite a lot of the stuff, 

particularly in the liver. 

Vitamin A is available only from animal foods, especially 

cheese, liver and eggs. This is because animals, including the 

human variety, are able to convert beta-carotene, a plant 

pigment, into vitamin A. In fact, it is possible to obtain all our 

vitamin A requirements from beta-carotene. That is assuming 

your digestive system is in spiffing order, as well as having sufficient 

quantities of iron and thyroid hormone, which are both 

necessary for the conversion of beta-carotene to vitamin A. 

In addition to its role in eye health, vitamin A is essential 

for the maintenance of epithelia1 cells. Epithelial cells line 

the outside and the inside of the body. The skin is a type of 

epithelial cell, is too is the lining of the nose, sinuses, throat, 

bowel, lungs and vagina. When there is anything that affects 

the epithelial cells like an ulcer, irritation from an infection, 

or a nasty cough, vitamin A is needed to soothe and heal. 

Insufficient vitamin A leads to hardening of the skin, known 

as keratinisation, as well as unsightly small bumps (fondly 

known as toad skin), especially on the backs of the arms. 

Conditions that might benefit fm extra vitamin A 

Night blindness, conjunctivitis, sinus, dry skin, dandruff, 

asthma, colds, coughs, acne, wrinkles and psoriasis. 

Food sources of vitamin A 

Cod liver oil, liver (lamb, calf, chicken), butter, fish, cream, 

cheese, eggs and chicken. 

B-complex vitamins 

A family that plays together stays together 

There are eight vitamins that are collectively known as the 

B complex. The name is not a reference to their personalities,


but refers to the fact that they work harmoniously together, 

as well as being found in similar foods, particularly whole 

grains (with the exception of B12). The other thing in 

common is that they are vital for the release of energy from 

the food we eat, and necessary for nerve and muscle function. 

The water-soluble nature of the B complex means that 

they are excreted, not stored. In essence this means a daily 

requirement of all of these vitamins. There is an intricate 

balance to the Bs. If you take one to excess, this will lead to 

relative deficiencies of the others. Generally, if you need to 

take a single B, take a B complex along with it. The members 

of this happy family are: 

B1 Thiamin 

B2 Riboflavin 

B3 Niacin 

B5 Pantothenic acid 

B6 Pyridoxine 

B9 Folic acid 

B 12 Cobdarnin 

Biotin 

Note: There is no B4, 7, 8, 10 or 11. Substances sometimes 

referred to as B vitamins but are not include PABA, B15, 

B17 (laetrile), inositol and choline. 

Vltamln B1 - thtamln 

Vitamin B1, was scientifically recognised in 1926, nearly half 

a century before a serious disease called beri-beri was affecting 

60 per cent of the Japanese navy. Something lacking in 

the Japanese sailors' diet, which consisted almost entirely of 

white rice, seemed to be the key. That something turned out 

to be thiamin. Thiamin, as many other vitamins, is found in 

the husks of grain, which are disposed of in the processing 

of white rice and flour. As soon as some ricebran was added


to their diet, the symptoms of beri-beri, which include paralysis 

and nerve dysfunction, disappeared. 

B1 is an integral part of the B team, whose job it is to 

release energy from the food we eat, including the all-important 

glucose, as well as fat and protein. Apart from its teamwork, 

B1 is very good for nervy problems. It helps to relieve 

anxiety, depression and trembling, particularly the feeling of 

'shaking inside'. A rather unusual sign that one might need 

extra B1 is a tenderness in the calf muscle, particularly when 

pressed. 

Alcohol tends to deplete our B1 stores and it is very 

common for heavy alcohol drinkers to suffer B1 deficiency, 

in extreme cases causing Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome, 

which sounds rather more romantic than it is. Symptoms 

include mental confusion, paralysis of the eye muscles and 

unsteady gait. Tea and coffee are also offenders by reducing 

thiamin activity. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra B1 

Heavy drinking; anxiety attacks; sore calves (particularly 

when prodded); tingling or shaking sensations. 

Food sources of BI 

Brewer's and torula yeast, wheatgerm, sunflower seeds, ricebran, 

pinenuts, legumes, whole grains. 

Vitamin B2 - riboflavin 

Vitamin B2 is the reason why your wee turns bright yellow 

seemingly minutes after you take a vitamin pill. The flavin 

in riboflavin comes from the Latin word for yellow - flavus. 

B2 is another important vitamin in the creation of energy 

from the major nutrients glucose, fat and protein. It is also 

essential in the maintenance and growth of the epithelial

158 The Commonsense Gtlide to Eating Well 

cells, those that cover the body (skin) and line the hollow 

structures of the body like the bowel and lungs. 

Some of the signs that B2 is low include redness and soreness 

at the corner of the mouth, or a red and swollen tongue. 

Other signs affecting the skin include eczema, particularly of 

the eyelids and along the line from the edges of the nose to 

the mouth. An itchiness of the conjunctiva of the eyes may 

also be telling. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra BZ 

Eye irritations, dermatitis, ulcers of the digestive tract, including 

mouth ulcers and stomach ulcers. As the oral contraceptive 

pill interferes with B2 absorption, it would be a good 

policy to take a B complex if you are on the pill. 

Food sources of BZ 

Milk, yoghurt, ricotta, brewer's and torula yeast, chicken, 

almonds, wheatgerm, mushrooms and millet. 

Vitamin B3 - niacin 

Pellagra is the disease indicating the diet is severely lacking 

B3. Symptoms of pellagra are well known by medical students 

as there is a cute way of remembering them called the 

four Ds; that is, dermatitis, diarrhoea, dementia and death. 

While most people do not progress to the extremes of the 

latter two Ds, B3 can be of benefit to several health problems. 

Another piece of evidence that our body's biochemistry is 

remarkable is that the amino acid tryptophan can be converted 

into B3, with the help of B2 and B6. It takes 60 milligrams 

of tryptophan to make l milligram of niacin, so it is 

not an economical way of procuring B3. 

Vitamin B3 is a member of the distinguished team of vitamins 

that allow us to obtain energy from glucose, fat and

Getting to Kptow You 159 

protein. B3 comes in two forms - nicotinic acid and nicotinamide; 

both are used by the body. Nicotinic acid has an effect 

on the circulation by widening the blood vessels and increasing 

blood flow to the fingers and toes. If you take a reasonably 

large dose of nicotinic acid, you will most likely 

experience a sudden flush of heat and look like a tomato for 

a few minutes. In small amounts, say under 30 milligrams, 

this dramatic reaction does not occur and when it does, it is 

only transitory. Nicotinic acid has proven to be very useful 

in the treatment of heart disease. It is capable of lowering 

blood fats (triglycerides), as well as cholesterol. The blood 

vessel widening (vasodilating) properties means that it 

improves the circulation of blood through the body, helping 

to lower blood pressure. It would be wise to seek a competent 

practitioner who will help determine the correct dosage when 

treating heart disease. Other circulatory difficulties that also 

benefit from nicotinic acid include chilblains, cold feet and 

hands, Raynaud's syndrome, tinnitus (if the tinnitus is due to 

poor circulation) and the type of migraine which has constricted 

blood vessels in the head. 

People suffering from dermatitis, an itchy red skin condition, 

will do well to supplement with B3. Nicotinic acid, along 

with the mineral chromium, is an important component of 

Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF). GTF encourages insulin to 

pass glucose from the bloodstream into cells. A controversial 

use of B3 has been in the treatment of schizophrenia. There 

has been some success in treating the debilitating mental disturbances, 

including paranoia, of this disease. 


Dermatitis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chilblains, 

tinnitus, poor circulation, Raynaud's syndrome, migraine, 

arthritis, diarrhoea, schizophrenia, sugar cravings, diabetes 

and hypoglycaemia.


Food sources of B3 

Torula and brewer's yeast, lamb, liver, tuna, turkey, chicken, 

rice bran, wheat bran, trout, salmon, sesame seeds and sunflower 

seeds. 

V%tamln B5 - pantothenlc add 

Vitamin B5 has the distinction of being part of the structure 

of the opening ambit of the Krebs cycle, a creature called 

coenzyme A or CoA to its friends. This may not sound like 

a big deal, but not having CoA is like losing the keys to your 

car when you are stuck in the middle of nowheresville with 

no water, food or mobile phone. That one little silver key 

(with the plastic bit on the end) could save your life. CoA 

begins the Krebs cycle, the most important energy-producing 

cycle we have. 

Without sufficient B5 we will start to feel very fatigued 

and depressed and all sorts of other things begin to go wrong. 

For instance, CoA is also needed to make fatty acids in the 

body. More than just fat, fatty acids are the precursors to all 

sorts of compounds including the sex hormones, bile and the 

stress hormone cortisol. Being deficient in B5 means not 

being able to cope with stress. Many people find that by 

supplementing with B5, their feelings of stress diminish and 

they feel increased energy. 

The beauty boffins caught on to B5 long ago when it was . 

revealed that it had an anti-greying and even an anti-ageing 

role. It is often included in shampoos and other cosmetics. 


Stress, tiredness or depression. B5 is also recommended for 

people who are reducing their dosage of cortisone. Cortisone 

replaces the body's output of its own stress hormone, cortisol. 

By increasing B5 levels, more cortisol can be made.


Elderberries, royal jelly, brewer's and torula yeast, liver, egg 

yolk and peanuts. Pantothenic acid is derived from the 

ancient Greek word pantos, meaning everywhere, which 

reflects B5's wide distribution in all foods, and all parts of 

the body. 

Vitamin B6 - pyridoxine 

Like most of her siblings, this little B vitamin is needed for 

many enzyme reactions. One group of reactions that B6 is 

particularly called for is in the amino acid department. When 

certain amino acids need to be transformed into other amino 

acids, B6-containing enzymes are called for. Also, when 

certain amino acids are authorised to become nerve messengers 

(neurotransmitters) such as tryptophan to serotonin, tyrosine 

to dopamine, B6 is again on duty. 

Vitamin B6 aids in keeping body fluids balanced. When 

there is water retention (oedema), B6 can help. Premenstrual 

women who have sore, swollen breasts and for one week 

every month feel like a beached dugong with a bad attitude 

will find B6 a godsend. Take 250 milligrams of B6, in combination 

with a B complex, twice daily about 10 days prior to 

the first day of the period. 

Another enzyme B6 helps along is delta-6-desaturase, known 

to the 'in crowd' as D6D. This little fella is in part responsible 

for the conversion of a group of substances called the prostaglandins. 

The reason why omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are 

so popular in treatments is that they are able to convert to prostaglandins 

with the help of D6D. So, if D6D needs vitamin B6 

to work, then B6 it should be given, in bucket loads! 


Fluid retention, PMS, carpal tunnel syndrome (especially in 

pregnancy), pins and needles, nervous tension and irritability.



Torula and brewer's yeast, sunflower seeds, linseeds, walnuts, 

whole wheat, tuna, soybeans and beef. 

B9 - folk acid 

Vitamin B9 is more commonly known as folic acid, which is 

the same as folate, its official name. The word folate originates 

from the Latin word folkm or leaf, because researchers 

first isolated folic acid from spinach and other leafy greens. 

Folic acid is well known for its role in preventing babies 

being born with spina bifida and other neural tube disorders. 

Folic acid is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids, the 

genetic material of cells. If the genetic material is not 100 

per cent then all sorts of problems ensue when cells replicate. 

In fact, any cell division and creation of protein (the structural 

bits of the body) is doomed if there is insufficient folate. This 

is particularly so for rapidly dividing cells as found in the 

unborn baby, the cells of the gastrointestinal tract and the 

skin. 

Cancer cells also tend to replicate quickly. Many of the 

chemotherapy drugs (used in cancer treatment) are aimed at 

blocking B9, to slow the growth of cancer cells. Common 

side-effects of chemotherapy include hair loss and digestive 

problems, due to the effect on hair follicles and gastrointestinal 

cells, which also replicate quickly. 

Along with B12, folic acid is required for the production of 

haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying bit of red blood cells. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra folic acid 

Pregnancy and pre-conception, breastfeeding, diarrhoea, 

ulcers, cervical cell dysplasia, poor healing and gout. Do not 

take large doses of folic acid if you are undergoing 

chemotherapy.


Food sources of folk acid 

Brewer's yeast, black eye peas, brown rice, soy, whole wheat, 

lentils, kidney beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spinach, 

cabbage, green beans, walnuts and beef. 

Vitamin B12 - cobalarnin 

Vitamin B12 is physically the biggest vitamin, that is because 

it is the only vitamin to contain a mineral in its structure. 

The mineral is cobalt, and that is how B12 arrived at its official 

name of cobalamin. 

Pernicious anaemia is due to B12 deficiency. B12 is needed 

in the creation of haemoglobin, the oxygen carrier of red 

blood cells. When there is not enough B12, the red blood 

cells become enlarged. A deficiency of B12 will leave you 

feeling tired and run down. This is in part due to the lack of 

oxygen, as well as the fact that B12 is needed for DNA synthesis. 

DNA is the genetic material needed for the normal 

growth of cells. 

Vitamin B12 is one tricky customer when it comes to 

absorption. No matter how much B12 we swallow, in pills or 

in our food, it will not be absorbed unless there is something 

called Intrinsic Factor (IF) present in the stomach. Certain 

glands in the stomach lining (parietal cells) are responsible 

for making IF. 

Vitamin B12 can only be made by animals, including tiny 

animals such as bacteria and perhaps algae. Mushrooms and 

other vegetables do not contain B12. If any B12 is present it 

can only come from bacterial contamination from an animal 

source such as manure. An interesting study on a group of 

Indian vegans showed that although their diet was very strict, 

that is, included no animal products at all, they obtained some 

B12 from vegetables that had not been thoroughly washed of 

dirt. The dirt contained bacteria that was a source of B12.

164 The Commonsense Gtside to Eating Well 

Conditions that might benefit from extra BIZ 

Pernicious anaemia (BIZ, folic acid and iron should be given 

together in the treatment of anaemia); exhaustion; anything 

that effects the digestive system, such as surgery to digestive 

system or digestive disorders - for example, ulcer, digestive 

tract parasites. Vegans - people who eat no animal products - 

are at particular risk of B12 deficiency. 

Food sources of BIZ 

Liver, shellfish, fish, lamb, beef, eggs and cheese. 

Beta-carotene 

Bugs Bunny was on to a good thing. Beta-carotene, a yellowyorange 

pigment, named because of its carroty origins, is also 

known as provitamin A. Even green vegetables contain betacarotene, 

but darker pigments, including the bioflavonoids, 

can overshadow the orange. There are several carotenes in 

addition to the beta variety, although it is predominantly 

beta-carotene that is able to be converted to vitamin A. This 

happens in the intestines of animals, so you won't find 

vitamin A in plants. 

Vitamin A can be stored in the body. For this reason there 

is a chance of overdoing this very fine vitamin. Unlike A, 

beta-carotene cannot be stored for any length of time. Taking 

large doses of beta-carotene will not cause any health problems. 

The only symptom of excessive use is to turn the skin 

a little yellow (carotenodermia) and this will fade over time. 

Other carotenes include the likes of lycopene found in 

tomatoes, which has proven to be of use in preventing prostate 

cancer, and lutein and capsanthin found in red capsicum 

and paprika. Beta-carotene, in its own right, has been shown 

to be a potent antioxidant.


Conditions that might benefit from extra beta-carotene 

Cancer, prostate cancer and asthma; any condition which 

could be benefited by vitamin A. 

Food sources of beta-carotene 

Red chillies, carrots, fresh and dried apricots, sweet potatoes, 

parsley, spinach, pumpkin, mangoes, rockmelon and broccoli. 

Biotin 

Biotin is often included in the B-complex group. It is a 

sulphur-containing vitamin that can be made in sufficient 

quantities by the bacteria in our bowel, the microflora. Biotin 

is involved in the synthesis of a few amino acids, particularly 

those required for skin, hair and nails, which is why biotin is 

recognised as a beauty vitamin. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra biotin 

Baldness, skin problems (including cradle cap in babies) and 

dermatitis. 

Food sources of biotin 

Brewer's yeast, liver, soy, brown rice, egg yolk, peanuts, 

walnuts, oats, sardines and almonds. 

Vitamin C - ascorbic acid 

Have you ever wondered what you have in common with a 

guineapig - besides feeling like one of life's little experiments? 

We are unable to make our own vitamin C, a skill 

that dogs, cats and even chipmunks have. Vitamin C, chemically 

known as ascorbic acid, can be made from a glucose 

molecule, given the correct enzymes. It seems when enzymes 

were distributed, guineapigs and humans, as well as other 

primates, bats, insects and fish, missed out. As vitamin C is 

a vitamin of importance, we have to depend on dietary

166 The Commonsense Gaide to Eating We![ 

sources of vitamin C to fulfil our requirements. Unfortunately, 

this is often inadequate for our needs. 

Vitamin C is one of the most researched vitamins - and 

for good reason, as it has so many roles fundamental to our 

well-being. Vitamin C is one of the things you would choose 

to take with you on a desert island along with a good book 

and a movie star/model/dog of your dreams. 

Scurvy is the famous vitamin C deficiency disease and the 

most pronounced symptom of scurvy is, literally, falling apart 

at the seams. This is because vitamin C is needed for collagen, 

the material integral to muscle, blood vessels and bone. 

Without sufficient vitamin C, blood vessels become very 

fragile, leaking blood into the surrounding tissues causing 

massive bruising. You don't have to get to the total breakdown 

level of scurvy to be a victim to vitamin C deficiency. 

Those who bruise easily, find that wounds take a long time 

to heal or need to recuperate after surgery will all benefit 

from extra vitamin C. 

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants in 

the body. It prevents free radical damage in the watery 

components of the body, within and outside cells. The fatsoluble 

antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin E, are responsible 

for protection in the non-aqueous places. Vitamin C 

protects the body against cigarette smoke and pollution. 

Smokers need an extra 50 milligrams of vitamin C for each 

cigarette. Vitamin C is also important for the detoxification 

mechanisms in the liver, so it would be helpful to take extra 

C if you have been exposed to any toxins, including pesticides 

or alcohol. 

Vitamin C is quite a strong antihistamine and anti-inflammatory. 

I can remember having a very nasty hayfever attack on 

a bushwalk around Jagungal (near Mount Kosciuszko) - a few 

grams of vitamin C completely restored my nose to sanity. 

Iron is better absorbed when there is vitamin C present.


Another feature role vitamin C plays is that of stimulating 

and supporting the immune system. Vitamin C has been 

shown to increase white blood cell activity and increase resistance 

to bacterial, fungal and viral agents. The only sign of 

overdoing Vitamin C is diarrhoea. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra vitamin C 

Recovering from surgery and wounds, easy bruising, lots of 

infectious diseases (including colds and flus), stress, exposure 

to toxins, hayfever, asthma and allergies, cancer, high cholesterol, 

smoking. 

Food sources of vitamin C 

Acerola cherries, chilli, guavas, parsley, capsicum, broccoli, 

brussels sprouts, kiwifruit, strawberries, spinach, oranges, 

lemons, grapefruit, mangoes and tomatoes. The Australian 

Kakadu plum is the world's richest source of vitamin C. 

Chollne 

Choline is another vitamin that we can produce in the bowel, 

although only about 15 per cent of our requirements are made 

in this way and we need to obtain the rest from the diet or 

supplements. 

Choline is needed to form one of the major neurotransmitters 

(nerve messenger), acetylcholine. We would fall down 

in a heap if there was no acetylcholine. 

Choline is closely associated with another nutrient, inositol, 

in the formation of lecithin. Lecithin is a structural part of 

every cell membrane. It is also a component of the fat-transport 

vehicles in the bloodstream, the lipoproteins. 

Lecithin, because it is both water soluble and fat soluble, 

makes an excellent medium to help in the digestion and 

excretion of fats. In fact, this technique is what bile relies 

upon when emulsifying fats in the gastrointestinal tract. The

168 TAe Commonsense Guide to Eating WeZZ 

liver makes bile, and lecithin (or choline) is often given if 

there is a diminishment in bile activity. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra choline 

Gallstones, liver problems, problems digesting fat, high cholesterol 

and multiple sclerosis. 

Food sources of choline 

Lecithin, eggs, soybeans, liver, peanuts, sesame seeds, brazil 

nuts, legumes and whole grains. 

Vitamin D - cholecalcirferol 

The study of vitamins is comparatively new and the classification 

of vitamins has been slapdash at best. Vitamin D is 

actually a hormone masquerading as a vitamin. By the time 

it was found out that vitamin D has more in common with 

hormones than vitamins, the damage was done. Too expensive 

to change the stationery. 

The main function of vitamin D is to help calcium be 

incorporated into bone, giving bone the rock-hardness it 

needs. Given enough sunshine, we can make vitamin D very 

easily. Sunlight acts on cholesterol on the skin's surface and 

is transformed into cholecalciferol, aka vitamin D. Vitamin D 

has been dubbed the 'sunshine vitamin' for this reason. It 

takes only a few minutes every few days for enough vitamin 

D to be formed. In Australia, with its obscenely sunny 

climate, vitamin D deficiency is rare. The classic deficiency 

disease is rickets, epitomised by poor British kids sent down 

the mines not seeing sunshine for days and weeks at a time 

and ending up somewhat short in stature with bandy legs. 

Other people at risk are those who live in year-Iong dull climates, 

people who wear lots of clothing (some traditional 

women in the Middle East) and rarely go outside (some 

elderly people). Sunscreen inhibits vitamin D synthesis.


Make sure you leave a bit of skin sunscreen free. 

Vitamin D can also be obtained in the diet. Basically, if 

someone else has made vitamin D, we can vicariously 

consume it. Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs and milk. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra vitamin D 

Osteoporosis, osteomalacia, Paget's disease, pregnancy, lactation 

and rickets. 

Food sources of vitamin D 

Cod liver oil, canned sardines, salmon, tuna, butter, liver, 

eggs and cheese. 

Vitamin E - tocopherol 

Vitamin E has been added to beauty creams since the 1950s, 

and still is. It is an important antioxidant, and can be found 

squeezed into cell membranes to prevent them from being 

damaged through oxidation. 

Vitamin E used to be referred to as the 'fertility' vitamin 

and indeed it is essential for animal reproduction and fertility. 

In addition, vitamin E appears to play a role as hormonal 

modulator, helping in all sorts of conditions where errant hormones 

are involved. Menopausal problems such as hot 

flushes, endometriosis and PMS, in particular, can be helped 

by vitamin E supplementation. During menopause, an 

uncomfortable symptom can be a dry vagina: squeeze the 

contents of a 500 iu vitamin E capsule into the vagina each 

night. 

Vitamin E improves oxygenation of tissues including 

muscles. For this reason it is part of many athlete's nutritional 

programs as it has shown to enhance athletic performance. 

Many people simply feel more energetic when taking vitamin 

E. It is also very good for circulatory problems, improving 

blood flow all over the body. Especially if the blood is a little


sluggish, vitamin E has been proven to decrease platelet 

aggregation, a cause of clots and a risk factor for heart disease. 

Many people feel the benefits of improved circulation, from 

cold hands and feet, to chilblains and even gangrene. 

Vitamin E applied topically will help the skin to heal, particularly 

when scars are present. You can buy creams with 

vitamin E added, or pierce a vitamin E capsule and apply the 

oil directly. First make sure the wound has healed and is dry 

before adding vitamin E. Aloe Vera, calendula and tea-tree 

oil may be helpful in this first stage when the wound is not 

dry- 

Conditions that might benefit from extra vitamin E 

Diabetes (sufferers often have poor circulation), wrinkles, 

PMS, menopause, endometriosis, scars, dry skin, cataracts, 

low energy, cancer and heart disease. 

Food sowces of vitamin E 

Wheatgerm oil, sunflower seeds, cold-pressed safflower oil, 

almonds, sesame seeds, sesame oil, olive oil and raw peanuts. 

Inositol 

Inositol can be produced in the liver as well as being available 

in food. Inositol acts together with choline as part of the 

structure of cell membranes. Interestingly, inositol is also 

important in stimulating peristalsis, the muscular wave-like 

movement that occurs down the length of the bowel. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra inositol 

Constipation, skin disorders including eczema, high cholesterol, 

fatty liver and multiple sclerosis. 

Food sources of inositol 

Lecithin, whole grains, legumes, brewer's yeast and molasses.

Gening to Know Yozl 171 

Vitamin K - phylloquinone 

Had vitamin K been born a girl, her name would have been 

Gertrude Henrietta or something requiring a deed poll. As it 

is, vitamin Ks proper name is phylloquinone. The 'K' bit originated 

from the Nobel prize-winning Danish scientist, Henrik 

Dam, who started the whole thing by calling it koagulationvitamin. 

Let's stick to simple vitamin K. 

Vitamin K is needed to make prothrombin, a substance 

that helps the blood to clot. If the blood is unable to clot, we 

would bleed to death. Although the disease haemophilia is 

not due to a vitamin K deficiency, the deadly results are the 

same. Newborns are routinely given an injection of vitamin 

K to ensure this clotting factor is present. 

Although it is important that our blood can form clots, the 

down side is excess clotting, the cause of some strokes, heart 

attacks and other serious conditions. As our very own gut 

bacteria can produce vitamin K and it is available in food, 

particularly vegetables, vitamin K is rarely recommended in 

supplement form because of the risk of clotting. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra vitamin K (not necessariZy 

in supplement fom) 

Prolonged menstruation, post-partum haemorrhage, newborn 

haemorrhagic disease, bruising and recurrent nosebleeds. 

Food sources of vitamin K 

Broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and asparagus. 

PABA 

Para-aminobenzoic acid, PABA for short, is not actually a 

vitamin in its own right, but is a component of folic acid. By 

itself, PABA can be used as food for bowel bacteria. 

A few years ago PABA had a brief stint as a sunscreen


agent. However, it proved to be protective against UV-A not 

UV-B sunlight, which is the more damaging of the two. 

Conditions that might benefit from ext9.a PABA 

PABA is rarely needed if sufficient folic acid is being 

consumed. 

Food sozcrces of PABA 

Liver, yeast, whole wheat, molasses, cabbage, sunflower 

seeds, spinach and eggs. 

Bioflavonoids 

Until recently, bioflavonoids were bundled together and 

collectively known as vitamin P, put on the back shelf and 

ignored. However, amazing new information about the therapeutic 

value of these formerly neglected substances have 

come to light. Ain't science grand? 

Four thousand different types of bioflavonoids have been 

isolated, although only 10 or 12 have been extensively 

examined. Bioflavonoids (also known as simply flavonoids) 

are red, blue and yellow coloured pigments of plants. The 

reddish rust colouring in our rivers comes from the tannins 

released from fallen gum leaves. Tannins are bioflavonoids. 

The intense blue of blueberries and cornflowers comes from 

anthocyanidin, another bioflavonoid. Bioflavonoids not only 

provide us with colour, they also have a potent effect on our 

physiology. 

The following are the names of a few bioflavonoids and 

where they can be found in nature: 

Gtfus fmNfs 

Buckwheat

Catechin 

Cournarin 

Quercetin 

Anthocyanidins 

Tannins 

Genestein 

Ge~ing to Know Yo@ 173 

Green tea, grapeseeds 

Soybeans, sprouts 

Citrus peel, onions 

Blueberries, cherries, red grapes 

Wme, tea 

Soybeans 

Although each bioflavonoid has it own speciality, they all 

have some things in common. For instance, they are excellent 

antioxidants. Some outdo the already inspiring vitamins E 

and C, exceeding their antioxidant potency by up to 50 times. 

Antioxidants are useful in the fight against cancer, heart 

disease and in supporting the immune system. 

Bioflavonoids are believed to explain the reason behind 

the 'French Paradox', the discrepancy in France where they 

have a high-fat, high-alcohol diet and very low incidence of 

heart disease; hence the 'paradox'. It is thought to be the 

bioflavonoids found in red wine - proanthocyanidins - which 

provide protection against heart disease. Other bioflavonoids, 

such as quercetin and catechin found in a variety of fruits and 

vegetables, probably play a supporting role in this paradox. 

As mentioned previously, in the early days, bioflavonoids 

were called vitamin P. The P referred to blood vessel permeability. 

The bioflavonoids (rutin and quercetin in particular) 

are very good at reducing the permeability of blood vessel 

walls and strengthening them. Conditions where this is useful 

include varicose veins, easy bruising, haemorrhoids and after 

injury or surgery. The bioflavonoids are also anti-inflammatory, 

which makes them useful for after-injury support, arthritis, 

as well as any illness of an allergic nature, including 

asthma, hayfever and sinusitis.


Conditions that might benefit from extra bioflavonoids 

Arthritis, cancer, injury, post-surgery, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, 

bruising, cataracts, asthma, hayfever, sinusitis, eczema 

and heart disease. 

Food sources of bioflavonoids 

Onions, apples, red wine, tea, green tea, blackberries, red 

grapes, cherries, blueberries, capsicum, asparagus, pears, 

buckwheat and citrus fruits. 

The minerals 

Boron 

Boron must be a borin' mineral (sorry), because not much 

research has been done on its role in the body. Only a speck 

of boron is needed to increase calcium uptake into bone. For 

this reason, it has been included in some supplements for 

women at risk of osteoporosis. There is some evidence that 

boron can help with arthritis. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra boron 

Arthritis and osteoporosis. 

Foodsowces of boron 

Wine, prunes, almonds, raisins, linseeds, parsley, dates, rosehips, 

green leafy vegetables, soy and milk. 

CaIcfum 

Calcium is the pop-star of the mineral world, grabbing all the 

attention in the print and film media. However, there is no 

smoke without fire and calcium has claims to importance. 

Calcium is the most abundant mineral of the body, weighing 

in at about 2 per cent of body weight. Most of it is found


in bones and teeth but it is also necessary for other things, 

including the smooth workings of muscles and nerves. It 

helps to release muscle spasms and frazzled nerves. 

One of the most easily absorbed forms of calcium is osteoapatite, 

derived from bone (mostly other animals'). Unfortunately, 

lead is also stored in bone and you don't want to be 

eating any extra lead if you can avoid it. If you can obtain 

the bones of some happy animal raised far away from roads 

and pollution, you may eat their bones (makes you want to 

be a vegetarian doesn't it?). Apart from munching on a femur, 

a good way to release the calcium from bones is to make a 

stew or soup using meat and bones, such as lamb shank casserole 

or old-fashioned chicken soup. 

Times of greatest needs for calcium are times of greatest 

growth: during pregnancy, lactation, childhood and teenagerhood 

around the time they sprout. 

A word about milk. Milk and milk products are a reliable 

source of calcium, there is no doubt about that. However, for 

a variety of reasons, some people's digestive systems do not 

tolerate milk well (see page 114) and these people need to 

take special notice of non-dairy, calcium-rich foods (see list 

on page 120) or take a supplement. If you are slightly intolerant 

to milk, you may find small amounts of yoghurt will be 

suitable, or perhaps goat's or sheep's milk products. 

Fcactors decreasing calcium absorpion 

Too much phosphorus decreases the amount of calcium we 

are able to absorb. Phosphorus is found in red meat and carbonated 

soft drinks (including fizzy mineral water). Alcohol, 

coffee and tea also decrease calcium in the body. Cortisone 

drugs deplete the body's stores of calcium also. Most people 

on long-term cortisone (for arthritis, pain and so on) will be 

on calcium supplements.


Conditions that migk benefit from extra calcium 

Osteoporosis, pregnancy, muscle spasms, high blood pressure, 

anxiety (especially together with insomnia), people on cortisone 

drugs and painful periods. 

Peri- and post-menopause is a time when extra calcium 

may be required. Oestrogen helps keep calcium in the bones. 

Menopause means a depletion of oestrogen production, so 

this is a time you need to keep your eye on bone density, as 

osteoporosis is much more likely at this time. It may be 

worthwhile to have a bone density check. 

Food sources of calcium 

Cheese, milk, bone meal, carob, kelp, oats, parsley, broccoli, 

whole grains, linseeds (ground), sesame seeds, almonds, soy, 

sardines and salmon with bone and figs. 

Chromium 

Chromium is another one of the minerals that we need in 

tiny amounts but if we don't have enough it makes life 

awkward, in fact, a non-event. 

Chromium stars in the area of glucose processing - the 

most valuable energy molecule we know. In order for glucose 

to enter cells where it can be converted into energy, the 

hormone insulin is needed. Perched on the cell membrane is 

a little molecule called Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF), 

which helps insulin push glucose into the cell. GTF is a molecule 

made up of some B vitamins, amino acids and 

chromium. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra chromizcm 

Diabetes (but if you rely on insulin, check with your doctor 

first as the chromium may decrease your insulin requirements), 

sugar cravings and atherosclerosis.


Food sources of chromium 

Chromium is good stuff, but don't start munching on your 

chrome bumper bar yet. There are different forms of chromium 

and the type in metal plating, cement, rubber, pollution 

and photographics is not the type to ingest. Food that 

contains the 'good' chromium includes brewer's yeast, torula 

yeast, liver, whole grains and pepper. 

Copper 

When talking mineral supplements, copper doesn't usually 

spring to mind. However, as time passes research keeps 

coming up with interesting information about its role. For 

instance, copper is required in the formation of haemoglobin, 

the iron-containing, oxygen-carrying molecule. In fact, copper 

assists iron absorption. Copper also helps in the assimilation 

of calcium into bone, so it is quite a helpful adjunct to the 

treatment of osteoporosis. 

Remember when copper bracelets were a hip fashion statement? 

As a remedy for arthritis, absorbing the copper from 

jewellery via the skin might have some basis - copper is 

required for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, 

to help stop free radical damage and is also necessary for 

collagen synthesis. It is also a component of the pigment 

melanin, necessary for skin and hair colour. Apparently 

copper also dictates hair curliness, which conflicts with the 

historic notion of sandwich crusts causing curls. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra copper 

The Michael Jackson disease, vitiligo; rheumatoid and osteoarthritis; 

and anaemia. 

Food sources of copper 

Oysters, brazil nuts, soy, lecithin, almonds, dry split peas, 

mushrooms, chocolate and cocoa.

178 Tde Commonsense Guide to Eating WeiZ 

Fluorine 

Fluorine is one hot potato of a mineral. Over the years there 

have been many tears and fisticuffs about the question of 

fluoridating community water supplies. (A note on definitions: 

fluorine is the codger featured in the periodic table as 

a yellow gas travelling under the moniker 'F', fluoride is the 

biologically active form of fluorine.) 

Fluoride plays a role in helping keep calcium in place in 

bones and teeth. In bones, it is found in the form of calcium 

fluoride, not in the form sodium fluoride, which is added to 

our water. Fluoride appears to prevent dental cavities in 

growing teeth. It has most effect topically; that is, in direct 

contact with teeth or in young children when the teeth have 

not yet erupted. A mottling or discolouration of teeth, called 

dental fluorosis, is common among young peopIe growing up 

with fluoridated water. There is little evidence that drinking 

fluoridated water assists adult teeth. Of more concern is the 

theory that is steadily gaining strength that an excess of fluoride 

(particularly sodium fluoride) over a period of time can lead to 

arthritis-like symptoms and even osteoporosis. Adding sodium 

fluoride to the drinking water continues in Australia, New 

Zealand and parts of America although it has been banned in 

Japan, Scandinavia and most of Europe. 

Conditions that migAt benefit from extra fluoride 

As fluoride is added to our water supply and as a consequence 

is also in processed foods that use water, generally no-one 

needs extra fluoride. However, the supplement calcium fluoride, 

which is given in tiny doses (Calc fluor) may help in 

conditions showing a weakness of connective tissues such as 

varicose veins and haemorrhoids.


Foods containing fluoride 

Water, tea, toothpaste, fish and processed drinks and foods 

that contain water. 

Iron 

Everyone knows about iron, but no-one seems to get enough 

of the stuff. Over 40 per cent of Australian women simply do 

not eat enough iron for their needs. Signs you are deficient 

in iron include looking pale, feeling weak and dizzy, cold 

hands and feet, a lack of energy, irritability and cravings for 

weird things like dirt and ice (called pica). Of course, not 

everyone who is tired is iron deficient, known as anaemic. 

Before you hoe into an iron supplement ask your doctor if 

she thinks you need an iron test, which is a simple blood test. 

One of the reasons iron is so important is that it is part of a 

compound called haemoglobin, which is found in all red blood 

cells; in fact, it is responsible for the red colour of red blood 

cells. Haemoglobin is partly protein, partly iron and it is this 

molecule that is capable of holding onto oxygen, the very 

oxygen necessary for our survival. With less iron there is less 

haemoglobin; with less haemoglobin there is less oxygen available 

to all the cells of the body, including the brain. No wonder 

you feel tired! The brain cannot function properly, nor can 

muscles. You feel physically and mentally drained. 

Although iron is so vital, we don't want too much of the stuff 

on board, as it can oxidise - literally rust - and cause free radical 

damage to cells. Our body accommodates this by being very 

thrifty with iron. As the iron-containing red blood cells die 

(every 120 days) the iron is recycled. We also have a vat of iron 

stored for an anaemic day, this is called haemosiderin. 

Although red blood cells need iron for haemoglobin, there 

are other nutrients necessary for the formation of haemoglobin 

and the red blood cell itself, These include B9, B12, 

B5, B6 and B13 (orotic acid). If there is a deficiency of one


of these nutrients, this will also cause anaemia. As there is 

such a thing as too much iron, it is doubly important that you 

get tested for iron deficiency first, as your symptoms could 

well be due to a deficiency of these vitamins, particularly B9 

and B12. 

Iron is one of the most difficult minerals to absorb. We 

absorb as little as 10 per cent of the iron we eat depending 

on our needs, the type of iron and the state of our digestive 

system. The most easily absorbed iron is known as 'haem 

iron', which comes from animals. Not surprisingly, we are 

better able to absorb a molecule that is similar to our homemade 

haem. Haem iron is higher in red meat such as beef 

and lamb and lower in fish and poultry. There is very little 

iron in milk, cheese and eggs. Vegetables such as spinach, 

parsley and kelp contain heaps of iron, but unfortunately the 

iron is in the less absorbable non-haem form. 

For peak iron absorption our digestive tract needs to be in 

tip-top form. Iron in the non-haem form (vegetables, grains 

and so on) is better absorbed if there is some acid around. 

Stomach acid will do nicely, however, many people have low 

stomach acid levels. Other kinds of acid, particularly ascorbic 

acid, aka vitamin C, will boost iron absorption. So adding a 

few drops of lemon juice to your salad dressing, or drinking 

a glass of orange juice with your morning cereal has some 

merit. 

A few things in the diet interfere with iron absorption, 

especially tea and coffee - don't drink them while you are 

eating iron-rich foods. Another item which inhibits the 

optimum absorption or iron are phytates. Phytates are substances 

found in high-fibre foods, including grains and 

legumes (see page 32). Phytates are only a problem if you are 

a raw-fibre freak, adding cups of bran to your diet. Phytates 

are destroyed by heat, so cooked grains (like bread and porridge) 

and beans are fine.


Iron szcpplements 

From time to time some people need to take an iron supplement. 

As iron is such a tricky customer due to its poor absorption, 

it is important to take a supplement that is well absorbed 

but causes no problems. The most commonly prescribed iron 

supplement is iron sulphate. This is absorbed very well 

indeed, but unfortunately side-effects such as constipation, 

nausea and stomach cramps are very common. A happy compromise 

is iron attached to protein, called iron aminoate. This 

is fairly similar in structure to haem iron, the one favoured 

by the body. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra iron 

Heavy periods, pregnancy, endurance athletics (particularly 

joggers where the constant jarring destroys red blood cells), 

bowel disorders (malabsorption or ulceration where the iron 

is either not absorbed at all or lost in the stool), excessive 

bleeding. 

Food sources of iron 

Kelp, red meat, molasses, liver, wheatgerm, wheat bran, 

parsley, oysters, sunflower seeds, dried prunes and spinach. 

Iodine 

Iodine is part of the thyroid hormone thyroxine. The thyroid 

is the gland located at the base of the neck; it regulates our 

metabolic rate. If it is over- or under-functioning, the thyroid 

gland can swell up into a goitre. The thyroid hormones regulate 

how much energy the body makes, or doesn't make; and 

maintains female and male fertility and libido among other 

things. 

Signs of being low in iodine include sluggishness, weight 

gain, constipation, loss of libido, irregular menstruation, 

goitre, loss of hair and brittle nails.

182 The Comonsense Guide to Eating Well 

There are certain geographical areas where the soil is deficient 

in iodine, including the Himalayas and the Hunter 

Valley in New South Wales, glamorously called 'goitre belts' 

as more people develop goitres who live in these areas. You 

don't see too much of this nowadays, as most salt has iodine 

added, that is, 'iodised salt'. 

Iodine protects against radiation toxicity. After Chernobyl, 

the shops were bought out of seaweed, a rich source of iodine. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra iodine 

Overweight, low metabolism, radiotherapy treatment. 

People with the symptoms of low thyroid function, as outlined 

above, may benefit from eating foods rich in iodine, 

particularly a seaweed supplement. Do not take iodine as an 

extra supplement unless prescribed by your physician as you 

could cause an imbalance in thyroid function. 

Food sources of iodine . 

Iodised salt, kelp, seaweed, clams, oysters and fish. 

Potassium 

Potassium is necessary for regulation of our pH or acid 

balance and for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles. 

Potassium and sodium have an intense relationship: mostly 

they act opposite one another in the body. Too much sodium 

causes too little potassium, rarely is it the other way around. 

Potassium is particularly helpful for the heart, where there 

are palpitations, and even high blood pressure. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra potmsium 

Weak heart, weak muscles, nervous disposition and palpitations. 

People taking certain drugs, including diuretics, often 

need to be on extra potassium.

Gemkg to Know You 183 

Food sources of potassium 

Avocados, bananas, asparagus, tomatoes, kelp, molasses, cocoa 

powder, soybeans, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, prunes, 

lentils, almonds and parsley. 

Magnesium 

Magnesium has a hectic work and social schedule. Responsible 

for over 300 enzyme reactions in the body, magnesium 

also finds the time to assist other vitamins and minerals, such 

as vitamins C and E, the 3 complex as well as calcium, phosphorus, 

sodium and potassium. 

In practice, magnesium is invaluable in helping to relieve 

stiff muscles and muscle cramps. Magnesium helps relax all 

muscles including skeletal muscles, the heart muscle and the 

bowel wall and blood vessels, which are both smooth muscle. 

Excellent for problems ranging from painful period cramps, 

stiff neck and back, to high blood pressure and even constipation. 

Magnesium is vital in the production of energy. It is 

the central molecule in chlorophyll, the compound in plants 

that traps the energy from sunlight. 

Conditions t/tat mig4t benefit from extra magnesium 

High blood pressure, menstrual cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, 

anxiety, muscle weakness, leg cramps, kidney stones, 

tremors. 

Food sources of magnesium 

Whole grains, green vegetables, soybeans, seafood, figs, corn, 

apples, peaches and apricots. 

Manganese 

There is only about 20 milligrams (the size of a small pill) 

worth of manganese in the average 70 kilogram person. Nevertheless, 

manganese is a vital trace mineral. It forms part of

184 The Commonsense Gde 

to Eating Well 

an antioxidant complex, as well as playing a very important 

role in the formation of cartilage. For both these reasons, 

manganese is particularly useful as an adjunct in the treatment 

of arthritis. 

Tinnitus is a ringing sound in the ears that sufferers find 

maddening. Even more maddening is that no-one seems to 

know the cause, or a cure. Manganese is necessary for the 

formation of tiny little calcium rocks called otiliths, which 

help us with our hearing and sense of balance. Some people 

have found that taking a supplement containing manganese 

has helped improve their tinnitus. Just an idea. 

Manganese also plays a part in helping to stabilise glucose 

levels in the bloodstream, hence its use in diabetes, hypoglycaemia 

and sugar cravings. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra manganese 

Diabetes, sugar craving, hypoglycaemia, arthritis and tinnitus. 

Food sources of manganese 

Tea, rice bran, wheat bran, pecans, brazil nuts, almonds, oats, 

rye, barley, alfalfa, cloves and ginger. 

Molybdenum 

Not much is known or spoken about molybdenum, probably 

due to its unpronounceability. It appears as a coenzyme for 

several antioxidant enzymes. It is likely that more information 

on the importance of molybdenum will come to light 

in the near future. Rather interestingly, it seems to decrease 

a sensitivity to sulphates. Some people are intolerant of 

sulphur compounds, which are often found as food additives 

in wine, beer and dried fruit. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra molybdenum 

Cancer and ageing.


Food sources of molybdenum 

Lentils, liver, cauliflower, brewer's yeast, spinach, garlic, oats 

and fish. 

Sodlum 

Sodium has been branded as the bad guy of the mineral 

world - which is kind of strange considering if we don't have 

sodium we die. We normally associate sodium with table salt, 

which is actually a combination of sodium and chloride. For 

the purists, a salt is a compound that can form a crystal made 

out of an acid and a base, sodium chloride being one example. 

Salt was once expensive, whereas now it as cheap as chips. 

The word 'salary' is derived from salt and was the payment 

made by the ancient Romans to their soldiers. The proverbs 

'salt of the earth' and 'not worth your salt' reveal salt's abiding 

value. The primal slimists believe we originated in the sea 

and our body chemistry reflects these beginnings. This could 

explain why the number of people with a salty tooth equals 

those with a sweet tooth. The kidney preferentially holds on 

to sodium, allowing other minerals to be excreted in sodium's 

stead. 

Sodium keeps fluid in the body, between the cells and 

swimming in blood vessels. Along with potassium, it maintains 

our pH or acid base balance as well as giving permission 

for certain substances to enter and leave cells. The primary 

digestive fluid of the stomach - hydrochloric acid - requires 

sodium. 

The main reason sodium has been vilified has been the 

association between high blood pressure and sodium. High 

blood pressure is one of the risk factors for a heart attack. As 

sodium is preferentially retained by the kidneys, more water 

is retained in the body, thereby increasing blood volume and 

hence blood pressure. However, a sizeable study of 10 000


people by the British Medical Journal revealed that not everybody 

responds in this way. There is even some talk of the 

chloride content of salt being to blame. It is pretty rare to 

need extra salt, and we should avoid processed, salted foods. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra sodium 

Diarrhoea and vomiting, which can leave the body depleted 

of many minerals, especially sodium; lots and lots of sweating, 

although it is better to replace with several salts, not just 

sodium; severe and prolonged stress can cause the adrenal 

glands, which live on top of the kidneys, to cause the kidneys 

to lose excess salt. Listen to your body if you have salt cravings 

during periods of stress. 

Food sources of sodium 

Salt, soy sauce, processed meats, yellow cheese, breakfast 

cereals, vegemite, marmite, olives and celery. Few people 

need to add table salt to their food. There are some 'natural 

health salts' available that contain a variety of other minerals, 

including some of the more unusual trace elements. If your 

diet is mainly free of processed foods, adding some of this 

sea salt is okay. 

Nickel 

In general we are better advised to avoid nickel than to seek 

it out. Nickel, however, tends to seek us out as it is a common 

by-product of many industrial processes, car exhaust, heating 

fuel and cigarettes. Some people are overly sensitive to 

nickel, which is present in jewellery. The most common reaction 

is an eczema-like rash. 

Enough said about the nasty side of nickel, we do in fact 

need nickel in small amounts. It appears to be important for 

our nuclear material, DNA and RNA, as well as featuring in 

several enzymes.


Conditions that might bendit from extra nickel 

It is highly unlikely that people would require nickel supplements; 

we tend to get more than we require due to the nickel 

in our polluted environment. High levels of nickel may be 

associated with an increased risk of cancer and heart disease, 

headache, nausea and vomiting. One way of detecting excess 

nickel is by means of hair analysis, which is a specialised 

method of detecting mineral toxicity. 

Food sources of nickel 

Soybeans, beans, grains, walnuts and hazelnuts. Other sources 

include stainless steel cookware, auto exhaust, coal and oil 

burners, margarine and detergent. 

Sulphur 

Sulphur (also spelt sulfur) who signs off as 'S' is responsible 

for the pungent smell of eggs, burnt hair (if you have ever 

singed your eyebrows while barbecueing a snag you'll recognise 

the. smell), the stench you'd expect around hellfire and 

brimstone (the archaic name for sulphur) and the air around 

the hot volcanic mudsprings of Rotorua. Maybe 'S' stands for 

'smelly'. Smell aside, sulphur is reputed to be the beauty 

mineral, giving shine to hair and strength to nails. Horses that 

are fed sulphur-rich molasses have magnificent glossy coats. 

Sulphur sneaks into our diet bound to other items. It is an 

important element in three amino acids: methionine, cysteine 

and taurine. Protein foods high in these sulphur-containing 

amino acids include eggs, nuts and beans. All three amino 

acids are used in the detoxifying systems of the body, helping 

to remove and inactivate free radicals and other toxins. Garlic 

is well known as a detoxifier, in part due to its high sulphur 

content. The detoxifying compounds need sulphur to work. 

Sulphur itself is antibacterial and antifungal, which led to


its use in revolutionising medicine as part of the early sulphonamide 

antibiotics in the 1930s. These antibiotics have 

now been superseded as the generations of bacteria have 

become more and more resistant to medication. 

Sulphur helps form a type of tissue called glyco-proteins. 

These include cartilage, tendons and ligaments - the strong, 

stringy, spongy tissue that protects and holds together joints. 

It is often this tissue that becomes damaged in arthritis. 

The down side of sulphur is that some people can be sensitive 

to it, particularly when it is in the form of sulphite or 

sulphur dioxide. Asthma-like reactions are most common in 

those who are sensitive, as there are sulphite sensitive receptors 

in the mouth that can cause spasm of the bronchial tubes. 

Skin rashes are another common side-effect. If you fall in this 

group, foods to beware of include dried apricots (and all 

sulphur-dried fruits), beer, champagne, wine, pickled onions 

and cordials. The additive code numbers to watch for are 220, 

221, 222, 223 and 224. The sulphur-containing antibiotics 

(mentioned previously) may also cause a reaction in the sensitive 

individual. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra su&hur 

Liver problems, including hepatitis; an overload of chemicals 

or toxins (the liver needing help to detoxify); limp, lacklustre 

hair; and arthritis sufferers. 

Food sources of su&hur 

Meat, eggs, onions, garlic, cabbage, brussels sprouts, beans, 

sesame seeds, brazil nuts and molasses. 

Selenium 

Selenium is intimately involved with an antioxidant called 

glutathione peroxidase. Without selenium, this antioxidant is 

rendered powerless. Some researchers believe selenium is a


key nutrient in preventing cancer, atherosclerosis and poor 

immune function. Selenium is also effective as an adjunct to 

the treatment of dandruff and psoriasis: it is available to use 

topically in some shampoo formulations. Similar to iodine, 

selenium is protective against the damage of radiation. 

Although selenium is freely available as a supplement in 

other countries, at this point in time you will need a prescription 

to obtain selenium in Australia. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra selenium 

Poor immune response; cancer; dandruff; psoriasis; heart 

disease; and radiotherapy treatment. 

Food sources of selenium 

Arabian dates, herring, whitebait, brazil nuts, eggs and brewer's 

yeast. Unfortunately, Australian soils are very low in selenium 

so even though foods such as garlic and grains should 

be rich in selenium, if the soil can't provide it, selenium 

won't be present in the food. 

Vanad turn 

Vanadium has a Space Age ring to it. You can imagine Judy 

Jetson asking her hubby for a vanadium ring for her birthday. 

It may be that the full personality of vanadium will be 

revealed on space station Mir in the year 1299, because at 

the present time we don't know squat (not a sausage) about 

the therapeutic possibilities of this mineral. 

There are, however, a few bits and pieces that are known 

about vanadium. It seems to have a role in revving up the 

insulin receptors on cell membranes. This would have good 

implications for diabetes. Vanadium has a role in bone and 

tooth development as well.

I90 


Conditions that might benefit from extra vanadizcm 

Diabetes, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis. 

Food sources of vanadium 

Buckwheat, parsley, soybeans, safflower oil and sunflower 

seeds. 

Zinc 

Zinc is another tricky mineral to absorb. As it is also in short 

supply in Australian soils, it comes as no surprise that around 

55 per cent of men and 80 per cent of women are zinc 

deficient. 

Zinc, the middle-man mineral 

Unlike calcium, which forms part of our skeletal structure and 

iron, which is a necessary component of red blood cells, zinc 

is a middle-man mineral. Zinc is necessary for the smooth 

functioning of over 200 enzymes. Enzymes are things that 

speed up reactions without being used up themselves in the 

reaction. Sometimes they need coenzymes such as zinc in 

order to operate. Without zinc, no enzyme. Without enzyme, 

no reaction. For instance, the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase 

needs zinc in order to start the conversion of alcohol so that 

it can be eliminated from the body. Without enough zinc, 

this enzyme will not function effectively, thereby allowing 

alcohol to keep circulating and continue damaging the body. 

Although we require only tiny amounts of zinc, there is no 

underestimating the importance of this nutrient. Zinc is 

required for tastebuds and olfactory (smell) receptors. In fact, 

one of the deficiency signs of zinc is a decreased sense of 

smell, taste and, consequently, appetite. Another deficiency 

sign is white spots on the fingernails. Zinc is needed by the 

immune system, especially in the manufacture of T-cells.


Without zinc, vitamin A is poorly utilised, having repercussions 

for our eyesight and skin. Zinc is important for a 

healthy pregnancy. Zinc is also needed by the hormonal 

system, especially the male hormones. Men have a special 

need for zinc as 2 to 5 milligrams of zinc is lost in each ejaculation. 

Zinc is needed for healthy sperm. 

As zinc depends on the support of vitamin B6 and magnesium, 

you will often find supplements featuring this nutrient 

triumvirate. 

Conditions that might benefit from extra zinc 

Skin problems such as acne, eczema or psoriasis (in combination 

with vitamin A); low libido, infertility and impotence; 

loss of smell, taste and appetite; poor immune response, lots 

of colds, shingles, sore throat and mouth ulcers (taken in combination 

with vitamin C). 

Food sources of zinc 

Fresh oysters, crab, ginger root, meat, egg yolk, pecan and 

brazil nuts.

NUTS AND BOLTS

Good Diet 

On the whole, my patients have pretty good diets. Most of 

what I do is a bit of tidying up and reminding them of what 

they already know. Removing a little fat here, adding a little 

fibre and protein there. Suggesting a piece of fruit may 

improve things and perhaps a glass or two less of alcohol. All 

gentle prods in the right direction. 

But just what is the right direction? This chapter gives 

some broad guidelines that will help you formulate an eating 

plan to improve your health. A healthy eating plan is one you 

enjoy, is sensible, and has enough treats to keep you happy. 

Happiness cannot be overrated when it comes to health. If 

you have trouble formulating your own diet, ask for help from 

a naturopath or dietician, and tell them what you want. 

Negotiate - there is no point walking out of an appointment 

with a useless piece of paper telling you to do things you 

know you don't want to do. And paying good money for the 

privilege. 

People choose food for a variety of conscious and 

subconscious reasons: cultural identity, family preferences,

196 Tde Commonsense Gzride to Eating Well 

advertising, eating disorders, poverty and politics. Information 

is power - the more you know about food, the better 

chance you'have of choosing a diet that suits you and is 

healthy too. The following guidelines are cornerstones on 

which to base your eating plan. 

Before looking at features that make up a good diet, let's 

look at some of the problems of the typical Aussie diet. 

The Australian diet is one of the fattiest in the world, 

although we are heading in the right downward direction. 

Too much dietary fat is related to heart disease, 

stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones and 

certain cancers. Obvious culprits are sausages, deli 

meat and fried food but also watch those goodies 

misnamed as 'health foods', such as muffins, toasted 

muesli, carob and tofu ice-cream. 

The average Australian consumes 230 teaspoons of 

sugar weekly. Very little is added by the teaspoonful; 

sugar is found in ice-cream, biscuits, sauce, even 

pizzas. Health problems associated with excess sugar 

include atherosclerosis, diabetes mellttus, child behavioural 

problems, gallstones, colo-rectal cancer, hypertension, 

CHD, obesity, Crohn's disease, kidney stones 

and holes in the teeth. 

Too much salt. Australians on average tend to 

consume 10 to 20 times the recommended amount 

of 920 to 2300 milligrams per day. Processed food is 

the major culprit here. 

The average Aussie adult consumes a yearly average 

of 500 middies of beer, 185 glasses of wine and 115 

nips of spirits. Considering many folk don't drink, 

some people are drinking over the recommended one 

to two drinks dally. Excess alcohol contributes to heart

Good Diet 197 

disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, pancreatitis, her 

damage and brain damage. 

We eat about 15 grams of fibre daily, half the recommended 

intake of 30 grams. Diseases associated 

with insufficient fibre include heart disease, obesity, 

diabetes, constipation and cancer. 

I 

Cornerstones to good nutrition 

Nutrient density 

Time is precious, don't waste it. The same can be said for 

food. Make each mouthful count; as full of nutrition as possible. 

I don't mean calorie-rich food but food that crams in 

as many micronutrients as possible. For example, take a sandwich. 

Sandwich (1) a Vegemite sandwich with margarine on 

white bread. Sandwich (2) a tuna sandwich with sprouts, beetroot 

and a scrape of avocado on wholemeal. Both are sandwiches, 

but one is a nutritional waste of time. 

Farnilirdty breeds contempt 

Our nomadic hunter-gatherer forebears ate a greater variety 

of foods than we do today. Mainly because they moved from 

region to region. Nowadays, we get very stuck in our ways: 

if it's Tuesday it's chops, potatoes and peas; if it's Saturday 

it must be Thai take-away. 

Eating new foods is scary. Learn from a friend whose 

family comes from a different ethnic background, or when 

you go out for dinner, choose a cuisine you are not familiar 

with. Be adventurous. A few dishes might be duds, but the 

chances are you will enhance your repetoire of food: dhal 

(lentil curry) from India, hommos from Lebanon, tofu from 

China. Another way of ensuring variety in your diet is to 

choose foods of different colours, particularly the fruits and

198 The C~ommonsense Guide to Eating WeiZ 

vegetables. Eat vegetables and fruits that are yellow, green, 

white and red. 

Grains are another culinary rut in which we tend to fall. 

Wheat, in particular, is difficult to avoid. Look to other grains, 

including rye, millet, corn, barley and oats. Try different milk 

products, including cow, sheep, goat, soy, almond and rice. 

Along the same lines, try to include foods that have a variety 

of tastes: salty, sweet, bitter and sour. 

Reguldty is worthy of regard 

Breakfast literally means to break your overnight fast. Unless 

you raid the fridge at 2 am, the likelihood is that your body 

goes without nourishment from after dinner, say 7.30 pm 

until breakfast the following morning, say 7.30 am. This is a 

12-hour gap when the body is not receiving nutrients. The 

body can cope with this overnight fast, but any longer and 

trouble starts. 

Many people feel too rushed in the morning to think about 

preparing breakfast, let alone eating it. Maybe they grab a 

bite to eat when they arrive at work, or after dropping the 

kids off at school. Some people miss breakfast altogether, not 

eating until 11 or 12 noon or sometimes 3 pm. A 19-hour fast! 

Not only are your blood sugar levels going to be down to 

blazes, your metabolic rate will resemble that of a slug's. 

Treat your body like a good friend - give it nourishment 

regularly. Don't abuse the friendship by missing meals. Eat 

a good meal at least three times a day. Even more if you have 

a tendency for your sugar levels to drop, making you feel tired 

and tetchy between meals. 

Fresh is best 

Fresh food is the go, rather than processed, frozen or preprepared. 

Of course, it depends a lot on your lifestyle. A good 

meal made at the weekend when you have the time and

Good Diet 199 

frozen for those busy weeknights, is a lot better than a takeaway 

meal, or a bag of chips. 

When practical, eat your food in season. In the middle of 

winter, choose oranges and crisp apples rather than canned 

mangoes or imported tropical fruit. Eating food grown from 

the same environment, or as close as possible, is desirable, 

not only to be sure of freshness but also from the more philosophical 

stance of being connected to our environment, 

cementing a sense of belonging. 

Whole foods 

Choose the whole food rather than a processed version. For 

instance, eat the whole fruit rather than drinking the juice; 

go for wholegrain flour products rather than white. You will 

be assured of an assortment of nutrients, including fibre, vitamins 

and minerals normally thrown away in the processing of 

foods. 

Digestion 

If your digestion is poor, the best nutrition will come to 

nought. Some points to remember: chew each mouthful well; 

avoid overeating, particularly at night before going to bed; 

and don't drink more than 500 millilitres of fluid with your 

meal, because you will dilute digestive juices. It is fine to 

drink more than 30 minutes before a meal or a couple of 

hours after, when your meal has departed the stomach. 

Minimlse '111th' foods 

'111th foods' is a phrase coined by Australian doctor Ian 

Brighthope, which is a perfect description of the foods that 

can be detrimental to our health. These include coffee 

(including decaf), alcohol, cigarettes, artificial sweeteners, 

chewing gum, deli meats, carbonated soft drinks, cooking oils,

200 The Commonsense Ggide to Eating Well 

fried foods, salt and sugar. Minimise does not mean avoid, 

but take it easy with these illth foods. 

The following is a chart detailing the ins and outs of a 

nutritionally complete eating plan for an average adult, with 

total calories averaging 2300 per day. 

ESSENTIALS 

FAT 

CARBOHYDRATE 

PROTEIN 

FIBRE 

AMOUNT 

30% OF DAILY INTAKE 

65-70% OF DAILY INTAKE 

20% OF DAILY INTAKE 

30 g PER DAY 

FOODS 

FAT 

MEAT & MEAT 

ALTERNATIVES 

DAILY REQUIREMENTS 

4 SERVINGS 

1 serving 

= 1 tsp butter, oil (cold pressed 

preferred), eg. olive oil 

= 10 g nuts, 2 tspn nut butter (not 

peanut) 

= 114 medium avocado 

2-3 SERVINGS 

1 serving 

= 100 g lean meat, chicken (no skin), 

fish (including canned fish in brine or 

water) 

= 1 cup cooked legumes (peas, beans) 

= 1 egg 

Note: Fish 4 x week. Vegetarian meal 

2 x week.

Good Diet 201 

FOODS 

MILK & 

ALTERNATIVES 

BREADS & 

CEREALS 


2-3 SERVINGS 

1 serving 

= 250 mls cow, goat, soy milk (low fat) 

= 200 g plain yoghurt (low fat) 

= 200 g cottage cheese, tofu 

= 25 g, 2 slices hard cheese 

= 1 scoop ice-cream (not recommended 

daily) 

Note: If cow's milk (casein) intolerant, 

alternatives include goat, sheep, soy. 

Often a little yoghurt is tolerated and 

ricotta cheese (made on whey protein 

not casein). If lactose intolerant, 

choose lactose-free milks, lactase 

tablets. 

4-5 SERVINGS 

1 serving 

= 309 

= 1 slice bread (wholemeal) 

= 1 bread roll (wholemeal) 

= 3 crispbreads 

= 4 rice cakes 

= % cup cooked rice (brown) 

= % CUP cooked pasta (wholemeal) 

= 3/4 CUP cooked wholegrain, eg oats 

Note: Grains should be varied, eg. oats, 

barley, millet, buckwheat, rye. Less 

emphasis on wheat. If vegetarian 

combine grains and legumes for 

complete protein combination.


FOODS 

FRUIT 

VEGETABLES 

ADDITIONS AND 

OPTIONS 


2-3 SERVINGS 

1 serving 

= 1 medium piece of fruit 

= 2 half-dried apricots, 4 dates 

= 1 tablespoon dried fruit 

= ?4 CUP cooked fruit 

= ?4 CUP fruit juice 

Note: Fruit to be mostly raw. 1 piece to 

be citrus. Choose a variety of coloured 

fruits: yellow, orange, red. 

5 SERVINGS MINIMUM 

1 serving 

= 1 potato 

= ?4 CUP vegetables. 

Note: Include flowering tops, leaves, as 

well as root vegetables. 

2 litres filtered water daily 

Options: 

1 to 2 glasses wine (bottle wine) 

maximum 5 serves/week 

(1 or more alcohol-free days per week) 

1 to 2 coffee or tea daily 

Herbal teas, dandelion coffee, etc. 

The following is an example of how to put this diet together. 

On rising 

Juice of half lemon in hot water (honey optional) or 

Teaspoon apple cider vinegar and honey in hot water (in 

winter add a slice of fresh ginger to the drink as this is 

warming and aids circulation) or 

Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice or 

Miso soup

Good Diet 203 

Breakfast 

Fresh seasonal fruit plus 

Non-sweetened yoghurt with acidophilus and bifidus and 

Non-sweetened, preferably homemade raw muesli with oats, 

seeds, nuts, fresh fruit or 

Cooked cereal (for example, porridge, brown rice, polenta); 

served with banana or stewed fruit, grated apple, yoghurt 

or 

Smoothie with soy, yoghurt, fruit, nuts or 

Poached or boiled egg and toast or 

Sardines, baked beans, ricotta, almond paste and toast (variety 

of grains) or 

Miso soup and brown rice 

LuncRIDinner 

Large salad with eggs, lentils, beans, tofu, fish, chicken, lean 

meat, cheese, hommos or 

Sandwich or pasta with some protein (for example, nut butter, 

tuna and salad) 

Rice cakes, ryvita, bread etc. 

Vegetable and bean soup plus rice or 

Stir-fry vegies and tofu, chicken, beef, fish 

Snacks 

Raw vegetable sticks and hommos, tahini, soft cheese or 

Dried fruit and raw nuts or 

Fruit and yoghurt or cheese (ricotta or cottage) or 

Rice biscuit, wholemeal bread or Vitaweat with hommos, 

ricotta, tuna, egg or 

Half a sandwich 

Btwerages 

Herb teas 

Dandelion coffee

204 The Commonsense Guide to Eating We// 

Green tea 

Tea or coffee in moderation 

Fresh fruit or vegetable juice 

Water 

Miso soup

Tailor-made 

Allergy 

It seems more and more people are coming down with food 

allergies. Either this condition is over-diagnosed or it is very 

common. It is probably a little of each. 

There are two main types of food allergy. One is known 

as a 'fixed' allergy, which is the drama queen of allergies. 

Shortly after ingestion of the culprit food, a violent immunemediated 

reaction occurs, such as an outbreak of hives, an 

asthma attack, swelling of the airways or anaphylaxis, which 

is a shutdown of the heart and lungs. Fixed allergies are not 

to be played around with - they can kill. Foods commonly 

associated with fixed allergies include strawberries, shellfish 

and the yellow food dye tartrazine (102). If you have a fixed 

allergy, you are usually stuck with it for life. Avoid that 

strawberry. 

The other kind of food allergy, known as 'systemic', is 

more subtle in its approach. Foods commonly associated with 

systemic food allergy include eggs, milk, peanuts, wheat, soy,

206 The Commonsense Gzckde to Eatilag Well 

tomatoes and yeast. The substance that causes the allergic 

reaction is called the 'allergen'. 

A food allergy may appear in a variety of guises, taking 

between one minute to several days before symptoms appear. 

Symptoms include mouth ulcers, chronic diarrhoea, flatulence, 

bladder infections such as cystitis, infections such as 

colds, ear infections, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, inability 

to concentrate, insomnia, irritability, joint pain, asthma, 

bronchitis, wheezing, itchy nose or throat, sinusitis, acne, 

eczema, hives, itching, skin rashes, rapid heartbeat, water 

retention, bloating, fatigue, headaches, migraines and 

hypoglycaemia. 

Systemic allergies have appeared only recently on the 

scene, or they were not previously recognised as such. 

The following are a few theories as to why food allergies 

are more prevalent today. 

1 Fdarity breeds contempt 

The most common foods that cause food allergy are the 

most popular foods; that is, cow's milk, wheat, oranges 

and tomatoes. There are too many similarities for this 

state of affairs to be coincidence, but no-one is able to 

offer a solid explanation. 

2 Poor digestive function 

If food is improperly digested there is a greater chance 

of larger molecules crossing the intestinal wall into the 

bloodstream, thereby causing an allergic reaction. 

3 Allergy babies 

In industrialised countries such as our own, babies are 

usually weaned at six months if not earlier, when their

digestive tract is still allowing the passage of large molecules. 

The first foods we start them on include cow's 

milk, soy, orange juice and wheat, all major players in 

the food allergy stakes. 

4 Blame it on the genes 

A susceptib'ity to allergy can be inherited. This is especially 

so for fured allergies. 

5 The last straw 

In the normal course of events, our immune system is able 

to deal with a certain sensitivity to food allergens. 

However, when the immune system is under challenge, 

during times of stress, infections or not eating or sleeping 

well, the food sensitivity becomes the 'straw that breaks 

the camel's back' and a 'new' food allergy appears. This 

explains why people can suddenly become 'allergic' to a 

food to which they have never previously reacted. 

How do you recognlse a food allergy and what can 

you do about It? 

The 'gold standard' for diagnosing a food allergy is the 

method of food avoidance and challenge: by strictly removing 

the suspect food from your diet for two weeks there should 

be a noticeable reduction in symptoms. The suspect food 

should stand out like a sore thumb. Mostly, it will be a food 

that you eat every day, like wheat, oranges (orange juice) or 

milk (cheese and so on). (The challenge should never be 

taken by people with fixed allergies where the symptoms of 

an allergy may be life threatening.) 

Step 1: Avoid and challenge 

For two weeks, avoid the suspect food. Be strict. For

208 The Commonsense Gaide to Eating WeGG 

example, wheat would include the obvious bread, pasta and 

pastries, but also many processed foods which use flour such 

as soups, crumbed foods and so on. Look for allergy-based 

recipe books to help with planning meals. 

Keep a diary of your symptoms starting a week before you 

begin the allergy program, so that you can accurately compare 

before and after. Mention all physical and psychological 

symptoms, even if they don't appear to relate to the allergy. 

It is advisable to record other influences such as weather 

changes, emotional upsets, menstrual period. This diary will 

be invaluable in assessing the degree of allergy. 

When the two weeks are up it is time to take the 'challenge'. 

Eat a portion of the suspected allergy food three times 

in the one day. For example, if wheat is the suspected allergen, 

have toast and Weetbix for breakfast, a sandwich for 

lunch and pasta for dinner. Refrain from the food for two days 

after the challenge, as symptoms such as eczema may take 

that long to appear. 

Step 2: Abstinence 

Once you have ascertained that a particular food is a problem, 

continue fairly rigorous avoidance for a further three months. 

Try a few of the following suggestions to allow both the 

digestive and immune systems to recover. 

To improve digestive fgnction 

Take one teaspoon of herbal bitters in a wineglass of water, 

sipped before dinner; and take a digestive enzyme tablet with 

each meal. 

Step 3: Easy does it 

After three months' strict avoidance, you may start to include 

the food back into your diet. But not all at once! Allow one 

serving of the allergy food every four days. This will reduce

Tailor-made 209 

any chance of an allergic reaction. After some experimentation, 

you may find that you can eat the 'allergic' food more 

frequently than once every four days. However, if symptoms 

return, back off. Each person has their own threshold, beyond 

which the old symptoms will appear. Note that if your 

immune system is compromised by an infection or stress it 

will be less able to cope, and so it is wise to reduce consumption 

of the allergy food as a precaution. 

I 

Testing 

No testing method, laboratory or other, is 100 per cent 

accurate in diagnosing a food allergy. These include the 

skin prick test (although helpful for atmospheric allergens 

such as dust mite and pollens), RAST (Radio 

Allergo Sorbent Test), cytotoxic (blood test), vega 

machine and listen machine (use acupuncture points) 

and kinesiology (muscle testing). However, they may be 

useful in confirming a reasonable suspicion. 

Menopause 

Menopause is the time when a woman's menstrual cycle 

ceases and quantities of the two female hormones, oestrogen 

and progesterone, dwindle. Rarely does it happen overnight, 

often taking from two to five years. When ovaries cease producing 

their hormones, the adrenal glands and fat cells may 

take over the role of hormone manufacture to a certain 

extent. Theoretically, this means a smooth transition from 

high to lower hormone levels, but unfortunately this does not 

always occur. The mixed bag of menopausal symptoms may


include hot flushes, depression, dry skin, less vaginal lubrication, 

osteoporosis, heavy bleeding, insomnia, depression 

and irritability. 

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) involves taking 

synthetic hormones to prevent symptoms. Some women find 

HRT an answer to their prayers, some experience side 

effects, others prefer to enter this phase of their lives without 

chemical interference. Many women pass through menopause 

symptom-free regardless. 

Diet 

Avoid sugar and caffeine. Limit your alcohol consumption to 

one or two glasses daily. 

Avoid hot spicy food and alcohol if you have hot flushes. 

Hot flushes may coincide with times when blood sugar levels 

are low; for example, half an hour before dinner. If this is the 

case, eat small meals frequently so that your sugar levels 

remain steady. Cool peppermint tea may help relieve hot 

flushes. Vitamin E at 1000 iu daily may also help. 

Eat four servings of fish a week for the omega3 fatty acids. 

Eat several foods containing phyto-oestrogens each day 

(see below). 

Phyto-oestrogens exert a very weak hormonal influence, 

much weaker than that of the real hormone produced by the 

ovaries. Throughout the body there are hormone receptors that 

work much like doorlocks, and hormones are the 'keys' that 

fit these locks. Phyto-oestrogens also fit these locks. Once the 

receptor sites are full with either phyto-oestrogens or oestrogens, 

any excess hormone is excreted. In this way, phytooestrogens 

help to normalise hormone levels. This is useful for 

menopause when there is too little hormone and some cancers 

where there is too much. Foods high in phyto-oestrogens 

include soy sprouts, alfalfa, green beans, split peas, olives, soybeans, 

tofu, soy drink, parsley, chickpeas, cherries, corn, oats,

Tailor-made 21 1 

barley, rye, wheat, rice, pomegranate, hops, sesame seeds, 

linseed, buckwheat, millet, sage, fennel, celery, carrots, 

cabbage, rhubarb and garlic. 

Other thf ngs 

If you suffer from vaginal dryness, insert a 500 iu vitamin 

E capsule into the vagina each night. 

Stop smoking. Smoking lowers oestrogen levels and 

women who smoke experience menopause on average five 

years earlier than women who don't. 

Stress can cause menopause to occur earlier and worsen 

existing symptoms. Look to ways of minimising stress. Buy 

a cat, lie in a bath, walk the dog, don't accept family 

invitations. 

Premenstrual syndrome 

One-third of all women suffer from premenstrual syndrome 

(PMS). PMS is a collection of about 150 symptoms. The most 

common are anger, anxiety, backache, bloating (particularly 

abdomen), breast tenderness, clumsiness, confusion, crying, 

fatigue, fluid retention, forgetfulness, headache, insomnia, leg 

cramps, moodiness, irritability, nausea, craving chocolate and 

carbohydrates, pimples, weight gain. 

PMS responds very well to natural remedies. Keep up the 

regimen for at least four menstrual cycles. 

Diet 

Vegetarian women suffer less from PMS than meat-eating 

women do, because more fibre is consumed in the diet. 

Soluble fibre is able to stop cholesterol and excess oestrogen 

from recirculating. 

Reduce red meat and dairy foods.


Eat fish four times a week to provide the omega-3 fatty 

acids, which will help ease the inflammatory symptoms of 

PMS. 

Cut out all sugar, salt and white flour products. A study 

revealed that women with PMS consumed 275 per cent 

more refined sugar and 62 per cent more white flour products 

than did women without PMS. It also found that 

women with PMS consume 79 per cent more sodium. 

Caffeine will make all symptoms worse, especially anxiety 

and depression. You may drink a cup or two a day in the 

first two weeks of your cycle, but after day 15 don't even 

think about it. The same goes for chocolate and cola 

drinks. Caffeine affects hormones adversely, as well as 

being a major contributor to fluctuations in blood sugar 

levels. The xanthines in coffee and chocolate have an 

effect on oestrogen receptors in the breasts, contributing 

to breast tenderness and enlargement. Drink dandelion 

root coffee instead. Dandelion root is good for the liver, 

which metabolises excess hormones. 

If your PMS symptoms include cravings for sweet food, 

mood changes or forgetfulness, adopt the eating pattern 

suggested for hypoglycaemia on page 25, which basically 

entails eating small meals regularly. 

Eat only organically grown chooks and eggs as they are not 

pumped up with extra synthetic oestrogen. 

Other things 

There are several good 'women's formulation' multivitamin 

and mineral supplement tablets available specifically 

for PMS; they have higher amounts of B6, magnesium and 

zinc. 

Take extra magnesium and vitamin B6 a week before 

your period is due, particularly if you suffer from breast


tenderness, weight gain, fatigue, anxiety, cramping and 

nervous tension. 

Take vitamin E 300 to 600 iu daily throughout the month. 

Vitamin E will relieve breast tenderness. 

@ Evening primrose oil (EPO) is very successful in relieving 

many of the symptoms of PMS. It contains gamma linolenic 

acid (GLA), which is converted in the body into 

hormone-regulating prostaglandins. In order to be 

effective, GLA needs to be incorporated into every cell, 

which is why you need to take EPO for several months. 

Take 3 grams of EPO daily. 

Overweight 

With all the pressure society places on not being overweight, 

you would have to be a masochist to want to be fat. It is, 

therefore, unfair to blame people for eating too much, when 

it is obvious that eating too much is the cause of their overweightness. 

Hormonal problems do have a role in obesity, but 

only a very few people have entirely hormonal weight problems. 

Overeating is an addiction to food which should be 

given the same consideration as any other addiction. When 

we were babies and terribly vulnerable, a source of comfort 

and nourishment was mother's milk (or formula). When we 

were afraid or tired or angry and cried, we were given the 

breast or bottle. When we are upset or stressed, many of us 

still need to feel comforted, just as we did when a baby. Some 

people choose alcohol, some people choose cigarettes, others 

seek solace in chocolate. 

Is your mother overweight? Is your father overweight? Are 

your sisters and brothers overweight? Whether it is nature or 

nurture, a higher proportion of overweight: people have overweight 

families. Another reason for overweight is one diet too


many. The truth will out! People who have been on many 

diets, particularly low calorie ones, tend to be more overweight 

than those who have never dieted. We now know that 

dieting interferes with metabolism, which slows down as we 

reduce the amount we eat, creating a vicious cycle. The metabolic 

rate is the rate at which energy is used and released 

by the cells. A higher metabolic rate means that more energy 

is used and more body fat is burned for energy. A low or 

sluggish metabolism means that cells are more thrifty in their 

use of energy and calories. 

Diet 

Before you do a thing, write a complete diet diary for one 

week. Don't change a thing and don't judge. Take this diary 

to a dietician, to sort out any problem areas; for instance, 

missing breakfast, a cafe latte too many, too much hidden fat. 

Along with all food and drink, keep a written record of your 

emotions. Sometimes we don't realise we are eating because 

of something emotional, such as boredom, fear, or rage. 

Fat, protein, carbohydrate and alcohol contain calories. If 

we consume more than our bodies need, we can store the 

rest as fat (except for protein, which is not stored, but 

should not be eaten in excess of needs; that is, 1 gram per 

body kilogram daily). Recent research has shown that 

excess fat is more likely to be stored as fat than excess 

carbohydrate is. In practice, choose a baked spud over a 

chip. To become more savvy with what's fat and what's 

not, buy a nutritional counter showing the fat content of 

food. Alcohol is also stored as fat, avoid it. 

Eat small meals often, according to the hypoglycaemia diet 

on page 25. That is, a little protein with carbohydrate every 

two to three hours, so that you don't have a chance to get 

hungry. Eating frequently will increase your metabolic rate. 

No more than 25 per cent of your total calories should


come from fat. If your dietary requirements were 1200 to 

1500 calories a day (a reasonable amount for most people), 

your fat intake should not exceed 33 to 42 grams of fat a 

day. 

Eat smaller portions of food but don't starve yourself, even 

missing breakfast causes a drop in your metabolic rate. 

Your diet should resemble the suggested format on page 203. 

Focus on low fat, high fibre and protein-rich foods. 

Other things 

Exercise is an absolute must in any weight loss program. 

Make it a priority to exercise for 40 minutes, five times a 

week. The best kind of exercise will have you puffing, such 

as hill walking, cycling, jogging or gym work. Don't be 

alarmed if you put on some weight. But you should lose 

centimetres. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat but uses 

more energy. 

Skin 

Beauty may be more than skin-deep but having beautiful 

skin never hurt anyone. Skin is our largest organ and reflects 

our state of health and mind. Skin is often the first indicator 

that things are going awry. Many people find that their skin 

reacts when they are under stress, whether it is an outbreak 

of eczema, acne or just looking tired and lacklustre. 

The following recommendations are not specific to any 

particular skin problem but will invariably go a long way to 

helping any skin disease including excema, acne and psoriasis. 

These recommendations will help to transform your skin 

to peak condition. 

Drink water like there is no tomorrow; pure water,

216 TAe Commonsetsse Guide to Eating Well 

anywhere between 2 to 3 litres. Yes, your bladder will complain 

but will eventually calm down after realising you are 

serious. Unless your skin is fully hydrated, there is no 

chance of looking good. 

In addition to the water, drink one carrot juice daily (for 

the beta-carotene), as well as two to three herbal teas. 

Choose from red clover, burdock, nettle or a combination. 

These are traditional herbal 'blood purifiers' that work at 

cleaning the body from the inside out. 

Avoid tea, coffee, chocolate, cheese and sugar. 

Avoid deep-fried foods, although some kinds of fat are 

good and will bring sleekness to your skin. Eat fish 

(contains the omega3 fatty acids. Have you ever seen a 

seal with bad skin?). Other foods with 'good' fats include 

avocados, seeds, tahini and nuts. 

Evening primrose is beautiful for skin, particularly if your 

skin is affected by hormones or eczema. Take 3 grams 

daily. 

Vitamin A and zinc are excellent for all skin problems. 

Take a tablet of each daily. 

B-complex is a must, particularly if stress is a trigger. 

Exercise regularly, washing off sweat as soon as possible. 

Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise to 

avoid your skin dehydrating. In addition, you might like to 

combine a few drops of rosewater in pure water and spray 

over the face and neck after exercise. 

Creative visualisation, a type of meditation, may improve 

your skin. Each day, for a few minutes, visualise your skin 

as clear and blemish-free; think of swimming in a cool lake 

under moonlight. 

Use an oat sock (see page 106) or sorbolene instead of soap. 

Massage olive or jojoba oil all over the body before you 

shower or bath. The warm water will help your skin to 

absorb the oil.

Tailor-made 21 7 

Stress 

Stress is a major cause of illness - a fact that most of us 

intuitively know. The science that has gone about proving 

our hunch is called psychoneuroimmunology and it acknowledges 

the connection between the mind (psych), nervous 

and hormonal systems (neuro) and the immune system 

(immunology). Described succinctly by Deepak Chopra, 

modern guru of the mindlbody connection: 'The mind and 

body are like parallel universes. Anything that happens in the 

mental universe must leave tracks in the physical one.' 

Lifestyle changes take precedence in dealing with stress, 

although dietary changes and supplements can mitigate its ill 

effects. Most people who are stressed feel pressed for time, 

unable to fit another thing into their hectic schedule. This is 

the most telling sign that time-out is precisely what is 

needed. Time-out to exercise and meditate - about 20 

minutes of each and every day. If you change your day to 

ensure these two things take priority over business or social 

demands, you will be healthier and happier. I can't vouch for 

wealthier! 

Diet 

If you are stressed, now is not the time for radical dietary 

changes. Ease into it slowly. Maybe exit the coffee first and 

in a couple of weeks try another change. 

Never miss a meal. When blood sugar levels are low, the 

symptoms of stress increase. Eat small meals regularly, 

every three to four hours. Each meal should contain a small 

portion of protein; for example, egg, cheese, nuts, beans, 

fish. 

Give sugar a miss. This includes the 3 pm chocolate hit. 

You will no doubt love that hit of sugar that stops you 

feeling so tired, but your body doesn't. The extreme highs

218 The Commonsense Guide to Eating WeZZ 

and lows of blood sugar levels leave you more depleted. 

Eating sweet foods when stressed is like cruelty to a dumb 

animal. You. 

Brown rice, oats, root vegetables (such as carrots and parsnips) 

and legumes (such as kidney beans and lentils) are 

grounding and very nurturing for the stressed nervous 

sys tem. 

There is room for 'comfort' food in the anti-stress diet, 

particularly in times of high stress. These may be foods of 

your childhood, such as a roast dinner, porridge, rice 

pudding, moussaka. 

Caffeine is O.U.T. If you find a cup of coffee relaxing, it 

is probably because you are addicted to the stuff. Kick the 

habit. Caffeine increases the release of adrenalin the stress 

hormone, something that is working overtime anyway. 

Avoid coffee and caffeine-containing things, such as cola 

drinks and guarana. Be prepared for whopping caffeine 

withdrawal headaches 18 hours after your last cup of coffee. 

Swear at me if you wish, it will take up to 48 hours. Once 

released from caffeine's grip, take your comfort from a 

range of herbal teas (see page 90) or one or two cups of 

tea. While tea contains caffeine, it is not absorbed to the 

same extent. 

Although it is tempting to drown your troubles, alcohol is 

counterproductive. It is a nervous system depressant. After 

the initial euphoria, alcohol can leave you feeling more 

stressed. 

A B-complex vitamin is important at this time. Take one 

each morning. 

Take at least 1 gram of vitamin C daily; the adrenal glands 

chew up vitamin C during stress. 

Potassium is good for nerves and magnesium is good for 

tense muscles - you probably need both by the truckload. 

Stress-relieving herbs support the adrenal glands, the

nervous and immune systems. These include passionflower, 

scullcap, valerian, licorice, St John's wort, panax and 

Siberian ginseng, lemon balm, kava and chamomile. 

Healthy heart 

Heart disease commonly manifests as atherosclerosis, with 

the main symptoms being high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 

Heart disease is a big killer in Australia and other 

industrialised countries. Of course there are hereditary considerations, 

but there is no denying that diet and lifestyle play 

a huge part in heart disease. 

Don't just think about it, you mast start managing your 

stress. Do something for it every day - walking, tapestry, 

singing, meditation, rock climbing, yoga, dancing, counselling. 

Regular aerobic exercise decreases LDL levels and most 

atherosclerosis risk factors. Being overweight is a risk factor. 

Lose it. And stop smoking if you possibly can. 

Diet 

Be firm in restricting fats. A low-fat diet is recommended, 

where less than 25 per cent of total calories come from fat. 

Avoid fried and processed foods that often contain hidden 

oils. Although cholesterol in food is a factor, it is more 

important to limit the fats, particularly the saturated fats in 

the diet; for example butter, cream, ice-cream, full cream 

milk, lard, beef, lamb, bacon, organ meats, eggs, pork, delimeats 

and yellow cheese. 

Taking a leaf from the French who seem to have beaten 

the heart-disease odds (see French Paradox, page 173), you 

may indulge in olive oil, cold-pressed vegetable oils and 

fish. Eat fish particularly, as it is full of the protective


omega3 fatty acids. Eat four servings of the critters each 

week: canned or fresh but definitely not fried. 

For many years, salt was classified as a baddy because it 

was thought to increase blood pressure. Now, the jury is 

out. It seems that some of us are 'salt sensitive', while 

others may soak in brine and not be affected. Nevertheless, 

don't be heavy handed with the saltcellar. 

The following foods do not contain cholesterol but are able 

to increase our blood levels of this risk factor: coffee, 

alcohol (over two glasses daily), sugar and hydrogenated 

fats such as margarine. 

Soluble fibre (see page 29) reduces cholesterol by preventing 

it from being absorbed or reabsorbed. The soluble 

fibre 'chelates', or holds on to, the cholesterol and eliminates 

it via the bowel. Good choices include oat bran, rice 

bran, barley bran, vegetables, fruit, legumes, pectin and 

psyllium. 

Foods with cholesterol-lowering effects on the body 

include artichokes, ginger, cucumber, seaweed, banana, 

quince, onion, garlic, ginger, pineapple, oatmeal, legumes, 

grapefruit, oranges, apples, yoghurt, carrots, barley, eggplant 

and shiitake mushrooms. 

The liver is able to make bile from cholesterol. Be kind to 

your liver: drink the juice of half a lemon in hot water each 

morning before breakfast and/or sip a teaspoon of herbal 

bitters in a glass of water before dinner each night. 

The antioxidants are big news in the treatment of heart 

disease, particularly in preventing and reversing the 

damage to arteries from atherosclerosis. Take one vitamin 

and herbal antioxidant (containing grapeseed) tablet daily. 

In addition to eating fish, take evening primrose oil, 3 

grams daily. 

Lecithin regulates cholesterol levels. Take one teaspoon or 

four capsules daily.

Glossary 

Amylase An enzyme present in saliva and pancreatic juice, 

which is responsible for breaking down carbohydrates into 

smaller units. 

Antioxidants A substance that protects against damage 

from free radicals. The body makes its own antioxidants, 

such as catalase and superoxide dismutase. Various nutrients 

also act as antioxidants including vitamin A, beta-carotene, 

vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and bioflavonoids. 

Carcinogen A general term for an agent that can cause 

cancer. Examples include cigarette tar; ultraviolet radiation 

(sunlight); fats that have become oxidised (rancid); the 

nitrates used for colouring and preserving meats such as 

salami; and the pesticides and fungicides used on our agricultural 

produce. 

Chelate The word chelate is derived from the Greek word 

for claw. A chelating agent grabs on to another substance. 

This can be used to either take substances out of the body 

or to enhance their absorption, depending on the particular 

chelating agent. 

Cytoplasm The jelly-like substance that surrounds the 

nucleus in the cell. 

Diuretic A substance that increases the volume of urine, by 

increasing the amount of salts and water exreted via the 

kidneys.

222 The Commonsense Guide to Eatilag Well 

Dysbiosis A state of bowel microflora disharmony. 

Alcohol dehydrogenase The enzyme necessary for converting 

alcohol, mainly found in the liver. Alcohol dehydrogenase 

requires the mineral zinc to function. 

Emulsify To make an emulsion. An emulsion is a liquid 

mixture where an oily substance is combined with water 

substance and the two don't separate. Lecithin is an 

exmple of an emulsifier as it is both fat- and water-soluble. 

Enzyme An enzyme is a protein that, in small amounts, 

speeds up the rate of a biological reaction without being 

used up in that reaction. Enzymes are used extensively 

in the body for all manner of things. Enzymes often 

require coenzymes, such as magnesium and zinc, in order 

to work efficiently. Heat and pH may also slow or speed 

enzyme activity. Enzyme names often end in 'ase'; for 

example, lactase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The digestive 

enzymes are predominantly used to break down 

bigger food fragments into smaller fragments. For 

instance, carbohydrate-splitting enzymes (amylase) are 

able to split a complex carbohydrate into one and two 

sugar units. 

Free radical A free radical is defined as any molecule that 

has an unpaired electron in its outer orbit. Molecules like 

their electrons paired, so this situation is disturbing. The 

free radical molecule with the unpaired electron is unbalanced 

and therefore highly reactionary. In non-technical 

language, they are troublemakers! Although they are tiny, 

free radicals can wreak havoc to our cells. Free radicals 

cause harm in two distinct ways. First, to the cell 

membrane. The damage means that nutrients and oxygen 

cannot enter the cell from the bloodstream and, conversely, 

waste products are unable to leave the cell. This effectively 

means a cell's death. Second, free radicals may also 

enter the cell and disturb the FWA and DNA, our cell's

Glossary 223 

genetic material. Mutations will occur when the cell next 

divides if free radicals have changed the genetic code. 

There is some evidence to suspect this could explain the 

mechanism by which some cancers are caused. 

Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) A molecule made up 

of 2-nicotinic acid, cysteine, glycine, glutamine and chromium. 

Is a cofactor for insulin, facilitating entry of glucose 

across cell membrane. 

Glycolysis A ten-step conversion of glucose to pyruvic acid 

to lactic acid. Glycolysis takes place in the cytoplasm of 

cells and involves the production of a small amount of 

energy that is used for the workings of the cell. 

Goitre Swelling of the neck due to an enlargement of the 

thyroid gland. The goitre could be due to under- or overfunctioning 

or simply an overgrowth or tumour of the 

thyroid gland. 

Haemoglobin An iron-containing substance within red 

blood cells, capable of carrying oxygen. 

Haemosiderin A storage form of iron found particularly in 

the liver. 

Half life The time it takes to reduce the level in the body 

(of a particular substance - for example, caffeine) to half 

its initial value. 

Hypothalamus The part of the brain that controls various 

bodily functions including thirst, temperature, water 

balance, hunger and so on. 

Insulin A hormone secreted by the pancreas that is important 

for regulating the amount of glucose in the blood. 

Interstitial fluid The fluid between cells. 

Intrinsic Factor (IF) A protein substance secreted in the 

stomach. It is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12. 

A failure of secretion of Intrinsic Factor leads to pernicious 

anaemia. 

Isoflavones Plant substances found in legumes - for


example, genistin in soy - which are structurally similar to 

oestrogen, and are able to bind on to oestrogen receptors. 

Lipoprotein A protein-coated vehicle that transports fatty 

substances including cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, 

hormones and fat-soluble vitamins around in the 

bloodstream. Sometimes called LPs (I've always wondered 

what happened to vinyl records). 

Miso A fermented soy paste made by inoculating trays of 

rice with the mould AspeqZas oqzae. A ground preparation 

of cooked soybeans and salt is then mixed in and the mass 

is allowed to ferment for several days before being ground 

into a paste that has the consistency of peanut butter. The 

entire miso process takes 10 to 40 days. Miso is used as a 

flavouring for soups and on vegetables. It is a source of 

B12 as well as bowel friendly bacteria. 

Oligosaccharide Undigestible starch found in seeds and 

beans. 

Peristalsis A wavelike movement that progresses along 

some of the hollow tubes of the body, particularly the 

bowel. 

Phytates Not a fire, although often in cereals and legumes. 

Phytates or phytic acid can reduce the absorption of certain 

minerals including iron, zinc and calcium. Phytic acid is 

the calcium or magnesium salt of inositol and phosphoric 

acid. Phytates are destroyed by heat and phytase. Phytase 

is an enzyme present in grains and also in kidneys. 

Pica Eating non-nutritious substances such as stones, chalk, 

dirt or ice. May be due to a deficiency of minerals, particularly 

iron. 

Portal circulation Venous blood flow from the intestines 

(spleen, stomach) to the liver. 

Probiotics Beneficial microflora in the bowel; for example, 

LactobacilIzls acidophilas. 

Smooth muscle (or involuntary muscle) Occurs in

Glossary 225 

hollow organs such as the bowel, blood vesels, gall bladder 

and uterus. 

Solvent A liquid that can hold dissolved substances. 

Superoxide dismutase An antioxidant enzyme in the 

body. Can contain copper, manganese or zinc. 

Triglyceride A fat consisting of three fatty acid molecules 

combined with one glycerol molecule. Triglycerides are 

the most common type of fat found in the body and in 

food. 

Unsaturated fatty acid A fatty acid (chain or carbons) 

where there is one or more double bonds.

Bibliography 

Annison, G. Dietav Fibre and Beyond Nutrition Society of 

Australia, 1993 

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Apparent Consumption of 

Foodstuffs and Nutriena 1993-94 AGPS, Canberra, 1997 

Bombardelli, E. & Morazzoni, P. Review in Azcstralian Journal 

of Medical Herbalism, vol. 9, no. 4, 1997, p. 114 

Brand-Miller, J. & Foster-Powell, K. The G.I. Factor Hodder 

& Stoughton, Australia, 1996 

Buist, R. Food ChemicalSensitivity Harper & Row (Australasia), 

1986 

English, R. & Lewis, J. (Dept Comm. Serv. & Health) 

Nutritional Values of Australian Foods AGPS, Canberra, 1991 

Erasmus, U. Fats dat Heal: Fats that Kill Alive Books, 1995 

Hanssen, M. Additive Code Breaker Lothian, Australia, 1984 

Lappe, F.M. Diet for a Small Planet Ballantine, NY, 1991 

Ling, X., Lu, A.M., Zhao, X.H., Chen, X.S. & Cummings, 

S.R. 'Very Low Rates of Hip Fracture in Beijing, People's 

Republic of China: The Beijing Osteoporosis Project' 

American Journal of Epidemiology, 144 (9), November 1, 

1996, pp. 901-07 

McGee, H. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the 

Kitchen Allen & Unwin, UK, 1986 

Murray, Michael 'I'.N.D. The HeaCing Power of Foods Prima 

Publishing, Rocklin, CA, 1993

Bibliography 227 

Pengelly, A. The Constituents of Medicnal Plants-An Introduction 

to the Chemistry d Therapeutics of Herbal Medicnes NSW 

Sunflower Herbals, Muswellbrook, 1996 

Peyton, N. Davies. 'Various effects of caffeine upon the body' 

International Clinical Nutrition Review, vol. 10, no. 2, April 

1990, p. 334 

Rogers, J. What Food is That? Landsdowne, Sydney, 1990 

Selinger, B. Chemistly in the Markeglace: A Consumer Guide (4th 

edn) Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Marrickville, NSW, 1989 

Stanton, R. Complete Book of Food and Nutrition Simon & 

Schuster, Roseville, NSW, 1995 

The Australian Food Safety Web Consumer Education http:// 

www.safefood.net.au 

Tortura, G.J. & Grabowski, S.R. Principles of Anatomy and 

Physiology (7th edn) Biological Sciences Textbooks, NY, 

1993 

Toussaint-Samat, M. (trans. Anthea Bell) History of Food 

Blackwell Publishers, Cambridge, MA, 1992 

Yao Chew, M. 'Dynamics of Free-Radicals and Natural 

Antioxidants' Journal of the Australian Traditional Medicine 

Society, vol. 3, no. 2, June 1997, pp. 47-51

Eating Well - Beaming with Health

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?