Is sugar really that bad for you?
Sugar is a simple form of carbohydrate consisting of 2 individual glucose molecules. Prior to fat taking the blame for weight gain, sugar was referred to as the addictive white powder of any dieting addict. While sugar in isolation or as the base ingredient of food is not nutritious; offering no other vitamins or minerals, the truth is that the sugar content of mixed foods does not necessary have a significant impact on the way food is processed in the body. The way a food is digested and the way it makes us feel has a lot more to do with the number of other key nutrients the food may also have in it, whether it be fibre, protein or fat. For this reason, foods that may appear "sugary" such as chocolate may actually have a low GI (glycaemic index) and low GI diets have been shown to be much more important for long term weight control than sugar content in isolation. Using a food example, in the case of breakfast cereal, the sugar content of some breakfast cereals may be high, but the cereal may also contain protein and good fats which actually make the overall food nutritious, filling and low GI, while still tasting sweet.

Based on this, checking the food labels for sugar content may not necessarily tell you a whole lot about the GI of the food but eliminating foods that are almost entirely made up of refined sugar including juices, confectionary, sweet biscuits and cakes is a good starting point. Eliminating these "empty" sugars, foods that contain few other nutritional qualities will help to ensure you are not wasting you energy on empty calories and also getting the other key nutrients such as protein and fibre that you actually need to feel full and satisfied.

And as mentioned last week, after March 1st Susie's Updates will be available by subscription only for $1 a week. You can subscribe using Pay Pal at www.susieburrell.com.au or by credit card if you contact me directly. Receipts will be issued directly to subscribers during March.

Sanitarium Curios

Hours spent scouring the supermarket shelves proved worthwhile last week when I stumbled across these new breakfast snacks from Sanitarium. With 7g of protein and just 500kJ per serve these breakfast snacks are a great lunchbox filler or light breakfast on the go for those busy family mornings. The kids will love them.

Lowest calorie food

It is always good to know some low calorie food options to nibble on when you are not really hungry but want something in your mouth. Here are the best low energy options to snack on in between meals or late at night without adversely affecting your caloric intake.

So you think you want to dance?

Did you know that dancing is one of the top 10 activities that make people happy? So, instead of sitting down for hours watching other people dance, why don't you try it for yourself? There are so many different types of dancing, all of which are high calorie burners, and which can suit a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Check out: http://www.eweb.com.au/dance_classes/australia_dance_classes.htm or http://www.events4singles.com/dance_classes_ballroom_latin.htm for plenty of options ranging from rock 'n' roll, salsa, tango, ballroom and jazz dancing for couples and for singles.

High protein lunch salad

1 Roma tomato
1 Lebanese cucumber
130g tin 4 bean mix
¼ Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
Large bowl mixed rocket and baby Spinach
15 walnuts
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup roasted pumpkin (if you have time)
100g lean lamb, chicken strips or a small tin tuna

1) Mix it all together and you have a stunning salad

Top time wasters

At some point in your life you would have noticed that some people manage to do many things each day while others struggle to get through even the first item on their to do list. Researching and observing top business and sportsmen as well as frantic dual working parents has shown me that many high achieving people refuse to waste time on pointless activities. Try avoiding some of these top time waters and see how much more time you can pull out of your day-

1. Work meetings - anything longer than an hour is ridiculous, most things can be discussed on email
2. Answering the phone - put the answering machine on and return calls on the hands free when sitting in traffic
3. Facebook/My Space/MSN messenger - no explanation needed
4. Reality TV - if you must watch at least record it so you can skip the ads
5. Shopping - do it online or duck in after hours when the kids are asleep
6. Commuting in peak hour - be smart, leave earlier or later but not in the middle of rush hour
7. Avoid the school traffic - the kids will be fine if they walk a little, they really will
8. Answering emails all day. Check them once or twice each day and delete everything not directly relevant
9. Looking for keys- hang them by the door. I stole this one from John McGrath
10. Opening forwards -are they ever really that good-except the Updates of course!

"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word and thought throughout our lifetime" (Elizabeth Kubler-Ross)

Susie Burrell
Dietitian/Nutritionist
Susie@susieburrell.com.au
www.susieburrell.com.au