About The Author:

Nicola  is a qualified Dietitian from the UK and has many years of experience. She is a registered dietitian with the Health Professions Council (HPC) UK and a member of the Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association (SNDA) and the British Dietetic Association (BDA). Nicola is passionate about food and nutrition and has experience in individual consultations and group coaching. Nicola is particularly interested in the area of weight management and has worked within this area in the UK and in Singapore.

Nicola writes a nutrition newsletter each month with lots of helpful diet tips, restaurant reviews and healthy food choices in Singapore.

Nicola can be contacted at nicola@nutri-style.com

The Truth about Soy

The health benifits of soy or soya (if you're from the UK) are attracting increasing interest. It has been claimed that the lower incidence of diseases such as heart disease, prostate cancer and breat cancers seen in Asia can be directly associated with the intake of soy which is much higher than in a typical 'western' diet. Soy is also linked with positive effects regarding cholesterol levels, menopause, bone health and weight management.

What is soy?

The soybean is a legume native to East Asia which has been cultivated and used in China for 5000 years. Soy is a good source of high quality protein (the only plant food considered to be a complete protein) which is easily digested by the body. It is very low in saturated fats and also contains unsaturated fat, fibre, folate, B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Soy also contains 3 types of isoflavones which are chemically related to the antioxidants flavanoids and have structural similarities to estrogen.

Heart disease

The cholesterol lowering effects of soy are well documented. 25g of soya protein taken daily (two to three portions of soy per day) can lower LDL or bad cholesterol and raise HDL or good cholesterol. This claim was approved by the FDA (US Food and drud administration) in 1999.

Bone health

Populations consuming high amounts of soy appear to have higher bone densities than those with lower intakes. Further clinical trails are currently taking place to see whether soy consumption can help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis

Menopause

There is considerable evidence to support the idea that soy intake can reduce symptoms in menopausal women, particularly hot flushes. This effect is due to the isoflavones in soy and is variable between women. It is thought that two to three servings of soy per day can provide beneficial effects.

Weight management

It has been proven that protein is the most satiating of all nutrients, meaning it keeps us fuller for longer. Using soy as opposed to other protein sources may lead to a decrease in daily calorie intake and thus be beneficial in weight control. It is thought that the high level of protein in soy contributes to its's high satiety factor.

The concerns

Due to isoflavones having structural similarities to estrogen it was thought that a high intake of soy may be associated with negative effects on hormone status. This has now been proven not to be the case. Soy isoflavones have no effect on male reproductive hormones or fertility. And contrary to some reports soy foods are safe and beneficial for breast cancer patients at intakes of around 15g (two servings) per day.

* If using soy milk always ensure that you use a, no added sugar, calcium enriched variety.

Nicola@nutri-style.com

Dietary Assessment

This 2 session individual dietary assessment will provide you with the knowledge of how healthy your diet is for you and if you are meeting your nutrient requirements.

• A personalised dietary assessment will be conducted.
• A printed report highlighting any nutritional deficiencies will be produced.
• Learn how to make big nutritional differences with small changes.
• How to read a food label.
• Eating out, the healthier options.
• Fad diets and food scares. 

New dietary analysis software now being used at Nutri-Style!

Place: 30 Bideford Road, Orchard, #18-02 Thong Sia Building, Singapore, 229922

For more details on the workshop please contact Nutri-Style on 68875220

or Email: Nicola@nutri-style.com

Sleep yourself slim!

If you want to lose weight, get more sleep! This information was the result of research done at Columbia University in a study conducted regarding the relationship between sleep patterns and obesity. Their results were reported last week at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity in Las Vegas.

Among their findings were the following discoveries:

• People who sleep two to four hours a night are 73 percent more likely to be obese than normal sleepers.
• Those who get five hours of sleep are 50 percent more likely to be obese.
• Those who sleep six hours were 23 percent more likely to be obese.
• Those who get 10 or more hours are 11 percent less likely to be obese.

According to lead researcher James E. Gangwisch, "Getting more sleep actually had a protective effect against obesity." He goes on to say that even though the study does not "prove cause and effect, it's an association"; this research confirms other studies of children and adolescents that show the same relationship between sleep and obesity.

The underlying theory here is that lack of sleep may have an impact on a variety of hormones that affect appetite and food intake like "leptin and ghrelin," according to this research. So just when you thought you would have to move it to lose it, we now find that you can snooze it to lose it.

So we really do need to look at our whole lifestyle; diet, exercise, sleep and stress levels if we want to be healthier and happier!

Healthy eating in Singapore

The Project Shop or PS cafe now has three branches; one in Dempsey, one in the Paragon shopping centre and one in the Palais. Each has a slightly different atmosphere, the Paragon is somewhere for a quick bit to eat whilst shopping and Dempsey is somewhere to linger for an evening meal or a lazy Sunday brunch. But they all serve delicious, freshly made, food and are always willing to adapt recipes to suit individual tastes and preferences.

Brunch and healthy eating do not often go together but the PS cafe has several options that are suitable. The big nihon salad with soy cured salmon, kabocha, edamame, pea shoots, buckwheat noodles, cucumber, tofu and tomato is incredibly healthy and the fresh berry plate will satisfy those with a sweet tooth. For those who want a more traditional brunch try the egg white omelette with feta, spinach and mushrooms, all the flavour with a lot less fat!

You can not talk about the PS Cafe without talking about the desserts which are truly incredible. I do not know how some of them fit into the oven! I'm afraid that there are not many healthy options here so order one between two (or three) and enjoy!

PS Cafe @ Dempsey. 28B Harding Road. Tel: 90708782

PS Cafe @ Palais. Level 2. 390 Orchard Road. Tel: 98348232.

PS Cafe @ Paragon. Level 3. 290 Orchard Road. Tel: 67356765.

Eggs!

Eggs are traditionally seen as a food which should only be taken in moderation due to the high level of cholesterol they contain.

But it is now known that it is the saturated fat in our diets rather than cholesterol per se which leads to a rise in blood cholesterol levels. Reflecting this, The British Heart Foundation has lifted their restriction on the number of eggs we eat per week. They used to say only to have 3 - 4 a week, but following the American Heart Associations step to lift this 'ban', we can now tuck in to an egg a day knowing that it won't raise our cholesterol.

The only people who still need to take care with eggs are those with high cholesterol levels which are inherited. And of course those trying to lose weight who need to consider their total energy intake.

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