GI News is published online every month by the
University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the
Charles Perkins Centre, and delivered to the mailboxes of our 97,000
subscribers. Our goal is to help people choose the high-quality carbs
that are digested at a rate that our bodies can comfortably accommodate
and to share the latest scientific findings on food and diet with a
particular focus on carbohydrates, dietary fibres, blood glucose and the
glycemic index.
Publisher: Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, AM, PhD, FAIFST, FNSA
Editor: Philippa Sandall
Scientific Editor/Managing Editor: Alan Barclay, PhD, APD, AN
Contact GI News: glycemic.index@gmail.com
Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service
Manager: Fiona Atkinson, PhD, APD, AN
Contact: sugirs.manager@sydney.edu.au
Like us on 
1 December 2018
GI News - December 2018
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
FRUIT FOR THOUGHT
“There is no way that taking a pill can
replace eating fruits and vegetables … In theory, one could cram all
the good things that plants make—essential elements, fibre, vitamins,
antioxidants, plant hormones, and so on—into a pill. But it would have
to be a very large pill, and no one can honestly say what should go into
such a pill. Or in what proportions. Health issues aside, the biggest
drawback is that a pill would always taste like a pill. It can’t give
you the earthy smell and taste of a fresh ear of corn, the sweetness of a
juicy tomato still warm from the afternoon sun, the crunch of an apple,
the festive green of a snap pea or broccoli floret, or the smooth nutty
taste of an avocado. Stick with real fruits and vegetables—they taste
better and contain a bounty of phytochemicals that don’t come in
capsules.”— Prof Walter Willett, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy
It’s hard to imagine dinner time when the spotlight wasn’t on
“eat your vegetables”. But it’s not that long ago—a bit over 100 years.
The discovery of vitamins and minerals in the early years of the
twentieth century was the wakeup call and “Dr Vitamin”—Elmer Verner
McCollum (1879–1967) – was a key player in ensuring they had a bigger
part of the dinner plate. They were protective foods he said, because
“they were so constituted to make good the deficiencies of whatever else
we liked to eat”.
It’s not just the leafy ones that
matter. It’s all of them, because, as Harvard’s Prof Walter Willet says,
“so far, no one has found a magic bullet that works against heart
disease, cancer and a host of other chronic diseases as well as fruits
and vegetables seem to do”.
We are spoiled for choice
in the produce aisles. As well as the proverbial leafy greens (spinach,
lettuce and cabbage), we can take our pick from veggies that technically
are fruits such as avocado, cucumber, marrow (squash), tomato, capsicum
(peppers), and green beans; stems or bulbs such as onion and globe
artichoke; stalks such as celery and asparagus; flower stalks and buds
such as broccoli and cauliflower; and roots and tubers such as carrots,
potato and sweet potato. And there’s more, there are the protein-rich
edible dried seeds from the legume family: beans, peas and lentils.
As
for fruit, next time someone purses their lips and tells you it’s “full
of sugar,” you can sweetly smile back and tell them there’s a smart
evolutionary explanation for that and for our sweet tooth. First of all,
hunting and gathering are hard work, so discovering ripe fruits
dangling on a branch in front of us or bright berries on a bush was a
no-brainer. Sweetness told our forebears they were safe to pick and eat.
Bitterness, on the other hand, helped them steer clear of fruits with
potentially tummy upsetting toxins.
You can then
explain that the sweetness comes from natural sugars – typically
fructose (fruit sugar), glucose and sucrose ranging from a mere trace in
pucker-up limes to almost 60 per cent in dates. And although sugars in
themselves aren’t a health food, in fruits they are also accompanied by
really good stuff such as fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
including eye-catching carotenes in orange-fleshed fruits like mangoes,
papaya and peaches and anthocyanins in all the blue/purple berries.
Why
are fruits sweet? That’s easy. They want us to eat them. Why? Well,
look at it from the tree’s point of view. When you are rooted to the
spot, you need something mobile to help you disperse your seeds. The
sweet, ripe, juicy flesh of a fruit tree’s fruit is an inducement. It
tempts us and animals, birds and insects to tuck into it and, one way or
another, spread the seeds far and wide. This successful strategy has
seen seeds become the original globe trotters.
However,
it’s unlikely we humans would make the finals if seed dispersal was an
Olympic sport. As competitors, we are outclassed. A thirsty hyena can
chomp through 18 tsamma melons in a night then disperse seeds over a
home range of some 400 square kilometres (150 square miles). This is
impressive, but possibly pales alongside a black bear sitting around
gorging up to 30,000 berries in a day, then distributing thousands of
seeds over its territory.
Read more:
WHAT’S NEW?
NOT ALL PLANT-BASED DIETS ARE CREATED EQUAL
While
plant-based diets are recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease,
some are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, according to a
study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The
Harvard researchers created three versions of a plant-based diet: an
overall plant-based diet which emphasized the consumption of all plant
foods and reduced (but did not eliminate) animal food intake; a
healthful plant-based diet that emphasized the intake of healthy plant
foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables; and a less healthy
plant-based diet which emphasized consumption of refined grain products,
fries, white bread, sugar-sweetened beverages etc.
“When
we examined the associations of the three food categories with heart
disease risk, we found that healthy plant foods were associated with
lower risk, whereas less healthy plant foods and animal foods were
associated with higher risk,” said Ambika Satija, the study's lead
author. “It's apparent that there is a wide variation in the nutritional
quality of plant foods, making it crucial to take into consideration
the quality of foods in a plant-based diet.”
The
authors note limitations on their study: it’s observational and based on
self-reported diet assessments. It’s very important to remind people
that not all plant-based diets are created equal, but we have a couple
of quibbles about their lists. They did not look at the overall GI/GL of
diets; and their selection of “less healthy” foods which includes the
usual suspects leaves out alcohol (they say they adjusted for it), and
adds in foods/beverages that current dietary guidelines recommend as
good choices in moderation as part of a healthy eating pattern. In
particular:
- Traditional staples (regular durum wheat pasta and white rice) – often combined with significant portions of vegetables and eaten worldwide by millions of people in healthy meals that are part of their cuisine; and
- 100% fruit juices – ½ cup or 125mL is regarded as equivalent to one serving of fruit in Dietary Guidelines.
Read more
- Healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease in US adults
- Prof Clare Collins: Love meat too much to be a vegetarian? Go ‘flexitarian’.
While a predominantly plant-based diet-rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and seeds with no (i.e., vegan) or few animal products has been linked to a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it’s not clear if it might also be linked to improved mood and wellbeing. To try and find out, researchers trawled through the available evidence. The studies involved a total of 433 people in their mid-50s, on average.
A systematic critical analysis of the results showed that quality of life – both physical and emotional – improved only in those patients on a plant based/vegan diet. Similarly, depressive symptoms improved significantly only in these groups.
Nerve pain (neuropathy) eased in both the plant based and comparator diet groups, but more so in the former. And the loss of temperature control in the feet in those on the comparator diets suggests that eating predominantly plant-based foods may have slowed the progressive nerve damage associated with diabetes, say the researchers.
Average (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose levels fell more sharply in those who cut out or ate very few animal products and these participants lost nearly twice as much weight: 5.23 kg vs 2.83 kg. The fall in blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) – a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease – was also greater in those on plant based/vegan diets.
In six of the studies, those following a plant based/vegan diet were able to cut down or discontinue the drugs they were taking for their diabetes and associated underlying conditions, such as high blood pressure. Overall, the results indicated that even though the plant-based diets were more difficult to follow, at least to begin with, participants stuck to them better than those in the other groups.
Read more
- Effectiveness of plant-based diets in promoting well-being in the managements of type 2 diabetes
- Prof Clare Collins: Love meat too much to be a vegetarian? Go ‘flexitarian’.
- Tani Khara: Why do vegans have such bad reputations?
A plant-based diet high in carbohydrates can reduce body weight and body fat and improve insulin function in overweight individuals, according to a study published in Nutrients.
In the 16-week randomized clinical trial, researchers with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine placed participants in either a plant-based, high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet group or asked them to maintain their current diet. The plant-based diet group avoided all animal products and added oils and limited fat intake to 20–30 grams per day. There were no limits on calories or carbohydrate intake. The control group maintained their current diets, which included meat and dairy products. Neither group altered their exercise routines. Total carbohydrate intake did not change in the control group, but increased significantly in the plant-based diet group, both as absolute intake and as a percentage of total calories. Participants in this group focused on whole, minimally-processed carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
At the end of the trial, body mass index, body weight, fat mass, visceral fat volume (fat around the organs), and insulin resistance decreased significantly in the plant-based diet group. There were no significant changes in the control group.
“Fad diets often lead people to fear carbohydrates. But the research continues to show that healthy carbohydrates -- from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains -- are the healthiest fuel for our bodies,” says lead study author Hana Kahleova, M.D., Ph.D., director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
Read more:
NEW GI VALUES FOR GUAVAS AND PAPAYA
These GI results are from a randomized, crossover study that compared the effects of consuming bite-sized and pureed guava and papaya in 19 healthy participants (9 elderly and 10 young adults) recruited from the general public in Singapore. Glycemic index testing was carried out following the International Standard.
Read more:
DIABETES, DRIED FRUIT AND BLOOD GLUCOSE
A recent randomised crossover study conducted in China published in Nutrients demonstrated that medium or low GI dried fruit (dried apples, dried jujubes, dried apricots and raisins), did not raise blood glucose concentrations excessively when consumed as a substitute for a high GI carbohydrate-based food (rice).
Eleven healthy, young Chinese volunteers consumed the test meals in a randomised order on seventeen separate mornings with a one-week wash-out period between each test session. The test meals included: (1) dried fruits containing 50g available carbohydrates; (2) mixed meals consisting of dried fruits and rice each contributing 25 g available carbohydrates; (3) mixed meals consisting of dried fruits and rice each contributing 25 g available carbohydrates supplemented with 30g almonds. Taking the nutrient profile and antioxidants of dried fruits into account, the researchers say they may have the potential of being included into a blood-glucose-managing diet without altering the total carbohydrate intake.
Tip: Dried fruits generally have low GI values and are a great source of fibre, but the calorie count is much greater than for fresh fruit, so watch portion size. Dried fruit can be very more-ish!
Read more:
BEWARE FERMENTED FRUIT THIS FESTIVE SEASON
The kererÅ« pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae) was named Bird of The Year in New Zealand, winning the popular vote by a clear margin. This metallic green, grey and white native wood pigeon is renowned for its spectacular aerobatics, the ‘whoosh’ of its wings and its complete lack of self-discipline. Forest and Bird, who organise the annual competition, uses terms like “drunk” and “gluttonous” to describe it because it likes to gorge itself on rotten fruit on the forest floor. Some seasons, the abundance of fermented fruit can leave the pigeons so drunk they end up falling from the trees and having to be rescued.
Not a tall story says GI News editor, Philippa Sandall. “Growing up in New Zealand we had a bumper cropping Christmas plum tree in our garden that became jars and jars of jam (great for gifts). But, the tree was such a prolific producer, my mother couldn’t keep up the preserving and plums lay fermenting on the ground. One year we rescued a tipsy thrush who had seriously overindulged. It took him several hours to sober up in a cardboard box to keep him safe from the family cat.
PERSPECTIVES WITH DR ALAN BARCLAY
CAN FRUIT BE PART OF A HEALTHY DIET TODAY?
Dietary
guidelines since Day One back in the late 1970s have recommended that we
eat fruit every day for our health and wellbeing. We have plenty of
choice to meet that target – not only are there hundreds of different
kinds of fruit but, in many cases, we can opt for fresh, frozen, canned
or dried. But, in today’s “obesogenic world”, as the headlines put it,
is fruit still a healthy choice, after all, it’s primarily comprised of
carbohydrates – in particular (gasp!) sugars.
Fruit nutrition With the exception of fat-rich avocadoes
and olives, carbohydrate is the primary source of energy in most fruit.
An average piece (150g) of fresh fruit gives us 10–20g available
carbohydrate, plus a little protein (less than 2g) and even less fat
(under 1g). When it comes to fibre (soluble and insoluble), an average
piece (150g) of unpeeled, fresh apple or pear or stone fruit provides
between 2–4g of fibre. Citrus is similar when peeled. A small handful
(30g) of dried fruit provides 1.5–3g fibre per serve, and melons only
0.5–1g per average slice (75 g). Most fruits are good sources of a
variety of vitamins and minerals – in particular vitamin C, potassium
and magnesium.
It’s the sugars in fruit that gets
people’s knickers in a knot these days. Crusading diet books in recent
years have tended to encourage the belief that fruit is full of fructose
and that’s simply not the case. The average fructose content of fruit
eaten in Australia and other Western nations is around 50% of the total
carbohydrate content, with the balance coming from glucose. Pome fruits
like apples and pears have more at around 65% of the total carbohydrate
content; stone fruits like apricot, cherries and plums have much less at
around 35%. It’s also worth keeping in mind that most fruits are mostly
water (that’s why fruit is refreshing). The carbohydrate content is
typically around 10% by weight.
The GI of most apples,
pears, citrus and stone fruits is low (under 55). Melons tend to be
medium to high GI (GI 68–78), but most will have a low GL because
melons are mostly water and have very little carbohydrate. Canning
fruits in sugary syrups typically raises their GI, but fruits canned in
100% fruit juice typically have a lower GI. Drying fruits doesn’t have
much of an effect on the GI of the fruit.
Fruit and health Systematic reviews of the best available scientific evidence in humans have found that regular whole fruit consumption:
- Is not associated with weight gain in either population studies or clinical trials. Indeed, population studies generally find that the more fruit we eat, the less we weigh.
- Is associated with a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Is associated with a lower risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
- Is associated with a lower risk of depression.
- Finally, people who eat more fruit (and vegetables) on a regular basis may not only feel better – they actually look better!
- 150g (1 piece) of medium-sized fruit e.g. apple, banana, orange, pear
- 150g (2 pieces) of small fruit e.g. apricots, kiwi fruit, plums
- 150g (1 cup) diced, cooked or canned fruit
- 125ml (½ cup) 100% fruit juice
- 30g dried fruit. e.g. 4 dried apricot halves, 1½ tablespoons of sultanas
- Australians two years and over, consumed on average around 1.5 serves of fruit (including fruit juice and dried fruit) with fresh or canned contributing around 1 serve, and fruit juice and dried fruit 0.5 serve.
- Children on average consumed slightly more serves of fruit than adults (1.7 compared with 1.5).
Alan Barclay, PhD is a consultant dietitian and chef (Cert III). He worked for Diabetes Australia (NSW) from 1998–2014 . He is author/co-author of more than 30 scientific publications, and author/co-author of The good Carbs Cookbook (Murdoch Books), Reversing Diabetes (Murdoch Books), The Low GI Diet: Managing Type 2 Diabetes (Hachette Australia) and The Ultimate Guide to Sugars and Sweeteners (The Experiment, New York).
Contact: You can follow him on Twitter or check out his website.
KEEPING IT GREEN – EATING FOR BODY AND PLANET
A GREENER CHRISTMAS THAT WON’T COST THE EARTH
We associate
“green” with Christmas, but many of our Christmas traditions are far
from it. By the New Year, garbage bins are overflowing and unwanted
gifts clutter our homes. To add insult to injury, family finances are in
the red. Here are our top tips for a greener Christmas that won’t cost
the earth.
Buy Greener Gifts There is nothing more wasteful than
unwanted gifts. Useless stuff is just a burden that weighs us down, and
does not represent the peace, love and joy of the season. Remember that
products always have a higher impact than services. Try giving
experiences or homemade gifts such as the cookies, jam or chutney you
are renowned for; a framed family photo; time out with a massage
voucher; or tickets to a concert or sports event.
Source Food Ethically Every
food purchase we make has an impact, both on the environment and the
people involved in producing it. We can minimise our environmental
footprint by choosing more plant-based and locally produced foods.
Farmers markets can be a great place to find fresh local produce that
provides a better profit for the farmers. Look for local, ethical and
sustainable food products, such as free-range turkey and sustainable
seafood. Consumable gourmet gifts like chocolate and coffee are popular
but look for Fair Trade products.
Reduce Food Waste
Discarded food not only wastes the food itself but also the energy and
resources required to grow, transport and store it. If it ends up in
landfill it produces greenhouse gases. To avoid over-catering, plan your
guest list and menu. Quickly refrigerate any leftovers in reusable
containers and give them to guests take home. If any leftover food won’t
be eaten within 3 days, freeze it for later. Avoid food scraps in
landfill and instead compost egg shells, fruit and vegetable scraps (or
put them in a worm farm). To avoid stinky garbage bins, you can bury
seafood scraps in the garden and improve the soil.
Choose Reusable Tableware
Disposable plastic cutlery, cups, plates and straws are convenient for
us but terrible for the planet. They will remain on earth much longer
than we will. Skip plastic straws altogether and choose reusable metal
cutlery, crockery and glasses. If reusable tableware is not an option,
choose biodegradable or compostable cutlery and plates (such as bamboo),
and ideally break them into smaller pieces before disposal or
composting. For gatherings, have clearly labelled tubs/bins in sight so
guests can easily recyclable cans and bottles.
Use Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping, Cards and Decorations
Come Christmas morning, millions of living rooms are littered with torn
and scrunched wrapping paper. Much of this paper, sadly, is not
recyclable due to glitter, fabric and metallic embellishments. If the
kids did the wrapping, it’s likely there’s a generous amount of sticky
tape too. Reuse pre-loved gift bags and ribbons where you can. Instead
of buying wrapping paper and greeting cards, make your own from old
maps, comic strips, newspapers, postal delivery boxes and children’s
artwork. Balloons and tinsel use a lot of finite resources and balloons
can be a nightmare for aquatic life if they end up in waterways. Instead
decorate your house with fresh flowers and compost them afterwards.
Buy a Real Christmas Tree
In theory, artificial Christmas trees are meant to last forever but
over many years they start to look ratty and the plastic pine needles
fall of. While the metal trunk may be recyclable at some centres, the
thousands of plastic pine needles are not and spend hundreds of years in
landfill. For a more environmentally friendly alternative go to a
local farm and buy a real tree that can be replanted in the New Year or
sent to the chipper afterwards and made into mulch. If you have a green
thumb you could choose an indoor potted conifer, enjoy it all year round
and decorate it each Christmas.
Use LED Lighting
LED Christmas lights are far more efficient than incandescent Christmas
lights, wasting less energy and saving you money. According to Canstar Blue,
LED Christmas lights will typically add only cents to your energy bill,
or at most a few dollars over the entire Christmas season. To save even
more energy, use a solid light setting instead of twinkling or
flickering lights. Solar LED lights are a great energy-saving option for
outdoor displays. Consider using a timer so lights are only left on in
the evening and turned off before going to bed.
Christmas in a Nutshell:
- Being “green” doesn’t mean missing out on your favourite Christmas traditions.
- Remember happiness does not come from stuff, but from doing good things including caring for the earth.
- In the true spirit of Christmas think about both the planet and people in your purchasing.
- Source plant-based, free-range, local and ethical festive fare where possible and avoid waste
Nicole Senior is an Accredited Nutritionist, author, consultant, cook, food enthusiast and mother who strives to make sense of nutrition science and delights in making healthy food delicious. Contact: You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or check out her website.
GOOD CARBS FOOD FACTS A TO Z
DATES
Fresh
dates “are so remarkably luscious that there would be no end to eating
them, were it not for fear of the dangerous consequences that would be
sure to ensue” noted Pliny the Elder long ago. In moderation however,
they make the perfect snack and they bring moist deliciousness to fruit
breads, cakes, cookies, muffins, stuffing, crumble toppings, salads or
combined with meats in tagines (try lamb and dates). And there’s more,
there’s thick, sticky date syrup enjoyed as a sweetener for thousands of
years in the Middle East and North Africa drizzled over tahini or
yogurt.
Food skills: shopping. Fresh or soft
dates such as the large plump fleshy Medjool dates with their chewy
toffee-like taste are sold loose and prepacked and are delicious in
salads, desserts and for a treat instead of chocolate (they tend to be
pricy but worth it). They should be plump and moist with glossy skins.
When buying packaged dates, check the use-by or best-before date.
Dried
dates, though a little wrinkly, shouldn't look withered, and should
still be plump and glossy, with an even colour. Avoid those with
crystallised sugar on their skins as this means they are not quite as
fresh as you might like. Unpitted dates will have better flavour than
pitted as they stay moister. If using pitted dates check as you chop as
there can sometimes be traces of stones (also called pits).
Food skills: storing. Fresh
or dried, dates keep well for a few months in an airtight container in a
cool, dry place. They also freeze very well. They will continue to dry
out and their sugars will slowly come to the surface creating white
sugar spots. Freezing prevents this.
Food skills: what’s in them.
Dates are sweet, so it’s not surprising to learn they contain 70%
sugars: a varying combination of sucrose, fructose and glucose,
depending on the variety of date. They are high in fibre and also
contain vitamins A, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin, and some iron,
magnesium, calcium and potassium. They also contain a fair bit of
sorbitol (a sugar alcohol or polyol) and that’s what makes them
excellent for promoting bowel regularity, although those with an
irritable bowel and sensitive to FODMAPS (certain sugars that can be
poorly absorbed by the body) may want to give them a miss. The rest of
us can make a date with dates over this holiday season.
Source: The Good Carbs Cookbook
IN THE GI NEWS KITCHEN
THE GOOD CARBS COOKBOOK
The Good Carbs Cookbook (by Alan Barclay, Kate McGhie and Philippa Sandall) published by Murdoch Books
helps you choose the best fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, lentils,
seeds, nuts and grains and explains how to use them in 100 refreshingly
nourishing recipes to enjoy every day, for breakfast, brunch, lunch,
dinner and dessert. The recipes are easy to prepare, (mostly) quick to
cook, long in flavour and full of sustaining goodness, so you feel
fuller for longer. There is a nutritional analysis for each recipe and
tips and helpful hints for the novice, nervous, curious or time-starved
cook.
PARSNIP, YOGHURT AND DATE SALAD
Squishy dates and
raw parsnip balance each other beautifully in this simple salad that
does not like to be kept waiting and is best served as soon as you have
tossed it. Parsnips taste better as the weather gets colder so winter is
the perfect time to relish them in their unadorned state. Preparation
time: 20 minutes • Serves: 6
4 medium parsnips (about 600g/1lb 5oz)
10 soft dates, pitted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint leaves
150g (5oz) natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons runny honey
2 tablespoons (40ml) olive oil
Salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
Peel
the parsnips and cut them in half lengthways. Remove any woody centres
and discard.
Coarsely grate the parsnips into a bowl. Add the dates, mint, yoghurt,
lemon juice, honey and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and then gently
toss all the ingredients together.
Per serve
710kJ/170
calories; 3g protein; 7g fat (includes 1.5g saturated fat; saturated :
unsaturated fat ratio 0.3); 21g available carbs (includes 16g sugars and
5g starches); 4.5g fibre; 65mg sodium; 545mg potassium; sodium :
potassium ratio 0.1
TOMATO AND FIG SALAD WITH BURRATA AND DATE-MINT DRESSING
All
the tantalising tastes and colours of summer’s best with tasty beauties
such as tomatoes and figs, come together in this sublime salad. The
witlof (add a few small cos leaves if you wish) is the crunchy base for
the tomatoes crowned with the cooling menthol taste of mint to balance
the creamy cheese. Preparation time: 25 minutes • Serves: 6
1 shallot, very finely chopped
¼ cup (60ml) date syrup
Juice 1 plump lemon
¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
1 handful mint leaves, finely shredded
1 witlof, leaves separated
6 medium heirloom tomatoes
6 large fresh figs
1 burrata
2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon thyme
To
make the dressing put the chopped shallot, date syrup, lemon juice, oil
with salt and pepper to taste, in a bowl. Give it a couple of whisks
and then stir in the mint. • Arrange the witlof leaves on a platter. Cut
the tomatoes into chunks and figs into quarters roughly the same size –
and arrange casually over the witlof. Place the burrata in the centre
of the platter. Give the dressing a good stir, spoon over the salad and
scatter with lemon thyme.
Tips
- If you prefer, swap the burrata for fresh mozzarella which if large can be torn into mouthful pieces.
- If date syrup is not on hand, put stoned medjool dates with enough water for the consistency you want in a blender and start the processing on a low speed to allow the dates to break up, then blend on high until smooth adding lemon juice to taste.
1035kJ/245 calories; 6g protein; 15g fat (includes 5g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.5); 21g available carbs (includes 20g sugars and 1g starches); 4g fibre; 145mg sodium; 485mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.3
ANNEKA MANNING: BAKECLUB
Anneka Manning is an author, food editor, cooking teacher, home economist, mother of two and the founder of BakeClub. With over 27 years' experience, she specialises in teaching the ‘why’ behind the ‘how’ of baking, giving home cooks the know-how, understanding and skill to bake with confidence and success, every time. She has written and contributed to a number of books, including The Low GI Family Cookbook (Hachette), Mastering the Art of Baking (Murdoch Books) and BakeClass (Murdoch Books).
SPICED DATE, NUT AND POMEGRANATE LOAF
This moist, fragrant date and nut loaf studded with dried cranberries and hazelnuts has a little crunch and is mildly spiced and is delicious freshly baked or toasted and topped with ricotta. Preparation time: 20 minutes (+ cooling time) • Baking time: 50–55 minutes • Serves 20
1¼ cups (300ml) freshly brewed black coffee
1 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup currants
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons honey
Slightly heaped ⅓ cup raw sugar
⅓ cup sunflower oil or 75g (2½oz) butter
1 orange, zest finely grated
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 eggs, lightly whisked
50g (1¾oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped, plus an extra handful, coarsely chopped, to decorate
50g (1¾oz) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped, plus an extra handful, coarsely chopped, to decorate
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1½ cups wholemeal plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Glaze
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon water
Preheat the oven to 180°/C350°F. Grease a loaf tin (21 x 10cm/9 x 4in base measurement) and line the base and two long sides with non-stick baking paper. • Combine the coffee, dates, cranberries, currants, pomegranate molasses, honey, sugar, butter or oil, orange zest and mixed spice in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove immediately from the heat and set aside to cool. • Stir the eggs, walnuts, hazelnuts and sesame seeds into the cooled date mixture. • Sift the flour and baking powder together, returning any bran to the flour. Add to the date mixture and use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir gently until just combined. • Pour the mixture into prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the extra nuts, pressing into the mixture slightly. • Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until the loaf is firm to the touch on the top and cooked when tested with a skewer. If it is browning too quickly, cover with foil after 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and stand in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack. • To make the glaze, combine the honey, pomegranate molasses and water in a small bowl. Brush over the top of the hot loaf. Set aside to cool before serving.
Tips
- Pomegranate molasses is available from specialty food stores and delicatessens.
- If honey is firm or crystallised, heat it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften before using.
785 kJ/188 calories; 3g protein; 8.5g fat (includes 1g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.13); 24g available carbs (includes 17g sugars and 7g starch); 3g fibre; 76mg sodium; 244mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.3
MACADAMIA, DATE AND GOJI BERRY BARS
This dense bar is halfway between a fruit cake and a slice. Studded with macadamias, dates, goji berries and cranberries it has a real festive feel and makes a wonderful gift cut into four bars, wrapped in cellophane and tied with ribbon. Makes 24 pieces • Preparation time: 10 minutes • Baking time: 30 minutes
Macadamia oil or sunflower oil, to grease
200g (7oz) macadamia halves, toasted
150g (5oz) dried dates, coarsely chopped
100g (3½oz) dried cranberries
50g (1¾oz) goji berries
⅓ cup plain wholemeal or spelt flour
90g (3oz) raw sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Lightly grease a square 18cm/7in (base measurement) cake tin and line the base and two sides with one piece of non-stick baking paper. • Combine the macadamias, dates, cranberries, goji berries, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the egg and vanilla. Add to the macadamia mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until evenly combined. • Press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin with your fingers or the back of a spoon. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden and aromatic. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin. • Cut into small pieces to serve.
Per piece
510kJ/ 120 calories; 1.5g protein; 7g fat (includes 1g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.2); 13.5g available carbs (includes 12g sugars and 1.5g starch); 2 g fibre; 11mg sodium; 87mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.1
COPYRIGHT AND PERMISSION
This website and all information, data, documents,
pages and images it contains is copyright under the Copyright Act 1968
(Commonwealth of Australia) (as amended) and the copyright laws of all
member countries of the Berne Union and the Universal Copyright
Convention. Copyright in the website and in material prepared by GI News
is owned by Glycemic Index Foundation. Copyright in quotations, images
from published works and photo libraries, and materials contributed by
third parties including our regular contributors Alan Barclay, Jennie
Brand-Miller and Nicole Senior is owned by the respective authors or
agencies, as credited.
GI News encourages the
availability, dissemination and exchange of public information. You may
include a link to GI News on your website. You may also copy,
distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal only with
material owned by GI News, on the condition that you include the
copyright notice “© GI News, University of Sydney” on all uses and
prominently credit the source as being GI News and include a link back
to ginews.blogspot.com.au. You must, however, obtain permission from GI News if you wish to do the following:
- charge others for access to the work
- include all or part of the work in advertising or a product for sale, or
- modify the work.
This permission does not extend to material contributed and owned by other parties. We strongly recommend that you refer to the copyright statements at their respective websites and seek their permission before making use of any such material, whether images or text. Please contact GI News if you are in doubt as to the ownership of any material.
Nutritional analysis To analyse Australian foods, beverages, processed products and recipes, we use FoodWorks which contains the AusNut and Nuttab databases. If necessary, this is supplemented with data from www.calorieking.com.au or http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search.
Disclaimer GI News endeavours to check the veracity of news stories cited in this free e-newsletter by referring to the primary source, but cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies in the articles so published. GI News provides links to other World Wide Web sites as a convenience to users, but cannot be held responsible for the content or availability of these sites. All recipes that are included within GI News have been analysed however they have not been tested for their glycemic index properties by an accredited laboratory according to the ISO standards.
© ®™ The University of Sydney, Australia