GI News - April 2020

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, PhD
Editor: Alan Barclay, PhD, APD
Contact GI News: glycemic.index@gmail.com

Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service
Manager: Roslyn Muirhead, PhD, APD, AN
Contact: sugirs.manager@sydney.edu.au

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FESTIVE EATING 
April is an important month on the religious calendar for millions of people around the world, with the Passover commencing on the 8th, Easter on the 10th and Ramadan on the 23rd. Like many of life’s important occasions, feasting on certain foods and beverages and abstaining from others is an important feature of each of these commemorations.

The Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery to the Egyptians. In the Bible book of Exodus, God inflicted 10 plagues upon the ancient Egyptians. To spare the Israelites from the final plague (the death of all Egyptian first-born sons), they were instructed to mark their doors with the blood of a spring lamb so God would know to pass over the first-born in these homes.

Israelis celebrate Passover with the Seder, a feast that marks the beginning of the multi-day festival. A traditional Seder would include discussing the biblical story, drinking four cups of wine (both men and women), partaking of symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder Plate, and reclining in celebration of freedom.

A typical Passover Seder plate includes specific foods:

• Karpas (parsley or celery) symbolizes the initial flourishing of the Israelites in Egypt and the new spring 
• Charoset (mixture of fresh or dried fruit, nuts, spices honey and sometimes wine) represents the mortar that the Israelite slaves used to construct buildings for the Pharaoh 
• Maror (a bitter herb, often horseradish) represents the bitterness of slavery 
• Chazeret (a second bitter herb, often romaine) 
• Z'roa (roasted lamb shank bone) symbolizes the lamb that the Israelites sacrificed in the Temple of Jerusalem 
• Beitzah (roasted, hard-boiled egg) symbolizes the sacrifice that would be offered every holiday, and whose roundness represents the cycle of life. 
• Three pieces of matzah and a container of salt water or vinegar are also on the Seder table. 

Matzah is an unleavened flatbread made of wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt flour and water. It is eaten in order to remind Israelites of how quickly their ancestors fled Egypt (no time to let the bread rise). Additionally, matzah is meant to symbolize the "poor man's bread," a reminder to be humble and not to forget what life was like for those enslaved.

On the other hand, Chametz, any food product that has come into contact with water and been allowed to ferment and rise, is not to be consumed during Passover.

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and freedom from sin and death. It is preceded by a series of holy days commemorating Jesus’s path to his crucifixion. Described in the Bible’s New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD on what is now known as Good Friday. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent, a period of fasting, prayer, and penance.

In Western Christianity, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days (counting does not include Sundays). Eggs, butter, milk, meat and/or cheese were historically the common foods that people avoided during the Lent period.

• Depending on where you live, specific foods are consumed during the Easter holiday period: 
• Boiled eggs were one of the most popular foods associated with Easter. They are a long-standing symbol of fertility and new life, and in Christianity, represent the tomb in which Jesus was buried after his crucifixion. 
• Chocolate Easter eggs were first created in the 19th century. Picking up on the tradition for decorating real eggs at Easter, the Cadbury brothers worked with chocolate to make it easier to melt and shape. The first decorated Easter eggs were covered with marzipan (sugar almond paste) flowers and filled with sugared almonds. 
• Pretzels are commonly enjoyed in Europe from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. They also have a religious meaning as the looped bread is seen to symbolise the crossing of arms during prayer. 
• Hot Cross Buns (a rich, spiced tea cake with a cross on top as a symbol of the crucifixion) are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. Easter Sunday: 

Boiled eggs are traditionally served at breakfast. Roast lamb, which is the main dish at the Passover Seder, is the traditional meat for the main meal on Easter Sunday in many parts of the world and is usually consumed at lunch time. Ham is a popular Easter meal in America where lamb isn't a commonly eaten meat.

Simnel cake (a fruit cake with a flat layer of marzipan on top and decorated with 11 marzipan balls representing the 12 apostles minus Judas, who betrayed Christ) is baked for supper time.

Easter Biscuits are sometimes called "Cakes", and are eaten on Easter Sunday. They contain spices, currants and sometimes grated lemon rind.
 
Ramadan commemorates when the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad as he meditated in a cavern outside the Holy city of Mecca. It is observed by Muslims in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar year. In Arabic, Ramadan means ‘Scorching heat’ because the holiday falls in a time when the temperatures are quite hot in the Middle East.

There is a common misconception that Muslims don’t eat or drink at all for the 29-30 days of Ramadan. The only time Muslims are not required to eat and drink is during the fasting hours - from sunrise to sunset. However, they can eat before dawn also known as Suhoor (morning meal) and after sunset called Iftar (evening meal). There are no restrictions on what they can eat, except for the already prohibited foods like pork products and alcohol.

Some traditional meals for Suhoor are:

• Egg Brik – whole egg in a triangular pastry pocket with chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley 
• Ful Ramadaan – a traditional bean stew made from cooked fava beans with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic 
• Aloo ki Bhujia – made with spiced potatoes 

Some traditional meals for Iftar include:

• Mahshi – rice stuffed into eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini 
• Biryani – a mixed rice dish made with spices, egg, meat and vegetables 
• Tabbouleh – salad made of soaked bulgur, parsley, mint and tomatoes 
• Harira – a rich brown soup made of lentils, chickpeas, rice and meat stock 
• Maqluba – meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot, which is then flipped upside down 
• Mansaf – lamb cooked in yogurt, served over rice and garnished with almonds and pine nuts 

Muslims break their Ramadan fasting by sharing meals with family and friends in a three-day festival known as Eid al-Fitr or the Feast of Fast-Breaking.

Some traditional Eid foods include:

• Ma’amoul – shortbread pastries filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts 
• Laasida – buttered couscous served for breakfast 
• Seviyan – vermicelli noodles made with milk and sugar and flavoured with cardamom  
• Kuih – colourful bite-sized cakes made with butter, wheat, eggs and sugar 
• Kahk – cookies filled with honey, walnuts and pistachios 

Read more:

• How to Eat During Passover 
• Easter food traditions 
• The food of Ramadan

WHAT’S NEW?

CHOCOLATE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE 
With Easter approaching, you might be wondering about the impact of enjoying chocolate on your health.

Many studies have been published looking at the health effects of chocolate, but the findings have been inconsistent. With the aim of better understanding the association between chocolate intake and chronic disease risk, a group of European researchers recently published a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies. They combined the findings of 27 studies, including more than 1 million participants, looking at the association between all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer, heart failure, hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found a small inverse relationship between chocolate consumption and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. For each 10g/day increase in intake, the risk of coronary heart disease was reduced by 4% and stroke by 10%. No relationship was seen for the other chronic diseases or all-cause mortality (death).

However, they also point out that limitations with many of the studies mean that the credibility of evidence for a relationship between chocolate intake and chronic disease risk is low. One important factor is the failure of studies to distinguish between intakes of dark and milk chocolate.

Chocolate has been found to contain a range of antioxidants, in particular flavanols, which are also found in fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine, and which may help in the prevention of some chronic diseases. In fact, cocoa has more flavanols than other sources such as wine and green tea. There is some evidence that cocoa flavanols might help to protect against heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure and improving the health of blood vessels - reducing inflammation, increasing blood flow and helping blood vessels to dilate. They may also reduce the ‘stickiness’ of the blood and reduce some of the inflammatory markers which are associated with an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disease. However, dark chocolate contains much higher levels of antioxidants than milk chocolate and this is an important consideration when looking at the research and something the authors of this recent paper say needs to be considered in future studies.

So, what does all of this mean when it comes to enjoying a few chocolate Easter eggs? Despite the possible health benefits, chocolate doesn’t belong in a class with other healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. Chocolate is high in fat and consequently energy so is best eaten in small amounts, particularly if you are watching your weight. The key is to choose good quality dark chocolate, stick to small amounts and take your time to eat and enjoy it! And to support cocoa farmers and their families, choose Fairtrade chocolate.

Read more:

• Chocolate and risk of chronic disease: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.
• The emerging role of flavonoid-rich cocoa and chocolate in cardiovascular health and disease.

    
Kate Marsh is an is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Credentialled Diabetes Educator and health and medical writer with a particular interest in plant-based eating and the dietary management of diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).    
Contact: Via her website www.drkatemarsh.com.au.

THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR GI TESTING METHODOLOGY – 10th ANNIVERSARY
It’s been 10 years since the International Standards Organisation first ‘gazetted’ the ISO Standard for glycemic index testing methodology (ISO 26642:2010). The creation of the Standard was a truly global affair, involving committees from Australia, Canada, France, South Africa, and other countries. It was an important milestone in the history of the GI because it helped ensure that laboratories around the globe used the exact same process, and that the values published were truly comparable (comparing like-with-like).


The Standard requires that at least 10 volunteers are tested using a 50 g available carbohydrate portion of the test food (25 g can be selected if there are concerns about the physical size of the portion). What’s critically important is that the standard reference food (usually glucose) is tested a minimum of 2 times and preferably 3 times. This is because a person’s glucose tolerance varies from day-to-day in ways that are difficult to predict. For example, person A might have an ‘area under the curve’ to 50 g glucose of 100 units on one day and 150 units on the next. On average, it might be 125 units and that’s the value that will be used for comparison with the test food.

Reliable GI values can only be generated when standardised in vivo methodology is used. Last year, Dr Tom Wolever and colleagues compared the operation of the ISO standard for GI methodology in 3 different labs (Australia, Canada and France). Six foods were tested by each lab and compared. There were no differences between labs but the standard deviation (a measure of the range of values) was different for each food, ranging from as low as 2 to as high as 7. The findings indicate that the ISO method is sufficiently precise to distinguish foods that have a low GI (55 or less) from those with a high GI (70 or more) with a very high probability (97-99%).

Unfortunately, the relevance of the GI to health continues to be debated. One reason is that some consider that the GI is too variable between people, or that each individual has a unique physiology that means the average ranking of high to low GI foods is not applicable to them. After many years of testing the GI of hundreds of foods on a daily basis in thousands of individuals, we believe there is no such thing as an ‘individual GI’. Day-to-day variability in glucose tolerance is a more likely explanation for unexpected differences in glycemia.

This year will also see the publication of a 2020 version of the international tables of GI. These were first published by our group in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1995. Although they proved very popular, the tables included values that were actually not entirely reliable, e.g. a GI value for carrots was obtained using only 5 people (and to this day, many people think carrots are a high GI food!). Those tables made it easier to code food composition tables with the GI values of carbohydrate foods and facilitated targeted research. Suddenly, carbohydrate nutrition was not just about sugars vs starches, but high vs low GI. A second set of tables were published in 2002 and a third set in 2008. It is pleasing that they remain amongst the most widely cited articles in nutrition science.

Read more:

• ISO 26642:2010 Food products — Determination of the glycaemic index (GI) and recommendation for food classification 
• Glycemic Index and Insulinemic Index of Foods: An Interlaboratory Study Using the ISO 2010 Method

    
Professor Jennie Brand-Miller holds a Personal Chair in Human Nutrition in the Charles Perkins Centre and the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, at the University of Sydney. She is recognised around the world for her work on carbohydrates and the glycemic index (or GI) of foods, with over 300 scientific publications. Her books about the glycemic index have been bestsellers and made the GI a household word.   

PERSPECTIVES

People today may be surprised to learn that until early in the 20th century, chocolate was considered to be a health food, with a range of potential health benefits. It was used thousands of years ago by the ancient Mayans and Aztecs, and much later by Europeans between the 16th and 19th centuries, as an ingredient in cures for many illnesses, including fevers, liver disease, and kidney disorders, dysentery, and constipation, and to foster needed weight gain. Perhaps underlying its current role on St. Valentine’s day, the original chocolate drink was used by the Aztecs as an aphrodisiac, and some European doctors in the 1700 and 1800’s said chocolate made people amiable and "incited consumers to... lovemaking."



As discussed in What’s New? there is some scientific evidence that a little bit of chocolate each day may do you good. But all chocolates were not created equal...

Chocolate nutrition
It is relatively simple to compare your favourite kind of chocolate by looking at the Nutrition Facts / Information Panel which is found on most foods. The table lists the nutrient composition of the more common varieties in a 10 g (1/3 Ounce) serve, which is equivalent to 2 squares/pieces of an average bar/block.



As can be seen, all chocolates are relatively high in kilojoules/Calories, mainly because of their fat content. Most are also a good source of carbohydrates, mainly because of added sugars that help mask chocolates naturally bitter flavour. The exception is the stevia-based chocolate bars which use sugar alcohols and inulin instead of added sugars to provide bulk and texture.

Body weight 
Most chocolates are what we call energy dense – you get a lot of kilojoules/Calories in a relatively small volume. This is good if you are trying to gain wait, travel long-distances with limited storage space, or participate in an endurance sport where it is an advantage to be able to carry around a concentrated and highly palatable source of fat, carbohydrate and energy. But it is obviously not good if you are trying to lose weight.

Blood fats 
Chocolate is high in total and saturated fats. In high quality chocolates, cocoa butter is the main source of fat. This is important, because cocoa butter is high in a particular kind of saturated fat called stearic acid. Stearic acid raises the “bad” LDL cholesterol the least of the saturated fats but does not lower the “good” HDL cholesterol, so the net effect on your total blood cholesterol levels is not so bad. However, the amount of cocoa butter used in chocolate does vary, and along with it the amount of the stearic acid, but this information is usually not provided in any simple form on the chocolate wrapper. As a rough guide, the better quality, and as a result, more expensive varieties generally have more cocoa butter, and as such are usually a better choice.

Blood glucose 
Despite most chocolates relatively high carbohydrate (primarily added sugars) content, they don’t have as large an impact on blood glucose levels as some imagine - unless you overindulge, of course. This is because all contain around 5 g of carbohydrate per 10 g serve (with the exception of the new stevia based chocolate bars which have less than 1 g per serve). Also, the glycemic index of chocolate is low with values less than 45 for most common varieties (see Your GI shopping guide, below). This is because of the high fat content, which slows the rate that the sugars are released from the stomach into the small intestine, and absorbed into the blood. So overall, the glycemic load is less than 10 (low) for a typical serve of most common varieties.

For this reason, as long as they don’t overindulge, people with diabetes do not have to eat low, or reduced-sugar chocolates to avoid high blood glucose levels. It’s important to note that while the low carbohydrate stevia varieties will have the least effect on blood glucose levels they are relatively high in fat and consequently have nearly the same amount of kilojoules as regular varieties so they are not much better if you are trying to lose weight. Also, alternatively sweetened chocolate is usually more expensive and often not as tasty as sugar-sweetened chocolate.

There is a good argument that you should have a little bit of what you enjoy…as a colleague once said “If you really like chocolate and don’t wish to over consume the product, always choose your favourite!”

Antioxidants 
As discussed in What’s New? chocolate is one of natures richest sources of a powerful group of antioxidants known as flavanols, along with green and black tea, red wine, certain fruits (e.g. berries, black grapes, plums, apples) and vegetables (e.g. artichoke, asparagus, cabbage, russet and sweet potatoes). These antioxidants are thought to possess a number of properties that may benefit health, including helping to prevent cholesterol sticking to the walls of blood vessels, relaxing major blood vessels and thereby decreasing blood pressure, and maybe even reducing the ability of the blood to form too many clots. Half a row of dark chocolate (25 g / 0.9 Ounces) provides about the same amount of these antioxidants as half a cup of black tea or a glass of red wine. It’s important to remember that milk chocolate contains only one third as much antioxidants as dark chocolate, and white chocolate contains none at all.

Bottom line 
While not a health food, if eaten in moderation, most people can enjoy chocolate as part of a well-balanced diet. Dark chocolate may have some cardio-vascular benefits. Those who are overweight should only buy their favourite, high quality chocolate, and take care not to eat too much, too often.

Read more:

• Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: a systematic review 
• Effects of stearic acid on plasma lipid and lipoproteins in humans 

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.

DIABETES CARE

EGGS AND DIABETES 
Eggs are popular. They are delicious, convenient and easy to cook. There’s also a steady stream of scientific research looking at whether we can enjoy them as part of our daily fare, or whether we should limit them. Several recent systematic reviews examine the evidence and provide an answer for people with type 2 diabetes and those at risk.


The systematic review that looked at egg consumption on cardiovascular risk factors for people with diabetes included all randomised controlled trials where people consumed either 6–12 eggs per week compared to a control group that consumed no eggs or few eggs (less than 2 eggs a week), for 12 to 20 weeks. In a total of 6 studies, the authors found that consuming 6 to 12 eggs per week had no impact on total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose (sugar), or insulin and that HDL (“good”) cholesterol increased in 4 of the 6 included studies. While these results are encouraging, the study authors noted that “...the studies varied in diet composition aside from the addition of eggs.” Indeed, most of the studies were reduced energy (kilojoules/calories), and had beneficial ratios of saturated : unsaturated fats.

The second review looked at all of the data from observational studies and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and found that from a total of ten studies (5 in Europe, 4 in the USA and 1 in Asia), consuming 1 egg a day was associated with a 13% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, they determined that risk was strongly influenced by where you live, with people in the USA consuming 1 egg a day having a 47% increased risk, and people living in Europe and Asia having no increased risk. The authors noted that “...in the US studies, egg intake is often associated with smoking or lower physical activity or higher intake of red meat, whereas this is generally not observed in studies outside the USA.” and that “Food preparation methods (e.g. boiled or fried eggs, whole eggs or only egg whites) or concurrent consumption of other foods that may increase diabetes risk (e.g. home fries, bacon) may also account for a part of the differences, but such information is not available in these studies.”

So yes, it is ok to eat an egg a day if you are at risk of or have type 2 diabetes – provided you enjoy them as part of a healthy balanced diet, rich in other quality proteins (e.g., lean poultry, meats, seafoods, soy beans, etc…), minimally processed low GI carbohydrates, and healthy fats (e.g., Canola, olive, peanut, or sesame oil; nuts and seeds). It’s the overall eating pattern that counts.

Finally, it’s worth remembering, eggs are a highly nutritious food. One hard-boiled egg is:

• A good source of protein and vitamins – B (B12, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, folate), A, E, and is one of the few food sources of vitamin D 
• A relatively good source of iodine, iron, zinc and phosphorus 
• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and cholesterol, and is a source of saturated, poly-unsaturated, and mono-unsaturated fats, with a saturated : unsaturated fat ratio of 0.48 (ideal ratio is less than or equal to 0.5). 

Read more:

• Impact of Egg Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and at Risk for Developing Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Nutritional Intervention Studies 
• Egg consumption and risk of incident type 2 diabetes: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

YOUR GI SHOPPING GUIDE

WHICH CHOCOLATE? 
Despite its antioxidant content and low GI, eating a lot of chocolate in one helping is unhealthy, but a little bit – even every day – is not so bad. It’s an incredibly sustaining food because of its high fat content (which accounts for its low GI) and is handy for long distance exercise because just a little bit gives a lot of energy (read kilojoules/Calories). If you’re not a hiker or cyclist don’t kid yourself that its healthy. A 30g/1oz serve of a quality brand of dark chocolate, which has twice the antioxidant capacity of milk chocolate, is the way to go.


Milk Chocolate 

GI 39-45
Serving: 4 small solid Easter eggs (approximately) (30g/1oz)

Dark Chocolate 

GI 18-29
Serving: 4 small solid Easter eggs (approximately) (30g/1oz)

Dark Chocolate – 70% Cocoa 

GI 18-29
Serving: 4 small solid Easter eggs (approximately) (30g/1oz)


White chocolate (made with cocoa butter)

GI 34
Serving: 4 small solid Easter eggs (approximately) (30g/1oz)

No added sugar chocolate (sweetened with stevia)

GI 14
Serving: 4 small solid Easter eggs (approximately) (30g/1oz)


Read more:

• www.glycemicindex.com

      
Kaye Foster-Powell is an Accredited Practising Dietitian who has worked with people with diabetes for 30 years. She was co-author of the original series of international, best-selling books on the glycemic index. She conducts a specialized private practice for people with diabetes in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, Australia.    
Contact: Via her website.

GOOD CARBS FOOD FACTS

HOT CROSS BUNS 
Hot cross buns are traditional Easter fare, despite the fact they seem to appear on supermarket shelves earlier every year, sometimes hot on the heels of Christmas! They sell like proverbial ‘hot cakes’ in my local store. Hot cross buns are a yeast-leavened sweet bread usually containing sultanas or currants and a touch of spice (such as mixed spice, cinnamon or all spice), decorated with a cross on top. The cross pattern is created with a paste of flour and water and applied before baking. After baking they are usually glazed with a sugar syrup to give them a shiny appearance. When eaten warm straight out of the oven they are temptingly fragrant and divinely delicious - some might even say eating them is a religious experience!


Hot cross buns contain a little fat from butter/shortening (around 5%) and are high in carbohydrate so consideration is needed around portion size for people with diabetes. Hot cross bun sizes vary a lot. For example, one commercial variety sold in a 6 pack contains 40g carbohydrate and 920 kJ (220 calories). They can be sold in smaller sizes, for example mini-hot cross buns are divided into 9 buns instead of 6 and this reduces the carbohydrate content to 22g and the energy down to 500 kJ (120 calories). I use these mini buns for my son’s school lunch box. You might guess that hot cross buns have a high GI but when Sydney University GI Research Service (SUGiRS) tested one a few years back it was 66 (medium). This is likely due to the dried fruit which has a low GI; the same reason raisin toast tends to have a lower GI than white or wholemeal bread.

There is a marketing trend to play around with the basic recipe of hot cross buns, such as fruit-free, gluten-free and more indulgent varieties such as chocolate chip, caramel, mocha or brioche buns but be aware these can alter the nutrition content in a less healthy direction. Unfortunately, higher fibre wholemeal (wholewheat) varieties are rare - we can but ask our local retailer. Or take the time to cook a batch ourselves over the Easter holiday. Happy Easter!

 
Source: AusBrands2019



    
Nicole Senior is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, author, consultant, cook and food enthusiast 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.

THE GOOD CARBS KITCHEN

DARK CHOCOLATE ROCKY ROAD 
0:30 Prep • 0:20 Fridge • 22 Servings • Dessert • Special Occasion

INGREDIENTS
150g white marshmallows
1/2 cup moist coconut flakes
1/2 cup shelled salted pistachios
4 cups plain air-popped popcorn
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons goji berries
180g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

METHOD 
Grease and line the base and sides of a 29 x 16cm rectangular slice tin with baking paper.

Cut the marshmallows into quarters using scissors. Place in a large bowl with the coconut, pistachios, popcorn, dried apricots, cranberries and goji berries. Mix together well.

Place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat chocolate in microwave on high for 1 minute, or until melted and smooth. Stir chocolate halfway during cooking to prevent burning.

Pour the chocolate over the marshmallow mixture, quickly mix, then pour mixture into the prepared tin. Spread the mixture over base with spatula. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes, or until set. Cut the rocky road into squares or break into pieces, to serve.

NUTRITION 
Per serve 509kJ/122 calories; 2.2g protein; 6.2g fat (includes 3.1g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 1.0); 14g available carbs (includes 10g sugars and 4g starch); 1.4g fibre; 33mg sodium

RECIPE AND IMAGE 
Courtesy of Australian Healthy Food Guide magazine. For more healthy recipe inspiration and expert advice, visit healthyfoodguide.com.au 


ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH PINE NUT SALSA 
0:10 Prep • 0:20 Cook • 4 Servings • Main Meal • Vegetarian • Lactose Free • Contains Nuts

INGREDIENTS 
4 large eggplants
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (or 1½ teaspoons jarred minced garlic)
250g baby tomatoes, quartered
1 cup wholegrain breadcrumbs
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts, lightly toasted (see Tip)
Small handful of basil leaves, chopped, plus extra leaves to serve
1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil

METHOD 

Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and scoop out the flesh (they will look like little canoes). Place the eggplant shells on the prepared tray and put the flesh in a large bowl.

Add the egg, garlic, tomato and breadcrumbs to the eggplant flesh and crush the mixture together with a fork. Mix in the lemon zest, pine nuts, basil and 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Spoon the filling evenly into the eggplant shells and roast for 15-20 minutes until they are lightly browned and the filling is cooked through.

Meanwhile, place the extra basil leaves in a bowl and dress with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil.

Remove the eggplants from the oven, top with the lemony basil and enjoy!

Tip: to toast the pine nuts, place them in a frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes (or in the oven for a few minutes). Keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly. Remove them from the heat as soon as they are lightly golden.

NUTRITION 
Per serve Energy: 2024kJ/484 Calories; 14g protein; 31g fat (includes 4g saturated fat; saturated : unsaturated fat ratio 0.18); 28g available carbs (includes 16g sugars and 11g starches); 17g fibre; 201mg sodium; 1233mg potassium; sodium : potassium ratio 0.16

RECIPE 
Interval Weight Loss for Women

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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.

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