Food | Ideal Nutrition

08 Jul 2022

Is Kombucha Good for You? A Dietitian’s Review

Kombucha is really having a moment as a widely used ‘health food’. Most supermarkets and corner stores usually stock not just one, but several brands of this fermented beverage. But does kombucha actually provide health benefits? Is it worth all of the hype it is receiving? As a dietitian, kombucha is not a food that I would go out of my way to recommend to everyone. However, I do see it as a great option when water won’t quite quench that thirst. I'm really enjoying the taste of kombucha, especially with all the new flavours that have popped up recently.…

25 May 2022

By Hanah Mills

Can You Cook With Olive Oil? A Dietitian’s Review

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in general is good for us. But how about cooking with olive oil? Some common questions you may have are: Is cooking with olive oil bad for you? Are the health benefits of olive oil diminished after it has been cooked? Does the smoke point matter? Should I use another oil when cooking? Background on Some of the Typical Benefits of EVOO The leading cause of death in 2020 was ischemic heart disease-causing 49% of overall deaths. Ischemic heart disease occurs when a high amount of cholesterol builds up inside blood vessels. This accumulation causes cholesterol…

30 Jun 2021

By Aidan Muir

What Do “Milk Solids” Mean on a Food Label? A Quick Summary

Have you ever looked at a label and seen the term "milk solids" and wondered what it actually means? And whether it’s relevant to something you might personally care about? This post is here to provide a clear answer. What are Milk Solids? Milk itself is made up of water (87%) and nutrients (fat, protein, sugar in the form of lactose, and minerals). The 13% that is not made from water is what would be considered milk solids. When reading a food label, milk solids refers to the powder that would be left after milk is dried out and the…

09 Nov 2020

By Tyler Brooks

Is Pink Salt Healthier?

A common food trend over the last few years has been the increasing popularity and use of 'pink' or Himalayan salt. Despite the more striking appearance and common perception of it being 'healthier' and 'more natural', does it actually have any nutritional benefits beyond that of regular white table salt? A recently published paper funded by Nutrition Research Australia has shed some light on this topic, but before exploring what they found it is first useful to understand in detail what salt is. Some people use the terms 'salt' and 'sodium' interchangeably but it is important to understand the difference.…

30 Jul 2020

By Tyler Brooks

Is Msg Dangerous or Is It a Safe Flavour Enhancer? Everything You Need to Know

MSG There are 5 basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and ‘umami’. Monosodium glutamate or ‘MSG’ is a food additive responsible for the umami taste. You may have heard of MSG being referred to as the ‘flavour enhancer”. This is because the umami taste tends to also enhance the palatability and overall flavour intensity of the food it is added to. What is it? Glutamate is one of the most commonly found amino acids in nature. It is in many cases a common natural plant and animal food. To name a few, this includes tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, fish, meat, cheese, and…

27 Dec 2018

By Nadia Mazari

Healthy Entertaining

The festive season presents itself with a smorgasbord of unending indulgences, so it’s fair to say that no one should miss out. With many of us committed to numerous social functions from Christmas work dinners to New Year picnics, it can be challenging to maintain any sense of normalcy, let alone healthy habits! However, you can attempt to combat this with some of our healthy entertaining ideas. These ideas are great not only for if you are hosting a function but also for any ‘bring a plate’ occasions. We’ve compiled some simple suggestions for any course, right down to nibbles…

09 Jun 2017

By Chris Bragg

Chicken Noodle Soup 2-Ways

Chicken noodle soup is a classic winter warming soup that’s packed full of flavour. It is easy to make and tastes amazing with only a few easy ingredients. The best thing about a chicken noodle soup is it can be used as a base soup, just add your favourite soup ingredients to change the whole meal! Today we make chicken noodle soup 2-ways, firstly, a stock standard chicken and noodle soup and secondly, a chicken noodle and vegetable soup. What You Need for a Basic Chicken Noodle Soup If this is your first time making a chicken noodle soup, start…

28 Mar 2017

By Chris Bragg

The Healthy Man Salad (High Protein)

The Healthy Man Salad is designed to break away from the leafy salad, providing protein, complex carbs, flavour and a filling meal designed to satisfy any man. It is well known that salads and men often do not mix, with a healthy salad often being low on the wish list for the typical Aussie man. The Simpsons once upon a time coined the old saying “you don’t win friends with salad” which lives on to this day. It is true, and since its creation, has been sung by men around the globe ever since. As an example, I was recently…

04 Mar 2017

By Chris Bragg

Chicken and Crispy Vegetable Rice Paper Rolls With Chilli and Lime Dipping Sauce

The rice paper roll is a fantastic, healthy and easy to make family favourite. It is perfect because it is easy to make, fresh and tasty, with plenty of fresh vegetables it is a healthy snack or meal. This little dish is also great to make with the kids and can facilitate teaching them about fresh ingredients as well as improving fine motor skills. I personally love it, get your hands into it and work with the ingredients to make the perfect roll. One of the best things with the rice paper roll is you can make it a day…

18 Jan 2017

By Cassandra Bendall

5 Easy Ways to Include More Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Your Diet

Move over coconut oil, the real superfood is in the house! Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the new and emerging health trend that we encourage everyone to try. With its numerous health benefits and irresistible taste, it's no surprise we're obsessed with drizzling olive oil on just about everything! Extra virgin olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean dietary pattern and is considered the healthiest choice of olive oil. Multiple intervention trials have used EVOO as their primary dietary fat and have seen a reduction in cardiovascular disease in both a primary and secondary setting. So on…