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Weight loss is never an easy nut to crack, but a handful of almonds could keep extra kilos at bay according to new research from the University of South Australia.

Examining how almonds can affect appetite, researchers found a snack of 30-50 grams of almonds could help people cut back on the number of kilojoules they consume each day.

Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the study found people who consumed almonds – as opposed to an energy-equivalent carbohydrate snack – lowered their energy intake by 300 kilojoules (most of which came from junk food) at the subsequent meal.

READ MORE: Weight loss nutritionist shares the breakfast she has ‘on repeat’

Dr Sharayah Carter from UniSA’s Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) says the research provides valuable insights for weight management.

“Rates of overweight and obesity are a major public health concern and modulating appetite through better hormonal response may be key to promoting weight management,” Dr Carter said.

“Our research examined the hormones that regulate appetite, and how nuts – specifically almonds – might contribute to appetite control.”

“We found that people who ate almonds experienced changes in their appetite-regulating hormones, and that these may have contributed to reduced food intake, by 300 kilojoules.”

In Australia, two in three (12.5 million) adults are overweight or obese. Globally, nine billion adults are overweight with 650 million of these being obese.

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals how to tell if you are eating too much

The study found that people who ate almonds had 47 per cent lower C-peptide responses (which can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease).

They also had higher levels of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (18 per cent higher), glucagon (39 per cent higher), and pancreatic polypeptide responses (44 per cent higher).

Glucagon sends satiety signals to the brain, while pancreatic polypeptide slows digestion which may reduce food intake, both encouraging weight loss.

“Almonds are high in protein, fibre, and unsaturated fatty acids, which may contribute to their satiating properties and help explain why fewer kilojoules were consumed,” Dr Carter said.

The findings of this study show that eating almonds produce small changes to people’s energy intake, which may have clinical effects in the long term.

“Even small, positive lifestyle changes can have an impact over a longer period. When we’re making small, sustainable changes, we’re more likely to be improving our overall health in the long run,” Dr Carter said.

“Almonds are a fantastic healthy snack to incorporate into the daily diet. We are now excited to look at how almonds might affect appetite during a weight loss diet and how they might assist with weight management in the long term.”

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Wholegrain, low carb, high protein: Wraps ranked by calories

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Melbourne nutritionist Angela Borges has shared the breakfast in an effort to highlight that you can still eat your favourite foods and achieve weight loss goals.

“I’ve been having this meal on repeat… Because it tastes AMAZING,” she reveals in a video shared to her The Healthy Diary Instagram page.

“If you thought that you can’t eat bread, cheese, and pesto because it’s ‘not good’ for you or it’ll make you fat… I’m here to challenge what you’ve believed your entire life.”

READ MORE: Dietitian reveals how to tell if you are eating too much

In the clip, Borges shows how to make the toasted sandwich using sourdough bread, pesto, spinach, mozzarella and tomato.

Adding in the caption, she encourages her followers to changing their mindset from ‘I can’t have that’ to ‘I can have that and make it work for me’.

“Eating is something that you’ll do for the rest of your life, so healing your relationship with food is SO important. Your poor relationship with food may be the reason why you’ve failed your weight loss efforts in the past,” she adds.

“Trust me, you can achieve a weight where you feel happy and confident while eating your favourite foods and building a good relationship with it.”

READ MORE: Should exercise calories be added to food labels? Here’s what dietitians think

READ MORE: Dietitian Susie Burrell explains what your food cravings could mean

This meal, she shares, is under 450 calories and contains almost 22 grams of protein making it “filling and satisfying”.

Full recipe:

• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 50g mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp pesto
• Handful of spinach
• 1/2 tomato

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How many teaspoons of sugar in breakfast cereals, from least to most

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It can be tricky to tell if you are overeating. We may find ourselves eating in accordance with predetermined meal times, or at events in which everyone else is eating so would be strange to decline.

Or, we eat when we know it could be some time before we have an opportunity to eat again. Then there are the many meals we find ourselves eating away from the home, so it is difficult to know exactly how energy-dense those meals we are enjoying are.

The reality is, though, that if you are gaining weight, ultimately you are eating too many calories more often than not, or even in smaller increments on a daily basis.

READ MORE: Should exercise calories be added to food labels? Here’s what dietitians think

So, if you are unsure as to what exactly it is that’s upping your intake, here are some of the key signs or reasons you may be eating a little too much, too often, and what you can do to change that habit.

You never feel hungry

Hunger is the physiological signal that we need to refuel. It can be experienced as a rumbling in the stomach, general feeling of emptiness or even as physical discomfort or emotional irritability.

While excessive hunger is not ideal, actually reaching the stage in which you feel genuinely hungry before eating is a key component of long-term weight control.

“Never eat a snack or meal if you have no physical sign of hunger.”

On a daily basis, many of us overdo it slightly at meal times so we never feel truly hungry, and as such remain in a slight calorie excess. Over time, this is where the kilo creep comes from.

Solution: Waiting at least three to four hours in between meals, or waiting to eat until you are actually feeling hungry, is a simple but powerful step to help take control of daily overeating.

You follow a strict meal plan or eating regime

Meal plans and diet programs can be effective tools to help guide food choices and keep calorie and macronutrient intake on track. But when a plan is followed religiously, it can overlook the daily differences in calorie output and requirements, encouraging food consumption when it is not necessarily needed.

READ MORE: Dietitian Susie Burrell explains what your food cravings could mean

Here, extra snacks or larger portion sizes may be prescribed and then consumed irrespective of hunger or appetite, which basically means we end up eating extra calories we do not need.

Solution: Use your meal plan as a rough guide but never eat a snack or meal if you have no physical sign of hunger.

You never wake up hungry

It is common for busy people to eat lightly through the day and then overcompensate at night with a larger meal, treats, snacks and alcohol, which all contribute a significant number of daily calories.

This excessive consumption in the second half of the day can mean we are still processing this food eight or 10 hours later, but we may still reach for the coffee and refuel again the next morning when we could easily last another few hours without eating.

Solution: If you routinely eat late at night, make a concerted effort to keep your meals small to help ensure your fuel stores are depleted come morning and you notice hunger within an hour or two of waking.

READ MORE: Nutritionist reveals pros and cons of popular diets

You regularly eat until you are uncomfortable

There is nothing wrong with overdoing things a little on special occasions and needing to loosen the belt buckle a little. But if you are regularly eating to the point of feeling seriously stuffed, it is time to cut back. Over time, frequent overeating will mean you are able to physically tolerate larger volumes of food, which, too, will enable overeating.

Solution: Practice stopping eating a mouthful or two away from extreme fullness to endure digestive comfort as well as calorie balance.

READ MORE: The ‘groundbreaking’ diet and exercise combo you might need in your life

Your weight is increasing

We can be quick to blame a lack of exercise as a key reason for weight gain, but ultimately if you are gaining weight, you are eating too many calories for the amount of activity you are doing.

You can always increase your physical activity to put a stop to weight gain, but you may also find cutting back on the treats and alcohol, and lightening your meals too with lower calorie foods, will also help to cut back your calories a little to halt the weight gain.

Solution: Consider when you may be eating more than you need through the day and look for ways to lighten your meals, especially at night. Eating more vegetables and salad in place of more calorie dense foods like meat, pasta, rice, dessert and alcohol too will support a calorie deficit and halt weight gain.

Author Susie Burrell is a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder of Shape Me, co-host of The Nutrition Couch podcast and prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.

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Coffee order with the most calories revealed

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Around 2.3 million Australians follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, and that number continues to grow.

And while cutting out meat may have its health benefits, if you’re one of the 20 per cent of people globally who suffer from low iron levels, getting the right amount of iron into your diet is vital.

According to qualified pharmacist Montana Grenfell, although iron deficiency is common, it can be easily managed.

READ MORE: Oral health experts share surprising drinks that are ruining your teeth

Symptoms of iron deficiency

“It’s important to be aware of the common symptoms of iron deficiency. By knowing what to look out for, you’ll know if something isn’t quite right and when it’s time to visit to your healthcare professional,” Grenfell says.

“Common symptoms include extreme fatigue, weakness, pale skin, chest pain, fast heartbeat, or shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, or light-headedness, cold hands and feet, inflammation or soreness of your tongue, brittle nails and dry or damaged hair.”

Here, Grenfell shares four ways vegetarians and vegans can boost their iron levels without eating meat:

Understand the difference between haem iron and non-haem iron

When you consume a meat-free diet, it is important to understand how this will impact the body’s absorption of iron. Firstly, there are two types of iron. Haem iron is found in animal tissue and is the form of iron that is most easily absorbed by the body.

On the other hand, non-haem iron is found in some animal products as well as plant foods and is less easily absorbed. Those that don’t eat meat in their diet may need twice as much dietary iron each day as non-vegetarians due to the consumption of only non-haem iron.

READ MORE: Doctor shares common morning mistake that leaves you feeling more tired

Consume foods rich in iron

If meat isn’t part of your diet, look for fruits, vegetables and legumes with a high iron content and work these into your daily diet. Many breakfast cereals are fortified with iron, and legumes, nuts, raisins and prunes are also foods with high levels of iron.

Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli or bok choy also contain a high amount or iron, as do strawberries and watermelon.

Boost iron absorption through Vitamin C

Although non-haem iron is more difficult for the body to absorb, there are some easy ways to combat this. Vitamin C is the main nutrient that contributes to the body’s ability to absorb iron. To up your Vitamin C intake, integrate more citrus fruits, blackcurrants, red and yellow capsicums, and strawberries into your diet, or consider a daily Vitamin C supplement.

It’s also worth noting that in most cases, cooking foods rich in non-haem iron can boost the amount of iron the body will absorb. For example, the body absorbs 6 per cent of iron from raw broccoli but when cooked, that number increases to 30 per cent.

Consider taking a supplement

If you are concerned your iron levels might be low, visit your doctor who can organise a blood test and determine whether a supplement is best for you.

There are plenty of supplements available that don’t require a prescription such as Ferro Tab or APOHEALTH Iron Tablets which can help prevent and treat iron deficiency and boost your iron levels.

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15 high-iron foods to unlock your body’s energy

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Juices are commonly linked with a range of positive health outcomes, and while any fresh fruit and vegetable is good for us, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, especially concentrated sugars.

So, if you are partial to a fresh juice, here is how much sugar you will find in a single cup-sized serve of your favourite blends.

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Superfoods may be good for your body, but they aren’t always so good for your wallet.

So to help you save money and still eat a healthy, dietitian Susie Burrell has shared five superfoods that make for an easy and affordable addition to you and your family’s diet.

1. Rolled oats

Close to 30 serves of the fibre and protein rich breakfast option will set you back only a couple of dollars, says Burrell.

It can be “used with yoghurts or to smoothies to bulk them up,” she suggests.

You can watch the video above for more of Susie Burrell’s tips.

2. Tinned fish

Tinned fish like tuna and salmon is not only affordable and easily available, it is also extremely versatile

“You’re getting protein and omega-3 rich fats, and a food that you can add as a meal base for sandwiches and crackers as a protein rich topping,” says Burrell.

3. Tinned vegetables

Veggies don’t always need to be fresh to be beneficial. Tinned veggies such as beans and tomatoes are “another smart grocery buy” that can be used in hearty soups, stir-frys and fresh salads, all for less than a dollar per serving.

4. Frozen fruits and veggies

Burrell says to not pass by the frozen food section without picking up some bags of frozen fruits and green veggies.

Fruits like frozen berries are “not only … not subjected to the seasonal price fluctuations, but they’re rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin c to help boost your fruit intake throughout winter, be used in smoothies with yoghurt, or to flavour baked products,” says the nutrition expert.

Meanwhile, veggies are “nutrient rich additions that can form the base of stir-frys, mixed dishes, increasing your vegetable intake in general, even thrown into a smoothie to up your intake of greens.”

5. Greek yoghurt

According to Burrell, Greek yoghurt is not only rich in protein and calcium, it’s extremely versatile.

Greek yoghurt “can be great on it’s own, added to smoothies or breakfast cereal, or even used as a creamy sauce throughout some of your favourite dishes like a creamy pasta, with less fat and more nutrition than foods like cream or cheese,” Burrell recommends.

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The things you eat every day you forgot are superfoods

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Dietitian Lyndi Cohen has shared some of her tips on how to get the most out of your lunch, as it’s revealed 2.4 million Australians consume the same lunch every single day.

Research commissioned by Arnott’s Vita-Weat shows Aussies appear to be in the grips of lunchtime fatigue but are forking out $2,615.60 a year on their typical midday meal during the average work week.

In a bid to inspire us to mix things up, nutritionist and dietitian Lyndi Cohen says there are many benefits to mixing up what features in your lunchbox.

READ MORE: Nutritionist reveals pros and cons of popular diets

“Supercharging your diet with a greater variety of foods each day serves us well for lots of reasons,” Cohen says.

“Not only can it help improve your metabolic health, but it may also boost your mood.

“While it’s easy to become a creature of habit during the work week, choosing from a range of nutritious food groups can help you get the most out of your lunch break.”

The research also revealed the sandwich is the number-one lunch option for Aussies, as two in three (68 per cent) Australians eat a sandwich (or wrap) for lunch on any given day.

On average, millennials are spending more than any other generation on a single weekday lunch ($13.95). Younger Australians are more likely to eat the same lunch four or five days per week compared to their older counterparts (Millennials at 32 per cent, Baby Boomers at 18 per cent).

To avoid buying lunch, Australian workers and students will on average, pack a lunch to take to work/school almost three days a week (2.69). Women are more likely than men to pack a lunch to take to work/school four or five times a week.

READ MORE: What is the latest fusion diet sweeping the globe?

Tips to get the most out of your lunch

1. Eating seasonally won’t only help you save on groceries, but it could also naturally boost variety in your diet as you mix up what you eat with the changing seasons.

2. Crispbreads are a wholesome pantry staple on which you can build nutritious, affordable, and easy lunches.

3. Reducing food waste is a super smart way to stick to a budget while eating healthily. Create an ‘eat now’ tray that is front and centre in your fridge, reminding you to dig into your favourite produce while it’s fresh.

4. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be fussy. Create a balanced lunch in no time with a simple four-step formula; aim for a source of wholegrains, some lean protein, healthy fats and colourful veg.

5. Keeping a well-stocked pantry with shelf-stable, nutritious ingredients makes pulling together healthy meals easier. Personal favourites include tins of legumes and diced tomato, Vita-Weat and plenty of spice mixes for adding a punch of flavour.

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Are protein breads really a ‘healthier’ alternative?

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We have seen many diet trends come and go, each promising to be healthier than the last – the Atkins diet, Raw Food Diet, Keto diet, and so on.

The latest diet trend however has its roots right here in Australia and has been taking the US by storm.

The MediterrAsian diet combines the best elements of traditional Mediterranean along with the soy and seafood consumed in Asia, and particularly Japan.

READ MORE: Nutritionist reveals pros and cons of popular diets

And the diet is the inspiration behind the recent opening of two MediterrAsian restaurants in the United States, including one of Miami’s most popular new restaurants, MILA, headed by Michelin star chef Michael Michaelidis.

Where did the MediterrAsian diet begin

But its origins lie closer to home, with the theory of the MediterrAsian diet reportedly developed in Australia over a decade ago by passionate home cook Trudy Thelander and her Kiwi partner Ric Watson.

Trudy was first introduced to authentic Asian cuisine by her Chinese-Malaysian sister-in-law as a teenager, and was left with a life-long addiction to Asian food. Ric, on the other hand, credits a Mediterranean diet with helping him fully recover from a near-fatal motorcycle accident.

When the two foodies met, Trudy introduced Ric to Asian cooking, and Ric introduced Trudy to Mediterranean cooking, and they ended up bonding over “pad Thai and paella”, according to Trudy.

The pair were inspired to base their own personal diets around traditional Mediterranean and Asian foods. This had such a positive impact on their health and wellbeing that they decided to launch MediterrAsian.com to share their recipes and spread the word about the health benefits of what they call a ‘MediterrAsian diet’.

This led to the publication of their cookbook and lifestyle guide, The MediterrAsian Way.

READ MORE: Should exercise calories be added to food labels? Here’s what dietitians think

MediterrAsian diet benefits

Since then scientists have looked into whether the Mediterrasian diet could be the perfect recipe for longevity.

We already know that adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced mortality, as well as incidence of and death from cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

In 2013 a study by German scientists from the University of Kiel found that a MediterrAsian diet is abundant in potent antioxidants called polyphenols, which can slow cellular ageing, reduce inflammation, and boost metabolism.

The scientists concluded that a MediterrAsian diet combining the polyphenol-rich foods of the Mediterranean diet as well as the Asian diet, “may be a promising dietary strategy in preventing chronic diseases, thereby ensuring health and healthy ageing”.

A few years later, a team of Italian scientists from the University of Pavia conducted a study looking at the benefits of combining Mediterranean and Asian foods to improve cholesterol levels. They found that a MediterrAsian diet boosted “good” HDL cholesterol, and reduced heart disease risk.

READ MORE: ‘Groundbreaking’ diet and exercise combo you might need in your life

How to follow a MediterrAsian diet

Vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), nuts and seeds form the foundation of most traditional Mediterranean and Asian meals, Thelander and Watson explain on their website.

Get most of your fat intake from plant and fish oils, such as olive oil and peanut oil, nuts, seeds, and omega-3 rich fat in the fish and seafood.

Fish is a staple food in both Mediterranean and Asian diets, with fish and shellfish being a rich source of protein. Cutting back on red meat is encouraged, with the seafood as well as legumes (beans, peas and lentils), poultry and nuts suggested as the best protein sources.

Alcohol and dairy should be consumed in moderation, while fruits and nuts are recommended as the go-to snacks and desserts.

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Are protein breads really a ‘healthier’ alternative?

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Author Susie Burrell is a leading Australian dietitian and nutritionist, founder of Shape Me, co-host of The Nutrition Couch podcast and prominent media spokesperson, with regular appearances in both print and television media commenting on all areas of diet, weight loss and nutrition.

Forget finding protein bars and powders only in the health food aisle, you can now find a growing range of protein-based bread in the regular bread section in supermarkets.

Unlike bread that is made from a base of wheat flour, high protein, low carb loaves are generally made with a range of wheat flour alternatives including wholegrains, seeds or speciality flours in which the carbohydrate is less readily available.

This results in a bread that remains dense and chewy, and is often much higher in fat than regular bread, but especially low in carbohydrates.

Generally more processed than regular bread, higher protein loaves give options for those on a range of different dietary regimes. 

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For the most part, we know how many calories are in a particular food or drink thanks to the nutrition panel on the packaging.

But if the label instead told you how long you’d need to walk to burn off said calories, would that change your decision to eat the food in the first place?

That is what researchers at the Loughborough University in the UK believe is the key to tackling obesity. By labelling foods with their physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE), they claim it will be easier for people to understand the nutritional information.

But despite the need for food awareness and education to help tackle the ever-present obesity problem, not everyone is convinced it’s a good idea.

READ MORE: Dietitian Susie Burrell explains what your food cravings could mean

Amanda Daly, professor of behavioural medicine at Loughborough University, presented the PACE idea at the International Congress on Obesity in Melbourne last month and said trials of the labelling in cafeterias and vending machines had been promising.

“Our initial findings have shown that when you put PACE labelling in a context where people have to make decisions about foods, it reduces the number of calories that the public select for consumption, which is exactly the thing that we’re trying to do,” Daly told ABC Radio Perth

“Most of the public are overweight, most of us are eating a little bit too much food and not doing quite enough physical activity.

“We’ve also found that the public have said that if PACE labelling was introduced, it would help them to think about what they eat, but also to reduce their purchasing of really high-calorie foods.”

READ MORE: Nutritionist reveals pros and cons of popular diets

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics health survey, conducted in 2018, found that 67 per cent of adults in Australia and 25 per cent of children were overweight or obese.

Dietitian Susie Burrell believes the labelling could work, but wonders how it will be interpreted.

“I don’t think its a bad thing because anything that brings awareness to calories is a good thing,” she tells 9Honey Coach.

“But there are ‘healthy’ foods with high calories, so how would healthier options be differentiated? That would be my question.”

But while the labelling could provide useful information to people, others stress that a healthy lifestyle is about more than just calories.

Dietitian Alice Bleathman says the method “oversimplifies nutrition”.

“Having information on how much exercise to do to burn off the calories in packaged food overly simplifies nutrition, completely disregards the multiple facets of health, and encourages disordered eating and exercise habits,” Bleathman tells 9Honey Coach.

“On the outset, putting the type or amount of exercise required to burn off the food appears easier to understand than other attempts to interpret the nutrition information panel.”

But she points out that food provides more than just calories.

“It contains vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants which are also incredibly important for our health,” she tells us.

“Labelling foods based off the exercise required to burn off the food also does nothing to educate the consumer on why one choice may be more nutritious than another, despite having similar energy compositions. For example, 200 calories of almonds vs 200 calories of ice cream.”

You do not need to ‘earn’ your food through exercise. This way of thinking can quickly become quite disordered.

Another concern Bleathman has about this system is that it may teach people that they need to earn their food.

“You do not need to ‘earn’ your food through exercise. This way of thinking can quickly become quite disordered, and may spark a poor relationship with food, exercise and the body.

“This system elicits shame towards certain foods and exercise behaviours which can have a detrimental impact on people’s relationship with food, exercise and body, especially those already at risk of or exercising eating disorders.”

READ MORE: Smooth vs. crunchy peanut butter: Which is healthier?

The last thing to highlight, according to Bleathman, is that the ‘PACE’ is a huge estimate.

“Not only is the intensity of the exercise not stated (which has a huge impact on the calories burnt), but it also doesn’t take into account the fact that bodies are different shapes and sizes, and they will use energy differently, even if doing the same exercise,” she says.

“I truly believe that focusing on whole foods, balanced meals, and limiting processed foods is the best way to navigate the supermarket at the moment. For lasting well-being, public-health programs should help improve access to a variety of healthy foods and educate on healthy preparation methods.

“And with regards to exercise, education and programs need to encourage people to exercise for its inherent value, not to burn off food.”

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Which type of exercise burns the most calories?

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