Quinoa, Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad with pan-fried haloumi

I had the pleasure of enjoying this salad up in Coffs Harbour on a recent surfing/family trip! As I munched away in great company, thoroughly enjoying the various flavours, I started thinking about its health benefits:

- Quinoa contains all 8 essential amino acids (proteins that our bodies cannot make themselves), it is also high in fibre for digestive health and low GI to keep us feeling fuller for longer.

- Sweet potato is high in Vitamin A, a nutrient crucial for sustaining immunity, healthy skin and good vision

- Cinnamon has been proven to aid in balancing blood sugars

- Cabbage is an anti-inflammatory

- Lentils are pre-biotics which support a healthy gut and is also a great source of protein

- All the nuts, seeds and olive oil are high in Omega's, benefiting the heart and brain

- Pomegranate & the green herbs are an excellent source of vitamin C which helps to absorb iron and maintain strong cells

What a winner!

Ingredients:

·      1 thin sweet potato (about 350g) cut into 1 cm discs

·      2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra 5 tbsp

·      ½ tsp ground cumin

·      ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

·      Sea salt flakes & freshly ground pepper to season

·      1 cup quinoa

·      500ml chicken stock

·      ½ small red onion thinly sliced

·      400g can lentils drained & rinsed

·      2 cups finely shredded red cabbage

·      1/3 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped

·      ¼ cup pepitas

·      ¼ cup roasted almonds roughly chopped

·      Arils from a pomegranate 

·      ½ cup coriander leaves roughly chopped

·      ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves roughly chopped

·      ½ cup mint leaves roughly chopped

·      1 tbsp red wine vinegar

·      2 tsp Dijon mustard

·      250g haloumi, thinly sliced OR you could use chicken instead, 100g cooked per person

Method:

1.     Preheat oven to 180 Celsius and line an oven tray with baking paper. Arrange sweet potato on prepared tray, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with spices, seasons then rub to coat. Roast for 20 min. or until just tender. Set aside for 10 min to cool to room temperature.

2.     Meanwhile, put quinoa in a sieve and rinse under running water. Put stock & quinoa in a medium saucepan & bring to the boil over a medium heat. Simmer for about 12 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat & spread onto an oven tray & set aside for 20 min to cool.

3.     Place onion, lentils, cabbage, cranberries, pomegranate arils, herbs, vinegar, mustard & 4 ½ tbsp of the extra oil in a bowl, tossing well to combine. Add quinoa & sweet potato tossing well. Season , then transfer to a large serving bowl /platter.

4.     Heat the remaining oil in a fry pan over medium heat.  Add haloumi & cook for 2 min on either side or until golden. Serve salad topped with hot haloumi.

ENJOY! :)

Scrumptious stuffed capsicums - OLE!

Makes: 4 servings - Prep time: 10 mins  - Cooking time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 x 400g tin black/red kidney beans
• 1 x 400g tin black eyed beans  
• 1 zucchini, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup corn kernals
• 2 red capsicum, sliced in half
• 2 yellow capsicum, sliced in half
• 2 vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tsp dried cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbls dried basil
•  ½ cup low fat shredded cheese
• 4 cups rocket & spinach leaves
• 1avocado, sliced

What to do:

1Preheat oven to 180°C, place halved capsicums onto a lined tray and place in oven.

2Heat a frying pan to medium heat, add 2 tsp olive oil. Add garlic and spices and stir fry till soft.

3Add 2 tins of beans, zucchini, corn and tomatoes. Cook on medium to high heat until they are heated through and have split slightly.

4Remove capsicum halves from the oven.

5Spoon bean mixture into each capsicum half and sprinkle over grated cheese.

6Grill for a further 15 mins or until beans are crispy and cheese is melted.

7Serve with sliced avocado & salad leaves.

 NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS: 

• IRON RICH: Beans naturally contain plant based protein as well as iron. Eating them mixed with vitamin C rich foods like the tomatoes and spinach in this dish boosts the absorption of the iron from the beans. Great for busy mums, active kids or people who are always on their feet. 
• HIGH FIBRE: Mixing chopped vegetables through the bean mixture adds insoluble fibre to this meal. Insoluble fibre provides your gut bacteria with lots of food for them to munch on and produce lots of healthy bacteria for you! 
• CALCIUM: Adding the grated cheese on top of the bean mixture boosts the calcium content of this meal, added to even more so by the leafy greens. 
• LOW GI CARBS: Replacing taco shells with capsicums and using beans mixed with corn turns this meal into a slow burner. Meaning the carbs will be digested and released slowly in the body giving you long lasting energy and curbing sweet cravings. 
• FAMILY FRIENDLY - REHEATS WELL - LUNCH BOX FRIENDLY! 

ENJOY! 

KAT :) 

Salmon, Sweet Potato and Quinoa Patties

On these balmy summer nights, we love having a fresh, simple and nutritious option for dinner.  The recipe we are sharing with you today is one of our favourites – salmon, sweet potato and quinoa patties.

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

·       1 cup sweet potato, chopped (1cm x 1xm)

·       2x 415g salmon tins

·       1 cup quinoa, cooked

·       1 brown onion, diced

·       1/3 cup corriander, chopped

·       1 garlic clove, crushed

·       1 tbsp. lemon juice

·       2 eggs, beaten

·       ¼ cup wholemeal flour

·       2 tbsp. olive oil 

Method:

1.     Bring a medium saucepan to the boil. Add sweet potato and boil for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Drain and add to a large bowl.

2.     Drain salmon and combine with sweet potato.

3.     Add quinoa, onion, coriander and garlic into salmon and sweet potato mixture. Stir through using a spoon.

4.     Add lemon juice and eggs to bowl. Mix well using a spoon.

5.     Use hands to combine mixture and form medium sized patties. Lightly sprinkle patties with wholemeal flour.

6.     Heat oil on medium heat in a large frying pan. Cook patties until lightly browned on both sides.

7.     Serve with a side of salad and vegetables. ENJOY!

Health Benefits:

• Oily fish (e.g. salmon) and olive oil provide a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids. Research suggests that omega-3 is beneficial for heart health, and may help to reduce blood pressure, lower triglycerides and ease inflammation.
• Fibre aids in digestion, supports gut health, promotes a healthy immune system and works to lower cholesterol. The vegetables, quinoa and sweet potato in this dish are an excellent source of fibre.
• Low GI carbohydrates are excellent for providing a slow release of sugar into the blood, which assists in stabilising blood sugar levels. They keep you feeling fuller for longer and have also been shown to assist in weight loss or maintenance. The sweet potato and quinoa are wonderful sources of low GI carbohydrates. 
• Protein is important in the body for repairing and rebuilding tissues, producing hormones and the transportation of molecules. Lean protein from the salmon and eggs will assist in maintaining these processes in the body and will also help to keep you feeling fuller for longer. 

How to 'healthify' your next BBQ

Aussie summers are typified by the smell of sizzling sausages on the BBQ, long afternoons of grazing over cheese and jatz, and maybe a few too many glasses of beer or wine. Weekend after weekend of these gatherings can make the body feel sluggish, lacking energy to jump out of bed and for some even bloating and pain.  This year, we and many of our clients are on a mission to make healthy normal. So, to help put the zing back in your step, feel lighter with a bit more sparkle, follow our top tips to a healthy BBQ:

1.    SWAP SAUSAGES TO CHICKEN OR SEAFOOD

WHY? Processed meats such as bacon, salami, hot dogs and some types of sausages have been classed as carcinogens, strongly linked to bowel cancers1 (Australia’s second highest cancer killer!2). They are also high in saturated fat and salt. Stay away if you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Try these swaps instead:

·      Sausages --> Homemade chicken mince rissoles

·      Forequarter chops --> Lean fillets (porterhouse) or cutlets

·      Cabanossi sticks --> Mini chicken skewers

Better yet, throw some prawns and fish on the BBQ. Fish has been thought to reduce bowel, prostate and breast cancer.

2.    ONLY OFFER 2 PROTEIN OPTIONS

WHY? Portion sizes often get blown out of the water at a BBQ. The more on offer, the more you want to eat. Our brains think this way so we don’t miss out on anything. Make it easier by only offering two choices – palm size lean steaks, marinated chicken breast pieces and garlic prawns are our top picks!

BONUS TIP: Fill up half your plate with salad and vegetables FIRST! The fibre (roughage) from salad and vegetables fills the stomach without loading up on calories.

3.    SERVE COLOURFUL SALADS

WHY? We are always telling clients to ‘Eat a Rainbow’, and we encourage this for a reason. Every colour in fruit and vegetables codes for different antioxidants and phytochemicals. These are secret ingredients which play various roles in the body including reducing inflammation, helping to absorb nutrients and making you glow. Aim to have three different colours in each salad, for example: beetroot, rocket and tomato OR cabbage, mango and capsicum.

Do you prefer cooked vegetables? Try these yummy options instead:

·      BBQ corn on the cob  

·      Add capsicum, zucchini & eggplant onto meat skewers

·      Mix in grated beetroot, carrot, zucchini and mushrooms to hamburger patties

4.    SKIP THE CHEESE & NUT PLATTER TO START

WHY? Cheese, nuts and crackers are high in salt and easy to eat a lot of – that is why they are many of our favourite foods! Did you know that 1 handful nuts + 1 large wedge of brie + 1 row of rice crackers is the same as eating 1 whole loaf of bread?! High salt intake causes water retention, often the culprit of that bloated feeling the day after.

Better option: Offer to bring a plate of chopped crunchy vegetables and hummus or low fat tzatziki instead.

5.    BE ALCOHOL WISE

WHY? Alcohol packs a punch containing the second highest number of calories (energy) behind fat.

BEER DRINKERS ALERT: A six pack of a regular lager beer (6 x 375mls) contains approx. 3780kJ/ 900kCal which is one third of a males entire daily energy needs!

WINE O HOLICS: 4 glasses of white/red wine has the same amount of energy as half a large pepperoni pizza!

THE SWEET TOOTH: Cider and sweet pre-mixed drinks or cocktails are equally as potent because they have the alcohol plus sugars added.

Better option:

·     If you choose to drink, opt for a shot of a clear spirit with a soda water/diet mixer instead of beer & cider.

·     If you’re a wine drinker, slow yourself down by finishing one glass at a time then chase it with a non-alcoholic drink such as soda water or a sugar free mineral water.

6.    NEVER ARRIVE TOO HUNGRY

Arriving too hungry at any BBQ only makes it more difficult to eat a healthy, balanced meal. So eat regularly but lightly throughout your day. Before the BBQ, try a fibre rich snack such as snowpeas & cucumber sticks with hummous or 1 scoop plain greek yoghurt with 1 piece of fruit. That way, you will arrive level headed so you can serve yourself a sensible portion.

7.    BE ACTIVE

We are very lucky to live in a beautiful country that provides us with some outstanding opportunities to be active.  At your next event, get stuck into some fun activities too – a game of backyard cricket, walk to the park or kick around a football. Get everyone involved and enjoy!

Stay happy & healthy

Ash, Kat and Emily

1.    http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2015/pdfs/pr240_E.pdf

2.    http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/types-of-cancer/bowel-cancer.html.

Chickpea Burgers

We love a good burger especially in the midst of BBQ season! Many burger patties can be made using offcuts of undisclosed meats, high in saturated fats and salt not helpful in keeping our hearts, brains and bowels healthy. Our answer? CHICKPEAS - yes, you heard us. 

These chickpea burgers make fantastic meat substitutes,WHY?:

• High in protein (great for hungry tummies)

• High in fibre - keeping your gut happy

• Kid friendly

• Cheap to make

• Provides 2 servings of vegetables in your day, something we could all do with.

So give these a whirl on your next burger night and let us know how you like them :) 

Makes: 8 burgers

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 1x 400g tin of chickpeas

•  1/4 cup chickpea flour

• 1 bunch kale or 200g spinach leaves

• Dukkah

• 1 egg

• 1 tbls lemon juice

• 1 clove chopped garlic

•  1 tbls olive oil 

What to do:

1  Heat 1 tsp olive oil in pan and wilt kale or spinach leaves for 2 minutes, sprinkle with dukkah. Set aside once warm. 

2  In a food processor, combine chickpeas, egg, lemon juice and garlic and spin for 5-10 seconds.

3  Add in spinach, spin for another 20 seconds and transfer into a large bowl.

4  Fold in chickpea flour and shape into 8 palm size patties.

5  Heat remaining oil in frying pan and cook patties for 8-10 mintues until lightly golden brown.

6  Alternatively, bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20 mins.

To serve:

Wholegrain bun + 1 patty + lettuce, beetroot hummous & slow roasted capsicum

Pita bread pocket + 1 patty + tzaziki & tabouli

2 patties + 1 bowl mixed quinoa coleslaw & tahin 

Meet our new Dietitian

Hey everyone,

I am Emily, or you can call me Em. I am very excited to have joined Ash and Kat as a Dietitian in the amazing Body Fusion team!

My motivation to become a Dietitian arose at a young age. The first seed was planted from my love of food and cooking. Through this love, I have discovered the power of food and nutrition, and its ability to make a difference to one’s health. The second seed evolved from my love of engaging with people and desire to positively influence those I meet. These seeds have grown and flourished into my passion for food and nutrition, and as a Dietitian I am able to share this with my clients.

I like to think of myself as positive and optimistic, and I feel that this stems from the way I nourish and move my body. I absolutely love everything about food…eating, cooking, discovering new products, experimenting with ingredients…the list goes on. Living an active lifestyle is a big part of who I am. In my own time, I enjoy walking, the gym, cycling, yoga, swimming and surfing. I am lucky to live close by the beach, and I love spending time here. I understand that we are all different, and I truly believe that living a wholesome and active lifestyle is about finding what you enjoy and what works for you!

You will see from my background that I graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours). Professional experience in hospital and community organisations has given me the opportunity to work with adults, children and families in various areas of dietetics. Through these roles, I have developed an understanding and appreciation for the importance of food and nutrition in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic diseases.

I find satisfaction in helping and guiding clients on their health journeys, however I feel that the real fulfilment lies within seeing clients achieve their goals and establish a healthy relationship with food. In practice, my aim is to provide clients with knowledge and practical skills that empowers them to achieve their health intentions and goals.

Now that you have gotten to know me a little more, I hope to return the favour. I am looking forward to learning about you and working with you on your health and nutrition journey.

Em

Filling and Delicious Summer Rainbow Salad

Whilst recently taking a well needed break to my Aunt's Jenny's beautiful farm (http://www.divinegoatsmilksoap.com.au/), I was lucky enough to get cooking in the kitchen with her every night with fresh ingredients straight from the garden! Jen being a vegetarian has become very experimental with interesting salads! This one was so phenomenally yummy that I took the idea back with me to Sydney and I have been trialling different variations since.

Ingredients (serves 4):

- 1/3 medium red cabbage sliced thinly

- 3 cups baby spinach

- 1 red capsicum sliced thinly

- 1 yellow capsicum sliced thinly

- 2 carrots grated

- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes

- 1 pack alfalfa sprouts 

- 2 x zucchinis spiralised & cooked in garlic (1 clove) - you can also just cut them!

- 1 avocado cut into small chunks

- 1 lemon

- 2 x 170g firm tofu --> OR 400g chicken breast OR 100g tinned tuna/salmon per person

- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

- 3 tablespoons soy sauce

- 3 tablespoons toasted pepitas

- 1/2 cup cooked long grain brown rice or quinoa per person

Dressing (Shake hard before using)

- 1 tablespoon hulled tahini

- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 

- 1/3 cup of olive oil

- 3 tablespoons grainy mustard

- Pinch of turmeric

- Splash of water if you need a runnier consistency

Method (Using tofu as protein):

1. Cut tofu into rectangle size pieces. Add to a bowl with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Lightly spray frypan with olive oil. Pour tofu, soy and sesame into frypan and cook over medium heat. Turn over both sides. ~5-7 minutes.

2. Toast pepitas on 160 degrees for ~10 minutes until brown *Check regularly.

3. Add all other salad ingredients, rice/quinoa into a bowl except for the zucchini and pepitas. Squeeze lemon juice from lemon into bowl. Mix.

4. Add zucchini noodles on top followed by tofu.

5. Drizzle dressing over the top.

6. Sprinkle with toasted pepitas. 

7. Eat your heart out!

Other optional adds/swaps

- Beans/legumes/lentils

- Cashew cream on top. There is a great recipe here: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vegan-cashew-cream-cheese

- Add in some fresh mint

Nutritional Benefits (I seriously don't know where to start!)

• Vegetables are a power house of antioxidants. Their different colours in this salad mean you are also eating a rainbow of different nutrients. For example: The orange and yellow vegetables are a great source of Vitamin A which is beneficial for healthy skin and immunity. The red tomatoes and capsicum are a good source of lycopene, an anticancer compound. 
• The lemon and red capsicum are potent with Vitamin C, a nutrient important for tissue regeneration and healing. Vitamin C also helps with the absorption of iron.
• All of the vegetables as well as the inclusion of seeds and brown rice/quinoa make this salad an excellent source of fibre, aiding in digestion and promoting the maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels.
• Protein is crucial for filling us up, generating hormones and supporting many other various chemical reactions in the body. It can be found primarily in the tofu/chicken/fish added to this salad.
• The avocado, pepitas and olive oil as amazing sources of Omega 6 and smaller amounts of Omega 3, supporting a healthy brain and heart.
• Turmeric has strong history and evidence as an anti-inflammatory.
• Apple cider vinegar slows the emptying of your stomach and reduces the GI of the meal.

WOW, you better get on this after reading all that. And after all it is SUPER TASTY :)

Enjoy, Ash xx

Christmas Recipe: Healthy Christmas Cake Muffins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 400g mixed fruit
• 2 eggs
• 130g almond meal
• 50g walnuts
• 2 tablespoons olive or macadamia oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest grated 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius
2. Spray a muffin tin with oil (12 muffins)
3. Combine eggs, dried fruit, spices, vanilla and lemon
4. Add the almonds and walnuts and mix through
5. Spoon into tin, split into 12
6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check with skewer and cook longer if neede

Note: Cover the top if necessary to prevent over-browning.

Nutrition:

Calories: 200 calories/serve (perfect snack size with a cup of tea!)

Fat: 9.5g

Protein: 6g

Carbs: 22g 

Worried about surviving the silly season? Top tips for food success!

So it comes January 1st and you’re trying hard to make your body look nice and fit into that stylish new bikini that you were given for Christmas or squeeze into those summer shorts which seem to have mysteriously “shrunk in the wash”. Want to prevent this happening to you during the silly season? Read on…

With the end of the year quickly approaching, school, university or work are beginning to wrap up, and we are all preparing to celebrate the festive season!! During this busy time the number of social events begins to double or triple (as do the glasses of wine!) and we quickly find ourselves prioritising a catch-up with friends and family. Often our exercise routine and healthy eating habits go straight out the chimney and we’re left with a bit of a Santa belly come January.

Why is this a hard time to eat well?

·      We often mindlessly eat whilst having a chat

·      We feel socially obliged to eat particular (party) foods and drink

·      We simply eat and drink too much

·      We justify the festive season as an excuse to eat whatever we like!

Smart solutions

Be organised:

ü  Take a healthy plate of something to your Christmas party.

ü  Have a snack before you go so you don’t turn up ravenously hungry and devour a plate of mince pies as soon as you arrive – e.g 2 grainy ryvitas + hummus and tomato.

ü  Plan your exercise at the beginning of the week around social events, grab a friend to make it fun and keep you committed!

Be mindful:

ü  Eat slowly and savor your food. Focus on the wonderful flavours and texture of what you are eating.

ü  Choose foods you LOVE over the foods only LIKE.

ü  Fill your plate once! Our stomachs aren’t great at remembering how much food has been eaten. 

You don’t have to people please:

Don’t feel pressured! You can have as much (i.e as little) as you want. After a couple of drinks no one will care (or realise). It only takes 2-3 mouthfuls to taste something so have a sliver of dessert or unhealthy options rather than a huge slice/amount. Give someone a hug to show your love instead of through food!

Go easy on the alcohol:

Alcohol is energy dense, did you know that just 2 glasses of wine = 3 slices of bread?!

Have an alcohol plan: start with a big glass of mineral water to hydrate and alternate alcoholic drinks with water or mineral water/soda. Politely decline top ups as you will find it hard to count how many you have had. If all that fails, offer to drive so you know you have a limit! 

Good luck to all and a very merry Christmas season :)

(We’ll be taking any calls of despair in the New Year!)

Love Kat & Ash
Body Fusion

Hydration 101

With temperatures rising and summer just around the corner, it’s important to ensure that your body remains hydrated. With so much information out there on what, when and how much you should be drinking, it can often feel a little overwhelming. But never fear, today’s blog will reveal all and help you on your way to achieving optimal hydration.

Why is fluid so important for our body?

 Good question - fluid is required for a number of essential processes in our body:

• Regulating body temperature
• Maintaining blood volume,
• Transporting nutrients,
• Lubricating and cushioning joints,
• Aiding in digestion
• Allowing muscle contractions to take place – just to name a few!

 Did you know: the human body can last weeks without food, but only a few days without water?

 Fluid is particularly important during exercise, as the body maintains an optimal temperature by sweating. If not adequately hydrated, the loss of body fluid from sweating can result in dehydration. Evidence has found that as the rate of dehydration is increased, physical and mental performance is gradually reduced.

 Our body is generally able to tolerate low to moderate levels of dehydration, however once these levels increase further (loss of fluid ³2% of body weight), our performance is impaired.

 How?

• Increase in heart rate,
• Raised body temperature,
• Fatigue,
• Perception of how difficult the activity feels,
• Impaired cognition,
• Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

How much fluid should we be drinking?

 Now this is the tricky part. Fluid requirements differ according to a number of factors, including the individual, the type of activity that is being performed and the environment that the activity is being performed in. Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to fluid requirements, so it’s important to work closely with your Accredited Sports Dietitian to develop your own personalised fluid plan.

 Here at Body Fusion, we offer hydration testing for both individuals and sporting teams, which allows us to determine an accurate calculation of your body fluid loss and sweat rate. We are then able to use this information to develop your individual fluid plan to help you achieve optimal performance.

 When should we be drinking fluid?

 Again, this is very individualised and should be incorporated with your fluid plan. However, as a general rule: 

·      Be well hydrated when you begin exercise :Now, this doesn’t mean guzzling 5L of water just before your event. Do this, and you might find yourself frequently ducking off to the bathroom to urinate or experiencing bloating and gastrointestinal upset. You can check your hydration status before exercise by using a dehydration colour chart –pale-yellow straw coloured urine is a sign of adequate hydration. 

·      Ensure that you rehydrate after you finish: Your body continues to lose fluid even after you finish exercise, so it’s important to replenish 125-150% of fluid that was lost during exercise over the following 4-6 hours after finishing exercise.

What type of fluid should we be drinking?

 There are a LOT of different options on the market these days, so it can be tricky to find the best fluid option for you. Again, (I’m sure you’re sick of hearing me say this..) this is tailored to you as an individual and the exercise that you are performing.

·      Plain water

Usually the best choice! If you are exercising for less than 90 mins (short duration) or are performing a low intensity sport (no noticeable increase in breathing rate or sweat), water is best.  

·      Sports drinks

If the activity you are performing is high intensity (i.e. it requires a large amount of effort and causes rapid breathing, sweating and increased heart rate), or is an endurance sport (lasting >90 minutes) OR you sweat excessively, you may benefit from a sports drink containing carbohydrates and electrolytes. The majority of sports drinks are isotonic (meaning that the solution contains a similar concentration of salt and sugar as our blood and cells) and are rapidly absorbed in the body. These drinks contain 10-25mmol/L sodium, which improves fluid intake by stimulating our thirst mechanism causing us to drink more, along with reducing the volume of urine produced post-exercise and promoting carbohydrate and water uptake in the intestines!

·      Milk

 Recent studies have found that milk and other high-fluid dairy products such as yoghurt and custard are equally effective (or even better in some cases) as sports drinks! Along with water and electrolytes, milk also offers additional nutrients such as calcium to support strong, healthy bones. This would also be a fantastic post-workout snack to help your body refuel and repair!

·      Caffeine

 Small to moderate amounts of caffeine have been found to sustain exercise performance and reduce the perception of effort. Although caffeine is no longer banned by the World Anti Doping Agency, it would be advised that you discuss the use of caffeine with your Accredited Sports Dietitian prior to consider your individual response.

·      Alcohol

 Alcohol is not a suitable choice, as it can compromise rehydration and refuelling post-exercise and can worsen the extent of damage to muscle tissues. So make sure you reach for the right option before you start celebrating!

Tips for optimal hydration!

·      Ensure that you are adequately hydrated prior to exercise. There is less chance of becoming dehydrated if you are adequately hydrated to start with!

·      Always aim for a pale-yellow straw coloured urine. This usually indicates that you are sufficiently hydrated.

·      Don’t rely on thirst to prompt you to rehydrate. By the time that you become thirsty, there has usually been a significant loss of fluid. Your thirst will also be satisfied before your body has adequately rehydrated.

·      Develop a personalised fluid plan. Work with your Accredited Sports Dietitian to develop an individualised fluid plan tailored to your requirements.  

·      Make rehydrating enjoyable! Incorporate variety when rehydrating to make it more enjoyable, therefore you’re more likely to rehydrate sufficiently from drinking a greater volume. Dairy is a great option due to its variety in flavour, texture and taste.

Interested in hydration testing? Call the clinic today on 0426 500 251 (Ash) or 0410 533 213 (Kat).

References:

·      Sports Dietitians Australia

o  https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets/fuelling-recovery/fluids-in-sport/

o  https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/factsheets/fuelling-recovery/sports-drinks/  

·      Australia Institute of Sport

o  http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/hydration/fluid_-_who_needs_it  

·      Maughan, R. J., Watson, P., Cordery, P. A., Walsh, N. P., Oliver, S. J., Dolci, A., . . . Galloway, S. D. (2016). A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 103(3), 717-723.

·      Shirreffs, S. M., Watson, P., & Maughan, R. J. (2007). Milk as an effective post-exercise rehydration drink. British Journal of Nutrition, 98(1), 173-180. doi:10.1017/S0007114507695543