Nutrition and Breastfeeding Articles

​Echinacea is a plant that is widely used to treat the common cold. There are nine known species that are all native to North America. The most common species used in dietary supplements are Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea angustifolia. Echinacea available for purchase can vary greatly due to different types, preparation, and parts of the plant being used. 
 
Many studies have investigated effects of Echinacea, with varying outcomes and no clear understanding that Echinachea helps to prevent a cold. However, studies have shown that some preparations of Echinacea purpurea can help to shorten the duration & severity of the common cold. This may be effective in adults, but not in children.
 
It is recommended that Echinacea preparations shouldn’t be consumed for longer than 8 weeks. At this stage, no harmful side effects are known, but the evidence for long-term use is still very limited. 
 
It is important to know that products of Echinacea on the market differ greatly. If taking Echinacea, look for Echinacea purpurea as an alcoholic extract, or pressed juice. Overall, the evidence is inconclusive & more studies are needed to determine if echinacea prevents or reduces the effect of the common cold. 
 

References:
Sachin A Shah, Stephen Sander, C Michael White, Mike Rinaldi, Craig I Coleman, Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: a meta-analysis,The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Volume 7, Issue 7, 2007, Pages 473-480, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(07)70160-3.
 
Linde K, Barrett B, Bauer R, Melchart D, Woelkart K. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000530. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000530.pub2. Accessed 26 June 2022.
 
National Center for complementary and integrative health. Echinacea. NIH. 2020. Available at: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/echinacea. Accessed on 26 June 2022.
 
By Emma McShane, Dietitian. Edited by Nicole Bando, APD, IBCLC, July 2022

By Emma McShane & Nicole Bando, March 2022
 
Some people need to remove dairy and soy products from their diet due to a food allergy or intolerance. As these foods contain vital nutrients, including protein and calcium; important for the health of our bones and muscles, dairy and soy should be replaced with nutritious substitutes. This easy to follow guide provides simple swaps to help you enjoy the foods you love and get the nutrients you need.
 
*Please note that this resource is a guide only. Always check the ingredient labels of foods, medications and supplements for allergens, as ingredients may change.  This resource displays food products labelled as dairy-free (DF*) or soy-free (SF*) or both. Products ‘may contain traces’ of either soy or dairy, please consult with your allergist or dietitian for guidance. Please note that plant based milks may not meet the growth needs of young children, seek advice from a dietitian. Daily calcium requirements vary according to age and gender.

Are you breastfeeding and avoiding soy/dairy? See this article for more about how to meet your dietary needs.
See here for more about breastfeeding & nutrition.

For further label reading advice, see: https://www.allergy.org.au/images/pcc/ASCIA_PCC_Dietary_avoidance_cows_milk_soy_2015.pdf
This does not substitute individual dietary and medical advice. 

​Happy Winter everyone...with June 1st upon us, what do you need to know about oats – steel cut vs rolled vs instant or quick? All oats have the same nutritional profile, they are rich in fibre, beta-glucan (helps to keep cholesterol in check). They are often marketed to increase breast milk supply, however there is no evidence to support this claim, though oats are a great source of energy for breastfeeding women, therefore great to include as part of a balanced diet.

1. Steel cut oats are the least processed, they are unrolled then cut into pieces, they take the longest to cook; 20 minutes once simmering. Fashionable in recent years, there is negligible difference to rolled oats nutritionally, though they cost a lot more. They have a slightly lower glycaemic index than rolled oats.
2. Rolled oats have been steamed, rolled and dried. They take approximately 5 minutes to cook once bought to a simmer. They have a low glycaemic index, so will keep you full longer.
3. Quick oats have been rolled, steamed and ground into smaller pieces. They have just as much nutrition as their less processed relatives, but your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard; so they may not keep you feeling as full for as long, meaning the glycaemic index is higher.
4. Instant oats: another step along the processing chain, these have been cut further and have additives, such as sugar, emulsifiers, milk products and sweeteners. They are lower in fibre and higher in sugar.

The bottom line? If choosing microwave oats, opt for a plain or high fibre option (e.g. Uncle Toby’s Original sachets, Carman’s Natural 5 Grain & Super Seed ). Steel oats are of negligible added benefit, so my advice is if you have time, choose plain rolled oats. Whichever oats you choose, add your own toppings such as fruit, yoghurt, nuts and seeds to sustain you for longer.

Thanks to Victoria Hobbs, Deakin University for data collection.

It’s time to examine a snack that has been trending for some time; the bliss ball. Are they actually a healthy snack and what sort of marketing tricks to the companies use to lure us in? I look at kilojoules/calories per serve, as well as fibre, sugar and protein per 100g. What are the top 3 ingredients – do they contain sugar, do they contribute nutrients? A good guideline for a snack is generally 300-600kJ, depending on your nutrition goals.
Let's compare products:

1. Special K protein bliss bites: 420kJ/serve, moderate fibre, low sugar and a good source of protein (from milk). The fats and protein may improve satiety.
​
2. Carmen’s Bliss Balls : ~312kJ/serve (similar calories to an apple), 6-10g fibre/100g, high sugar 39-47g/100g across the range. A source of refined sugar, the primary ingredient is dates. Contain nuts, so a valuable source of protein. However, will 1 bliss ball fill you up? Consider how many you need in order to feel full and note if they take you through until the next meal.

3. Creative Gourmet Super Balls (fridge section): 525kJ/serve (equivalent to 1.5 apples), moderate fibre 6g/100g (2.1g per serve, an apple delivers up to 3-5g), high sugar 24.5g (mainly from dates as the first ingredient), good source of protein (whey), though also high in saturated fat from coconut cream.

4. I Quit Sugar’ Superfood protein ball mix:
This product is so directly misleading. Initially appears to be a good contender for a healthy snack: it is high in fibre, low in total sugars (<3g/100g) and 486kJ per serve. Its main claim to fame is being fructose free.
However, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE the ingredients that must be added to the mixture to actually make the protein balls. Once the rice malt syrup, coconut oil and coconut are added, these protein balls lose the ‘no sugar’ kudos and increase to 640kJ/serve, refined sugars increase to ~25g/100g and they are a source of saturated fat from all of that coconut. This is marketing genius at its best. Not much better than a muesli bar and so very misleading.
Note: I have checked to see if I can locate this product and it is temporarily unavailable. Check other mixes such as these to see if the nutrition information panel reflects ALL ingredients, or dry portion only.

5. Bounce Peanut bliss balls:
A high energy snack with 880kJ/serve, they are low fibre, high sugar, despite being a good protein source – (derived from ~30% nuts). The second listed ingredient is brown rice syrup. This is OK as an occasional snack if you are very active, but may not fill you up for long and could contribute to weight gain over time.

6. Bounce Cacao raspberry balls:
High energy at 710kJ per ball, high sugar and moderate fibre. A better choice than the peanut ones, but not by much.
My verdict? Choose the top 2 products, stick to the serving size. Enjoy occasionally and observe if they fill you up enough to last until the next meal. They are similar in nutritional profile to muesli bars. Alternatives such as fruit, low fat dairy, nuts, seeds and grains provide more benefit nutritionally.

Why not make your own bliss balls at home to enjoy occasionally? This way you can reduce the serving size and choose the ingredients that will be healthiest. I like this recipe from shift nutrition:
https://shiftnutrition.com.au/recipe/chocolate-peanut-butter-bliss-balls/ (~300kJ/serve)

DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVE NO FINANCIAL BENEFIT FROM REVIEWING THESE PRODUCTS, THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCT REVIEW BASED ON MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION. I HAVE REVIEWED A SMALL RANGE OF AVAILABLE SUPERMARKET PRODUCTS, THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE COMPARISON.