EAT WRITEANITA BEAN ANSWESALL YOUR NUTRITION QUESTIONS

Q. Is microwaving food bad for you?

A. Government agencies claim it's safe but very few studies prove this. Swiss researchers say microwaved food may lower white cells in the blood, making you more susceptible to infection. A study published in The Lancet suggests microwaving may reduce the nutritional value of baby's milk, while in 2003 research found that microwaving broccoli destroys 97 per cent of its cancer-protecting antioxidants. My advice is to use the microwave in moderation, not for cooking whole meals. Steaming is a better way to preserve goodness.

Q. I never eat dinner before 8.30pm. Is this bad for me?

A. No. It's a myth that you shouldn't eat after a certain time or that you'll put on weight if you do. What matters is your total calorie intake over the day. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you'll lose weight, even if you eat after 8.30pm. Setting an eating curfew simply helps some people avoid overeating.

Q. I'm breastfeeding and hope that will help me lose my baby weight. Is it OK to diet at the same time?

A. It's fine once your baby is about two months old and feeding is established. Don't go to extremes though, and allow yourself 10 months to a year to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. Don't consume fewer than 1,500 calories a day, and get plenty of protein and fluid.

Superfood of the week: Beetroot

Rich in folic acid, iron and vitamin C, it's an immunity booster and increases the production of disease-fighting antibodies and white blood cells. It also contains betanin, a powerful antioxidant.

Comments

[Caroline]

Hi Anita,

Are you saying it is bad to cook food in the microwave as opposed to re-heating previously cooked food?

I am just trying to work out if it is harmful to heat up previously home made baby food in it that has been cooked by other methods.

Look forward to hearing your reply.

[Kate Wakefield]

Hello! My mum is 14 stone and has started to weight train and do a little aerobics to lose some body fat. If I work out her carbohydrate inatke as 4-5g per kg and her protein intake of 1.6g per kg then she seems to end up eating only 11 g of fat! Is this right or should I resort to spliting her calorie intake 60% CHO; 1.6g/kg protein and the rest fat? I have studied some nutrition at college so she is looking for me to help but I don't know what is best!! Can you help?!!

thank you!