Frequently Asked Questions

Dietitians are the most credible source of nutrition and food knowledge when you need to apply it to health and disease in New Zealand.

This page contains answers to many frequently asked questions. If you have a query please feel free to contact us, as the answer to your question is sure to help others too.

46 frequently asked questions found

We have fish and chips for tea most Friday nights. All the family loves it. But I’ve heard this may not be a good idea if someone is trying to lose weight. So what else should I try?

A meal comprised of 2 pieces of battered fish and a handful of chips contains around 95g of fat (most of which is saturated fat), compared to a hamburger (a burger bun, meat patty, onion rings and salad) which contains around 15g. Most takeaways are fried in meat talo (saturated fat) rather than in oil (unsaturated). While oil is better for heart health the kilojoule content of both fats are the same. Healthier takeaways with less fat and energy would include: sushi; Asian meals using boiled rather than fried rice; souvlaki; Pizza’s (not meat lovers); Hamburgers and Subway®.

I think that drinking too much wine is making me put on weight but all my friends do it too and I don’t want to feel out of it. Besides I love drinking. Any ideas?

We use wine to celebrate success and commiserate with our friends when things go wrong. So drinking has become a big part of our culture today. Alcohol carries around 7 kilocalories per ml not far behind the energy value of fat (9 kilocalories per ml). So it’s not hard to see why weight is gained drinking alcohol.

One standard unit of wine is 104mls. So the first thing to do is go and measure out 104mls of wine and then pour it into a variety of different sized wine glasses. Research has found that if the gap between the top of the wine and the top of the glass is too big you will feel deprived. So in smaller glasses 104mls looks a bigger serving. Most wine glasses that you see in bars have a mark denoting where their standard measure is. (Note: many bars sell servings bigger than 104mls to attract more clientele). Bars try to get as many servings out of a wine of bottle as possible so as to make more money.

However notice how this changes when you sit down to eat a meal and order a bottle of wine. You will be given a bigger glass than the one at the bar. This is a marketing ploy because with bigger glasses you soon find you need to order a second bottle of wine.

So if you want to enjoy wine with your friends but would like to slow down, drink from a smaller glass; space your wines out with non-alcoholic drinks such as a lime and soda or iced water or better still offer to be the designated driver for your friends. Not only will you stop adding weight to your waistline but you will save a lot of $$$ in the process and still be there having fun with your mates.

I’ve been on lots of diets in the past. I can be “good” for a while and then I relapse. Any ideas on what I should do?

Stop “dieting” and look at what you eat and when? Try to eat healthy meals regularly.

When you label food as being “good” or “bad” then you tend to do the same with labeling your self. You are not a “good” or “bad” person based on the food that you eat but on who you are.

All food is “good”. A packet of crisps would be a meal to those who are starving. At the moment the crisps may be less appropriate for you because you are carrying more fat than your system is able to process. Put simply you need to stop eating high fat foods for a while so that your body can catch up.

In the meantime keep a diary of your fluid and food intake and exercise each day. Make sure that you honestly record everything including the extra foods that you pick at and you will soon see a pattern of behaviour emerge. Are you skipping main meals in favour of higher energy in-between meal snacks? For personal assistance contact us or your local dietitian.

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High carbohydrate or high protein? Which diet is best if you want to lose weight?

Both methods result in weight reduction. However a high protein diet over time can be injurious to your health. High protein diets tend to be higher in saturated fat and sodium risking your heart health. As these diets rely on very low carbohydrate intakes they lack dietary fibre essential for a healthy bowel. High protein diets generally exclude bread and cereals, root vegetables and some fruits so they can be difficult to maintain when you are out socially.

On the other hand a diet based on carbohydrates that are low in GI, with moderate amounts of low fat protein rich foods can be eaten every day as part of normal healthy eating plan. In this way, if combined with regular exercise and plenty of fluids, you need never feel as if you are on a diet. If you would like to know the specific quantities of carbohydrate and protein that you need to achieve results then talk to us or your local dietitian.

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My elderly mother is underweight. Should I add cream to her porridge?

The answer is ‘no’ as she needs to build up muscle, not fatty deposits in her arteries. Increase her energy intake by offering low fat high protein foods such as milkshakes, milk puddings and more in-between snacks such as salmon sandwiches or mini muffins. Offer scrambled egg or low fat cheese for breakfast and she will soon be better. Also encourage her to do some weight bearing exercise as this has been found to be just as effective at building muscles in the elderly as it is for children.

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Do I need to take Vitamin C pills to stop colds?

There is no cure for the common cold. Irrespective of age most of us need only 30-40mgs of Vitamin C each day. One kiwifruit contains 65mgs. So if you eat two raw fruits and have a serving of raw vegetables each day, you’ll take in more Vitamin C than you can absorb.

My four-month old baby wakes at night. Should I introduce solids now?

Often mothers lose confidence in their ability to produce sufficient breast milk to meet the needs of their growing baby but they shouldn’t. Breast milk is the very best start you can give your baby so continue to feed on demand until your baby is 6 months old. Then slowly introduce cereals and fruit offering one new food at a time every 4-5 days.

I’ve told by husband he needs to diet and lose weight but he won’t listen. What can I do?

You can’t change other people’s behaviour only your own. The word ‘diet’ often makes people think they have to eat less, when in fact they just need to learn to eat more healthy foods in the appropriate quantities at the right times. Rather than nagging him, buy lower fat foods, encourage exercise, offer plenty of non-alcoholic drinks and lead by example. Concentrate on the things he does well and as his self-esteem improves you will notice positive changes in everything he does.

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My two year old chews meat and then spits it out the meat fibre. Is he getting enough iron?

Probably not as the meat needs to be swallowed. Young children have deciduous (baby) teeth not steak knives in their mouths. Try offering softer versions of meat such as pate, mince or diced casseroled meat.

How can I improve my calcium intake when I’m not in the habit of drinking milk?

Ask yourself first if it is just a habit or due to allergy or intolerance. If it is just that you’re not in the habit of drinking milk then making milkshakes with trim milk and fruit (such as banana, peach or berries) or Milo® for a snack after school or work should help.

If you are intolerant to cow’s milk then calcium can also be found in calcium enriched rice or soy milk and used in cooking and snacks.

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