Every day Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell gets asked the same questions over and over:
‘Do I have to give up bread forever to lose weight?’, ‘Is the sugar in fruit harming my diet?’, ‘Is sushi really as healthy as everyone claims?’
So Susie decided the time had come to answer the most common questions she and fellow nutritionists get asked daily – and her answers may surprise you.
Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell (pictured) has answered some of her clients most common nutritional questions – from whether they need to quit bread to what kind of oil to cook with
Susie revealed that not all bread causes weight gain, and the key is to picking the right one to keep you happy and full. She recommends sticking to sourdough and skipping large wraps
Oprah Winfrey has refused to give up her beloved bread, and so should you.
Susie revealed that not all bread causes weight gain, and the key is to picking the right one to keep you happy and full.
‘Large wraps, Turkish bread, and thick slabs or the white stuff we often consume at cafes will easily result in a carb and calorie overload if we are not careful,’ she wrote in her blog.
Instead Susie recommends sticking to a slice or two of dense grain or Sourdough bread to make sure your carbohydrate and calorie intake is still in check.
Fruit can likewise be a great addition to your diet, as long as you’re having the right kind.
This doesn’t mean you’ll have to pick between grapes and watermelon. Fresh fruit is filled with naturally occurring sugars that won’t adversely hurt your diet if you stick to one or two pieces a day, according to Susie.
Susie suggests having one or piece of fresh fruit a day and avoiding it in juiced or dried form
Limit yourself to two eggs a day to get their nutritional value without upping your cholesterol
But the same can’t be said for fruit in juiced or dried form. These are packed with added sugars, which Susie recommends limiting to five teaspoons a day.
‘You will get this simply from using a sauce or two throughout the day, and perhaps a little in a processed snack bar, yoghurt, or breakfast cereal,’ she wrote.
Susie recommends checking labels to make sure that what you’re buying has less than five grams of sugar per serve, or less than 10grams per 100grams.
Yoghurt is another seemingly nutritious snack that can sometimes be packed with sugar.
Susie recommends sticking to plain Greek yoghurts, especially those with a higher protein count.
Since fruit yoghurts often have double or triple the amount of sugar compared to plain flavours, Susie once again recommends using fresh fruit instead.
Susie believes that extra virgin olive oil is the best to cook with as it is packed with antioxidants
When it comes to yoghurt, Susie recommends sticking to plain Greek yoghurts, especially those with a higher protein count
‘Swedish style yoghurt, or quark is also exceptionally good nutritionally if you like to taste,’ she added.
Past reports on saturated fats led many to rethink having eggs for breakfast, but Susie is here to soothe those concerns.
‘Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods out there,’ she writes. ‘As part of a balanced diet, consuming an egg or two each day will not negatively impact your weight or cholesterol levels.’
She also suggests skipping large California rolls for sashimi and sushi made with brown rice as well as edamame and seaweed salad
But while sushi may seem like a healthy dinner choice, a number of dishes at your favourite Japanese restaurant are packed with carbohydrates.
‘Large California rolls made mainly of rice are not as nutritious as you may think, containing much more carbs than protein or nutrient-rich vegetables,’ Susie said.
The nutritionist recommends sticking to sashimi, edamame, seaweed salad, and eating just one or two small brown rice rolls.
And when it comes to deciding which oil to cook with in the kitchen, Susie said extra virgin olive oil is the clear winner.
‘Contrary to popular belief you can cook with olive oil,’ she said. ‘In fact, it is one of the most stable cooking oils to cook with.’
Olive oil is also packed with antioxidants and Vitamin E. The Mediterranean diet, which olive oil plays a big part in, has also been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
Susie recommends steering clear of cooking with coconut oil, which she said has plenty of saturated fat that does not ‘offer the benefits of antioxidants or extra nutrients’.