Healthy Food Guide April 2022

As we enter chocolate season — sorry, I meant April — and the weather starts to cool a little, you might be craving sweet foods more than usual. Easter eggs line supermarket shelves, and light summer salads become a distant memory. And I say, embrace it! This issue is loaded with healthy Autumn dishes that will leave you feeling super satisfied. Try our vegie-packed family dinners (p66), cafe-style brunches (p38), hearty meatballs (p64) and decadent chocolate cookies (p74). We also shine the spotlight on women‘s health — a topic many of us are guilty of burying our heads in the sand about. While researching this story, I was surprised to learn that almost a third of women between the ages of 25 and 44 cannot find the time to attend to health checks.…

Helping hand Thank you so much for the healthy takeaway guide in the January edition of HFG. I was feeling nervous eating out again after lockdown, and this guide helped me feel more comfortable and confident making fast food choices. I realised I can still have a social life and enjoy takeaway with friends and families. Sora Machida, NSW Diabetes friendly A friend gave me a six-month subscription to HFG magazine as a gift and, having never seen it before, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed reading it. I particularly liked the articles about diabetes, as well as the low-sugar recipes and healthy shopping tips. It has helped me immensely as a borderline diabetic, and I’m looking forward to future issues. Gwyn Martinov, NSW Meals made easy I’m writing to say a big thank…

New beginnings Your magazine has taught me that you can never be too old to develop new habits. In the past, I could never resist sweet things. But having read the article on sugar cravings in the February issue of HFG, I now understand the science behind cravings and I’m making a concerted effort to follow the strategies you have provided for taming a sweet tooth. At 84 years of age, let me tell you there is always room for improvement. It has been a good start to my year. Rosa Celestino, ACT…

Write to us at ‘Your say’ and you could win a GreenPan Padova two-piece frypan set (20cm/28cm), valued at $255! The GreenPan Padova cooking collection features Thermolon™ Infinity Professional coating, a high-quality ceramic, non-stick coating that’s free of harmful PFAS chemicals. Ovenproof and dishwasher-safe, the thick, aluminium base ensures even cooking. Available exclusively from Myer. * Congratulations to Rosa Celestino, this month’s Your say winner, who wins a Shun Classic Knife valued at $349.95. Have your say at healthyfood.com and click WIN, or write to us at Locked Bag 5555, St Leonards NSW 1590 Note: Letters may be edited for length and content.…

89% The percentage of Australians who want to improve their diet and eat healthier. A quarter of recent survey respondents also confessed to never or rarely exercising, with people spending nearly four hours on devices, on top of daily work demands. Time to switch off? You Gov/Galaxy Poll WORLD IMMUNISATION WEEK 24—30 April Celebrate the life-saving benefits of vaccinations for people of all ages all over the world in the fight to eradicate and limit disease. This week also highlights the need for ongoing, collective global action. A timely reminder during this Covid-19 era. Visit www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week for more details. Strong bones THERE’S SOME TRUTH TO THE ‘GLASS HALF FULL’ SAYING. OLDER AUSTRALIANS WHO INCREASED THEIR INTAKE OF CALCIUM-RICH DAIRY FOODS (MILK, CHEESE AND YOGHURT), FROM TWO SERVES TO THREE AND A HALF SERVES A DAY, REDUCED…

If your bucket list is getting lengthy, you’ll want to pay close attention to your diet so you live long enough to tick off everything. Computer modelling from Norwegian research revealed a young American adult could add more than a decade to his or her life expectancy by trading a typical Western diet of red and processed meats for a diet with more whole grains, legumes and nuts. The modelling found even an 84-year-old can benefit from this dietary switch, living an extra 3.4 years. Whole grains, nuts and legumes are a key component of the Mediterranean diet, more of which you can read about on p24.…