Saturday 8 March 2014

True to my name

Hello and welcome to my blog, Orchard Fresh Nutrition. For my maiden post, I thought I'd share a bit about myself and what has inspired me to create this blog. 

So, I'm Emily. An Accredited Practising Dietitian working in community health. My passions lie in creating nutritious meals and snacks, eating delicious foods, and moving my body. More recently I've also developed somewhat of a green thumb, growing my own vegetables and fruit. (Although I must pay credit to my Dad for watering said plants and thus keeping them alive). 

As a dietitian, my work life and home life sort of blur into one to a degree; it's all about good food and good health. What I love about my work is that I can communicate what I know and what I have learnt about nutrition and health, and share this knowledge in 'plain language' to the clients I get to meet each day. There is soooo much misinformation relating to nutrition in our media and it makes me cringe! No wonder people are confused!

By the time people have been referred to me, they have many many questions and perhaps false ideas which I love to debunk. The most common myth I would hear is "I thought fruit was bad for you?" Seriously, I would hear this on a daily basis. This question always makes me think back to my teenage years, and a routine trip to the dentist. The dentist commended me on yet another visit with no cavities and no work required. I remember Mum saying in response, "Well, Em is true to her name, she eats foods from the orchard, not the lolly aisle." And it is true; I wake up to a big bowl of fresh fruit every day, and fruit or veggies are my go-to snacks. So when people come to me and tell me they avoid fruit because 'I thought it was bad for you,' I really do get a bit mad! 

Fruit is an essential part of a healthy diet. According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE), all adults should consume 2 serves of fruit daily. Fruit provides essential nutrients such as fibre, vitamin C, vitamin E, and antioxidants and phytochemicals. 

Even if you have diabetes, it's absolutely fine to have a banana or to have a handful of grapes... just not the whole bag; like with everything, it's all about moderation. 

The AGTHE recommends we consume 2 'serves' of fruit daily, with a serve being equal to the one medium piece of fruit, 2 small pieces of fruit, or one cup of fruit salad. However, if you are tossing up between snacking on an extra piece of fruit, or a slab of cake, then nutritionally fruit wins hands down!

My advice: fruit is a a nutritious, delicious and essential inclusion in your daily diet  - after all, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away.'