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Expert Q&A
Would you like to find out which super foods could really boost your energy or how you could fight the afternoon slump? Drop Angela your questions today and join us again soon for the answers!
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Your Questions Answered...-
1. Nisha asks: I'm in my 33rd week of pregnancy and keep feeling tired and weak with a bad headache, is there anything I can do to my diet to make me feel better?
It's not at all unusual that you would feel very tired at this stage of your pregnancy as your body is working so hard to carry around extra weight as well as supplying all the nutrients your baby needs to grow at an astonishing rate. You can help by eating regular small meals, including energising slow release carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, whole-wheat pasta and brown rice. Try to get enough iron too, from lean red meat, eggs, pulses and green vegetables.
Headaches are also common in pregnancy though you are unlucky, as for most women, pregnancy headaches tend to diminish and even disappear by the second trimester.
You should be able to take standard paracetamol for the pain, but do talk to your GP or midwife about other pain-relief strategies if they are debilitating. If you also have blurred vision, a pain high up in your abdomen, vomiting, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet, seek medical attention urgently as could mean that you have pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a serious form of pregnancy high blood pressure and, if you have these symptoms, you need to contact a midwife or doctor immediately.
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2. Jamie asks: I'm following a low carbohydrate diet, will Canderel affect my ketosis?
No, Canderel should not affect your ketosis, though the granular version does contain very small amounts of carbohydrate (about 0.5g per teaspoon). A low carb diet can reduce your energy levels and in the majority of cases it is not sustainable as a long term diet, so you need to have a plan for reintroducing carbohydrates gradually.
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3. Pauline Bainbridge asks: As a diabetic, is Canderel suitable for me?
Yes it is more than suitable, and in fact an ideal way for diabetics to enjoy sweet tasting foods that they may otherwise have been unable to enjoy. As a diabetic you should eat a healthy balanced diet just like everyone else. This involves cutting down on fat, sugar and salt, eating small regular meals and drinking alcohol in moderation. Browse the Canderel Kitchen for some ideas - bear in mind though, that just because a recipe is low in sugar it may not be low in carbohydrate of the complex kind. Most diabetics can, and should, consume reasonable amounts of complex carbohydrates and still keep blood sugar control. However, they will struggle to do this with too much sugar because of the rapid rises in blood glucose that it causes.
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4. Josh asks: Why is Canderel better than using normal sugar in a sponge cake?
Using Canderel in a cake doesn't make it better in terms of either taste or texture but will reduce calorie and, of course, sugar content. The cake may not brown in quite the same ways as a standard cake, but it will taste delicious. Canderel lends itself well to chocolate cakes!
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5. Nicole Serve asks: What vitamins should I be taking?
It really depends entirely on your age and circumstances as to what you need to take or whether you need to take anything at all. In theory, a balanced diet should provide everything you need, but a multivitamin and mineral may be a good idea if you are very busy, skipping meals, cutting out food groups or are recovering from illness for example. The Food Standards Agency recommends that people who don't get much sunshine, or cover up with clothes all the time, should take 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily. They also recommend that all women who are trying to get pregnant or are in the early stages of pregnancy should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
Generally speaking, a multivitamin and mineral would be your first port of call though, in conjunction with a concerted effort to improve your diet.
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6. Lucy asks: Can a child of two years have Canderel with hot drinks?
Canderel is suitable for the whole family. However, it is not recommended as a direct replacement for sugar in their diet, as children need sugar to grow healthily.
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7. Christine Radley asks: I have diabetes, angina and high cholesterol. What can I do to improve my health?
Obviously the most important thing is to follow the regimen of care and medication as set out by your GP and/or specialist. But you can also help by making sure your diet is as healthy as possible, including 5 portions per day of fruit and vegetables, 3 whole grain portions (a portion is a slice of bread or a small bowl of whole grain cereal for example) and not too many calories or fat. Including a couple of portions of fish a week (including one portion of oily fish) may help to maintain blood flow. Another thing you could do is take regular physical activity, starting gently and working your way up. However, you should obviously stop immediately if your angina pains are triggered. Again you should be able to get advice on suitable exercise from your doctor.
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8. Peter asks: I think I might be lactose intolerant, what are the symptoms?
The symptoms are generally digestive, which can include bloating, wind, stomach pain and discomfort and diarrhoea. These tend to come on quite shortly after having dairy, but the severity of symptoms can be dependent on the type of dairy product and how much you consume. Pay a visit to your GP for information on testing for an intolerance.
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9. John English asks: Can you please clarify the quantity of Canderel to use in replacement of sugar for different weights?
Yes: when using Canderel in its granular form, sugar and Canderel are equal on a volume basis (one tablespoon of either has equivalent sweetness). On a weight basis, you need to divide the weight of sugar in a recipe by ten. So 100g of sugar would be 10g of Canderel for example.
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10. Sarah Jane asks: What are the best foods to eat for breakfast?
The best start to the day is something that is going to fill you up and give steady energy levels rather than a quick boost and then a flat feeling by mid morning. Perfect foods to fit the bill include a couple of poached eggs, baked beans on grainy toast or a bowl of porridge. Try to keep away from sugary or refined (non wholegrain) breakfast cereals and white toast. If you need to add sweetness, sprinkle over some Canderel.
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11. Tricia asks: What types of dishes are suitable for a low carbohydrate, high protein diet?
If you are reducing your carbs but upping your protein you would typically be cutting out or reducing your portion sizes of potatoes, pasta, rice, bread etc. and having meals such as steak and salad or vegetable and chicken stir fry but without the noodles. It's fine to do this for one meal a day or just for a short time, but it is not recommend to cut carbs too drastically or long term. Our bodies need carbohydrates for energy and you can lose weight just as effectively simply by moderating your carb portion size and choosing the more filling high fibre (or "brown") carbs.
