Australian_Healthy_Food_Guide_February_2017

FEBRUARY 2017HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 43

p

morning

fry-ups for

scrambled

or poached

eggs & veg

Link with diabetes

A large US study found that

people who ate less red meat

and more dietary fibre had a

reduced risk of developing

type 2 diabetes.

“It’s an association; we can’t

say that eating less meat is

the sole reason for a reduced

risk of type 2 diabetes,” says

Dr Alan Barclay, an Accredited

Practising Dietitian and author

of Reversing Diabetes.

Processed meat, over other

meat, shows the strongest link

for increasing your diabetes risk.

“The nitrate preservatives

used in processed meat have

been linked to insulin resistance,

which increases the risk of type

2 diabetes,” Dr Barclay explains.

“Processed meats like bacon

and sausages are often fried at

high temperatures, which can

produce harmful substances

like heterocyclic amines (HCAs),

so that might also play a role.“

“The best advice is to stick

with the Australian Dietary

Guidelines which recommend

that you have processed meat

no more than once a week,”

says Dr Barclay.

STEAK

1 medallion,

1 lamb steak or

1 minute steak

ROAST 1 slice

CHOPS 1 small

CUTLET 1 cutlet

STRIPS 10 thin strips

DICED 5 small cubes

MEAT ON THE MENU

have found that high intakes of well-done,

barbecued or fried meat is associated with an

increased risk of developing bowel, prostate

and pancreatic cancers.

Cooking meat over very high heat also produces

other harmful chemicals called Advanced Glycation

End Products (AGEs). These have been linked to

diseases such as type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

So, avoid burning your meat, and cook it slowly.

Poaching and steaming are the healthiest methods.

And if you are cooking on a barbecue, then use a

marinade with acidic ingredients like lemon juice or

vinegar with your meat, poultry and fish, which will

reduce the level of HCAs, PHAs and AGEs.

SIZE IT RIGHT

Use this guide to see what a healthy

portion of meat looks like (100g raw).