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The HEC website is the only website currently offering on-line reputable course modules for the general public in nutrition.

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Now available: FREE on-line access to 28 years (1976-2003) of
Nutrition Society of Australia Conference Abstracts More...
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WHAT'S NEW IN NUTRITION RESEARCH

Which fruits & vegetables are better? be guided by colour

A commentary paper published in March 2004 Journal of the American Dietetic Association states that many people eat relatively nutrient-poor unvaried choices for their fruit and vegetables. While health authorities recommend people eat a plentiful and varied amount of fruit and vegetables, advice does not usually include which are the better ones to eat. The authors suggest that we use colour as the best guide - lots of different colours in foods means lots of different beneficial nutrients and antioxidant phytochemicals - and the deeper the colour the better. For example, deep green lettuce is more nutritious than iceberg lettuce. This does not mean, however, that we should stop eating 'white' foods like cauliflower and potatoes because these also offer protective nutrients.
Studies have shown that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables are the healthiest, irrespective of the types consumed. We have limited data on whether it is due to a specific fruit or vegetable. So no matter what fruit and vegetables you eat, the health benefits will always outweigh the consequences of not eating them in the first place. But if you want to improve the nutrient density of your diet, including a variety of bright and deeply coloured plant foods will help.
Check how varied your diet is by completing our Food Variety Quiz.
Related articles: Debate about the declining nutrient levels of fruit & vegies click here

Dietary calcium and kidney stones

Doctors have been recommending low calcium diets to treat people with kidney stones. The rationale for this recommendation was that since the stones are mostly calcium, less calcium from the diet would reduce the chance of deposits in the kidney. It turns out that this may not be the case. A study published in April 2004 Archives of Internal Medicine shows that higher dietary calcium helps prevent kidney stones. This study assessed 96,000 nurses and found over 1,200 cases of kidney stones. The women consuming the most calcium had a highly significant 27 percent reduction in stones, however, calcium supplements did not show a protective effect. In addition, phytate, a chemical found in high fibre foods that binds minerals, showed a stronger protective effect, reducing stone formation by 37 percent. A higher intake of fluids and animal protein also appeared to decrease risk of stone formation.

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NUTRITION RESOURCES ON THE WEB

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report on obesity prevalence in Australia 1989-2001 http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/aus/bulletin11/index.html

http://www.bonehealthforlife.org.au/
The Jean Hailes Foundation website on osteoporosis.

http://www.nap.edu/books/0309091691/html
Download a copy of the US National Academy of Sciences new release on the "Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, and Sulphate".
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