Your questions answered

If you've a question on Nutrition, fill in the box above and I'll post the answers to the most frequently asked questions and some others here. All questions will be kept anonymous.

I've heard nuts are good for you but are they fattening?

Yes, nuts are good for you and they do contain fat, but that doesn't mean they need to be avoided. In fact studies have shown that eating a handful or two of nuts a day is not only associated with lower weight people but also helps reduce cholesterol levels.  Studies giving about 70g of almonds a day, that's about two large handfuls, produced a dose related reduction in blood cholesterol and also reduced the insulin levels in the blood, both related to heart disease and diabetes.

They are high in the good fats, the monounsaturated fats the same as in olive oil, high in protein, fibre, vitamin E, B vitamins, minerals iron, selenium, magnesium and potassium. Go for raw nuts such as almonds as lots of studies have been done on these, not roasted or salted, and keep them in an air tight container in the fridge or other cool place to keep them as fresh as possible. Have them in breakfast or as a snack later in the day. Some varieties of Brazil nut are rich in selenium, which helps to make the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, another heart protective agent. Walnuts are a source of the essential oils omega 3 and 6.

So don't avoid them, in fact make them part of a daily healthy intake.

B12 for vegans?

I'm a fairly healthy 99% vegan who occasionaly indulges in ice cream & cheese(!). There seems to be a lot of conflicting information regarding the importance of B12 in the diet, so I was hoping you could offer some advice. Why is B12 essential, and what do you consider the best food source for vegans? I do enjoy Marmite but was wondering if there is a healthier, tastier version of this that you'd recommend. I'm not a fan of supplements generally, and affordable B12 tablets aren't even vegetarian, yet alone vegan, as far as I know. Hope you can help

I've added a health topic B12,Who needs it and why?, so have a look at this page. As for supplements, I generally steer away from these for the general population as food intake is always my gold standard. In this case however they may be a sensible cover for vegans and the elderly due to reasons outlined in the health article. Many vegan options are available. To keep cost down and also to minimise risk from the high doses that are often present in supplements, you may look at a children's all round multi vitamin/mineral capsule such as Biocare's Junior multivitamins and minerals, taking just one capsule, currently about £12 for 3 months supply.