YOUR DIET questions answered

THE EXPERTS SHARE SOME #REALTALK ON FOOD FADS AND DIET DILEMMAS

- Penelope Clifton

Eat keto. Go vegan. Say no to sugar. Ditch carbs. We hear these sorts of things all the time, but which ideas around diet should we listen to, and what should we relegate to the trash pile? WHO caught up with dietitian and nutritionist Leanne Ward and beauty queen-turned-nutrition coach Laura Dundovic to find out the dos and don’ts of diets (hint: neither of the ladies are fans of a strict regimen!). Here, the fit and fabulous pair cut the bull on food myths and legends.

A lot of celebs spruik the benefits of a vegan diet. Should we be following their lead?

“If you feel this is ethically the right choice for you then by all means,” says Ward – but get expert advice. “I’d recommend seeing a dietitian to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, particularly iron, B12, and calcium. Remember, vegan doesn’t automatically equal healthy. Oreos and hot chips are vegan!”

And you don’t need to go vegan in order to up your plant intake. “There is research to support that the more plants we eat, the healthier we are and the more diverse our gut bacteria is,” adds Ward, who says an astonishing 95 per cent of Australians don’t eat enough vegetables.