May 2022 – Registered Dietitians Services

May 16, 2022May 13, 2022Rowinda DimechChildren, Health

Cow’s Milk Allergy (CMA)

Food allergies

Cow’s milk allergy is a type of food allergy. Food allergies are immune system reactions that are triggered by a certain type of food. These can produce symptoms such as digestives problems, hives and swollen throats. In severe cases, it can lead to an anaphylaxis shock. Food allergies affects about 8% of children under 5 years old and adults about 4%. It is common that children outgrow their allergies when they get older.

Cow’s milk allergy

Cow’s milk allergy (CMA) is an allergy specific to cow’s milk and dairy products. CMA is very common in babies in fact it affects 1 in 50 babies. This usually remains until they are about 1 year old as the immune system starts to develop and function properly. If, it continues after age of 1 it usually resolve by the age of 6 years. CMA is very rare in adult.

The immune system plays an important role in CMA as it responds to a specific protein found in milk. Every time that it encounters this milk proteins it produces a bigger reaction. During this reaction the immune system produces the release of histamine and other immune mediators. These chemicals cause the signs and symptoms of CMA.

Signs and Symptoms

This type of allergy can vary from mild to severe according to the level of symptoms experienced by the child. Mild symptoms may present themselves after hours or even days. Mild symptoms of CMA includes:

Urticarial
Eczema
Swelling of the face
Persistent cough or wheezing
Vomiting
Diarrhea

On the other hand, severe symptoms starts soon after cow’s milk consumption. The severe symptoms can lead to an anaphylaxis shock. In which case, the health professional must treat with an epinephrine shot as it can be life-threatening. Severe symptoms include:

Breathing difficulty
Swelling of the nose, tongue or throat
Hoarse voice
Persistent cough or wheezing
Anaphylaxis shock

May 12, 2022September 7, 2022Rowinda DimechRecipes

Pumpkin, Rosemary & Walnut Pasta

This pumpkin, rosemary & walnut pasta is one of my favorite dishes as it offers a sweet fruity taste but at the same time it has an earthy taste as well. The walnuts with rosemary also give this recipe a crunchy and chewy texture. This delicious recipe is rich in Vitamin A & C. Vitamin A is important for a good eyesight and vitamin C to help our immune system remain healthy and well. It is also rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and omega 3. Omega 3 is usually low in our diet as we tend to eat more foods which are rich in omega 6. Unfortunately, an imbalance of omega 3:6 ratio leads to inflammatory responses in our body. therefore, this pumpkin, rosemary & walnut pasta is perfect to decrease body inflammation and improve your overall health. This recipe takes a total time of 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin pasta

2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic (minces)
250g pumpkin (puree)
250g chicken
200g cream
1 lemon (squeezed)
Pinch of salt
450g pasta

Rosemary walnut

250g walnuts
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves (chopped)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper

May 5, 2022May 11, 2022Rowinda DimechAdult

Food Labels – what you need to know

What are food labels?

Food labels are important information found on each food product as these also provide instructions to consumers. In addition, from the manufacturer’s side a food label is important as it helps his product to stand out. In fact, 85% of consumers reports that their decision to buy a food product depends on the information found on the food product. This information helps you make informed choices when buying foods for you and your family. A food label will contain information such as:

The food product

All food labels must have the name of the product. I think this is the obvious information as you cannot but a product not knowing what’s inside it. In addition, you cannot buy a packet saying that it contains biscuits and then when you open it you find pasta! This is a guarantee that the product is what we think it is.

Manufacturer’s details

These details include where the product was made. This information is important so that if you have a complaint you can contact the manufacturer directly. In addition, this information is extremely important for people suffering from any food allergies or diet related conditions. In certain cases, the food label won’t be clear enough for example a person suffering from coeliac disease may be extremely sensitive to gluten and the normal threshold will still make that person ill. Therefore, the manufacturer needs to be contacted to clarify the exact content of gluten in the product.

Nutrition information

In this section, we find product-specific information such as the serving size, amount of calories and nutrient information at the main or top section. At the bottom section, there is the % daily values and the number of calories used for general nutrition advice. These are highlighted in the nutrition label below.

Ingredients

On all food labels the ingredients of the food product must be listed according to quantity. So, the first ingredient in the ingredient list is the most abundant while the last ingredient listed is the least abundant. In addition, the allergens must be highlighted bold in this section for example milk, nuts and fish.

Expiry date

Each product has a different shelf-life which would have been determined by a set of experiments in the laboratory. This is important for HACCP and food safety. In other words, it is important for the consumer to consume food which is safe and of good quality. A product can have either ‘use by’ or ‘best before.’ What is the difference?

The phrase ‘use by’ means that the food product must be consumed till that date. If, the product is consumed after that date it is probable that it will make you feel sick due to bacterial growth and other pathogens. These type of products are usually milk and dairy products.

On the other hand, the ‘best before’ means that the quality of the product is at its best before that date. If, you consume that product after that date it will not make you sick but it would have changed its taste or crispiness for example crisps.

May 2, 2022Rowinda DimechRecipes

Cheese Broccoli Soup

This cheese, broccoli soup is an easy quick recipe. It takes 45 minutes including the preparation and cooking time. This recipe soup is rich in vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin K, folate, iron and calcium making this recipe ideal to boost your immune system. The immune system helps our body to remain healthy as much as possible by fighting harmful viruses, bacteria and damaged body tissue from oxidative stress. If, you or your child are continuously getting sick it might be a sign of a weak immune system. Therefore, it is important to choose foods which are high in vitamins and minerals. This recipe of cheese, broccoli soup is also suitable for vegetarians.

Total time: 45minutes

Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter
100g broccoli stem
250g broccoli florets
30g all- purpose flour
250ml whole milk
1 carrot (large)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of paprika
200g cheddar cheese (grated)

Method

Put 1 tablespoon butter in a large soup pot and heat.
Add the broccoli stem and leave it for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add another 4 tablespoons of butter in the pot. When it melts add the flour and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Pour the milk slowly and whisk constantly for about 10 minutes or until it resembles a creamy soup base.
Add the broccoli, carrots and spices and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Remove the pot and leave to cool slightly and add most of the cheese, Stir until it melts.
Serve with the remaining cheese and a piece of crusty bread.

I hope that you try this cheese, broccoli soup and enjoy its flavors with your family and friends. Let me know what you think about this recipe in the comments below. If, you would like more recipes which are low in calories & carbs I invite you to order our recipe book. Each recipe also contains the nutritional information inside.