Health and Wellbeing

Dining Al Fresco
Bring good nutrition to the great outdoors

Welcome to the July edition of NDC’s Health and Wellbeing page. In reland,we love being outdoors, and outdoor activities have evolved to be more than sports, sunbathing or working. Eating outside or ‘dining al fresco’ has become a popular choice when the sun shines. There is an amazing selection of different outdoor dining styles we can choose from; barbecues, picnics, summer salads, sit-down meals, buffets,cooling drinks… the list is endless. Sunshine, fun and good nutrition- what more can you want from a meal?

Dairy- it’s part of who we are
Although the barbecue is relatively new to the Emerald Isle, we can put our
own Irish twist on the dining al fresco experience – and what better way than to use home farmed Irish dairy products? From the goodness of milk, to the richness and variety of cheese and yogurt, dairy is a delicious choice for outdoor dining.

Dairy and cardiovascular health
Dairy products are a natural source of many essential nutrients. As well as
being a source of calcium - an important bone-building mineral, dairy has also
been linked to many other health benefits. Scientific studies suggest that milk drinking may be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. Although the exact mechanism is not yet established it is thought that minerals and other nutrients in milk and dairy may play a role.

Benefits for blood pressure
The DASH diet - Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (hypertension is high blood pressure) has shown to be very effective in blood pressure management. The DASH diet is simple - include three portions of dairy foods (majority to be low-fat) per day, plenty of fruit and vegetables and reduce fat in your diet. It is thought that the combination of minerals; calcium,
potassium and magnesium provided by the DASH diet significantly benefits blood pressure. A series of internationally renowned scientific studies have shown the effectiveness of the DASH diet.

Benefits for you
Although the research discussed above shows some remarkable results, there is nothing new about these dietary
recommendations. The Department of Health and Children recommend that Irish adults and children consume three daily portions of dairy to help meet their nutrient needs (teenagers need five portions a day). A portion is a glass of milk (⅓ pint), a pot of yogurt (125ml) or a match box sized piece of hard cheese (28g). However a National survey revealed, that Irish women consume on average only 1½ portions of dairy per day and men just 2½ portions. Furthermore, approximately
one third of Irish children and teenagers do not consume enough calcium in their diets.

 

Did you know?

Milk, cheese and yogurt provide almost half of the total calcium in the diet of Irish adults.

 

NutriMyth of the month

Myth: A dairy-free diet can easily provide all the calcium you need

Fact: It can be very difficult to achieve adequate calcium intake with a dairy-free diet. Although other foods contain calcium, large portions of these foods would need to be eaten to achieve the same calcium intake as just one glass of milk e.g. you would need to consume 16 servings of spinach to achieve a similar calcium intake as 240ml of milk.

 

Delicious Outdoor Dairy Goodness

Here are some delicious summer barbecue and al fresco dining ideas to try out, which will also help you increase your intake of dairy goodness.

Vegetable Kebabs and Yogurt Raita Dip
Onion, peppers, carrot, pineapple, courgette on a kebab. Sprinkle with spices, barbecue until cooked and dip
in raita (Natural yogurt with chopped cucumber, fresh mint and a dash of lemon juice).

Add a Slice of Cheese
Simply by adding cheese slices to burgers you get all the extra taste while increasing your vitamin and mineral intake.

Mixed Fruit Explosion Summer Smoothie
Blend, to desired texture, 1 pot of yogurt (natural or flavoured), 1 banana, handful of mixed berries, 1 peach (remove stone), ¼ glass of apple juice.

Barbecued Potato
Finish off your baked potato barbecue style- add your filling and grated cheese, wrap in tinfoil and place on the barbecue
for 5 - 10mins to get that lovely smoky flavour. Some of our favourite fillings include ham & mushroom and tuna, sweetcorn & pineapple. All topped with melted cheese of course!

Or why not simply unwind after the kids’ bedtime with a selection of cheeses, some crackers, grapes and a bottle of your favourite wine.