Infuse Issue 11 May 2020 | Page 27

There are three types of Collagen. Type I is the most abundant in your body, followed by Type III and then Type II. Types I and III are most beneficial for skin health and elasticity, and reducing the signs of ageing. Type II collagen is found in the cartilage of your joints and is the type taken by people with degenerative joint problems such as osteoarthritis. If you take Type II collagen then it is recommended that you take it separately from the other types to aid with its absorption. WIN a copy of Catherine's book! There are other claims made about collagen such as benefitting hair, nails and gut health, but the research is not clear. Better quality trials are needed. Monk fruit (or Luo han guo) Monk fruit extract is derived from the fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii, a perennial vine native to southern China where it is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Monk fruit is known for its characteristic intensely-sweet taste. The fruit derives its sweetness from its naturally occurring glucose and fructose, as well as its high-intensity triterpene compounds known as mogrosides. Images courtesy of Catherine Saxelby We're huge fans of Catherine here at Dietitian Connection, and we are excited to have three copies of her book 'Nutrition for Life', newly updated for 2020, to give away. Because of these sweet mogrosides, monk fruit extract is approximately 20 times sweeter than other fruit juices. It has a very clean flavour profile with no lingering bitterness. This makes the extract an obvious solution for replacing sugar in beverages. Currently monk fruit can only be used as a food and drink flavouring. But you could soon see it on supermarket shelves as a table sweetener. LEARN MORE: https://foodwatch.com.au/ facebook.com/FoodwatchAustralia/ Excerpt from Nutrition for Life 2020 by Catherine Saxelby (Hardie Grant) available for $34.99. © Dietitian Connection To win, simply tell us which 'new' food you're excited to try, and why and email us at [email protected] @foodwatch 27 Infuse | May 2020