AUTHOR
KELSEY WEIGHT Kelsey Weight is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with experience working across clinical , community and private practice settings . She completed her Masters of Dietetics at Deakin University in 2017 and is a Monash FODMAP trained dietitian . Follow her on Instagram
@ nurture . nutrition and
LinkedIn .
SUMMER HERBS , THE HIDDEN BENEFITS OF YOUR FAVOURITE GARNISH
Dietitian Kelsey Weight shares some amazing insights into those delicious summer flavours .
Yes – we all know greens are good for us ! But don ’ t roll your eyes just yet . I ’ m not here to tell you to put kale in your smoothie or use zucchini instead of pasta . I ’ m talking about a far more fragrant and flavoursome way to include some greens and that is through the addition of the humble herb !
There is no denying that herbs look gorgeous growing in the garden and are the perfect way to add flavour to a meal , but these culinary delights also pack quite the nutritional punch . Did you know these tasty little plants are loaded with health promoting compounds known as polyphenols ? Poly-what ?!
Polyphenols
Polyphenols are a type of chemical compound found in plants that provide a wide range of benefits to the body , including cutting our risk of heart disease and supporting our immune health . They contain powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are in fact , the most abundant antioxidant type found in the diet . New research indicates that polyphenols also have a prebiotic effect ( meaning they act as fuel for our beneficial gut bacteria ). So these tiny little gems are also great for gut health .
14 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE