1
SuShi
Sushi pulls off the remarkable double feat of being healthy
and yet tasting nice. That’s about as good as it gets - and as an
added bonus, it’s relatively cheap and massively accessible in New
Zealand.
There’s a reason why the Japanese are among the healthiest
people in the world - the preponderance of raw fish, vegetables
and rice in their diet is a major contributing factor.
Raw fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and the seaweed in
which sushi is wrapped, contains magnesium, iron and iodine.
Omega-3 is known as a ‘good’ form of cholesterol and there are
arguments that it even helps to balance out ‘bad’ cholesterol in
the body, helping to prevent clogged arteries.
It’s important to state here that the calorific value of sushi
changes if the fillings are deep fried and covered in mayonnaise.
2
NutS
Everyone forgets about nuts. They are the seriously better
alternative to chips and other salty, high fat snacks. As a
general rule, nuts are packed with protein, fibre and essential
fats, vitamins and minerals. But the health benefits of nuts vary
considerably. Avoid salted nuts always - and instead eat
pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds and pecans
are all tasty and loaded with goodness.
3
AppleS
An old favourite - who
doesn’t love the feeling
of biting into a crisp, perfectly
ripe apple? Be it the tartness
of a Granny Smith or the juicy
sweetness of a Pacific Rose - it
doesn’t matter - all apples are
rich in vitamins and help
with a functions such as:
heart health, whiter teeth,
boosting your immune
system and detoxifying your
liver. If you are hungry –
make an apple the default
snack. You can’t eat too many.
If YOU fIND yourself constantly staring into the
fridge or pantry unsure what to eat – we have the
answer. There are some foods that you just can’t eat
enough of.
rugby’s
super
foods
4
Broccoli
Forget any bad childhood memories you may have when it
comes to broccoli - this is a vegetable that packs an
incredible punch and is nothing but goodness. It belongs to the
cruciferous family which includes kale, cauliflower, Brussels
sprouts and cabbage: and if you ate just one cup of broccoli, it
would provide more than 100 per cent of your daily need for
vitamin C and vitamin K, and is also a good source of vitamin A,
folate and potassium.
There are also studies that have shown there is an association
between high consumption of broccoli and lower risk of lung
cancer. Cook it for only a couple of minutes so it retains its
crunch.
5
pork
Pork is the forgotten meat and sometimes wrongly portrayed
as fatty. The truth about pork - good quality 100 per cent NZ
pork - is that it is high in protein and lower in fat than chicken.
True - 100 grammes of roasted pork top loin contains 8.82g of fat
while chicken - with meat and skin - has 13.39. When it comes to
protein, 100g of top loin has 26.45 grams of protein. The same
amount of roasted chicken with meat and skin has 23.97g.
The protein in pork is vital for repairing and maintaining body
tissue and muscle mass.
[See below for fabulous NZ Pork recipes]
6
BerrieS
The culinary highlight of summer has to be
the abundance of fresh berries that are available.
It’s kind of incredible that you can take a handful of different
berries, chuck them in a bowl, wolf them down and they
somehow complement each other. Raspberries, strawberries and
blueberries – they are all high in anti-oxidants and rich in
vitamins. They are delicious on their own but of course can be an
excellent accompaniment to yoghurt and porridge.
7
porridge
Talking of porridge...[lovely segue that] it is an under-
appreciated winter staple that can provide a strong and
lasting source of energy. Oats are a whole grain and recent
research out of the USA has even suggested that a small bowl of
Pork ChoPs ala stuff all
A RECIPE FOR THE LAZY MAN
Have all the will in the world to
show your wife you love her but
just can't be stued? Pork
chops ala Stu All is the perfect
answer.
1. First get eight of the most
romantic pork chops you
can find.
Then marinade them with:
• Tablespoon of apple cider
vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of ground
cumin or coriander
• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper
flakes
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2. Do stu all for a bit.
3. An hour later, remove your
chops, cover them in pepper
and salt, then grill them over a
hot pan or grill for 4 minutes on
side A. And three minutes on
the B side.
4. Then call your missus over,
give her a card you bought from
the dairy, and announce that
you've done stu all for her
once again - you romantic
bugger you.
52
// NZ RUGBY WORLD // JUNE/JULY 2015
[ food of champions ]
