Journal

Notes on eating well

Practical notes on eating, training and keeping track.

Which Vodkas Are Gluten Free? A Practical List

Plain vodka is generally considered gluten free after distillation, even when it begins with wheat or another gluten-containing grain. This guide explains the main choices, possible exceptions and what to note in your food diary.
Bulgur or quinoa: which fits your food diary better?

Bulgur and quinoa can both provide a useful base for meals, but their nutritional strengths are not identical. Here is how to compare them and record each one accurately in your food diary.
Regular potatoes or sweet potatoes: which fits your food log?

Regular and sweet potatoes can both form part of a balanced meal, but they differ in flavour, texture and some nutrients. Here is how to compare them fairly and log them with fewer surprises.
Celebrity Transformation Diets: What the Headlines Leave Out

Celebrity transformations can make a tightly controlled eating plan look simple, but the published version rarely shows the full picture. This review explains how to assess the claims, use your existing food log and build a more realistic approach.
The Metabolic Typing Diet: What the Labels Really Mean

The metabolic typing diet claims that different bodies need different balances of protein, carbohydrate and fat. This guide explains the idea, where it falls short and how to use your food log more reliably.
What Is the Abs Diet and How Does It Work?

The Abs Diet combines a structured eating pattern with regular strength and cardiovascular exercise. This guide explains its main ideas and how to assess it alongside your existing food tracking.
A Dietitian’s Favourite Ways to Satisfy Chocolate Cravings

Chocolate can fit into your usual eating pattern, including when you track what you eat. These simple approaches help you choose a satisfying portion, pair it well and understand what your craving may be asking for.
Is pearl barley more nutritious than rice?

Pearl barley and rice provide carbohydrate, but they differ in fibre, texture, nutrients and cooking time. This guide explains those differences and shows how to compare them in your food log.
Fresh Ideas for Using Almond Milk Every Day

Almond milk can do far more than lighten a cup of coffee or cover a bowl of cereal. This guide explains how to use it across the day and how to record it accurately when tracking your food.
How to Tell Whether Ricotta Cheese Has Spoiled

Ricotta is naturally soft, moist and mildly scented, so normal changes can sometimes look suspicious. This guide explains which signs matter, how storage affects freshness and when not to taste it.
Which Foods Are High in Dextrose?

Dextrose is a form of glucose added to some foods for sweetness, texture, browning or quick energy. This guide explains which foods may contain the most and how to identify them without relying on guesswork.
Which cheese is highest in protein?

Parmesan-style cheese is usually among the highest-protein cheeses when compared by weight. This guide explains why, how other cheeses compare and what to record in your food diary.
How to Toast Ciabatta for a Crisp Outside and Tender Centre

Ciabatta toasts best when its open crumb becomes crisp without the bread turning dry or hard. This guide covers preparation, four simple cooking methods and how to track any oil or toppings you add.
How to Burn More Calories While Cleaning Your Home

Cleaning already uses energy, and changing how you approach each task can make it more active. This guide explains how pace, movement, task choice and duration affect the calories you burn.
CICO Diet Myths and Facts: What Energy Balance Really Means

CICO describes the relationship between energy eaten and energy used, but the basic idea is often oversimplified. This guide separates common myths from useful facts and shows how to apply the principle to food tracking.
How Cheese Can Fit Into a Healthy Diet While Losing Weight

Cheese can be part of a balanced eating pattern when you are trying to lose weight. This guide explains how to track it, choose a useful portion and build satisfying meals around it.
How Intermittent Fasting Can Affect Your Bowel Habits

Changing when you eat can also change the timing, frequency and consistency of your poo. This guide explains what may happen, what to track and when a change deserves attention.
A Clean Eating Challenge That Fits Real Life

This challenge turns the vague idea of clean eating into practical choices you can track. You will focus on regular meals, useful additions and simple reflection rather than banning foods.
How to Cook a Butt Portion Ready-to-Cook Ham

A butt portion is the rounded upper part of a ham and may contain a bone, rind and generous covering of fat. This guide explains how to check the label, cook it safely, add an optional glaze and track the portion you eat.
How Long Does It Take to Burn 500 Calories?

There is no single amount of time that applies to everyone or every activity. This guide explains what changes the estimate, how to calculate your own time and how to use the result in your food log.