As part of The Irish Times food series, ireland.com hosted a questions and answers session with some of Ireland's top nutrition experts - Margot Brennan of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, HealthSupplement columnist Paula Mee, HSE community dietician Sheena Rafferty and nutrition adviser Dr Anne Nugent. Below is a selection of these questions and answers
I keep reading conflicting reports about MSG. Is it bad for you or not?
Joanne Casey
MSG or monosodium glutamate is an additive often found in meat products and Chinese foods. It is primarily used as a flavour enhancer to give more processed foods extra taste and flavour. If it is used in a food it must be declared on the ingredients list.
It is generally seen on the label as "monosodium glutamate" or "E621". A a small amount of people have intolerances to certain E numbers and those people who have difficulties metabolising MSG can experience headache, dizziness and palpitations. Generally speaking, most people will have no difficulty metabolising this additive, but if you are watching your salt content be aware that the sodium in MSG can contribute significantly to your intake. - Paula Mee
I have two children, a girl of four and a boy nearly two. I was wondering how to strike the balance between ensuring children eat and live healthily and therefore don't get overweight while at the same time not making them overly self-conscious about weight and therefore prone to eating disorders. Two members of our immediate family suffered from anorexia.
Maeve
As your children are still under the care of the public health nurse, any concerns regarding weight should be brought to her or your GP. Food should not be used as a reward or bribe, eg: "If you put on your shoes you can have a biscuit." Encourage your children to be active and to eat healthily and enjoy food. Your four-year-old might enjoy "helping" make dinner - the mess is part of the learning. - Sheena Rafferty
I'm an office worker in Dublin city centre and sandwich bars dominate the lunch-time market. I'm constantly hearing how white bread is bad for you. Salads, as an alternative, are tasty every now and then but not very filling.
Peter
In Ireland, our fibre intakes are rather low and we are encouraged to eat brown (wholemeal or wholegrain) options rather than white. It is a good idea to include some type of carbohydrate source as part of your lunch - as well as boosting fibre intakes, it will prevent you getting hungry and prevent a mid-afternoon slump. Choosing a wholegrain or wholemeal option will result in a slower release of sugar into the blood during the afternoon than would be seen with white. In addition to sliced breads, choose pitta, bagel, baps and wraps. You could also opt for some rice, cous cous or noodles to accompany your salad. - Dr Anne Nugent
I'm trying to lose weight but still want to be able to have a few drinks now and then. Given this, are there some types of alcohol that have less calories than others?
John
The bad news is that all alcohol contains calories and the more you drink, the more your resolve to eat well goes out the window! So frequently it is the following day you end up paying the price. Fatty, salty comfort foods the morning after probably do more damage than the alcohol the night before. So if you're slimming, enjoy a drink but stop after one or two.
A pint of stout or lager has about 180-200 calories, sweet cider even more. You're best to stick to a glass of white wine and mix it with a soda water or sparkling water to make a spritzer. This is about 70-80 calories. Alternatively, a pub measure (not a home measure) of a spirit with a diet drink could be your tipple and this is about 70 calories. - Paula Mee
I read a recommendation in last Saturday's Irish Times magazine that one should eat one's main meal at lunchtime. This is not practical for most office workers like myself. Can you suggest an alternative plan? Is it really that bad to eat your main meal in the evening?
Aoife
Depending on lifestyle, some people choose to have their main meal in the middle of the day, while others prefer to wait until the evening. There is no gold standard and we have to adapt our eating habits to suit our modern lifestyles. The key thing to remember is that it is the total number of calories we eat over the course of a number of days, and equally the total number of calories we burn off over a number of days, that will determine our overall body weight. Some people find that having a main meal in the middle of the day means that they eat less in the evening.
On the other hand, sometimes people who wait until evening for their main meal may find themselves absolutely starving and may then overeat. If this is the case, it is a good idea to snack on some fruit and/or yogurt during the afternoon to keep you going until dinner time. - Dr Anne Nugent
I am five months pregnant and there seems to be conflicting debates about the safety of eating smoked salmon during pregnancy. Lucy
I would advise you not to eat smoked salmon during pregnancy, as it is a raw fish. - Dr Anne Nugent
Can you recommend what foods to eat/avoid to alleviate the symptoms of PMS/PMT? Also I suffer from cold sores and have been told to increase my intake of zinc in my diet. What are good sources of zinc?
Siobhan
A vitamin which has been shown to help with PMT is vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Sources are wholegrains (bread and cereals), bananas, beans, nuts and seeds (especially sunflower), chicken and tuna. Cold sores can often indicate that you are run down. Take more vitamin C (citrus fruits, vegetables) and zinc (meat such as liver, beef, pork and chicken) in your diet. Vitamin C and zinc have good wound-healing properties. Sheena Rafferty