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The McDonald – WeightWatchers affair

Emma Knott — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:50:29 +0000

There have been some unlikely duos in the past: peanut butter and jam, Shrek and Donkey, Elton and Lady Gaga … but this week they were all surpassed the announcement of the most unlikely duo of all: WeightWatchers and McDonalds.

Yes that’s right, customers in New Zealand can expect to see the WeightWatchers stamp of approval on some of the “healthy” meals that the fast food giant sells, such as chicken wraps, salads and Fillet-o-Fish.

According to the New Zealand arm of WeightWatchers, people should be able to enjoy “all food in moderation”. But the partnership has angered anti-obesity campaigners who have cynically dismissed the deal as a marketing ploy.

Personally I’m not sure the relationship will be a lasting one (I can’t see the typical connoisseur of McDonalds opting for a Mc-Salad-Sandwich-Meal). But then again, that’s what I said about peanut butter and jam….

It’s official: The female of the species is brighter than the male

Emma Knott — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:53:08 +0000

Last week, when The Daily Express reported that one in four women would rather be a man, I was feeling a little down. As Tammy Wynette sang “Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman” but do we all really dream of being men! Whatever happened to Girl Power!

Thankfully my spirits were lifted again this week as the status quo was restored. In a global battle of the sexes, men and women went head to head in a bid to win the title of the Trivia Pursuits champion sex. Five months and a whopping 15 million questions later, Hasbro announced the results: Women: 4,088,139,Men: 4,077,596.

The result sparked a lengthy debate at Kaizo HQ: some dismissed it as a narrow victory, others called it a fix (all the boys, I might add). But for now I’m happy, we finally have proof that girls rule. And, most satisfying of all, the boys lost…to a girl!

Let them eat……pie!

Dave Robertson — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:52:22 +0000

Greggs the bakery this week launched a new, more sophisticated looking store for the high-streets of London. Though hearing this news brought joy to my sausage-roll loving side, what made it even better were the stories that followed in the UK national papers. The Sun boldly claimed that the “North-South divide is well and truly back”. The Times stated that Greggs was to become the “Skoda of all pies”, developing into a brand of class and quality, increasing its already huge appeal to those that now wish to spend that £1 extra for the same food (The further irony here of course being, that Skoda’s popular advertising campaign was based around a huge baked car!).

Whether a lover of Greggs’ baked delights or not, the news certainly managed to generate debate and raised awareness of Greggs’ upmarket plans. Who knows … perhaps we’ll soon see McDonald’s Golden arches made of real gold, or the newest Pizza Hut lined with silk. On second thoughts, I very much doubt it!

Butter: a bare necessity or breakfast luxury?

Emma Knott — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:55:16 +0000

Sparks flew this week as a renowned surgeon declared war on butter. Dr Shyam Kolvekar called for a ban on butter in a move he feels would save thousands of lives each year. Over time a diet high in saturated fats, such as butter, can lead to raised blood cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Yet a variety of blogs indicate the public are not convinced. Some people reasserted the golden oldie a substantive part of a balanced diet, in moderation of course.

A crucial part of my morning routine, like many others, involves a visit to the kettle, swiftly followed by the toaster. It’s therefore a concern knowing that my two slices of buttered toast and a latte contain 16.1g of saturated fat – already 80% of my Recommended Daily Allowance, and not even an hour of the day completed!

So, I researched how a healthy food swap could make a difference. Handily, Kaizo boasts margarine spread Flora as a client so it wasn’t hard to find out that by swapping butter for a low-fat margarine spread and making up your coffee with only 1% milk, makes for a whopping 92% reduction in saturated fat intake.

Tell you what, that’s enough to shake-up even my favourite morning routine. I know what jug I’ll be using to pour my milk, and which side my bread’s (not!) going to be buttered…

What do you think to it all – would you give up your toast’s best friend in pursuit of a healthier heart?