Creative Gourmet is passionate about providing nutritious products to our consumers.

Creative Gourmet’s mission is to supply high quality branded food products to retail and food service markets. We are committed to supplying food products that consistently reward consumers with taste, enjoyment, convenience, health and nutrition. Creative Gourmet recognises that food choice is influenced by many factors and that a balanced diet and an active lifestyle are important for good health and wellbeing.

The HEALTHY benefits of Creative Gourmet’s products

Creative Gourmet’s Nutritionist/ Dietitian, Joanne Turner says, “Fruit and berries provide more than just great taste - research continues to prove they are also extremely good for you”.

“In fact, blueberries are recognized as a SUPERFOOD which can give your body a wonderful on-going health boost. They contain a range of antioxidants, which may help improve circulation, guard against heart disease, fight infection and possibly prevent colon cancer. Plus, their anthocyanins have been shown to help delay memory loss”, says Turner.

“Other berries such as blackberries, strawberries and raspberries have high anti-oxidant properties, too, and along with blueberries, are high in fibre, folic acid and vitamins C and E.

“We should all consume a variety of two fruit and five veggie serves daily to get the nutrients we need. And there’s no better way to enjoy these foods than the snap frozen goodness of Creative Gourmet”, Ms Turner says.

Making healthy choices has never been easier with Creative Gourmet selection of fruit and berries, “you can enjoy them as an easy snack or added to your favourite recipes, 100% guilt free”. says Turner

Fruit and berries have been shown to:

“Fruit and berries are so healthy it has been estimated that if everyone in Australia increased their intake by 1 serve a day, we could save up to $180 million in health care costs per year” Joanne Turner Creative Gourmet’s Accredited Pracitisng Dietitian / Accredited Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist

A balanced diet should include 2 serves of fruit or berries per day - more for pregnant and lactating mothers (a serve being half a cup of berries or 1 cup of fruit).

Creative Gourmet selection of fruit and berries are:

• 100% fresh fruit and berries simply snap frozen (see benefits of snap freezing below)
• Packed full of natural vitamins and minerals
• Contain natural antioxidants
• Naturally high in fibre
• Naturally fat free
• Have no added sugar
• Have a low Glycemic Index. Some berries are so low in sugar they don’t even raise the blood glucose levels much at all.
• Naturally low in kilojoules / energy

What is Glycemic Index?

Glycemic index is a measure of how rapidly carbohydrate foods change our blood glucose levels. Low GI gives a slow blood glucose reaction, so great for people with diabetes. Low GI carbs give a more sustained energy, and help keep hunger pangs at bay, so may also assist with weight management.

Foods containing low GI carbs are also handy as snacks between meals. If you consult a dietitian individually, they can help you learn more about incorporating more low GI foods into your meal plan.

Berries all have a low GI, some berry’s Glycemic response is so low that the Sydney University’s Glycemic research Service (SUGiRS) cannot test their GI, and simply state that they have little or no carbohydrate.

Low GI:	55 or less
Medium GI:	56-69
High GI:	70 or more

GI of Australian fruit and berries as published by Professor Jennie Brand Miller

Food	GI	GI rating	Food	GI	GI rating
Blueberries	53	Low	Apricots	57	Medium
Mango	51	Low	Paw Paw	56	Medium
Raspberries	*	* Little or no carbohydrates	Pineapple	59	Medium
Rhubarb	*	* Little or no carbohydrates	Rock melon	68	Medium
Strawberries	40	Low	Watermelon	76	High

For more information on Glycemic index, see www.glycemicindex.com

Why is sugar mentioned on the nutrition information panel, does Creative Gourmet add sugar to their fruit?

No sugar is added. All fruit, fresh and frozen, contain natural sugar, this sugar is mainly fructose sugar, which has a lower GI than table sugar (sucrose). The rest of the carbohydrate is mainly the natural fibre in fruit and berries. Over all, compared to any other snacks, the sugar content is actually quite low, and so are the total energy levels. Making berries and fruit perfect for people who are controlling their blood glucose levels or watching their weight.

The benefits of freezing fruit

Creative Gourmet makes it easy to enjoy premium fruit and berries, all year round. Research has shown freezing is the best way to maximize the retention of nutrients and quality throughout transport and long-term storage. Creative Gourmet fruits and berries come in an easy to use re-sealable bag to retain freshness for even longer.

Creative Gourmet fruits and berries are picked at their prime, and snap frozen within hours of picking, so all the goodness is locked in.

Snap frozen foods, with the goodness locked in, can often be higher in nutrients and vitamins than so-called “fresh” foods, which may have been picked several days before finally reaching your plate.

“With Creative Gourmet fruits and berries, you know the initial goodness has been retained through the snap freezing process, ready for your enjoyment”, Ms Turner says.

Fresh berries can lose more than half of some vitamins within 10 days of harvesting in normal storage conditions and can lose up to 65% of nutrients during the heat treatment of the canning or jarring process. Do you know how long ago the fruit in your fruit bowl was picked?

The US Food and Drug Administration recognize frozen produce is as good as fresh, “on the basis that such products are as nutritionally equivalent to raw products”. In some instances, it has been found that frozen produce may actually be more nutritious than fresh.

For berries it is particularly important that they are bought fresh or frozen, as a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that the health beneficial antioxidants anthocyanins are almost undetectable in canned or jarred foods. For this reason, to gain the most health benefits from berries, buy them frozen or fresh.

Recommended web links

• Dietitians Association of Australia
• Australian Association of Exercise and Sports Science
• Australian Institute of Sport Nutrition department 
• Sports Dietitians Association of Australia
• Nutrition Australia
• Glycemic Index
• Australian Government of Health and Ageing
• Centre of Physical Activity in Ageing
• Joanne Turner
• Diabetic Living Magazine

Creative Gourmet’s Accredited Practising Dietitian / Accredited Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist, Jo Turner

Joanne Turner is both an Accredited Practicing Dietitian/ Accredited Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist, with a double major Master of Science degree in nutrition, dietetics and exercise rehabilitation, from the University of Wollongong, Australia.

Joanne is the owner and director of NuActive Health a busy health consultancy business in Sydney, which consults to thousands of individual clients, sporting teams, corporate organisations, government and non-government organisations, the food industry and the media. Joanne is also a loving wife and mum who loves to cook and dance (sometimes at the same time)

Joanne has also completed additional training in paediatric nutrition, and passionate about promoting the importance of good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle for kids.

Joanne is a leading Sports Dietitian who has works with many national and state level sporting teams, which has taken her around the world.

Joanne’s prime ambition in life is to make a significant positive difference to the health status of as many people as possible by showing them how easy and enjoyable it can be to have a healthy lifestyle. You can read more about Joanne Turner at www.joanneturner.com.au

Nutritional Facts

Select one of the options below to view a short video (approx. 1 minute) with important information from our nutritional expert

• Fresh vs Frozen Berries
• Why Are Berries Good For me?