Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Healthy Diet

We know that eating healthily is important. And, the chances are that the reason you’re reading Healthy Diet is that you try to follow a healthy, balanced eating regime. But no matter how good our intentions, there’s very few of who us can honestly say that we don’t fall off the wagon now and again and succumb to the lure of a takeaway or an indulgent dessert. And that’s OK. The most important thing is not to give up, or to feel like you’ve failed just because you ate a bar of chocolate. If you’re struggling to stick to your healthy eating resolutions turn to page 68 for some advice on how to keep up your motivation. The reality is though, that there is a strong link between our emotions…

Is red wine better for me than white wine? Suzie Sawyer says As we know, wine is made from various grape varieties and its taste and potency widely differs around the wine regions of the world. This is mainly down to grape variety and climate. However, whilst red and white wine both contain health-giving grapes, the way the wine is produced means different health benefits are delivered. This is because red wine is fermented with the grape skin, to produce its red colour. Red wine naturally contains more polyphenols from grape skins. A key polyphenol is resveratrol which is found in much greater amounts in red than white wine. Resveratrol works like an antioxidant and is also known to have a very positive effect on blood flow around the body,…

The five-a-day message has been around for nearly 20 years as a way of encouraging us to eat more fruits and vegetables but only 30 per cent of us actually meet this recommendation. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables helps with our intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds that help to protect the body against disease. More recently it has been suggested that we should be eating closer to 10 servings every day to reap the benefits of this food group. Ten doesn’t mean you have to eat that number of separate servings of fruits and vegetables and in a way it’s easier to think of it as 800g, which can be achieved quite quickly if you incorporate dishes like stir-fries and soups into your diet. Week 1 &…

Sausage and Egg English Muffin SERVES 4 4 wholemeal English muffins, sliced in halflow-calorie cooking spray4 eggs4 lighter burger cheese slices FOR THE SAUSAGE PATTIES 500g 5%-fat pork mince¼ tsp parsley¼ tsp garlic granules¼ tsp dried sage½ tsp Worcestershire sauce sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Mix the patty ingredients together in a bowl. Knead the mince for a smoother texture. Split the mix into eight equal-sized balls. Flatten each ball and shape into a patty until you have eight thin burgers a little wider than your muffins. 2 Spray a non-stick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side. When done, they will have coloured on the outside and be cooked through. Place the…

Salmon and fennel with cannellini bean mash SERVES 2 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs2½ tbsp olive oil2 Waitrose 1 Alaskan Sockeye salmon fillets, skin removed1 small leek, finely sliced1 garlic clove, crushed1 × 400g can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed150ml Cooks’ Ingredients fresh vegetable stockgrated zest and juice of ½ a lemon 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6. Trim the fronds from the fennel and set aside, then cut the bulb(s) into thin wedges, removing any tough pieces of core. Toss with 1 tbsp oil, season and spread out on a baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes. Brush the salmon with ½ tbsp oil, season, add to the baking tray and roast for a further 10 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil…

If you started 2020 with the best of intentions to eat less, exercise more, or any number of other New Year’s resolutions, then you are not alone. The appeal of a new year and the prospect of a fresh start prompts nearly two-thirds of us into making big lifestyle decisions at the start of January – ranging from stopping smoking to saving more money each month. Making resolutions is one thing, but sticking to them is quite another. If your plans for a ‘better me’ have already fallen at the first hurdle this month, you are also not alone. By the end of January, only a quarter of us will still be keeping up our resolutions. Come next December, fewer than one in 10 of us will have fully accomplished…

Spotlight on… Green fruits and veggies Green fruits and veggies are loaded with important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and folate. Eating a diet rich in green produce can help reduce the risk of some types of cancers, maintain strong bones and teeth and promote vision health. Green fruits and vegetables also help to improve digestion and boost immunity. Research also shows that green foods are a great source of phytonutrients and are also low in sugars. Have no shame! A study conducted by WW has revealed 47 per cent of adults have been body shamed because of their weight, hair or even the size of their feet. 17 per cent have experienced a negative comment from their partner and nearly a quarter from their own…

"Fitter people recover better during their sleep" Would you be surprised to hear that the later months of the year are in fact where keeping fit pays the most benefit? As the days get shorter, our internal body clocks can end up all over the place, without us knowing – but we definitely feel it. Here’s why it’s ever more important to keep up your training in winter, and how to go about fitting it in… When you need it most Data from Firstbeat, the advanced performance analytics company behind more than 1,000 professional sports teams worldwide, has shown fitter people recover better during their sleep and throughout the day – and in a season riddled with coughs and colds, this is more important than ever. “Our data shows that…

DR EMMA DERBYSHIRE Nutritionist Emma answers your questions on p10 and helps decipher your food labels on p12. (hsis.org) DR POORNIMA SREELAL Poornima explains how to apply the principles of Ayurveda to your diet on p16. (cgearthayurveda.com) DR SARA KAYAT GP Sara talks about the affect stress can have on our diet on p24. (gpdq.co.uk) PROF BAS VERPLANKEN Psychologist Bas offers expert advice on how to stick to your resolutions on p68. (bath.ac.uk) SID DAJANI Pharmacist Sid gives the lowdown on CBD on p76. (dragonflycbd.com) DR GILL JENKINS GP Gill uses her expertise to address your health and diet concerns on p10. (hsis.org) DR SREELAL SANKAR Sreelal discusses Ayurvedic diets on p16. (cgearthayurveda.com) CHARLES FOSTER On p28 the fruit and veg expert predicts the food trends for the year ahead.…

Most food products have nutritional information on the label. Deciphering the information on the food labels can help you choose healthier foods that are lower in fat, sugar and salt. But what should we be looking for? On the back of the pack Information on the back of a pack is compulsory. It lists all the ingredients, including additives, in the food in descending order of weight, so the main ingredients are displayed first. So, if sugar is at or near the top of the list there is likely a lot of it in the product. Sugar is not always listed in the ingredients as ‘sugar’. Look out for the following terms; sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, honey, palm sugar, hydrolysed starch, syrup and invert sugar. Nutrition information The majority of…

The plant-based eating movement is continuing to grow as people become more aware of both the health and environmental benefits of eating less meat and dairy. The food industry has responded quickly by churning out a plethora of meat-free alternatives, plant milks and other innovative products designed to help people transition to plant-based eating – including margarine. Do we need to stop giving margarine such a hard time? Despite margarine being perfectly suited to a plant-based diet, it’s often challenged based on a tarnished reputation which has been tricky to shake off. Negative attitudes towards margarine are often based on historical hearsay, but could a better understanding have us falling back in love with plant-based spreads? How have attitudes towards nutrition evolved? Nutrition is a key pillar of good health,…

Over the last year, the rise of veganism has only grown stronger and that means more households will be moving towards more plant-based cooking and restaurants will be offering more vegan and vegetarian options on their menus. As a result, chefs are looking for new flavours and textures – exploring different varieties and innovative cooking methods. Since Charles Foster started in the family business six years ago, he has seen a much wider array of produce available. As consumers open their minds to the diversity of fruit and veg out there, a lot more obscure varieties are making an appearance. And, according to Charles, provenance is one of the most important details consumers wanted to see on restaurant menus. “Everyone wants a bit of British stuff. The issue we have…

Recovery boosting smoked mackerel salad “This salad is a brilliant option if you want a lighter lunch but don’t want to skimp on protein or flavour. Its recovery-boosting qualities are down to the inflammation-moderating properties of the omega-3 fats found in the mackerel and the omega-9 in the avocado. You’ll also get a hit of the antioxidant lycopene from the tomatoes and the pepper. This nutrient has been linked to many health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.” SERVES 2 100g quinoa300ml water200g (2 fillets) smoked mackerel, chopped1 avocado, peeled, destoned and sliced2 tomatoes, chopped1 red pepper, chopped2 spring onions, sliced1 tbsp olive oil1 tsp balsamic vinegarsalt and pepper, to season 1 First, cook the quinoa. Rinse it well under cold water and then place it and…

Watercress power balls SERVES 6 20g watercress30g pumpkin seeds40g Medjool dates25g whole hazelnuts10g puffed brown ricea pinch of ground turmerica pinch of cinnamona pinch of Himalayan pink salt1 tsp cacao powder1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp Manuka honey5g chia seedsjuice of ½ an orange 1 Pick the watercress leaves off the stalks and finely chop. 2 Place the pumpkin seeds in a food processor and blend until chopped to a crumb-like consistency. Reserve half of the pumpkin seeds on a plate and add the rest back to the blender. 3 Add all other ingredients to the blender. Blend on full power until everything is thoroughly combined and the mixture has come together, which may take a couple of minutes. 4 Divide into 12 balls and roll in the ground pumpkin seeds…

1 Plan your meals Planning your meals week by week is a great way to stay focused on a diet. It will make your weekly shop easier (and cheaper) as you will know exactly what you plan to cook. Knowing about meal plans ahead of time will reduce the chance of last minute takeaways or fat-laden convenience foods. 2 Set yourself easy goals The main reason why diets don’t last long is because people set unrealistic goals. Resolving to never eat certain foods again or lose a stone per week is unattainable and stressful! Set realistic goals that you can adjust and increase as you go. 3 Buy a new healthy ingredient every week and get creative! This will make your dinners a bit more exciting by adding variation to…

PURITION GOLDEN MILK SMOOTHIE £24 for 500g • purition.co.uk Purition Golden Milk Smoothie contains 800mg of curcumin per serving – the equivalent to four teaspoons of turmeric! Known for its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, the smoothie is a quick and easy way to boost your immune system. PER 40g serving: 192 cal, 13g fat, 4.5g sat fat, 1.1g sugars, 0.1g salt POWTERS SKINNY PIG SAUSAGES £3 for six • Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s At less than 3% fat and only 97 calories a sausage, Powters Skinny Pig deliver a meaty taste and juicy texture, making them the perfect healthy swap to help you stay on plan. Prime, lean leg of British pork is used in these juicy and delicious bangers which are seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, sage and marjoram…

MYTH Margarines are highly processed The journey from plant to spread is actually very natural with many companies pledging a commitment to environmental responsibilities. After harvesting, plants are pressed to extract the oils then water, natural enzymes and a natural filtration process is used to purify them. The oils are then blended to achieve the right texture and melting quality using natural enzymes or spinning at high speed. Oils are then cooled and churned to achieve the right consistency. MYTH Margarines contain lots of unnatural ingredients Basic margarines contain just four natural ingredients including water, plant oils, natural plant-based emulsifiers and salt. Certain margarines are fortified with additional ingredients to provide added health benefits. These may include plant sterols, such as Flora ProActiv which help to reduce cholesterol. MYTH Margarines…

swap Fudge Fudge is very high in sugar, which can cause weight gain as well as all of the risks associated with obesity. Medjool dates are a great substitute for sugary sweets and they have some great health benefits. By weight they contain 50 per cent more potassium than bananas and they are also sodium free, helping to reduce the risk of heart and kidney disease. swap Chocolate Cacao is a form of chocolate but is raw and much less processed that cocoa powder or chocolate bars. They are naturally low in sugar unlike many chocolate products. Cacao nibs contain all of the fibre and nutrients of the cacao bean, including high levels of antioxidants and magnesium. swap Fried chicken wings They might be tasty, but you won’t get much…

CBD is considered a food supplement, and there are many food and drink products being sold which claim to contain CBD. However, the legislation around this is complex. A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said, “CBD extracts are covered by multiple regulatory regimes, including novel foods regulations which apply if they are being sold as foods or as food supplements. “To obtain an authorisation for a novel food, businesses need to submit specific information about what the food is, how it’s made and how they intend to use it, as well as providing detailed information to demonstrate it is safe for people to eat. It is a food business’s responsibility to ensure that the products they sell are safe and legally compliant. CBD products on the market that…