Certification rules for flown in organic food to change
Posted 2007-10-25, in main
The Soil Association today has proposed changes to their certifying scheme by continuing to certify only organic foods air freighted to the UK that have a clear benefit to farmers in third world countries. The proposed changes will take effect from January 2009. At present, less than 1% of organic food imported into the UK comes in via air. However
According to Anna Bradley, of the Soil Association board, It is neither sustainable nor responsible to encourage poorer farmers to be reliant on air freight, but we recognise that building alternative markets that offer the same social and economic benefits as organic exports will take time. Therefore, the Soil Association will be doing all it can to encourage farmers in developing countries to create and build organic markets that do not depend on air freight.
"We also want the public to have clear and meaningful information about both the environmental and social impact of air freighted organic food. That’s why The Soil Association is working with the Carbon Trust and the British Standards Institute to arrive at a reliable and comprehensive system of assessing the full carbon footprint of all food. The Standards Board will consider implementing carbon labelling within our standards for all organic goods - not just air freighted produce - when a good scheme is available. In the interim, we will be publishing information about air freight drawing on the material we have gathered during the consultation. We will also now consult on whether and if so what, additional and potentially interim means are available to provide consumers with information that will allow them to make informed decisions - from education to labelling."
Obesity 'not individuals' fault'
Posted 2007-10-17, in main
According to an article from the BBC, a report compiled by 250 experts in the UK concludes that excess weight was now the norm in our 'obesogenic' society. It states that dramatic and comprehensive action is required to stop the majority of us becoming obese by 2050.
In 2002, those who were overweight or obese cost nearly £7bn in treatment and state benefits and in indirect costs such as loss of earnings and reduced productivity.
In 40 years time, that figure could reach nearly £46bn, as health services struggle to cope with ill health such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and stroke which can be associated with excess weight.
Obesity, the authors concluded, was an inevitable consequence of a society in which energy-dense, cheap foods, labour-saving devices, motorised transport and sedentary work were rife.
"In this environment it was surprising that anyone was able to remain thin, and so the notion of obesity simply being a product of personal over-indulgence had to be abandoned for good" said Dr Susan Jebb of the Medical Research Council.
Green Tea
Posted 2006-12-28, in main
Green Tea traditionally has been drunk in the east, particularly in China, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong. Today it is becoming increasingly popular in the west for its health giving benefits.
Like black tea, green tea comes from the leaves of the plant Camellia Sinensis. Unlike black tea, which is fermented before drying, green tea is steamed, baked or pan heated to dry the leaves. Green tea, along with white tea are the least processed of all the tea varieties.
Green tea known health benefits of green tea
* Boosts your immune system
* Lowers blood sugar
* Helps prevent cavities and tooth decay
* Slows the aging process
* Helps reduce the risk of cancer
* Lowers cholesterol
* Reduces high blood pressure
* Prevents arthritis
* Reduces the risk of heart disease
* Reduces the risk of stroke
* Lowers the risk of blood clot
* Aids digestion
Green tea and caffeine
Firstly, green tea is a great alternative to black tea commonly drunk in the west. Green tea contains on average 20mg of caffeine per serving, half the amount of Black Tea (40mg / serving) and a quarter of the amount of Coffee (80 mg / serving).
Green tea and weight loss
A recent study by Swiss scientists concluded that drinking green tea can raise the body's metabolic rate by as much as 4%. While more research is needed in this area, nutritionists indicate that drinking tea can help people lose weight because it’s calorie free and a good source of fluids.
Green tea and cancer prevention
Scientists from Spain and the UK have been working together to identify how green tea helps prevent certain types of cancer. What they have discovered is that there is a compound in Green Tea called EGCC that impedes the growth of cancer cells. They've also determined that green tea has about 5 times the amount of this compound compared to regular black tea.
Brewing green tea
Green tea should be brewed using water below boiling point (around 80-90°C) as water that is too hot turns the tea bitter. The leaves or the tea bag should be removed from the water after about 3 minutes. Using the same tea bag or leaves, you can make up to 2 or 3 more cups.
Seven Steps to Healthy Eating
Posted 2006-12-26, in main
1. Eating a wide variety of foods
Variety is the spice of life. No one single food is nutritionally complete. Eating the same foods on a regular basis increases the likelihood of being deficient in one or more vitamins and minerals. This can lead to all sorts of problems and make us feel unwell or prone to illness and disease. So eating burger and fries every day will cause you to be deficient in certain key nutrients. The first step is to eat a balanced diet containing a mixture of food sources - fruits, vegetables, starches, fats and protein foods.
2. Eating the right amount to maintain a healthy weight
Foods provide us with energy to function, grow and keep physically active. Each food contains calories, units of energy. The more calories a food contains, the more energy available to us. If our foods contain more calories than we can use, those extra calories are converted into fat and stored in the body. Each person requires a different amount of calories, based on their lifestyle and how active they are. Similarly, if a person uses more calories each day than they consume, the body will make use of calorie stores (fats) as a substitute. When this happens, weight loss occurs.
3. Eating foods containing starch and fibre
Dietary fibre is the indigestable part of the plant's cell (the wall of the cell). The body is unable to digest fibre, and nutritionally it gives us no benefit. However, eating a diet rich in fibre helps us have regular bowel movements and prevents constipation and haemmorhoids (piles). Fibrous foods are also filling, and can be used to bulk out a diet to make us feel full. It is recommended that at adults should eat at least 20-35 grams of fibre / day to maintain healthy bowels. Great sources of fibre include beans, pulses, oats, rye, wholegrain wheat e.g. wholemeal or granary bread, some fruits and vegetables, particularly those that you eat with the skin on.
4. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables not only provide vitamins and minerals, they also provide enzymes that enhance our health as well as natural sugars that help maintain our energy levels. The best sources of these are raw or slightly cooked fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that are tinned or preserved provide little if any nutritional benefit. The fresher the better. They also start to lose their vitamin content once they've been cut. So choose whole fruits and vegetables and prepare them yourself. This particularly applies to store-bought bottles of fruit and vegetable juices, which are often augmented with extra vitamins because the vitamins present in the original product slowly dissipate over time.
5. Avoiding fatty foods (foods with high levels of saturated fats)
Foods containing high levels of saturated fats can cause health complications such as heart disease and thickening of the arteries. Some scientists are also starting to draw a link between high saturated fat intake and certain types of cancer. Foods with high levels of saturated fats include butter, ghee, suet, lard, meat, egg yolk, dairy products (especially cream and cheese), coconut oil, palm oil and cocoa butter. It is recommended where possible to avoid these types of food. That doesn't mean that we want to exclude all fats in our diet, and it's important that a certain amount of fats are included in our diet on a daily basis. Ideally these should come from unsaturated sources, which include nuts, seeds, avocados, soybean, vegetable and olive oil.
6. Avoiding sugary foods
Refined sugar (such as the granulated white sugar found in tea, biscuits, cakes and sweets) is a very pure form of energy. Eating it will give us an instant 'high', as it is rapidly absorbed from our stomach into our bloodstream. Once there, it gives us a quick energy boost. For the body however, all is not 'sweet'. Part of the body's function is to regulate the amount of sugar in the system. This is done by releasing the hormone insulin into the blood. Insulin sends a message to the cells in our body telling them to absorb the glucose molecules into the cells to lower the glucose level in the blood - eating more sugar = releasing more insulin. Living on a diet of eating highly refined, sugary foods means that the body is constantly having to control the blood sugar levels. And as a result, this mechanism can stop working - diabetes.
Eating too many sugary foods can not only cause diabetes they can also play havoc with your mood (people who eat lots of sugary foods get into a cycle of doing this, eating the sugary foods to give them a boost). Where possible, seek to lower the amount of foods containing refined simple sugars such as granulated sugar. Instead, replace these with foods containing fructose, namely fresh fruit and vegetables.
7. Avoiding salty foods
Salt is added to food to preserve it so that the food has a longer shelf life. It is also used as a flavour enhancer to bring out certain qualities in food. Too much salt in the diet is not good for you - it can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) which can lead to further complications such as heart disease, kidney disease and strokes.
Most manufactured foods (such as packaged, tinned and frozen foods) contain added salt. Sometimes these salt levels are very high. And eating salty foods on a regular basis can make us less sensitive to salt in our food. Reducing salt can help us as part of a healthy diet. Eating more fresh food and not adding extra salt in our cooking are all part of this.
Since salt is easily hidden in packaged foods, it pays to read the labels before you purchase the food. Sometimes healthier options are available, such as reduced salt and sugar tinned baked beans.
If you find yourself adding extra salt to food, try slowly reducing the amount of salt you use. You'll find that slowly you'll require less salt, and that your body and tastebuds will become sensitive to overly salted foods.
Substituting food in your diet
Posted 2006-12-23, in main
Are you thinking about excluding or reducing a certain food from your diet? Perhaps because of allergies? If so, here's a short list of things that you can use to substitute if you're planning on reducing or excluding wheat, sugar or dairy products:
Replacing wheat:
wheat bread, try rye bread, ryvita, spelt bread
wheat noodles, try rice noodles
wheat pasta, try corn, millet or quinoa pasta, or rice (e.g. brown basmati rice)
Replacing dairy:
milk, try rice, almond, sesame or soy milk
butter, try hummus, tahini, sunflower spread, guacamole, olive oil
Replacing sugar:
cakes and biscuits, try fresh fruit
chocolate, try carob, fruit bars, raw vegan chocolate (in moderation)
sweets (candy), try raisins and other dried fruits such as dates, figs, apricots, pears and apples
fruit squash or fizzy soda drinks, try freshly squeezed juices or water. Or replace with herbal teas
Sprout nutrition
Posted 2006-12-19, in main
Introduction to sprouting
Parents try to give their children enough for a good start in life. Plants are just the same - the seeds of every plant are packed with the nutritional energy required to sprout a new plant. As soon as a seed has sprouted it is at its nutritionally highest point.
Sprouting is a great way to improve your health! Compared to eating the dried seeds or their fully grown equivalent, sprouts offer more nutrients and are rich in protein too. They are also incredibly easy to digest by our bodies so the nutrients in each sprout are readily available for us to use in our bodies.
General sprouting tips
- Keep sprouts moist, not wet (they will start to grow mould of they are too moist)
- Rinse sprouts often
- Grow sprouts at room temperature (16-25 degrees c)
- Keep sprouts covered - since the seeds contain all the nutrition they need to germinate, they don't need light initially to grow!
- Don't put too seeds in one container. Experiment with this until you get the balance right.
Alfalfa
Nutritional information:
Alfalfa sprouts contain vitamin A, B2, C, D, niacin, iron and magnesium.
Soaking time: 4-6 hours
Harvesting: 6-8 days
Yield: 7:1
Broccoli
Nutritional information:
Broccoli sprouts contain vitamin B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, calcium, chromium, iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium and phosphorus.
Soaking time: 6-12 hours
Harvesting: 3-6 days
Yield: 5:1
Fenugreek
Nutritional information: Fenugreek sprouts contain vitamin A, B1, B2, B5, D, iron, phosphorus and niacin.
Soaking time: 8-14 hours
Harvesting: 6-8 days
Yield: 5:1
Clover
Nutritional information: Clover sprouts contain vitamin C and E as well as phytoestrogens (isoflavones).
Soaking time: 8-12 hours
Harvesting: 3-5 days
Yield: 7:1
Cress
Nutritional information:
Cress sprouts contain vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C, D niacin, potassium, calcium, iodine, iron and phosphorus
Soaking time: sow these (without soaking) in soil - we don't recommend planting these in a sprouter as the seeds are very mucilaginous - they become sticky when exposed to water)
Harvesting: 3-5 days
Yield: 1:1
Lentils
Nutritional information: Lentil sprouts contain vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E, iron, manganese, sodium, niacin, phosphorus and zinc.
Soaking time: 8-12 hours
Harvesting: 6-8 days
Yield: 2:1
Mung Beans
Nutritional information: Mung beans contain vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B12, C, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus
Soaking time: 8-12 hours
Harvesting: 4-5 days
Yield: 2:1
Radish
Nutritional information: Radish sprouts contain A, B1, B2, C, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, niacin, sodium and phosphorus
Soaking time: 6-12 hours
Harvesting: 3-5 days
Yield: 5:1
Wheat
Nutritional information: Wheat sprouts contain vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, C, E, iodine, potassium, calcium, manganese, sodium, niacin, phosphorus, sulphur and zinc.
Soaking time: 6-12 hours
Harvesting: 3-5 days
Yield: 1.5:1
Superfoods for a healthy lifestyle
Posted 2006-12-11, in main
Are you looking for foods that make you feel good? That are nutrient dense and easy to digest? Well look no further as we've created a list of superfoods and their health giving properties all conveniently laid out on one page.
Some of these foods you will be familiar with, others may be new to you.
Here is a list of our favourite super foods:
Apple
As the old saying goes, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. Apples are great - they're full of nutrients, including vitamin C to help prevent cancer and an antioxidant called quercetin, which has anti-inflammatory effects and help prevent heart disease, bronchitis and cataracts. We find apples provide a great boost of energy in the morning and are great for those trying to introduce more alkaline food into their diet.
Avocado
Quite a complete food, avocados contain a combination of14 minerals including iron, copper, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and magnesium. They also include vitamins A, B complex, C and E. Avocados are quite high in fat, however they are full of the good fats - monounsaturated fats that help reduce cholesterol levels in the bload and maintain a healthy heart.
Banana
Bananas are a good energy food, a nutritional powerhouse that can keep you going throughout the day. They are a good source of potassium, vitamin c and fibre, low in fat and contain no cholestorol.
Beetroot
Fresh beetroot (not the pickled stuff you get in jars) is a vegetable rich in vitamin C, fibre, potassium, magnesium, manganese and folic acid. You can also eat the leafy tops too, which are an excellent source of beta carotene, iron and calcium.
Blueberries
According to scientists in the US, Blueberries rank #1 for their antioxidant properties. They have the ability to neutralise free radicals that can lead to cancer and other degenerative illnesses. They're also rich in fibre, vitamin A and C and can help lower cholestorol.
Flax seeds and flax seed oil
Flax seeds are the best vegetarian source of omega 3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is beneficial to the brain. The seeds also contain soluble fibre which can lower cholestorol and stabilise blood sugar levels. Flax seeds also contain plant hormones (phytoestrogens) known as lignans that can play a role in preventing breast and prostrate cancer. They are also protein rich (25-30g per 100g) and contain a whole raft of vitamins and minerals. We like to include these in our morning cereal or, if travelling, as a supplement (vegetarian capsule).
Oats
Oats have a low glycemic index, which means that their nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream slowly, thus helping to keep your blood sugar levels stable. They are a good source of soluble fibre, phosphorus, calcium vitamin B1 and iron, manganese and zinc. Oats are a very versatile food, and can be eaten raw (as in oatmeal) or cooked (as in porridge).
Quinoa
To the native Indians of the Andes mountains, quinoa seeds (pronounced keen-wah) were worth more than gold. This plant has been cultivated for more than 5000 years, and has been a staple of the Andean diet. Gluten free, it is ideal for coeliacs and those allergic to wheat. Quinoa is high in minerals and B vitamins, particularly B6. Both the plant can be eaten - the leaves taste a bit like spinach and can be eaten raw in salads. The grain can be cooked (for about 15-20 minutes) and used as a replacement for rice in many dishes. It's also good for breakfast!
Spinach
Spinach may not have the iron content originally purported, so Popeye was not 100% correct. However, the vegetable is still a great source of vitamins A, C and E, calcium as well as several antioxidants and folic acid.
Sprouts
Sprouts are great. We love sprouts! Each different type (and there are many) contains different nutritional value. When a seed sprouts, it's a tiny little powerhouse of nutrition - the seeds contain everything to get a young plant going. If you put that nutrition into your body you're eating something that's both easy to digest and incredibly healthy too! Sprouts also contain high amounts of protein and antioxidants too. In short, if you want a healthy life, eat sprouts!
Spirulina
Ugh! Yuck! You want me to eat algae? No way! Now hold on there a minute! Think of these as tiny little plants! Special little plants at that! This is one superfood and a half! Spirulina is the most protein rich food known to man - it contains 65-71% protein, which is also biologically complete (contains every essential amino acid required for growth in the human body). Not only that, spirulina also contains chlorophyll, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, B12, C, D and E. Spirulina is also a rich source of potassium.
