Choosing
healthy can be confusing, with the jungle voices and advice on offer. My
definition of eating well is really simple: eat with variety and in moderation
– it’s the best health insurance you can invest in.
I’m a big
fan of light food, and it’s clear that in the industrialised world people are
generally over-saturated with calories, which is causing an alarming rise in
obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Both
under- and over-eating saps our energy. Naturally, we need to eat more when we
are physically active and less when we are not. A healthy weight is a long-term
project – quick fixes and diets are often working against us.
Having a
health-conscious attitude about eating is good, but be wary of developing
fixations and unhealthy relationships with food – it should be enjoyed without
guilt. It’s better to be relaxed about it and have the occasional treat if you
want to, as long as you maintain a healthy balance.
When it
comes to nutritional benefits, vitamins have long stood front and centre. But
what about those equally important essential mineral workhorses that labour
undercover with no recognition?
I’m
talking trace minerals, compounds needed – albeit in microscopic quantities –
to keep your body running as nature intended. Unlike vitamins, there are no
non-essential minerals, meaning you have to get them all via your diet.
Although
trace minerals are, typically, harder to be lacking in, certain current food
trends – swerving dairy, for example – could put you at risk of deficiency,
symptoms of which include chronic fatigue, cognitive decline and depression.
Here are
some of the key essential minerals to get yourself acquainted with:
1. Iodine: The Thyroid Manager
Not only is iodine crucial for neurological development, it also plays a major
role in healthy thyroid function. Without it, your active thyroid hormone,
triiodothyronine, wouldn’t exist.
Which food is it in?
White fish and dairy products.
2. Copper: The Fat Burner
Research has shown that copper is essential for metabolising fat. It’s also
proven as a brain booster; deficiency has been linked to Alzheimer’s.
Which food is it in?
Sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, green olives and shellfish.
3. Selenium: The Immune System Helper
Selenium boosts immune system function and is a key player in egg formation and
fertilisation.
Which food is it in?
Brazil nuts and eggs.
4. Molybdenum: The Liver Lover
Molybdenum supports an enzyme called sulphate oxidase, which is integral to the
conversion of toxic sulphites into more inert sulphates, which the body can
then excrete in the urine.
Which food is it in?
Foods that grow above ground are higher in molybdenum than those that grow
below. Think cauliflower, beans and oats.
5. Manganese: The Bone Booster
This one is essential for bone growth and can help to reverse bone mineral
density loss when taken as part of a calcium, copper and zinc supplement.
Manganese activates glycosyl transferases, an enzyme need for the formation of
proteoglycan molecules present in cartilage.
Which food is it in?
Tea is probably the simplest source for most people. Not a tea person? Try
porridge with cinnamon or cloves instead.
Why are nitrates in beetroot good for you, but those in bacon bad?
Nitrates are processed by the body in different ways, depending on their source. All nitrates we consume are converted to nitrates in the stomach, where they can be made into two other components.
The nitrates derived from vegetables such as beetroot, spinach and rocket tend to become nitric oxide, which protects cells, regulates heart rhythm and widens blood vessels.
The nitrates derived from processed meats are much more likely to convert into cancer-promoting nitrosamines before or after consumption. Nitrosamines form due to reactions with proteins and iron also found in the meat.
Drinking a small glass of orange juice with your occasional bacon sarnie can help, as vitamin C reduces the formation of nitrosamines.
New
evidence suggests that magnesium can help your body to regulate vitamin D
levels. Previous studies have shown vitamin D tends to be low when the
body’s magnesium supplies are depleted.
Latest research
found that the presence of magnesium in the body regulates higher levels of
vitamin D (a moderate vitamin D level has been linked to the lower risk of
cardiovascular disease).
It is
recommended getting magnesium from food sources rather than supplements – try
dark leafy greens, whole grains, dark chocolate, nuts, bananas and avocado.
Are all carbs bad? Not all carbs are created equal; just as there are good fats and bad fats, there are good carbs and bad carbs. The trick is not to cut carbs completely, but rather to be choosy about the ones you regularly eat. If you want to try going lower-carb then white bread, white pasta, potatoes and sugars, including maple syrup and agave nectar, are best eaten sparingly, if at all. They are easily digestible carbohydrates, meaning they are rapidly absorbed by the body, creating a big spike in your blood-sugar levels.
Instead,
eat carbohydrates that contain lots of fibre. Fibre reduces the blood sugar
spike, provides protection against bowel cancer and feeds the ‘good’ bacteria
that live in your guts. Examples include vegetables, legumes – chickpeas and
lentils – and wholegrains such as barley, oats, buckwheat, and wholegrain and
rye.
A sensible
approach to a low-carb diet is to cut out sugar and cut down on white
(easily digestible) carbs such as bread, pasta and rice. Eat plenty of
blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, which are relatively low in fruit
sugar, and green vegetables, protein, butter, full-fat yogurt and olive oil to
retain fullness.
Second-day pasta can keep off the pounds One way to reduce blood-sugar spikes after you eat carbs such as pasta, potatoes or rice is to cook, cool and then reheat them.
Under an experiment it was discovered that cooking, cooling and reheating the pasta had a dramatic effect, cutting the average rise in their blood sugar levels by 50 per cent. That’s because it changes the structure of the starch in the pasta, making it more resistant to digestive enzymes, so you get smaller blood-sugar spikes. Less of this ‘resistant’ starch is digested, leaving more to travel down and feed the ‘good’ bacteria in the large intestine.
Nutritious, cheap and speedy – yet our relationship with frozen food seems to be thawing. Frozen food often gets lumped together with processed food, but that reputation isn’t always fair.
Freezing food is like pressing a pause button, slowing down food’s degradation and nutrient loss. This process helps to maintain the original nutritional value and can often be more nutritious than when fresh.
Freezer Heroes
Chilli, garlic and ginger – these all fare brilliantly in the freezer, keeping their flavour and intensity.
Salmon – frozen salmon is usually cheaper than fresh and tastes exactly the same.
Mango – forget the faff of peeling and chopping fresh mangos. Frozen mango tastes great and can be blended without defrosting.
Peas – studies show that frozen peas have higher levels of vitamin C than fresh, they taste great and are so convenient.
Ice cubes with a twist – freeze grapes or slices of lemon and lime to use as ice cubes with added vitamins.
The word ‘Protein’ stamped on packaging is a sure-fire way to make a sale, as the nutrient has been marketed as the answer to getting a strong, lean physique.
And protein shakes are considered the ultimate post-workout accessory. But how much should we really be eating?
Protein provides the building blocks for everything from muscles to skin and hair, so there’s no doubt it’s vital.
When you exercise, you beak down muscle and need protein to rebuild it, especially if you’re doing resistance training.
How much you need depends on how often and hard you work out, the type of exercise you do, your size…It’s far from an exact science.
If you take the average woman who goes to the gym, whether she’s doing cardio or weights, it’s believed 1–1.2g of protein per kg body weight a day is enough. Compared with 0.8kg per kg body weight for the average person who doesn’t wok out.
Most people achieve this easily. Often people forget things like bread and pasta contain protein. There’s nearly 6kg in 100g of wholewheat pasta, for example. Other sources include red meat, poultry, fish, cheese and eggs.
With doctors fearing the return of rickets due to low levels of the sunshine vitamin, how can we sun-starved Brits get enough this winter?
How to get more sunshine Although it’s important to protect yourself in the sun, you need to build up your vitamin D levels with bursts of unprotected sun between April and October to build reserves for the winter. Try getting 10-15 mins of sun exposure to your arms, hands or back, two to three times a week. Longer exposure doesn’t provide additional benefits, so make sure you apply a high SPF afterwards.
Take a supplement The Department of Health advises those who have low or no exposure to sun, those with darker skin, over 65s and all children aged 6 months to five years to take a vitamin D supplement. In addition, it is recommended that, in winter months, everyone should consider taking a 10 microgram supplement if their diet is unlikely to provide it.
Eat well Although you might only get a small portion of vitamin D from your diet, it’s still important to eat a mix of foods rich in the stuff, especially during the winter. Top up on oily fish, egg yolk, fortified cereals, red meat and dairy products.
You don’t need to eat bananas for the potassium. Although it is present in bananas, potassium is the predominant nutrient among most all fruits and vegetables.
Bananas are high in sugar, so they should not be eaten if you have blood sugar problems.
Don’t eat bananas on an empty stomach; combining them with a bit of protein will help to normalize the insulin response caused by the sugar in the banana.
Green-tipped bananas are better for your health than over-ripe bananas.
If you’re not already a fully paid-up member of the kale fan club, its low-calorie, high-fibre and zero-fat profile should tempt you to get on board.
As well as being a great addition to any weight-loss plan, kale is ideal for digestion and will help keep your system moving as it contains around 5g fibre per 100g.
Kale is an excellent source of iron – and, in fact, it contains more iron than beef per serve! That’s important for anyone with anaemia or heavy periods, or just looking for more energy, as it helps to form haemoglobin, the molecules that carry iron within our red blood cells.
Kale is also high in calcium, giving milk a run for its money with fewer calories. If you’re dairy intolerant or vegan, this veg will give you a good dose of bone-strengthening calcium.
Vitamin K, which helps to protect against certain cancers, is also found in high quantities in kale, along with heaps of antioxidants. This all-important, but lesser known vitamin is needed for a whole host of bodily functions, including the health of your bones, preventing blood clotting and keeping cholesterol in check.
Kale can help fight inflammation as it contains omega-3 fatty acids, so make sure you’re eating kale regularly if you have an injury, arthritis or asthma, as it will help to reduce the effects and speed recovery.
Vitamins A and C are two more vitamins found in kale. Vitamin A is important for vision and vitamin C for your immune system, but both of them are brilliant skin vitamins so dose up to help keep wrinkles at bay.
And if all of this wasn’t enough, kale is also a great way to cleanse your body, containing both fibre and sulphur, which are involved in the detoxification process.
