Tag: nutrition

Organic foods. Just how Good are They? Nutritious Lolly Gives you the Hard Facts

Posted on by Lolly
Organic foods are a hot topic and there’s a lot of debate around whether they’re healthier for you so let’s delve in and examine some hard facts!

Firstly,
what is organic food?

This is a biggie because so many people assume that ‘organic’ is just a byword for ‘fruit and vegetables’ but that is completely wrong. Organic foods have a strict definition (even if there are some nuances from country to country). Essentially organic foods must be grown or raised without the use of synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs) or petroleum-based fertilisers.

Are organic – foods really any better for you?

This one is a real hot potato (see what I did there?), and much of that is down to a few studies which have suggested that there are only limited health benefits to eating organic foods over intensively grown and raised produce. BUT…
There’s also a torrent of data which suggests that organic foods do have significant health benefits so it really comes down to how you feel about it.
Personally, for me, it’s an easy choice to make. I’d rather that my family and I eat foods that don’t have lots of chemicals used in their production and that are kinder to the environment. Those two reasons alone are massive!
Here are some other reasons to eat organic foods:

Organic meats and milk are richer in nutrients

A 2016 European study found that organically raised meats and organically produced milk had up to 50 per cent more nutrients including Omega 3 fatty acids!

Organic foods have fewer pesticides

Pesticides are used in conventional farming processes. The reality of this is that residual chemicals can make their way into what we are eating. Do you want a side of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides with your salad? Nah, me neither.

Organically-raised animals are probably happier and healthier

This is an extremely contentious one… but the fact is that organically-raised animals are given far more space to move around and do what comes naturally to them (think cows out to pasture and chickens foraging). The use of antibiotics in intensively-farmed animals can create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

Organic food is fresher 

Organic food doesn’t usually contain preservatives that are designed to make them last longer. So, that cauliflower that you thought was harvested from a farm a few days ago might actually be far, far older than that. Yuk. Organic produce is often produced on smaller farms near to where it is sold, so as well as being better for you and your family, you could actually be helping the local economy too!
For Nutritious Lolly, organic food is ALWAYS better.

Spices add some spice to your life…and your health!

Posted on by Lolly
We all love to eat food that is nutritious but, more importantly, delicious and one way to add more flavour to your food is by using spices. Spice Pots allow you to do just that with ease. They contain loads of great spices with lots of nutritious value. I was lucky enough to be welcomed into owner Melanie Auld’s home and watch her in action as she created the perfect chicken korma. The korma spice pot contains several different spices each with their own nutritional benefits. So, what spices do what? Well, I’m just about to tell you…

Coriander – the marmite of spices

Coriander – you either love it or hate it and personally I love it. The spicy leave is used all over the world as a garnish but in this form you tend to miss out on the all the nutritional benefits that is has to offer. In a ground form coriander is great for digestion, skin inflammation, lowering blood pressure and it even has anti-histamine properties to fight allergies!

Cumin

Remember those little black insect-like seeds you used to take out of curries? They’re cumin seeds. Back then you may not have given them a chance, but, trust me, they taste pretty good and if you look past their appearance the benefits are substantial. It’s a great way to boost your immune system, help you sleep and even reduce the chance of hypoglycemia in diabetes sufferers.

Turmeric

A spice used in most curries and has been called ‘the most powerful spice for fighting and potentially reversing disease’. Turmeric has more benefits than I could list.From being taken as an alternative to painkillers to being used as an anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is also well known for its anti-depressant properties.

Chilli

Something many people won’t know is that chillies are great for weight loss. The heat that you feel after eating a chilli takes energy from your body to produce, the more energy used the more calories burned. They’re also great for clearing congestion if you’re feeling a bit stuffy, especially with winter well and truly here.

Cinnamon

The health benefits of cinnamon can be linked to its antibacterial, antifungal and anticlotting properties. It’s rich in essential minerals such as iron and calcium. It can be great for those who need to lower their cholesterol levels and aid those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, as it can control blood sugars.

Fenugreek

From soothing sore throats to reducing your risk of heart disease fenugreek is a great spice to add to any meal but it’s especially good in curry. It also works wonders for those ladies who are going through the change of life (menopause) as it is known for reducing symptoms such as mood swings and cramps.

Cloves

Cloves are filled with vitamins. Vitamins that can help the preservation of bone density and antioxidants that can help protect your liver from the effects of free radicals. They are also being studied for their properties that could help control lung cancer in the early stages. All that from a small clove, amazing.  

Black pepper

Black pepper is great for your stomach. It increases the amount of hydrochloric acid produced to aid digestion and it’s also great for weight loss as it breaks down fat

Cardamom

Cardamom is great for your body and your teeth. It’s known for its dental disease prevention properties. Feeling nauseated or suffer from vomiting? It also works a treat if you need to settle your stomach.

Why you should try eight-a-day

Posted on by Lolly

WHY FIVE-A-DAY SHOULD BECOME EIGHT

If you thought that eating five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day had health benefits – try munching eight – it will actually put a smile on your face.

No really, its true, new research has shown the more fruit and veg you eat, the happier you become.

Boffins at the University of Warwick made the discovery after looking at the psychological effects of eating more of the good stuff.

And they found that as well as reducing the risk of cancer and heart attacks, it boosted your mood too.

In fact, after studying more than 12,000 people, they concluded that people who went from eating no fruit or veg a day to consuming eight portions experienced an increase in life satisfaction equivalent from being unemployed to getting a job.

The well-being improvements occurred within 24 months.

So the message really is, get eating.

An easy way of upping your intake of fruit and veg is through juicing and smoothies. That way you can sneak more of the healthy stuff into children’s diets and make sure you start the day with a glow.

A few smoothie ideas to get you started


Tropical Mango, Pineapple and Coconut Smoothie

1/2 Mango

Thick slice of pineapple (200 g)

1 mug coconut water (300 ml)

Handful cashew nuts

2 tablespoons coconut milk

Juice of 1/2 lime

Optional: handful of porridge oats

Peel the mango using and cut its flesh off the stone into the blender. 


Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy

Simple Banana and Spinach Smoothie

1 ripe banana, peeled

Big handful of spinach

2 Medjool dates, pitted

1 heaped teaspoon almond butter

1/2 mug cold water or almond milk (150 ml)

Place all the ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth.