Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of our body and is used in the production of red blood cells. It’s important in the formation of haemoglobin which is the part of the red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen from our lungs to our brain, tissue and muscles and enables the oxygen to move freely between cells. This is why one of the symptoms of an iron deficiency is fatigue as our organs struggle to receive the oxygen required to function optimally. Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies we know about. Thankfully this can be confirmed by a blood test where you red blood cell, haemoglobin and ferritin levels can be checked. Our bodies can store 25% of iron naturally which is stored as ferritin. Men can store ferritin in the body and for up to three years, but woman can only store it for one year making them more susceptible to anemia. Iron deficient anemia can be common amongst teenagers, young adults, during pregnancy and menstruation.
Chia pudding is an excellent breakfast option - especially with summer on the way and a cold breakfast becoming more appealing. They are a source of omega-3’s, fibre, antioxidants, protein and vitamins and minerals. The perfect nutritious breakfast or snack. Made the night before, all your need to do is add your favourite chopped fruit and seeds/nuts to give it even more of a nutrient kick.
As promised - a delicious soup recipe that is high in beta-carotene rich vegetables. Have a read of last weeks blog to learn about the benefits and why we should all be making an effort to include foods rich in beta-carotene in our diets.
2 x red peppers
1 x large orange sweet potato
100g cherry tomatoes
2 x carrots
1 x onion
1 x clove of garlic
400ml of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 180degrees
Dice the carrots sweet potato and red pepper up into about 1cm size cubes. Leave the cherry tomatoes and garlic whole.
Add the vegetables (except the onion) to a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 30minutes
Following on from my last blog on beta-carotene which can be found in colourful fruit and vegetables that our body can convert into vitamin A. Todays post is about the other form of vitamin A - Retinol. Retinol is a pre-formed vitamin A that can be used directly by the body. It is found in some animal products and can be made synthetically and added to supplements or skincare. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that has many health benefits, get the right amount is important as too much or too little can have negative side effects.
Vitamin A is excellent for your skin. Dermatologist often prescribe retinol cream (vitamin A) to help treat acne. As mentioned above it’s also the star ingredient in many anti ageing creams, this is because the retinol stimulates the production of new skin cells, and decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production.
Beta-carotene is what gives some fruits and vegetables their red/orange/yellow pigment (it’s even found in a few herbs and spices). Our body can convert it to vitamin A. There are two types of vitamin A retinol or beta-carotene. Retinol is found in animal products (dairy, meat and fish products) and I'm sure you would have seen it listed as the star ingredient on many anti-ageing creams. Beta-carotene comes from the colourful fruit and vegetables we eat, but it needs to be converted to retinol by the body for it to be used.
Carrots contain beta-carotene which keep our eyes healthy and helps prevent macular degeneration. I’m sure you heard when you were a child that eating carrots will help you see in the dark…well it’s true! Vitamin A improves eyesight as it is a critical component of the rhodopsin molecule (“a biological pigment found in the rods of the retina. Rhodopsin is extremely sensitive to light and enables our vision in low light
Mushrooms have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. There are many different types of medicinal mushrooms available and all with different benefits. They contain powerful antioxidants, fight inflammation and can even help restore hormonal balance to name a few. It’s so easy to include them in your diet nowadays, most health stores sell capsules or powder forms. You may even find mushroom tea or hot chocolate on the menu at healthy eateries.
If you are struggling to find which one is right for you - speak to Nutritionist who has experience with medical mushrooms. You can buy supplements that have a few different types of mushroom in to get a wider benefit such as FSC’s Mushroom complex. Containing 3 different types of mushrooms along with astralagus root, each with their own beneficial properties.
Have a ready below to learn more about the benefits of the mushrooms found in FSC’s Mushroom Complex.
Cordyceps - Which is a fungus that grows on caterpillars has been
Following on from my post of FSC’s High Potency High Potency Whole Bulb Garlic I thought I would share a tasty way of including raw garlic into your diet. It’s such a quick and easy recipe to make, with the added benefit of knowing exactly what went into your pesto.
Remember one of the main compounds found in garlic is allicin. Allicin is produced when the garlic clove is chopped or crushed - it also gives garlic its strong smell. Allicin has been found to reduce inflammation and has antimicrobial properties. Unfortunately its destroyed when heated - so to get the full benefits from garlic we need to eat it raw and ideally leave it to rest for 10-15minutes or so after chopping/crushing.
I’m sure you would have heard the word superfood used many times. But did you know there is no specific criteria for a food being classed as a superfood, by definition a superfood should be ‘a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.’
There are so many different superfoods out there, and they all come with slightly different benefits. To make the most of them I would recommend including a variety of different ones in your diet. You may already be getting a few without even knowing it! (Cinnamon, turmeric, eggs, ginger to name a few) You don’t need to be spending a fortune on exotic fruit and vegetables, You will easily be able to stock up on nutrient dense food from your supermarket. Plants make up majority of the superfoods, so if you eat a diet high in plants you will be getting a good dose of superfoods!
Probiotics are the beneficial live bacteria and yeasts found in our bodies. Probiotics help us to absorb nutrients and maintain healthy gut flora, which keeps our immune system healthy.
BUT the probiotics in our gut can become unbalanced when we take antibiotics which kills both the good and bad bacteria or if we eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods. Stress, anxiety and poor dental health can also contribute to a bacteria imbalance. Thankfully there are ways to fix these imbalances. Eating food that are rich in probiotics or taking a probiotic supplement are an excellent way to make sure you are keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy.
You might already be eating a few foods already that contain probiotics such as yoghurt or miso. If you are really serious about getting your gut health to it’s best, I would recommend taking a probiotic supplement for about 3months while including f
With Easter a few days away I thought I would share some of the benefits of including dark chocolate in your diet. Unfortunately i’m not talking about milk chocolate here, it needs to be dark, the darker the better and ideally organic high quality chocolate which does come with a bigger price tag.
Have a read below to learn some of the benefits of adding this delicious treat to your diet.
Fights free radicals - Dark chocolate is an excellent antioxidant. Cocao powder has been shown to have higher antioxidant activity than other ‘superfoods’ like blueberries and açai berries. Antioxidants are needed to neutralise free radicals which are causing havoc in our bodies. Free radicals cause inflammation, and inflammation is the route cause of most illnesses so it’s something you want to avoid and how amazing that a delicious treat can help!