Food & recipes

Health: Diet and nutrition news

Get some fresh ideas and the latest nutritional news to keep you in tip-top health this month

CARB CUT

Foods high in starch and carbohydrates should be avoided by survivors of breast cancer

– that’s the latest advice from experts at the University of California. The study focused on 2,651 women over seven years and found that those who ate more potatoes, bread and pasta had a rate of recurrence of 14.2 per cent. This is compared to just 9.2 per cent for those with a low-starch diet.

PRODUCT SHOW CASE

THESE TEMPTING TREATS ARE DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY TOO!

Benjoy Vegetable Munch Cups, 79p

Strictly speaking, these pots of vegetable nibbles is for your kid’s lunch box but they’re so nutritious and tasty, we doubt you’ll be able to keep your hands off them.

Pearls of Samarkand Barberries, £2#

These little gems from the Himalayas are incredibly useful things to have in the kitchen cupboard – sprinkle them onto rice or couscous or even on your muesli. The high level of vitamin C gives them a tart taste which adds depth to any dish.

Glennans Multipack, £2.99

Fancy a high-fibre, gluten-free alternative to potato crisps? Try these deliciously light vegetable crisps which include parsnip, beetroot, sweet potato and carrot.

Cheap eats

All of us know that eating a balanced diet and getting enough exercise can go a long way to reducing the risk of cancer. Despite the rise in food prices the World Cancer Research Fund found that even if you choose fresh produce it is possible to get your five-a-day for just 42p!

They suggest: 8p per portion of red cabbage; 4p per portion of carrots; 13p per portion of tomatoes; 7p per portion of banana and 10p per portion of apple. What’s more, this price would decrease if you decided to opt for frozen fruit and veg, which will still have all the vitamins and minerals intact.

Apple peel contains polyphenols which may help fight autoimmune diseases.

VITAMIN VIEW

For help with blood-clotting, calcium deposition and heart health, vitamin K is your superhero supplement

Vitamin K refers to a group of vitamins with similar structures, broadly known as vitamin K1 (phylloquinone or phytonadione) and vitamin K2 (menaquinone, or MK). Vitamin K1 is found primarily in green plants such as spinach, kale and broccoli but is not very well absorbed by the body. Vitamin K2, which is more bioavailable, can be found in fermented products, particularly sauerkraut, cheese and natto (Japanese fermented soybeans). Interestingly, it is also synthesised by the bacteria that reside in our intestinal tract. Vitamin K1 is mostly involved in the blood-clotting role. Research has also shown that vitamin K2 is required for calcium deposition within the bones and prevents calcium from being deposited where it does not belong, such as in the soft tissues and arteries. In fact studies have shown that people with heart disease who had calcification of the arteries, also had low levels of vitamin K2. These findings have led to much research on the role of vitamin K2 in heart health. Many people looking to increase their vitamin K2 intake choose natural supplements that are derived from natto.

Alice Bradshaw is a nutritionist for Solgar Vitamins. For more information visit solgar-vitamins.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW?

Cinnamon has recently been recommended by the respected American Diabetes Association to reduce blood sugar levels. On top of this, just the smell of the pungent spice can even improve memory and reaction speeds.

Denmark has placed a tax on foods which contain lots of fat – these even include healthy avocados and coconut oil!

PUT HAIRS ON YOUR CHEST!

As well as adding inches to your waist, eating sugary foods can make you hairier. This is due to the high glycemic index, which leads to the body producing more of the hormone insulin in order to reduce blood sugar levels. An elevated amount of insulin may trigger the ovaries to produce extra testosterone, the male hormone which can produce excess hair.

The Taste Barometer

GOING UP

FISHING AROUND

A study from Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen has found that a fish-rich diet could cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by 90 per cent.

FOOD SHARE

Encourage your fussy kids to eat a wider range of food by sitting down together. Research shows children are more receptive to trying new things during a family meal.

WORK IT OUT

If you take up exercise, you’re less likely to choose junk food for dinner because your impulsive behaviour is dampened.

GOING DOWN

ANTIOXI-DON’T

Although drinks such as iced tea boast of their antioxidant power, they actually contain very little tea. And some even have enough sugars to rival fizzy drinks.

PASS ON PÂTÉ

Going out for dinner? Make sure you skip on the pâté as research has shown that 90 per cent of campylobacter outbreaks – the most common bacterial food poisoning – are linked to the dish.

GIVE LAMB THE CHOP

Watch out men – the University of California has found a link between red meat and prostate cancer.