Talking rhubarb: everything you need to know

July 25, 2017July 14, 2017 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

Whilst there may be some confusion around whether rhubarb is a fruit or a vegetable, there’s certainly no doubt about its nutritional benefits.

Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, takes a closer look at rhubarb and why it’s worth including in your diet.

RHUBARB IN THE RAW

Rhubarb is very widely grown around the world and has quite a long season but right now it’s at its best. To set the record straight, rhubarb is actually a vegetable! It has been widely grown in the UK for around 400 years and tends to be sweeter if grown in greenhouses. The redder the stalks the sweeter the taste! Rhubarb can be a little ‘tart’ hence the reason it’s often cooked with other sweeter fruits.

Its ‘real’ name is Rheum which is the ancient name for the River Volga in Russia. The Chinese first discovered rhubarb thousands of years ago but it wasn’t until the 17^th century that it was used in the UK as a food.

Whilst there are many benefits to including rhubarb in your diet, it is important to note that only the stalks and flowers can be eaten; the leaves are actually poisonous. Another hot tip is that rhubarb is best not cooked in an aluminium saucepan as the metal can be absorbed into the food. Other than that, it has many merits!

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE

One of rhubarb’s nutritional highlights is that it’s very high in vitamin K which is one of our key bone-building vitamins. Vitamin K is important in the normal bone re-modelling process that is constantly happening within the body. As part of their normal functioning, bone cells are constantly destroyed and re-built and vitamin K is key in this process.

As with most fruits and vegetables, rhubarb contains good levels of vitamin C. Vitamin C is great for boosting the immune system and is one of our hardest working vitamins, helping to keep the body fit and well.

Rhubarb is also a high antioxidant food, right up there with some of the berry fruits. Foods high in antioxidants help stave off free radicals which are responsible for the ageing process and some of our more common degenerative diseases. Therefore, including more antioxidant foods in the diet is always going to be beneficial. Research has also been carried out using extracts of rhubarb to see how it can potentially help protect against Alzheimer’s[1]. Studies of this nature are limited but it just shows the potential power of food!

When the wonders of rhubarb were first discovered a few thousand years ago, medical herbalists used it in tincture form to help ease digestive upsets. Rhubarb is naturally high in fibre so will certainly keep the bowels in smooth working order if nothing else!

In Chinese medicine, rhubarb is believed to help inflammation and reduce infection. Its anti-inflammatory effects seem to help the mucous membranes. Therefore, if you’re suffering from the dreaded hay fever right now, then eating some stewed rhubarb regularly might just help.

RHUBARB RECIPES

The most important point to remember when using rhubarb in recipes is that the redder the edible stalks, the more likely they’ll be sweeter in taste.

Rhubarb is naturally quite sour so, but for obvious reasons, adding too much sugar is best avoided. However, rhubarb works really well with strawberries, which of course are readily available right now. Try stewing some rhubarb with a little maple syrup and then cool. Add some walnuts and mixed seeds and you’ve got yourself a wonderful breakfast topping for your porridge or cereal.

One of the most traditional ways to use rhubarb is in a crumble – a lovely indulgent pudding for special occasions. Rhubarb works really well on its own or with oranges or apples.

You could even try rhubarb in a smoothie. Why not simmer some rhubarb with a little honey the night before. Then whisk up the next morning with some other berries of your choice, together with some granola for a really filling and tasty start to your day!

So whilst rhubarb might not always have been the first choice in your shopping trolley, it certainly offers some wonderful nutritional benefits and tasty treats. Enjoy!

[1] Misiti F et al, Protective effect of rhubarb derivatives on amyloid beta (1-42) peptide-induced apoptosis in IMR-32 cells: a case of nutrigenomic. Brain Res Bull 2006 Dec 11; 71(1-3): 29-36. Epub 2006 Aug 7

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How to fight hay fever the natural way

July 18, 2017July 13, 2017 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

If the onset of summer means itchy eyes, tickly throat and lots of sneezing, then there’s plenty of natural help at hand for hay fever. Unfortunately, summer can be a miserable time for millions of hay fever sufferers but there are lots of ways that nature can actually help.

Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, looks at some natural remedies to help combat hay fever so you can better enjoy the lovely summer days.

IMMUNE DEFENCE

Any allergic reaction involves a response from the body’s immune system. An allergy triggers the release of histamine, which, in, turn causes the tell-tale itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing and wheezing.

Supporting the immune system needs to be the first line of defence. Vitamin A is key in helping to reduce inflammation in the mucous membranes which get irritated and cause these symptoms. Plus it’s also a key immune-boosting vitamin. Eating plenty of eggs, liver and fish, all high in vitamin A, is a good plan.

The body also converts something called beta carotene into vitamin A as it needs it; colourful fruits and vegetables, particularly carrots, peppers, mangoes and sweet potatoes all contain beta carotene and should certainly feature high on the menu to really help boost the immune system.

With the summer months now in full swing, we tend to naturally eat more fruits, vegetables and salads in any case so you’ll generally be eating more vitamin C, another key immune-booster. Berry fruits, in particular, are all high in vitamin C.

If you’re time-poor having a selection of fruits and vegetables in the freeze is a great way to make sure you have access to those immune-boosting nutrients at any time.

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

The spice, turmeric, is currently hot, in more ways than one! There’s been extensive research published on the many health benefits of turmeric (also known as curcumin), and one of its key uses is reducing any inflammation in the body.

Turmeric appears to dampen down a specific enzyme in the body which is triggered by pollen, therefore, it can certainly help manage hay fever symptoms. It’s easy to include turmeric in lots of dishes, not just spicy curries. As an idea, spicy scrambled egg with spinach makes a wonderful breakfast.

Additionally, turmeric is widely available in supplement form if it’s just a little bit too hot for your palate.

INCLUDE QUERCETIN

What’s that you may ask? Quercetin is a bioflavonoid or plant compound that helps to support immunity. More specifically it’s been found to help manage the body’s release of histamine, therefore it can help prevent some of the unpleasant symptoms of allergies.

Foods such as onions, citrus fruits, apples and green tea all contain quercetin. Interestingly, bromelain, which is a protein-digesting enzyme found in pineapples, helps the absorption of it, so eating a fruit salad containing both apples and pineapple is certainly going to help.

MAKE A CUPPA

There are two herbs of particular note which can help alleviate symptoms of hay fever. Camomile makes a wonderfully calming tea and is a natural anti-inflammatory and antihistamine; Elderflower tea can help chesty conditions and so may also help to ease hay fever.

EAT MORE FISH

Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon and tuna are all good sources of the omega-3 fats which help to manage any inflammation in the body. It, therefore, naturally follows that these healthy omega-3 fats can help to dampen down some of the unpleasant hay fever symptoms.

With the barbecue season now in full flow, all these fish are great cooked in this way; try to eat oily fish three times a week if possible.

So, if you’re a hay fever sufferer, hopefully some of these natural remedies can help stop you sneezing your way through the summer!

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The power of peas: tiny but nutritious!

July 10, 2017July 7, 2017 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

With their beautiful dense green colour, fresh peas are at their absolute best right now. There are many varieties of peas to choose from plus there’s always the ‘fresh or frozen’ question to debate!

Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, tells us everything we need to know about peas (with ease!)

PEA VARIETIES

Peas are a really popular vegetable in the UK with some sources estimating a whopping 9,000 being eaten by the average person a year! Unlike many of our fruits and vegetables, peas are actually grown in the UK with around 35,000 hectares given over to their farming.

The most common types of peas, other than those taken out of the pod, are mange tout (also called snow peas) and sugar snap peas. They are members of the legume family.

Garden peas have firm, rounded pods that need to be removed and discarded before eating the peas inside. Garden peas are naturally quite sweet and get sweeter and starchier the larger they get. Conversely, snow peas are eaten ‘whole’; also known as Chinese pea pods, they are often used in stir fries.

Sugar snap peas are actually a cross between snow peas and garden peas. The whole pod is eaten either raw or cooked and they have a crunchy texture with quite a sweet flavour.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS

Since all these peas are from the same legume family, their nutritional highlights are also fairly similar. They provide a rich source of thiamin or vitamin B1 which is great for energy production and the heart, and are also high in vitamin C. Plus, peas provide a good source of protein, hence they are used to produce protein powders which are particularly popular with vegetarian athletes.

Peas are high in folate which is key in brain development and energy production; pregnant women certainly need higher levels of folate in their diet. They are also high in fibre so they are great to include in the diet if you want to keep your bowels in smooth working order.

FRESH VERSUS FROZEN

The first peas were frozen by Clarence Birdseye in the 1920’s and Birds Eye Foods still have the most market share of frozen pea sales today!

Many people prefer to eat frozen peas rather than fresh because once peas have been harvested they undergo chemical changes quite rapidly. The natural sugar in peas is quickly converted into starch which can make their texture tough to eat and less digestible. However, the freezing process is normally done very quickly after harvesting which both locks the nutrients in plus makes them more tender to eat.

The other great benefit is that frozen peas require absolute no preparation! They’re readily available for curries, soups, casseroles, risottos or just as a delicious vegetable side with some melted butter and chopped chives.

Another question that’s often posed is regarding the nutritional content of tinned peas. Unfortunately, they do lose more of their nutritional value in the canning process and they can often be high in sugar and salt. So they are not the ideal pea choice!

TIPS FOR COOKING

As with any fruit or vegetable, cooking with as little heat as possible is always better. This is mainly because vitamin C is so easily lost in the cooking process. Therefore, steaming is always recommended or cooking in a just a small amount of water.

PEAS VERSUS PULSES

People can often get confused, quite understandably, around the differences between peas and pulses. This is mainly because of pulses called chick peas or black-eyed peas!

Peas are actually legumes and whilst pulses are part of the legume family, they actually refer to the dried seed. Various beans, such as soya, lentils and chickpeas, are probably the most common types of pulses. All pulses have good amounts of protein but don’t contain all the essential amino acids, hence they need to be combined with grains to get everything the body needs.

So there we have peas in a nutshell (or more correctly a pod!) They are a great go-to vegetable and if you’ve got some in your freezer all year round, you’ll never go without your daily greens!

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Celebrate the summer berry season

July 4, 2017June 30, 2017 / feelaliveuk / Leave a comment

The Great British institution of Wimbledon kicks off this week, and whilst in celebratory mood our thoughts tend to turn to strawberries. Home-grown British strawberries are at their absolute best right now in terms of flavour and the great news is that they also deliver some amazing health benefits.

Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, shares the health benefits of these heart-shaped fruit. And if strawberries don’t ‘float your boat’ there are plenty of other berries to choose from!

STRAWBERRY NUTRITION

It may surprise you to know that strawberries are not actually a fruit at all! This is because their seeds are on the outside, not the inside. They are actually part of the rose or rosaceae family!

Strawberries are a very rich source of vitamin C. In fact, they feature at about number five in the list of foods highest in vitamin C. They also contain folate, one of the family of B vitamins that delivers great energy.

Strawberries contain manganese, which is great for the joints. This benefit is further enhanced by the presence of compounds called ellagitannins which help manage inflammation in the body (which ultimately can cause pain). So if you’ve been hard at work in the garden and your back is complaining, you know what to reach for!

Anthocyanins provide the amazing red colour of strawberries, and these plant compounds also deliver some powerful immune-boosting antioxidants. Strawberries are also high in fibre to help keep the bowels running smoothly and support a healthy heart.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRAWBERRIES

As well as their enviable nutritional profile, strawberries are beneficial in a number of health conditions.

With Type 2 diabetes becoming ever more prevalent, one of the best ways to try to avoid its onset, is by eating foods that are known to be low glycaemic (or low GI). This means that whilst they contain sugar, mainly in the form of fructose, this type of sugar is released more slowly into the body. Therefore, this helps to balance blood sugar levels, an imbalance of which can lead to Type 2 diabetes. Strawberries actually have a much lower glycaemic index than other fruits such as bananas, pineapples, apricots and cantaloupe melon.

As previously highlighted, strawberries are rich in antioxidants which help to reduce inflammation in the body, and this too can have positive benefits on brain health. Even though very limited research has been carried out, it seems that eating strawberries can help re-generate the nerves involved in the area of the brain that processes new information. So summertime, when strawberries are at their best, might be a great time to learn something new; maybe a foreign language so you’ll be well prepared when next year’s holiday comes around!

So, what if strawberries aren’t top of your berry list? No problem – there are plenty of other berries to choose from!

BLUEBERRIES

Ranked second only to strawberries in terms of their popularity, blueberries are often referred to as a superfood. As with strawberries (and other berry fruits), it’s all about the colour. The deep pigment colour is attributed to anthocyanins, which are very powerful compounds that provide antioxidants.

Part of the reason that blueberries are often termed superfoods, is because they have a wider array of other health-boosting plant compounds than almost any other fruit. They have been found to be great for maintaining sharp brain function, keeping blood sugar levels in balance and supporting the eyes.

CHERRIES

Whilst cherries may be seen as more difficult to eat because of the stone, they more than make up for this inconvenience with their nutritional benefits.

Cherries come in the form of sweet or tart and they actually provide different health benefits.

Whilst they’re a rich source of vitamin C just like the other berry fruits, all cherries have been found to help combat the painful condition, gout, which causes very painful and inflamed joints. Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood and cherries actually help to reduce this, thereby aiding symptoms.

On the other hand, tart cherries are one of the only natural sources of melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone. They are fairly sharp to eat whole, therefore are best consumed in tart cherry juice which can be sipped morning and evening for best effect.

BLACKBERRIES

If strawberries are closely associated with Wimbledon, then blackberry-picking just shouts ‘summer’! Wild blackberries are abundant on the hedgerows and are an amazing accompaniment to many a dessert, particularly a fresh, fruit salad.

Whilst they contain an amazing array of powerful plant compounds, blackberries also provide an impressive amount of vitamins including vitamins A, E, K and the B vitamins. Blackberries are also high in two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which have been found to be highly beneficial to eye sight.

So summer berry season is here! Enjoy them all for extra health and nutrition benefits and feel energised all summer long!

FOR MORE GREAT DIET AND LIFESTYLE ADVICE:

Visit us at www.feelaliveuk.com for the latest offers and exclusive Alive! content.

Follow and Chat with Suzie on Twitter @nutritionsuzie

For everything you need to know about vitamins, minerals and herbs visit Herbfacts

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Month: July 2017

Talking rhubarb: everything you need to know

How to fight hay fever the natural way

The power of peas: tiny but nutritious!

Celebrate the summer berry season

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