Month: July 2022

Seasonal nutrition: what to eat in July

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shutterstock_404009245 courgette salad July16

The year, as ever, is racing by! However, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy those foods that we associate with summer and that are in season right now.

From delicious fruits to flavoursome vegetables there is nothing better than eating foods as nature intended and at the time of year they are at their most nutritious.

Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer, shares her top five foods this July

 

Raspberries

Their beautiful pink colour just shouts summer! Interestingly, most of the raspberries sold in the UK at this time of year are produced in Scotland, a place we don’t always associate with summer weather!

Raspberries are a very rich source of vitamin C which is essential for the immune system but also for the muscles, skin, and bones too.  Collagen, the body’s main structural protein needs vitamin C to do its work properly.  It’s a fact, raspberries can help in the fight against the ageing process!

A punnet of fresh raspberries

Raspberries are also high in fibre and antioxidants. Enjoy them with just a light dusting of icing sugar, have some with your morning cereal or overnight oats, add to natural yoghurt or make into a raspberry sauce by pushing them through a sieve.

Runner Beans

Runner beans always seem to be a staple crop for the keen gardeners amongst us.  Despite the initial seed sowing and structure being slightly labour intensive, they seem to be pretty hardy and grow well in our soils. Or maybe they’re so popular down to the beautiful flowers they produce.

A bunch of runner beans on a wooden background

Runners are high in vitamin C and energising folate.  However, when boiled (which is how most people cook them), much of their nutritional value is lost. So always go for steaming to retain more of their nutrition. When fresh, they are also deliciously crunchy eaten raw in salads.

Sea Trout

This needs to be distinguished from river trout which is farmed and not nearly as tasty and nutritionally rich.

Wild sea trout is often referred to as salmon trout, but their flavours are slightly different with sea trout being a little subtler.  In terms of nutritional value, wild sea trout are much pinker than farmed versions because they naturally feed on algae that is loaded with astaxanthin.  It’s what makes them pink but also is one of the most powerful antioxidants known to man. 

Trout with lemon wedges and herb

By eating wild sea trout, you’ll be enjoying all its health benefits. That’s not forgetting that it’s a great source of the amazing and essential omega-3 fats which are needed for the heart, brain, hormones and much more besides. Enjoy sea trout simply plain grilled with lemon butter and Jersey Royal potatoes (also in season).

Turnips

We often think of turnips as winter root vegetables (which they are). However, they tend to be available pretty much all-year round and have a summer harvest too. Turnips make a great vegetable side and can be used instead of parsnips, perhaps roasted with Parmesan and rosemary.

Rustic,Organic,Turnips,With,Fresh,Green,Tops,And,Roots,On

Turnips are rich in fibre so help keep bowels regular, plus they contain the all-important vitamin C.  Even better, turnips are low in fat but provide good energy, together with a bucketful of essential minerals, including calcium for that all-important bone health.

Courgettes

Also known as zucchini to the Americans and Italians, courgettes probably work best when put with some stronger flavours such as feta, tomato and basil or garlic. Courgettes have a high water-content, so can certainly taste rather bland without some flavours to perk it up!

A range of courgettes

Courgettes are a rich source of beta carotene which is a powerful antioxidant.  It’s also turned into immune-boosting vitamin A in the body as needed. They are a good source of the antioxidant lutein which is great for eye health.  With the increase in screen usage over the last few years, we are seeing a real demise in our ability to see long distance, and this is especially noticeable in children and the younger generation.

Why not tempt them with some courgette and mint potato cakes or zucchini fries to help them to like courgettes?

Have a fabulously healthy July and enjoy creating dishes with all the seasonal foods on offer.

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Eating mindfully: how to do it and the benefits

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A,Black,Heart-shaped,Signboard,With,The,Text,Mindful,Eating,,On

Mindful eating is described as an approach that focuses on an individual’s sensual awareness of the food and their experience of eating that food.  In crude terms, it’s about getting more bang for your buck! But how do we incorporate mindful eating into our daily life?

Clinical nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares her three top tips for on how to eat mindfully. 

 

 

Think about what’s on the plate

This, of course, is an obvious starting point.  How many times do we just eat for the sake of eating or because we’re so ravenous it’s the first thing that we find in the fridge or cupboard? Many of us are incredibly time poor, so meal planning is just another one of many daily jobs. However, keep it simple and acknowledge the nutritional value of what’s on the plate.

Delicious,Caprese,Salad,With,Ripe,Tomatoes,And,Mozzarella,Cheese,With

For example, if you’ve managed to find the ingredients to quickly prepare a colourful Greek or caprese salad, you’ll be able to rapidly notice the range of colours within the dish.  Every food colour provides specific and plentiful nutrients.  Therefore, trying to get colour variety on the plate is really important from a nutritional perspective. 

Looking at a bland plate of jacket potato with baked beans on the top is not very inspiring. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with these foods, why not add a colourful side salad to bring it to life?

Chew thoroughly

The digestive system is incredibly complex. Intricately bound up in this activity is the process of chewing.  Essentially, chewing is the first line of physical food breakdown using our teeth, but chewing is also a signal to the digestive system down below. Slow and steady is the order of the day.

Young,Woman,Eating,Healthy,Salad,At,Restuarant,,Healthy,Lifestyle,,Diet

Essentially, whilst we’re chewing a series of hormones and enzymes are being prepared for us to digest and absorb the food efficiently.  How many times have you wolfed down a meal only to regret it a while later?  This is because if you cheat on the chewing, the body doesn’t have the chance to do its work. 

Chew every mouthful around 30 times if possible; your digestion and future health will be rewarded. Importantly, it’s whilst you’re chewing that the opportunity to embrace mindful eating appears.  Really think (and hopefully, enjoy) each and every mouthful, acknowledge the taste and also the texture. The good thing is that in order to eat mindfully, it’s impossible to do so ‘on the run’ or quickly.

Feel the nutritional benefit of food

Food is one of life’s wonderful pleasures.  It’s also nature’s way of maintaining life on earth via the fuel and nutrients the food provides.  If you’ve never considered it before, remember that the body needs around 45 different nutrients daily (including water) to enjoy optimal wellness.  Therefore, whilst eating food, really take a moment (whilst you’re chewing thoroughly) and throughout the meal, to imagine each mouthful nourishing your body and providing health and vitality.

shutterstock_583532458 nutrition word cloud heart Mar21

 

Every single nutrient plays a part within the complex biochemical balance of the human body.  For example, the mineral zinc fulfils around 200 different enzyme reactions.  So, eating mindfully is also about providing what the body needs to keep it working as we want it to.  Your body works hard for you, so make sure you show it some love back.

Enjoy the sensory experience that mindful eating will bring at every meal.

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Summer just became simpler! Five easy and nutritious dishes to fuel your summer

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When it comes to food and meal planning, it’s easy to forget that dishes don’t have to be complicated to be nourishing and, importantly, delicious.

We all want to enjoy the warmer weather rather than spend hours in the kitchen and there are some great dishes that don’t take too long to prepare that will keep your energy up this season.

This National Simplicity Day, Nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares five simple, but nutritious dishes to help you enjoy summer even more!

Summer salmon with spicy noodles

Salmon is an oily fish, loaded with the essential omega-3 fats.  They’re essential because the body can’t make them but also because they’re needed for the health of the hormones, joints, eyes, brain, and heart.

Somen,Noodle,With,Teriyaki,Salmon,Sprinkle,With,Scallions,And,Sesame

Simply mix up some miso sauce (great for gut health), balsamic vinegar and paprika, spread over the salmon and grill for around six minutes.  Meanwhile, stir fry some chopped ginger and garlic, and quickly cook the noodles in boiling water.  The drained noodles can then be tossed in the garlic and ginger with some sweet chilli sauce and served with the salmon.  Add some steamed broccoli and you’ve got a perfect meal in around 10 minute

Tasty mushroom pasta

You can use crème fraiche in this recipe as a protein source or oat crème fraiche as a vegan option. Always try to use wholemeal pasta because its nutrient content is far higher than white pasta, especially when it comes to the energising B-vitamins.

Farfalle,Pasta,With,Champignon,Mushrooms,And,Garlic,Creamy,Sauce,On

Fry some onions and garlic, which are loaded with fibre and antioxidants, with mushrooms (a good source of vitamin D).  Once soft, then add either form of crème fraiche with some fresh baby spinach and cook until wilted (about one minute). Spinach is a rich source of iron and folate, essential for DNA repair.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta, combine it all together and you’ve got a delicious meal in around 15 minutes.

Quick beetroot salad

Summer is of course synonymous with salads.  However, it’s always worth bearing in mind that salad vegetables tend to naturally have lots of water and are not as nutrient dense as vegetables.  Therefore, try to add some ‘heavy weights’ into the mix!  Enter beetroot!

Baked,Beetroot,Salad,With,Blue,Cheese,And,Avocado,,CloseupBeetroot delivers so many amazing health benefits especially for the liver and brain health too, down to its betaine content. You can mix and match with this salad but add cooked chopped beetroot to some rocket, with sliced pear, soft goat’s cheese, and a dressing of your choice.  Anything with an olive oil base is going to be great for heart and joint health too. Even better, this dish will only take around 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

 

Posh beans on toast

Certainly not the normal ‘beans on toast’ you’d expect, this one contains plenty more nutrients. Use ready-podded broad beans (ones that are free from the tough outer coating) and which are easily bought frozen.  These are then cooked with some green beans. The beans can then be tossed with some pesto and added to toasted ciabatta, spread with either cream cheese or almond nut cream butter (either are great). Finish off with some lightly dressed rocket leaves.

Smashed,Avocado,On,Soda,Bread,With,Broad,Beans,,Coriander,And

This dish really is a nourishing and super quick summer meal. Beans are a great protein source, are packed with fibre and immune-boosting vitamin C.  However, some slices of prosciutto add even more flavour and protein. 

Quinoa and pomegranate salad

This dish is actually much more than a salad, providing plenty of protein and much more besides. I talked about beetroot being a heavy weight vegetable; this dish really brings in the full cavalry!

Quinoa is not actually a grain, but a seed and therefore doesn’t upset those of you how may have issues with gluten.  Plus, it’s very high in fibre and protein and quick to boil up with a stock cube.  It takes the same time as rice.  However, when you add plenty of pomegranate seeds, it steps up a level.  Pomegranate is great for heart health but also feeds the beneficial gut bacteria.

Quinoa,Salad,With,Pomegranate,On,Rustic,Kitchen,Table

Simply add these with some chopped coriander, lemon juice, raisins and chopped red onion to the quinoa. Onions also work as a prebiotic fibre, providing great benefits to gut health.

After that, it’s up to you!  Feta, pine nuts, goat’s cheese and walnuts will all provide excellent additions.

Summer cooking has never been so easy and nutritious – enjoy!

 

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Fabulous ‘sides’ to make your barbecue sizzle!

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It’s no secret that barbecue season is here – fantastic news for most of us!  However, it’s very easy to get stuck in a rut when it comes to deciding what side dishes to have with the main event.

Bearing in mind that it’s still important to try and make every meal count from a nutritional perspective, then these sides can really pack a punch on that front too.

Clinical nutritionist Suzie Sawyer shares her five favourite sides for your barbecue this summer.

Delicious summer salad

It’s time to think beyond a few green leaves for a summer salad.  Leaves are great and certainly rocket and watercress have many health benefits, both being high in energising folate. However, this one really brings great taste and nutrition too.

Black,Beans,Corn,Avocado,Cucumber,Tomato,Salad,With,Lime,Dressing.

At this salad’s heart are black beans (tinned are easily accessible).  Beans are an often-forgotten protein, and they also contain lots of antioxidants. Add some avocado which is rich in vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant and great for the skin. Include delicious vine ripened tomatoes, sliced red onion (a rich source of health-giving plant flavonoids), cucumber and crumbled feta. Just pour over some dressing of your choice, and if it’s got olive oil as a base, you’ll be getting some benefits for the heart too.  This salad is nourishing, filling, and energising.

Griddled vegetables

Get the taste and feel of the Mediterranean with griddled aubergine, red peppers, onions, courgettes, and tomatoes.  If ever a salad was competing to be colourful whilst packing a nutrient punch, it would win hands down! Once griddled, the veggies can be sprinkled with herbs of your choice but dried or fresh thyme, olive oil, lemon and chopped parsley work really well.

Grilled,Vegetables,In,A,Cast,Iron,Grilling,Pan,,View,From

We know from lots of research that the people who live in Mediterranean countries, or follow the same diet, tend to live longer, and generally suffer with less disease.  The Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants which helps to protect the body from damaging free radicals and this salad certainly delivers on this aspect.

Spicy cauliflower

If you like tempura vegetables, you’ll love this recipe.  Many people avoid cauliflower because it can be tasteless and have a soggy texture if over-cooked.  However, cauliflower belongs to the super-healthy cruciferous vegetable family, which all contain amazing compounds that help with liver detoxification and hormone balance.

Moroccan,Tempura-style,Fried,Cauliflower,Florets,Served,On,A,Black,Plate

Whisk up some batter using flour and milk, and add some garlic, which is great for the digestion and heart.  Coat the cauliflower florets in the batter and then some breadcrumbs (homemade or shop-bought) bake in the oven, and then serve with chopped spring onions and some chilli sauce. You don’t even need a barbecue to serve this one up!

Protein kicker salad

This is another dish that can stand alone but also makes a great side to the barbecue, providing plenty of protein (around 20 grams per serving). Many people would traditionally use rice in this one, as it’s a twist on a curried rice salad, but by using quinoa, you’re upping the protein and fibre content. 

Quinoa,Salad,With,Cauliflower,And,Boiled,Eggs,On,A,Vintage

Simply cook the quinoa in some stock, whilst hard-boiling some eggs and frying some onion. Bring everything together with some raisins, chopped coriander, curry paste and ground turmeric.  This dish not only provides some powerful tastes, but the combination of foods is a balanced meal on its own too.

Potato salad Plus

Potato salad can’t really be left off the menu when it comes to planning barbecue sides.  And it doesn’t need to be!  Potatoes are a rich source of immune-boosting vitamin C and fibre, plus they’ll provide loads of sustainable energy too.

Potato,Salad,With,Mayonnaise,And,Spring,Onion,,Selective,Focus

Why not reduce the amount of mayonnaise and add some natural yoghurt instead?  Natural yoghurt is a great source of probiotics which help feed the gut bacteria and support overall health and wellness, not just in the digestive tract.  Plus, adding some spring onions which are packed with antioxidants and work as a natural antihistamine, provide extra support if you happen to be a hay fever sufferer.

So, why not try one or all five of these super salads? Your barbecue just got a whole lot healthier and tastier!

 

FOR MORE GREAT NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE ADVICE:

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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 our sister site Herbfacts

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