Some of us may start to feel bored with winter food (me!), but look, the days are getting longer and here and there hide the first signs of Spring. Plus, February is the peak season for delicious fruits and vegetables! Here is a local selection valid for the UK and most northern Europe countries. VegetablesBrussel […]
Happy New Year my dear readers! I wish you all the best in 2024, and in particular good health and love. This is January, many wellness influencers and magazines are rubbing their hands. They tell you that you had too much food, too many drinks, not enough exercise in the past couple weeks and that […]
Vitamin A is a group of fat-soluble retinoids involved in immune function, cellular communication, growth and development, and male and female reproduction. It is essential to vision. It is found as retinol in animal foods, and carotenoids in plant foods, like carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, mangoes, oranges, spinach…. To say that vitamin A is […]
It is estimated that nearly one third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, with considerable environmental impacts, aggravating ecosystem damage. Polyphenols in plants are particularly concentrated in leaf tissues, they aid in plant defense, against ultraviolet radiation or aggression by pathogens. They contribute to the bitterness, astringency, colour, flavour, odour and […]
Perhaps you came across this research in the news: adding milk to coffee would increase the anti-inflammatory effects of the later. The study is called Phenolic Acid–Amino Acid Adducts Exert Distinct Immunomodulatory Effects in Macrophages Compared to Parent Phenolic Acids – yes it is a bit cryptic! The study looks at how the amino acids […]
Garlic is thought to have a lot of potential health effects, it is rich in antioxidants and compounds with powerful antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. In fact garlic has been used since ancient times for its flavour and possible therapeutic effects, for example in Chinese medicine. Studies are still trying to understand better the mechanism […]
Perhaps you are reading this while in lockdown, and perhaps, just like me, you sometimes dream of holidays by the Mediterranean Sea… In my dreams, there are not only the blissful beaches bathed with crystal clear water, there is also the Mediterranean food: juicy tomatoes, plump aubergines, oriental meze, pasta of all shapes, a board […]
Most of us don’t measure portion sizes when we eat, we serve ourselves according to our appetite, liking or disliking of available food, time, servings of ready made meals etc. That’s absolutely fine, and I certainly don’t support weighing food or counting calories, however I believe that a refresh of portion sizes of each food […]
Spring is finally here! A weird Spring for sure, for many of us are quarantined because of coronavirus. While we are social distancing, nature is bursting and brings delicious fruit and vegetables to our table. Sourcing fresh fruit and vegetables can be tricky these days. Remember that tinned and frozen are valid alternatives. Frozen and […]