Blog

The recently introduced sugar tax on soft drinks means that many drinks now include artificial sweeteners as well as or instead of the sugar. This may mean that they have fewer calories but it does not in any way mean that they are a good alternative. Over the past few years studies have found that low calorie sweeteners such as aspartame and ...

The recently introduced sugar tax on soft drinks has highlighted the many health problems associated with excess sugar intake. Here are 5 good reasons to reduce or give up sugar: sugar provides empty calories sugar upsets blood sugar levels sugar is associated with weight gain and obesity sugar is implicated in insulin resistance, type 2 ...

Beans are a versatile, nutritious and delicious food group but many people are put off eating them due to their side effects, namely flatulence and bloating. But it doesn't have to be that way. Below are some ideas to help reduce the flatulent effect of beans. See blog post on Benefits of Beans to learn about the many benefits of eating ...

There are many reasons to include beans in your diet including ethical, environmental and health factors. Beans are a good source of protein, fibre, resistant starch, oligosaccharides, sterols, calcium, magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, folate and antioxidants including carotenoids and isoflavones (1,2,3). Below are just some of the health ...

Easter is a festival celebrating new life, new beginnings and potential for growth. Eggs act as a symbol of new life. The trouble is, the only growth that the average chocolate Easter Egg will promote is around the girth of the eater. However, chocolate itself is not the culprit. The cacao bean from which chocolate is made has many health benefits ...

In Traditional Chinese Medicine spring is considered a time of birth and regeneration and is associated with the wood element. Like a tree, in order to survive and grow we must be strong, but flexible enough to adapt to the challenges that come our way. The organs associated with the wood element are the liver and gall bladder which are said to be ...

Having a really thorough spring clean is good for the mind, the body and the spirit. However, many household cleaning products are more toxic than the dirt and grime they are trying to remove. They may lead to skin problems, headaches and breathing difficulties as well as being environmentally destructive. Anti-bacterial products, such as those ...

Planet earth has 2 equinoxes a year. This is when night and day are of equal length and it happens in March and September. This year the spring equinox is on the 20th March. The spring equinox is a great time to do a detox in preparation for the season ahead. First of all, it's important to know that your body is detoxifying all the time; if it ...

If you've read the blog post on Alternative Flours you may be keen to start experimenting with gluten free baking. Here are some recipes to inspire you. Feel free to adapt them to your own needs and tastes. Seedy Banana Loaf Green banana flour is high in resistant starch whilst ground almonds and seeds provide beneficial oils and protein. A ...

Avoiding wheat no longer means a life deprived of cake, bread, crackers or biscuits. With the rise in people avoiding or reducing wheat and gluten, there are now many alternative flours that can be used in baked goods. They all have different properties in terms of taste, texture and nutritional value. Here's a quick look at just a few that are ...