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Researchers working with the American Gut Project have recently published the largest study to date into the human microbiome (1). The aim of the project is to further the understanding of which bacteria live in which populations and how diet, lifestyle, and disease affect the balance of bacteria in the gut. There is also a UK gut project doing ...

There are thousands of studies every year looking into ways to lose weight. It can get confusing knowing what advice to follow and some of the recommendations feel unrealistic in a busy life. Being a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet are not things that can be done intermittently. It needs to be a lifelong commitment. However, your needs ...

If you've read the blog post Reasons for Weight Gain – It's Not Just About Calories you'll know that there are many factors that may be affecting your weight. Below are some ideas you might like to investigate to help address some of the underlying imbalances. It is advisable to consult with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before ...

Whilst the number of calories eaten versus those expended through activity is an important factor in weight control there are many other reasons why some people gain weight more easily than others. Here are just some of the reasons why you struggle to lose weight or why you gain it so easily. Once you've read this read the blog Action Plans for ...

Following April's blog posts on the Benefits of Beans and Digestible Beans here are some ideas for how to incorporate beans into your diet. Pulses are so versatile they can be incorporated into more or less any meal or dish, even cakes and desserts! Bean Burgers In a food processor combine cooked beans with grated carrot, tahini or almond ...

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 ...