HEALTH + WELLNESS
EAT YOURSELF HEALTHIER THIS YEAR
YOU ’ VE FINISHED THE LEFTOVERS AND THE PROSECCO HAS RUN DRY ; SAD AS IT MAY BE , CHRISTMAS IS OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR FOLKS , SO IT ’ S TIME TO TACKLE THAT MOST CHALLENGING OF ALL GOOD INTENTIONS – THE NEW YEAR HEALTH KICK . EATING WELL IS HARD , ESPECIALLY OFF THE BACK OF A FESTIVE FEAST , SO WE ’ VE DONE THE RESEARCH FOR YOU AND PUT TOGETHER A HANDY LITTLE HEALTH GUIDE TO SET YOU ON THE RIGHT PATH .
BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
EAT MORE …
Pulses , beans and peas
Hot on the heels of nuts as the go-to healthy snack , pulses in all their forms are being praised for their high nutritional value . Apparently , as little as one in ten of us eat pulses daily , but people who do consume one portion of beans , peas , chickpeas or lentils not only feel 31 per cent fuller than those who don ’ t , but find it easier and more manageable to stabilise their weight . Gluten free , packed with protein and with a low glycemic index , legumes are also cheap as chips ( something you definitely shouldn ’ t be eating ).
Sprouted greens
If you ditch the lettuce in your salad and replace it for a mound of sprouted greens , your protein , vitamin C and B complex vitamin intake will leap upwards by a whopping five times the amount . Grains and seeds that are harvested before they grow into fully fledged plants , sprouted greens are ‘ living ’ and so continue to produce nutrients right up until you eat them , plus they ’ re rich in chlorophyll , which cleanses our blood and detoxifies our system . Sprinkle over soups and smoothies with wild abandon .
Local fruit and veg
Whole foods are higher in nutrient levels because they don ’ t undergo all of the packaging , artificial lighting and changes in temperature that fruit and vegetables which have travelled across the world ( or even from one end of the country to the other ) will have . Which isn ’ t to say that non-local produce isn ’ t nutritious , but is to say that its levels of nutrients and specifically vitamins A , B , C and E will be significantly lower than fruit and vegetables bought from local markets . Shopping locally , your food will not only be healthier for you , but it will taste better too , as anyone who ’ s ever been to a ‘ pick your own ’ and eaten fruit fresh from the plant will contest .
Good quality meat
Bearing in mind the horrors of factory farming and the fact that processed meat reassembled from chemically-enhanced animal scraps is rife , it ’ s tempting to push vegetarianism as a far healthier way to live . That said , a vegetarian that lives on crisps and sugary drinks is bound to be in far worse shape than a farmer who lives on free-range , grass-fed organic beef . Extremes aside , the quality of the meat you choose to consume will have a marked effect on your health - as a rule of thumb , cheap meat means corners are cut where the safety , health and welfare of animals is concerned , so it ’ s better all round to buy good quality meat and eat it less frequently .
Amaranth
2017 ’ s quinoa equivalent , amaranth is rich in protein and contains a pretty powerful punch of calcium , iron and magnesium , as well as more fibre than its other gluten-free counterparts . A seed rather than a grain , it has a slightly peppery , nutty flavour and a sticky texture , so can be cooked as a cereal , ground into flour , popped like popcorn , sprouted , or toasted . The seeds can also be added to stirfry , soups and stews to thicken them up and add a bit more bite .
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