This year’s nutritional bad guy? Without a doubt, it has to be sugar. If last years’ big diet trend was 5:2, then this year’s is low – or no – sugar. Now, it’s ‘most things in moderation’ here at Kale and Cocoa, so NO sugar is a bit hardcore (No ketchup? No Chutney? Really?) But…
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR GENES – FARRO, WATERCRESS AND MUSHROOM SALAD
Slaves to our genes? Not any more! A few months’ ago, world-renowned geneticist, Dr Sharon Moalem, published a ground-breaking book. Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives And How Our Lives Change Our Genes reinforces much of what we believe, here at Kale and Cocoa, namely that taking control of your diet can change…
The Power of the Mediterranean Diet, picnicking Kale-and-Cocoa-style and a frittata.
On holiday? Dreaming of holiday? Chances are many summer holidays – whether dream or reality – involve a Mediterranean country, blue skies, the scent of lavender, a chilled glass of rose and a table under the trees laid with platters of grilled vegetables, freshly caught fish and, of course, a bottle of fruity olive oil….
CANCER-BUSTING CARROTS AND A SIMPLE CARROT SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING
Carrots … cheap, readily available, invariably liked by children. And now, a cancer-busting superfood to boot. Research into carrots has shown them to: lower the risk of heart attacks in women; reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 32%; reduce the risk of colon, prostate and bladder cancer; restore vision; and help prevent inflammatory…
WHY WE ARE NUTS ABOUT NUTS – AND A RECIPE FOR ALMOND-GINGER DIPPING SAUCE
Eating well to age well (our Kale and Cocoa mantra) isn’t about the odd sprinkle of chia seeds and goji berries (although we love them both) – it’s about making real change to how we eat: whacking up the amount of vegetables and fruit, reducing processed, refined foods and focussing on foods that do us…
WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE EATING MORE WATERMELON – WATERMELON SALAD WITH FETA AND PUMPKIN SEEDS
The biggest blockbuster research in recent weeks was Cambridge University’s study into lycopene, a carotenoid (that’s a natural pigment made by plants) and powerful anti-oxidant. The latest in a string of studies and reports showing the benefits of lycopene, this one found that lycopene-rich diets can improve cardio-vascular and heart health. Previous studies have suggested…
BEER, BARBECUES AND RECIPE FOR BBQ’D FISH TACOS
The smell of barbecues lingers in the air every evening, so we were depressed to read that barbecuing meat can produce chemicals with cancer-causing properties. Arghhh! There are two ways these nasties can ruin your Barbie: 1) Cooking meat at high temperatures (on the BBQ or not ) can create compounds – heterocyclic amines –…
Can you live without a bacon sarnie? And a recipe for stuffed vegetables
“New health fears over processed red meat” is not a headline that any bacon sarnie lover wants to see. But a study published in the American Heart Association journal called (and get this for a chirpy title) ‘Circulation: Heart Failure’ indicates that those eating over 75g of processed meat a day (about 3 rashers of…
PRO-AGEING RED BEANS – SPICED KIDNEY BEAN DIP WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA CRISPS AND CHERRY TOMATOES
This week’s big break-through has been the lycopene study, proving that lycopene really does protect against heart disease and strokes. We’ll be telling you more about lovely lycopene later, but you can catch up at: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/09/tomato-extract-lycopene-relieves-damaged-arteries-cambridge-study But my favourite research? The one showing cynics faced a ‘far higher risk of Alzheimer’s’! Indeed, the Scandinavian study…
A SEASONAL SUPERFOOD THAT INHIBITS CANCER – SWEET AND SOUR CHERRY BOWL WITH KALE, ALMONDS AND GOAT’S CHEESE
There’s something of the jewel about cherries – their colour, their shape, their size, the way they shine (and yes, their price!). Nutritionally, they’re even more precious, punching way above their weight. Indeed cherries make it into the top 20 superfoods when it comes to antioxidants – and that’s just one reason they’ve been…