The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

I sell a huge amount of coconut oil here in the shop and, whilst I appreciate that primarily it’s because mine is the cheapest in the area, the reasons for it being popular are many and varied.

Although there has been controversy surrounding the use of coconut oil, recent studies assert there are definitive health benefits in using the oil.

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is a saturated fatty acid that has an anti-microbial component.  More importantly, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties in coconut oil are now widely accepted as a healthy alternative that can be utilized in a variety of areas.

Continue reading Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

Weather Patterns Are Beginning To Have An Effect On Wholefood Prices In The Shops.

The strange weather patterns we’ve been seeing over the past few years are starting to have noticeable effects on the wholefood industry, causing large rises in some wholefood prices.

Continue reading Weather Patterns Taking Toll On Wholefood Prices

I know we’re already into the 2nd half of January and many of you already know about this, but for those of you who haven’t had a chance to call in to the shop yet… I’ve made a few changes and brought in new produce.

Continue reading New Year – New Produce – New Layout

Whole grains – like quinoa, bulgar wheat and pinhead oatmeal (or steel-cut oats) – are shrouded in mystery and gastronomic hocus pocus.

But they needn’t be! Here’s a brilliant article I’ve found in the New York Times that takes away all the flim flam and cuts through the fashionable BS to make it all  really simple.

THE FLEXITARIAN

The Complex World of Whole Grains, Made Simple

Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Whole grains can be versatile role players, especially in salads. Three that work particularly well this time of year are, from left, cooked millet, puffed rice and cooked farro.

By MARK BITTMAN  Published: July 23, 2013

Here’s the link>>> or click on the picture above.

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Last Saturday – fresh from my week off – I tried my hand at being a market trader at Frome Market.

Continue reading Frome Market Has Just Got A New Trader

October is a month when there seems to be plenty of fruit and vegetables about, but the seasonal vegetables I’ve chosen for this month’s recipes are:

• Leeks
• Broad Beans
• Fennel

Each of these seasonal vegetables can be used on their own, but excel as ingredients in recipes where their own distinctive character and flavour come into play.

Here’s a brief outline of each of these seasonal vegetables and how to prepare and cook them…

Continue reading Seasonal Vegetables

Today, broccoli remains one of the best selling vegetables for many reasons. This low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetable has been praised for many miraculous health benefits, including fighting cancer, boosting our immune systems, building stronger bones, and lowering the risk for cataracts. Broccoli earns its distinction as one of the top super foods in diets around the world.

Continue reading Broccoli – Everyday Veg That Can Change Your Life

Posted on25 January 2012 in Natural Products magazine:

New research shows that drinking eight cups of tea a day can lower blood pressure and could prevent heart disease.

The research, carried out by the University of Australia, is to be published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

During the trial volunteers with normal to high blood pressure were given three drinks a day containing 429 milligrams of the plant chemicals polyphenols – equivalent to eight cups of teas a day. A second group were given a tea-flavoured placebo. After six months, the blood pressure of the tea-drinking group had fallen significantly.

Lead researcher, professor Jonathan Hodgson, wrote: “Our study has demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge that long-term regular consumption of black tea can result in significantly lower blood pressures in individuals with normal to high-normal range blood pressures,” the team, led by Dr Jonathan Hodgson, wrote in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.”
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