Information about healthy eating, nutrition and special diets.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

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.

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A Sensible Approach To Whole Grains

 

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   Published: July 23, 2013

 

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

Cooking Heart Healthy Food

 

 

Are you aware that what you feed your family on a daily basis affects their health and cooking heart healthy food maintains the health of their hearts? Since the family eats at home the majority of the time compared to eating at restaurants, you should be very aware of what you serve on the table. Your family’s health is in your hands and this is a huge responsibility but with knowledge, you can do it.

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Seasonal Vegetables

 

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…

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Broccoli – Everyday Veg That Can Change Your Life

 

 

 

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.

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Eight teas a day can lower blood pressure

Posted on25 January 2012 in Natural Products magazine:

cup of tea

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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