Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of our body and is used in the production of red blood cells. It’s important in the formation of haemoglobin which is the part of the red blood cell responsible for carrying oxygen from our lungs to our brain, tissue and muscles and enables the oxygen to move freely between cells. This is why one of the symptoms of an iron deficiency is fatigue as our organs struggle to receive the oxygen required to function optimally. Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies we know about. Thankfully this can be confirmed by a blood test where you red blood cell, haemoglobin and ferritin levels can be checked. Our bodies can store 25% of iron naturally which is stored as ferritin. Men can store ferritin in the body and for up to three years, but woman can only store it for one year making them more susceptible to anemia. Iron deficient anemia can be common amongst teenagers, young adults, during pregnancy and menstruation.
Chia pudding is an excellent breakfast option - especially with summer on the way and a cold breakfast becoming more appealing. They are a source of omega-3’s, fibre, antioxidants, protein and vitamins and minerals. The perfect nutritious breakfast or snack. Made the night before, all your need to do is add your favourite chopped fruit and seeds/nuts to give it even more of a nutrient kick.
As promised - a delicious soup recipe that is high in beta-carotene rich vegetables. Have a read of last weeks blog to learn about the benefits and why we should all be making an effort to include foods rich in beta-carotene in our diets.
2 x red peppers
1 x large orange sweet potato
100g cherry tomatoes
2 x carrots
1 x onion
1 x clove of garlic
400ml of vegetable stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 180degrees
Dice the carrots sweet potato and red pepper up into about 1cm size cubes. Leave the cherry tomatoes and garlic whole.
Add the vegetables (except the onion) to a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast for about 30minutes
With Easter a few days away I thought I would share some of the benefits of including dark chocolate in your diet. Unfortunately i’m not talking about milk chocolate here, it needs to be dark, the darker the better and ideally organic high quality chocolate which does come with a bigger price tag.
Have a read below to learn some of the benefits of adding this delicious treat to your diet.
Fights free radicals - Dark chocolate is an excellent antioxidant. Cocao powder has been shown to have higher antioxidant activity than other ‘superfoods’ like blueberries and açai berries. Antioxidants are needed to neutralise free radicals which are causing havoc in our bodies. Free radicals cause inflammation, and inflammation is the route cause of most illnesses so it’s something you want to avoid and how amazing that a delicious treat can help!
If you are after another drink to warm you up with this freezing weather try hot mug of lemon, ginger and honey. It’s refreshing, with loads of health benefits too!
Lemon - for the added vitamin C boost, it is also calming on the digestive system and adds to the flavour
Ginger contains a wide range of vitamins, minerals and is a potent antioxidant and anti inflammatory. (I will re share my post on ginger next week for you to read the full list of benefits)
Honey - Ideally use raw honey for the full benefits. Honey is antibacterial, anti inflammatory - I will do a blog post soon going into more detail!
Following on from my blog on the benefits of turmeric - I thought I would share this tasty recipe so you can add turmeric to your diet in another way! Perfect anytime of the day as it is caffeine free.
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
250ml Koko coconut milk
1 drop vanilla stevia
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Method
Heat milk up slowly in a saucepan and stir in the turmeric.
Once it’s heated to the required temperature add to your favourite mug.
Add one drop vanilla stevia (or 2 depending on how sweet you like it) and sprinkle with cinnamon and you’re done!
Brownies are definitely my favourite sweet treat - but I like them even more when I know they are nutritious too! By adding black beans to the brownies you are adding iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and copper to name a few. It’s not often you will come across with a brownie with as an impressive nutritional profile!
Ingredients
You will need to plan ahead with this recipe as the black beans need to be soaked over night (up to 24hrs!!)
Alternatively you can use tinned black beans.
300g black beans (rinsed and patted dry)
3 tablespoons raw cacao (another nutrient hit)
3/4 oat flour (made by putting regular oats in food processor until you get a fine consistency
There are so many causes for us to suffer from low energy and they aren’t all ‘unhealthy’, sometimes being ‘over healthy’ can be a cause too. Over exercising and not giving our body the amount of rest time we need to recover can cause our energy levels to be depleted. Following a diet that is too low in calories, or the wrong balance of macronutrients can often leave us feeling low in energy and thats when bad nutritional decisions are made, as we look for quick fixes to boost our energy levels. On the other end of spectrum, not exercising at all can leave us feeling sluggish and low on energy. Eating too much of the wrong foods that are high in calories but low in nutrients can also leave us with low energy and deficiencies which can cause fatigue. It’s important to find the happy medium that works best for you and your energy levels, we are all different, what might work for one person most likely won’t work for another. If you are feeling like you are struggling with low energy - spea
If you are looking for a healthy alternative to your usual sugar cookie or ginger bread man recipe give this one a go! Tasty with no refined sugar!
Ingredients
250g almonds
1/2 cup cake flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon bicarb
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger (optional)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Method
Pre heat over to 180degrees
Add the almonds and blend until they are a fine crumb, then add all the other ingredients to a blender and blend until at a smooth consistency. The dough should come together.
Place the dough in-between two sheets of baking paper, using a roller - roll
With December already here, the weather getting colder and the delicious Christmas treats being passed around it can make sticking to a healthy life style a little harder. I’m all for enjoying yourself and enjoying the occasional treat, but you don’t want to loose all your hard work and be back at the starting point come 1st of January.
You don’t need to wait until the new year to start a new healthy routine. Why not start now - You will be a whole month ahead by the time January is here.
Keep up your exercise routine - Being consistent with your exercise routine can help keep you motivated in staying healthy.
Keep hydrated - when its cold outside - drinking water becomes a lot harder! Try adding some different herbal teas.
Use this time to start new healthy Christmas traditions - long family walks, exercising together as a family…
