David Diamond- Demonization and Deception in Cholesterol Research

Published on Sep 26, 2015
For the past 60 years there has been a concerted effort to demonize saturated fats, found in animal products and tropical oils, and cholesterol, in our food and blood. Despite the well-established health benefits of diets rich in cholesterol and saturated fat, flawed, deceptive and biased research has created the myth that a low fat, plant-based diet is ideal for good health. Poorly conducted epidemiological research, U.S. government intervention and misinformation conveyed by contemporary lifestyle researchers have contributed to the current state of confusion on dietary influences on health. The public must educate themselves on how to optimize their diet and cardiovascular health.

Graham

Cauliflower, Pear and Blue Cheese Soup ... Perfect for Autumn Days

"This creamy soup is a wonderful combination of flavours, and the salty-sweet walnuts sprinkled over at the end complement them perfectly," ...and so say all of us!

This soup is just perfect on a day when you may have enjoyed an Autumn walk, where the trees and countryside are looking magnificent, and a showcase of fantastic colour.

image courtesy of google

Time spent in the kitchen on your return will be so worth it as you sit and enjoy the taste of this lovely soup. It is 18.5 g carbs per serving, and I just have a bowl of soup ... no crusty bread with it ... but of course you may choose otherwise! The recipe does contain nuts so if you have an allergy - please be aware. 

"Preparation time:15 minutes to 20 minutes
Cooking time:25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
25g butter
6 shallots, diced
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 Conference pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
1 cauliflower, broken into florets (about 500g)
1 litre vegetable stock
2 tbsp crème fraîche
100g British blue cheese, roughly chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish

For the walnuts
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
50g Walnuts, roughly chopped 

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. For the walnuts, place the sea salt and sugar in a pestle and mortar and pound into a powder. Place the walnuts on a baking tray, sprinkle over the powdered salt and sugar and toss well until evenly coated. Roast for 5–7 minutes until golden then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

2 For the soup, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and celery and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the pears and cauliflower, toss together well then pour over the stock. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.

3 Stir in the crème fraîche, most of the blue cheese (reserve a little for garnish) and parsley. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Blend the mixture until smooth.

4 Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the walnuts, reserved blue cheese, extra parsley and a little ground black pepper. Delicious served with crusty bread ... optional.

COOK'S TIP:

To make ahead: prepare the walnuts up to a week in advance and
store in an airtight container. Prepare the soup to the end of step 3, leaving out the crème fraîche. Pour into a rigid, freezer-proof container and leave to cool completely. Freeze for up to one month. To serve, defrost.

Nutritional Info:
Typical values per serving:
Energy 1,587kj
382kcals
Fat 27.9g
Saturated Fat 12.7g
Carbohydrate 18.5g
Sugars 15g
Protein 14.1g
Salt 1.6g
Fibre .1g "

Original Recipe Idea Here

Hope you agree ... such a lovely taste.

All the best Jan

Don Henley - Take A Picture Of This

Don Henley one of the founder members of the Eagles still going strong after all these years enjoy.

Graham

Lauren Shera - Light & Dust

I reckon this lady would have been at home in the sixties her music would sit nicely in that era.

Graham

Blues of People

Don't miss this masterpiece. Eddie

Red Dawn - Never Say Surrender

Saturday night is music night on this blog and after the week I have had this seems appropriate. Eddie 

diabetes.co.uk Second letter to Mr. Panesar forum owner.

Mr. Panesar replied to my first open letter here. His letter is reposted here in quote marks and italics. My reply.

Dear Mr. Panesar

Thank you for your swift reply to my first letter.

At the time of writing this letter, I have two lines of thought. Do you have any idea what has gone on at your forum for years? and if not, as Captain of the ship, you are highly negligent. If you do know what has gone on, you are highly complicit in the lamentable situation observed by so many for years. What ever way you look at it, a very sad state of affairs indeed. Now I will answer the points raised in your letter.

“Thank you for your letter. I appreciate you taking the time to outline your concerns. But frankly, your complaints are based on a deliberate misinterpretation of what we do. The Diabetes Forum has played a key part in the low-carb movement: the community was the driver, and the forum the platform.”

No misinterpretation, I have commented on what I seen on your forum with my own eyes, as have countless others. We have the screenshots and links that prove the dishonesty, bullying, banning and duplicity that is the cornerstone of how your forum operates. Yes the community is the driver, not you, not your biased and corrupt mods. You have provided a platform, so have I, big deal. I don’t think you realise, it is the forum members who are the collateral, the real value, not the providers of platforms, the admin or the mods. It is the members who have provided 99% of the content, and they work for love, they work for free, not profit or self aggrandisement as you clearly do, as witnessed here.


A classic example of how your forum operates. Within recent days, one of the hardest working, most honest Lady I have ever known died. Her name was Hana, she posted over 8,000 posts on your forum. She helped people for years and was a total asset to the diabetes community. A great deal of her time at the forum, was spent fending off attacks and ridicule from the ‘usual suspects’. Your mods, their multiple accounts stooges and the 'protected ones'. (Multiple accounts are encouraged by your Admin as can be seen here.) What sickening hypocrisy we have been treated to by some of the ‘usual suspects’ who offer condolences after her sad and untimely death, yet done their best to make her forum life a misery at times. Hana never gave up, she worked to help others until the end. She kept her dignity, and never ever rose up, to the bait offered by people not fit to clean her shoes.

“You accuse us of deliberately silencing the low-carb voices on the forum as part of a collusion with pharmaceutical companies. As even the most cursory glance at our website shows, this is completely untrue. Here are just a few examples:”

I have not said you collude with pharmaceutical companies. I have merely quoted your words and those of Sales Director Barry Summers as seen here and here. You have made no secret of the fact you are looking for partnerships with pharma companies, you have also made no secret of the fact forum members are available for drug trials. You have silenced hundreds possibly thousands of low carbers by banning, thread locking, post deletion and post alteration. This I stated in my first letter to you, which you clearly chose to ignore. But the truth cannot be denied, even though you may choose to deny the facts staring you in the face.

"David Unwin publishes more evidence of low-carb diet benefits in the BMJ

“Ignore the guidelines, eat low-carb and high-fat”: Dr. Sarah Hallberg on how to reverse type 2 diabetes

Reversing type 2 diabetes low-calorie vs. low-carbohydrate

Low-carb diets and power of our community

“Every last shred of evidence”: Why low-fat dietary guidelines should never have been introduced"

Interesting you should list David Unwin's work and contribution to your forum. When he joined your forum, he was met with derision and ridicule from the ‘Usual suspects’ chief bully boy Sid Bonkers, aka The Enforcer, who said “Forgive me if am wrong but I smell a low carb troll here” he said this here, he went on to make other highly antagonistic and derogatory posts. The posts still stand. Nothing unusual for Sid, he has got away with this sort of behaviour for years, because he is one of the protected 'usual suspects' Dr. Unwin has stayed, many would have left, so many have, after receiving the Bonkers welcome pack and third degree. 

Incidentally the ‘usual suspects’ are a small group of low carb antis, who have been responsible for almost all the thread locking, banning, misinformation, and trouble on your forum. Some are ex mods fired in disgrace and some are present mods who make up the bulk of the wreckers and miscreants. I cannot argue that low carb features on your forum, let's face it, almost all the success is about low carb. How can you not pay at least lip service, when so many world renowned medical professionals are coming on board, and supporting low carb for not only diabetics, but for almost all.

The diet your anti low carbers cling to, as promoted by the NHS,DUK, BDA et al has failed diabetics totally and countless millions of others. The antis like to tell all, the low carb diet has not been proved in the long term. I put it to you and them, the diet has been used for around three million years. Man did not evolve on Mars Bars, Cornflakes, Coca-Cola and low fat yogurt. It was meat, fish, fat, vegetation, berries, nuts and seeds. Exactly the diet us low carbers eat and recommend, it's been one tough gig on your forum for so many. The low carbers have been many, the antis so few, but of course the antis have the ban button the delete button, and their posts stand, while many thousands of the low carbers posts have been deleted.

“We’ve published a book in association with Dr. David Cavan, head of Policy and Programmes at the IDF, on reversing type 2 diabetes. The book fully supports a carb-restricted diet.”

I look forward to reading it.

“We’ve published low-carb meal plans (and haven’t charged a penny for them) and thousands of low-carb recipes. We’re working on three projects (the details of which, for now, are top secret) focused on food.”

There are countless free recipes out there on the internet, including the Low Carb Diabetic sites. 'Free low carb meals plans book'. Is that the digitised book your members have to give huge amounts of their personal information to you to get? as seen here. and I presume this information provides sales mail shot and guinea pig lists for the big pharma trials that earns you money.

“The forum is full of low-carb success stories. You’ll notice that none of them have been banned or otherwise silenced.”

Completely wrong again. I know of many low carbers who posted in the low carb success thread including me, posts deleted and banned. With respect, have you spent more than a modicum of your time actually reading your own forum? I think not, if you had, you would never have had the audacity to make the comments you have made in your letter. Let alone pulling the character assassination job you tried on me.

“We have been featured in the Daily Mail, Mirror and a number of magazines where the diabetes community forum is referred to as the place individuals first find out about the benefits of low carb. Real people saying that if it wasn’t for the community and understanding the impact of food, their health wouldn’t have improved. The community is absolutely fantastic – propagating positive health outcomes through engaging.”

Agreed, but it is the low carb members who worked so hard to promote the low carb way, not you or your back-room staff, and certainly not the 'usual suspects' who have worked over-time to de-rail threads and make so many members life hard work to say the least. The low carbers have succeeded, despite the onslaught of counter attacks, by a few dozen people over the years. Very often aided and abetted by mods with a very dubious and tainted agenda. Can you remember who started the low carb way on your forum? Fergus, Dr. Katharine Morrison, Dennis, Timo, et al, all have walked, all worn down by the 'usual suspects'.

“I have a personal connection to all this: type 2 diabetes runs in my family. My grandmother passed away from heart complications. When my grandfather was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I supported him in reducing his carbohydrate intake. His doctor is amazed by his blood glucose and HbA1c results.”

I am sorry to hear that, as I have said publicly I come from a family with four generations of type two diabetics. Chuffed to read your grandfather is doing well by reducing the carbs. Frankly I have never heard of a diabetic who did not improve his control by reducing carbs. As you say his Doctor is amazed at his HbA1c results. It really does make you wonder, why the low carbers have had such a tough time on your forum, does it not? Of course, there is very little money to be made by the heavy promotion of the low carb way. Big pharma becomes very nauseous and weak at the knees, every time they hear the words low carb I am told.

“Safe to say, we support low-carb. I support low-carb. But it doesn’t work everyone, and our project has never been about aggressively insisting on a particular lifestyle. The Forum, first and foremost, is a place of support, where members can respectfully and kindly debate diabetes management. We encourage these debates, but we demand that they be conducted decently. Health is a deeply sensitive issue, and we won’t tolerate bullying.”

I think I have covered the points raised in that paragraph.

“Which, unfortunately, is what much of your behaviour constituted. We saw the relentless trolling, bullying and victimisation of the diabetes community that you and your friends have spearheaded. I have consoled many members of the Diabetes.co.uk team and fielded calls from at least 15 people in the last 18 months alone, all of whom felt harassed and threatened by your community. Most of them agree with low-carb in principle.”

I make no apology for lampooning and shining the spotlight on bullies, liars, and treacherous people. If you have consoled members of your team and at least 15 people over the last 18 months, why has it taken so long for you to make your initial contact to me via twitter on Monday? My name, mug shot and contact details have been out there for years. I'll hazard a guess why you contacted me Monday, because you now realise far too many people, some in high places with great influence are reading my words. Not only reading them re-tweeting them to thousands of their followers. The duplicity and corruption at your forum is becoming widely known. Could you be on a damage limitation mission?

"You and your friends publicly “outed” Giverny, our forum moderator, because she didn’t align with your paradigm and attempted to troll her on Twitter simply to ‘get off’. You did the same to Ben when he was Forum Moderator. Your blog is littered with hatred and contempt for those that don’t share your agenda. Moderators have resigned because they couldn’t handle the harassment that ensued with supporting a moderate view to diet. You repeatedly victimise diabetes forum members who don’t share your world view. In 2014, you wrote a series of spoof blog posts about how wearing a turban would help improve blood sugar levels. As a Sikh, it was upsetting and insensitive; the behaviour of a man more interested in doling out personal abuse than having a constructive debate. The IP addresses were from the same pool as other accounts you had created. We took legal advice. We had a strong case to impose a cease and desist, but we didn’t pursue it: it’s a distraction and we don’t want to engage with it."

The outing of Giverny as you call it was a link to her then open twitter page. I will tell you why that was done. At the time she was the administrator on your forum. I am sure she is a very nice and honourable young lady. But a non diabetic, and clearly from her twitter page, far too young and inexperienced to be the admin of "Europe's Largest Diabetes Forum" I can assure you it was not to "get off" as you have stated. The Sikh spoof post was taken directly from your forum. I never ever wrote that and can prove it. Although we did take a copy and paste to illustrate the lunacy going on at your forum.

There can be no greater illustration proving how sound and vital information has been suppressed on your forum than this. A text book example of the 'usual suspects' at their most dangerous and devious best. As posted on this blog here.

A few days ago, the email 'newsletter' from Diabetes.co.uk flagged a very recent study which showed that Type 2 Diabetics taking insulin had up to 3 x the mortality rate of Type 2s taking, for example, metformin. The authors also flagged the mechanisms by which the higher mortality rates were induced by the action of insulin (i.e. they were linking the higher risk of death directly with taking insulin not with, for example, any differences in risk due to the existing health profile of people likely to be offered insulin).

This information was absolute dynamite, when you consider what sort of type two diabetic would be likely to be an insulin user. Clearly this would be a type two diabetic, who had failed to gain control of blood glucose, by other methods or non insulin medications. Not of course the typical low carbing diabetic. It is a fact the more carbs in the diet the higher the BG for diabetics, hence many need injected insulin. The low carb antis were not slow in realising the ramifications of this new information.

A full blitzkrieg was mounted, by the same wreckers and thread lockers, who have operated the same way for years. The same people that say they have nothing against low carb, while lying through their teeth. The same people that worked overtime to stifle yet another debate and get the thread locked. The thread did get locked by Giverny, the non diabetic forum administrator. Who stated “Thread closed. This isn't the place to be scaremongering and dishing out potentially dangerous information. The thread can be read here.

You accuse me of bullying, yet have the effrontery to make veiled accusations of me being a racist, a religious hater and a stalker of a woman much younger than my daughters. BTW I was contacted by the Coventry based Police, evidently no case to answer. Rather slippery of your outfit don't you think, when you could have contacted me direct. Tell me is there a reason you never return my telephone calls or reply to the messages left with your staff?

“Beyond this, what exactly are you accusing us of? Yes, we connect patients to clinical trials – in order to not only provide a very valuable service but also to generate revenue – which is significantly reinvested into worldwide education, apps and management services. Yes, we are (or were) a start-up. Yes we’re interested in hearing from insurance companies – but you don’t understand the motive. We want to help (and we are!). We have evidence to suggest that using services such as the diabetes forum or Diabetes PA helps improve control – and that in turn can reduce insurance premiums. It’s for the benefit of the community.”

Save it for the advertising agencies and spin merchants. I have no problem with an honest profit and a business making a return on investment. But like pretty much everything in this life, it's not what you do, it's how you do it. I think I have made it manifestly clear, I don't like the way you do it. You are running an exploitation outfit in my opinion. Other great forums do not make the harvesting of members information, the selling of products, services and drug guinea pig trials their raison d'être. Needless to say, low carbers need none of the aforementioned. 

"When I was presenting the benefits of the diabetes community and the Hypo Awareness Program, having been nominated for Social Enterprise of the Year, and I was asked ‘why is your profit so low?’ The answer I have to the interviewer is the same I will give to you: because profit is not our motive."

Please forgive me, I have skipped most of the paragraph that included the above. Years ago when your forum was in it's infancy, Major Banks and big company advertising was flashing across your masthead, now each time I check, it's the win a free meter competition, no one ever lost. The meal guide features very heavily, but no big name companies. Do you ever wonder why that is? could it be the movers and shakers realise of the 200k members you constantly talk about, most left a long time ago, could it be because less that 1% of the forum members are regular posters. One thing cannot be denied, the forum offers no finer master-class in potential customer alienation. It is very clear to see why, if you take the time to look.

"I ask you to sincerely engage with what we’re achieving, rather than picking fights on spurious grounds. Look at what we Diabetes.co.uk and the diabetes community has done over the past three years. 10 years ago, the prospect of reversing type 2 diabetes was implausible. Now it’s very much a reality."

Nothing spurious about my accusations, I have talked fact. We have the links, the copies of threads, the screen shots. I will say much more at a later date, I expect many of the readers of this letter lost interest or nodded off a long time back. If you are still with me anyone, I admire your stamina and fortitude, bet most of you are low carb high fat, with that long range built in keto adapted fuel tank. You talk of three years, Fergus showed us the way over seven years ago at your forum, long before it went downhill, and Dr Richard Bernstein has been preaching the good word for decades.

"As always, you’re welcome to come to our offices for a chat. We have nothing to hide – we’re improving the health outcomes of those who engage with us – and we’re proud of that."

Sounds very cosy, but I will pass on that. For me that's a 200 mile four hour round trip, and my experience so far trying to track you down, has been about as successful as an NHS diet. I am proud of what I am doing, I was born to do what I have done, for fellow diabetics for over seven years. But I never forget, I am only a messenger, and so very fortunate, to work with an incredible team of people. People whose only agenda is to help and inform others. With them with me I cannot fail.


I look forward to your reply, I hope we can move forward. I hope we can progress matters. Hope is what we sell Mr. Panesar, hope and sound information, and we have never received a penny.

Yours sincerely

Eddie Mitchell

Baked Salmon Steaks with garlic, shredded cabbage and Stilton : Lovely Low Carb Food

Now doesn't that look a wonderful plate of food? Life can be strange at times ... talking to my dear dad recently he mentioned the pointed cabbage (see below), and then I found this brilliant recipe idea with salmon (which I love), Blue Stilton (very tasty) and ... yes, you've guessed it 'pointed cabbage'.

This recipe idea comes from 'Waitrose' so obviously uses their ingredients. However, if you are not near a Waitrose, I am sure you can find your own alternative ingredients ... I certainly hope so because it is a very nice meal.

Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time:25 minutes
Total time:40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
50g (Waitrose Duchy Organic) Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton, crumbled
25g walnut pieces, finely chopped
2 x 265g packs* (Waitrose Duchy Organic) 2 Scottish Salmon Fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
Small piece (Waitrose Duchy Organic) English Salted Butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (Waitrose Duchy Organic) Pointed Cabbage, shredded
Freshly grated nutmeg

* or four pieces of salmon approx 130 /140g each piece

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Mix together the Stilton and walnuts to form a coarse paste, and press firmly onto the flesh sides of the salmon fillets. Arrange the salmon in a small baking tin, skin side down, and bake for 20-25 minutes until the salmon is cooked and the topping is golden.

2. While the salmon is cooking, make the braised cabbage. Heat the oil and butter in a medium heavy-based pan until foaming, and add the garlic and cabbage. Toss together to coat in the oil and butter, then cover the pan tightly and cook over a very low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is wilted and tender. Season and add grated nutmeg to taste. Spoon the cabbage onto plates and serve with the salmon on top.

Typical carb value per serving is 4.6g 

... and now some facts about the pointed cabbage

Pointed cabbage:
Pointed, hispi, hearted or sweetheart cabbage as it is sometimes known is a type of green cabbage with green leaves and a pointed head. The leaves are more open than those of a green cabbage and they have a softer texture and sweeter taste. When buying pointed cabbage look for crisp, bright looking leaves and avoid any that are wilting, yellowing or have discoloured patches or holes.

How to Use:
Pointed cabbage is usually eaten cooked. It can be added to stir-fries or served with butter and black pepper as a side dish. It makes a tasty accompaniment to hearty stews and casseroles as well as grilled chops or steaks.

How to Prepare:
Remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage in half and then into quarters, cut off the hard core from each quarter at an angle. Slice and wash thoroughly.

How to Cook:
Cabbage can be steamed, boiled or stir-fried, it is easy to overcook cabbage and spoil its texture and flavour so just cook until tender. To steam cabbage, place in a steamer and cook for 5-10 minutes until tender but still crisp. To boil, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the prepared cabbage and cook for 5 8 minutes until tender but still crisp. To stir-fry cabbage, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the cabbage and stir fry for 4-5 minutes or until tender but still crisp.

How to Store:

refrigerated after purchase.

Nutritional Information:
Vitamins, Minerals & Phytochemicals
Is a 'Source' of:

Folate

Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)

100g cabbage, boiled, typically contains
16 kcals
1g protein
0.4g fat
2.2g carbohydrate
1.8g fibre

Details about pointed cabbage from here

Hope you enjoy this dish

All the best Jan

Rate My Hospital 'Cut the crap,' get back to nutritional basics, Heart and Stroke Foundation advises

Canadians should pay attention to the overall quality of their diet instead of just focusing on saturated fats or other individual nutrients, the Heart and Stroke Foundation now recommends.

Saturated fat intake is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which are the leading cause of death in Canada, responsible for 27 per cent of all deaths, according to Statistics Canada.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation convened a panel of experts to review the evidence on saturated fat and give straightforward advice. The group released its new position statement on Thursday.

• 'Eating fat makes you fat' idea debunked: dietitian
• Superfood status for fruits and vegetables overvalued, dietitian says
• Food cravings engineered by industry

"Don't just cut the fat, cut the crap," said Christine Le Grand, a specialist with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Ottawa. "Avoid all highly processed foods."

It's a different way of looking at diet, Le Grand said, based on the quality of fat we're eating, not just the quantity.

Heart and Stroke urges Canadians to go back to basics:

Cook from scratch at home as much as possible with whole ingredients.

Teach children and young people how to cook, including through home economics classes in school.

Pay attention to portion sizes.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of natural and whole foods.

Eat fewer highly processed foods such as sugary drinks, sweets, salty snacks and processed meats with many ingredients, additives and preservatives.

It's the saturated fat found in fried and highly processed foods that's of concern, the charity said.

Heart and Stroke urges Canadians to go back to basics:

• Cook from scratch at home as much as possible with whole ingredients.
• Teach children and young people how to cook, including through home economics classes in school.
• Pay attention to portion sizes.
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of natural and whole foods.
• Eat fewer highly processed foods such as sugary drinks, sweets, salty snacks and processed meats with many ingredients, additives and preservatives.

It's the saturated fat found in fried and highly processed foods that's of concern, the charity said.

The group would also like people to promote and encourage food policies that create a healthier environment, such as a ban on advertising food and beverages to children and urging stores to no longer place unhealthy options at eye level or at checkouts to encourage people to choose healthier options.

About 60 per cent of adults in Canada don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. "There's nowhere to go but up. There's nowhere to go but improve our diets," she said.

Avoid half of what we're eating

The position statement notes that between 1938 and 2011, the share of Canadians' food budget that was spent on natural and minimally processed foods fell from 34.3 per cent to 25.6 per cent. At the same time, the share that was spent on more processed foods rose from 28.7 per cent to 61.7 per cent.

Jean-Claude Moubarac is a researcher in the nutrition department at the University of Montreal. Last year, he published a study cited by Heart and Stroke on consumption trends in Canada from 1938 to 2011 for "ultra-processed foods." These are nutritionally unbalanced foods high in sugar, fat and salt manufactured in a way to promote over-consumption and are associated with weight gain and high blood pressure, he said.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include soft drinks, packaged fruit juices, cookies, ice cream, salty snacks, ready meals and bottled sauces — industrially transformed foods that Moubarac said haven't really been taken into account in nutritional research.

"Our estimation is that Canadians on average are consuming 50 per cent of their daily calories from ultra-processed," Moubarac said. "Half of what we eat is made of stuff we should be avoiding."

Like the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Moubarac encourages people to cook at home from scratch.

"When you cook at home, the purpose is to nourish. When you use ultra-processed product, the purpose is really to have a product you can sell."

Le Grand hopes industries will be challenged to reformulate products.

http://www.cbc.ca/

Graham

Low Carb Bacon, Avocado and Cream Cheese Muffin.

Good grief was this ever my kind of grub. Low carb high Phat and will keep me going all day. So easy to make even I can make it, only a few years ago I had to be trained to serve up a hard boiled egg, honest. Check out the link below for more details including a set of photographs that makes this stellar food idea a complete doddle to make. 

Eddie

Link to the recipe and full instructions here.

Cilantro Chicken

Ingredients

Serves Four

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb. total)
1⁄4 cup lime juice
1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2 in.) and place in a shallow baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, cilantro, garlic, honey, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over chicken and turn pieces to coat evenly. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.
3. Lay chicken on a grill over medium heat and cook, turning once, until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

4. Serve with salad or vegetables of your choice.

Certainly hope you may enjoy this recipe idea. We try and bring a wide variety, but not all recipes will suit all. Any food allergies, or underlying health issues must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

Recipe idea from here

All the best Jan

BDA Live: powered by Danio

BDA Live: powered by Danio

As proud sponsors of BDA Live, Danone looks forward to introducing delegates to NEW high protein, strained yogurt - Danio.

Danio is ‘Super Thick’ in texture because of the straining process used to make it, which requires twice as much milk as standard yogurts. The milk whey is extracted, resulting in a yogurt that is high in protein with an average of 12.5g (27% GDA) protein in each 160g pot.

There are six mouth-watering flavours to choose from, in both 0% fat and low fat options, each with a hand-picked fruit layer at the bottom. What’s more, Danio is free from preservatives, artificial flavours and is suitable for vegetarians.

For detailed nutritional information please visit our website: www.Danio.co.uk
Don’t miss our Super snacking experience...

Join us at the Danio stand for our ‘Taste & Win’ competition where delegates can try each of the Super Tasty flavours and be in for the chance of winning an iPad!

https://www.eiseverywhere.com/

Graham

diabetes.co.uk. Boss Mr. Panesar replies to my open letter.

Mr. Panesar replies to my open letter here.

"Thank you for your letter. I appreciate you taking the time to outline your concerns. But frankly, your complaints are based on a deliberate misinterpretation of what we do. The Diabetes Forum has played a key part in the low-carb movement: the community was the driver, and the forum the platform.

You accuse us of deliberately silencing the low-carb voices on the forum as part of a collusion with pharmaceutical companies. As even the most cursory glance at our website shows, this is completely untrue. Here are just a few examples:

David Unwin publishes more evidence of low-carb diet benefits in the BMJ

“Ignore the guidelines, eat low-carb and high-fat”: Dr. Sarah Hallberg on how to reverse type 2 diabetes

Reversing type 2 diabetes low-calorie vs. low-carbohydrate

Low-carb diets and power of our community

“Every last shred of evidence”: Why low-fat dietary guidelines should never have been introduced

We’ve published a book in association with Dr. David Cavan, head of Policy and Programmes at the IDF, on reversing type 2 diabetes. The book fully supports a carb-restricted diet.

We’ve published low-carb meal plans (and haven’t charged a penny for them) and thousands of low-carb recipes. We’re working on three projects (the details of which, for now, are top secret) focused on food.

The forum is full of low-carb success stories. You’ll notice that none of them have been banned or otherwise silenced.

We have been featured in the Daily Mail, Mirror and a number of magazines where the diabetes community forum is referred to as the place individualsfirst find out about the benefits of low carb. Real people saying that if it wasn’t for the community and understanding the impact of food, their health wouldn’t have improved. The community is absolutely fantastic – propagating positive health outcomes through engaging.

I have a personal connection to all this: type 2 diabetes runs in my family. My grandmother passed away from heart complications. When my grandfather was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I supported him in reducing his carbohydrate intake. His doctor is amazed by his blood glucose and HbA1c results.

Safe to say, we support low-carb. I support low-carb. But it doesn’t work everyone, and our project has never been about aggressively insisting on a particular lifestyle. The Forum, first and foremost, is a place of support, where members can respectfully and kindly debate diabetes management. We encourage these debates, but we demand that they be conducted decently. Health is a deeply sensitive issue, and we won’t tolerate bullying.

Which, unfortunately, is what much of your behaviour constituted. We saw the relentless trolling, bullying and victimisation of the diabetes community that you and your friends have spearheaded. I have consoled many members of the Diabetes.co.uk team and fielded calls from at least 15 people in the last 18 months alone, all of whom felt harassed and threatened by your community. Most of them agree with low-carb in principle.

You and your friends publicly “outed” Giverny, our forum moderator, because she didn’t align with your paradigm and attempted to troll her on Twitter simply to ‘get off’. You did the same to Ben when he was Forum Moderator. Your blog is littered with hatred and contempt for those that don’t share your agenda. Moderators have resigned because they couldn’t handle the harassment that ensued with supporting a moderate view to diet. You repeatedly victimise diabetes forum members who don’t share your world view. In 2014, you wrote a series of spoof blog posts about how wearing a turban would help improve blood sugar levels. As a Sikh, it was upsetting and insensitive; the behaviour of a man more interested in doling out personal abuse than having a constructive debate. The IP addresses were from the same pool as other accounts you had created. We took legal advice. We had a strong case to impose a cease and desist, but we didn’t pursue it: it’s a distraction and we don’t want to engage with it.

Beyond this, what exactly are you accusing us of? Yes, we connect patients to clinical trials – in order to not only provide a very valuable service but also to generate revenue – which is significantly reinvested into worldwide education, apps and management services. Yes, we are (or were) a start-up. Yes we’re interested in hearing from insurance companies – but you don’t understand the motive. We want to help (and we are!). We have evidence to suggest that using services such as the diabetes forum or Diabetes PA helps improve control – and that in turn can reduce insurance premiums. It’s for the benefit of the community.

Most companies generate venture capital – we haven’t. Why? Because our mission is simple – to help the community reduce their HbA1c; outside investors may not share the same motive. I’m not interested in generating revenue. I’m interested in improving healthcare through digital engagement. When I was presenting the benefits of the diabetes community and the Hypo Awareness Program, having been nominated for Social Enterprise of the Year, and I was asked ‘why is your profit so low?’ The answer I have to the interviewer is the same I will give to you: because profit is not our motive. Influencing change is. We’re not interested in politics, geographical boundaries or prejudices – we want to change the future of healthcare. And we’re doing it. 7 out of 10 improve their understanding of diabetes and 1 in 2 improve their diet choices as a result of joining the forum. Hospital admissions reduce when you join and complete the Hypo Program. As I said, our motive is simple – improve health.

I ask you to sincerely engage with what we’re achieving, rather than picking fights on spurious grounds. Look at what we Diabetes.co.uk and the diabetes community has done over the past three years. 10 years ago, the prospect of reversing type 2 diabetes was implausible. Now it’s very much a reality.

As always, you’re welcome to come to our offices for a chat. We have nothing to hide – we’re improving the health outcomes of those who engage with us – and we’re proud of that.

I wish you all the best."

I will reply to Mr Panesar fully in due course. But in the meantime note this.

"You and your friends publicly “outed” Giverny, our forum moderator, because she didn’t align with your paradigm and attempted to troll her on Twitter simply to ‘get off’."

All I did was post a link to Giverny's open to the public domain twitter page (since closed). Which showed her reclining on a sofa with a can of Carlsburg in her hand. As for "getting off" I have six children older than her and have worked for the last twenty years subject to regular full disclosure criminal record bureau checks , because I work with children. BTW the Coventry Police did contact me, as witnessed by some members here, it came to nothing. I had broken no laws.

Please also note this.

"In 2014, you wrote a series of spoof blog posts about how wearing a turban would help improve blood sugar levels. As a Sikh, it was upsetting and insensitive; the behaviour of a man more interested in doling out personal abuse than having a constructive debate"

This was taken directly off your forum as a cut and paste (we have the proof) Who are you trying to fool, what are you trying to pull, the race or the religion card? are you that desperate? whatever it is, you are certainly not fooling me. We only copied and pasted it to show the lunacy that was occurring at the diabetes.co.uk forum. That being said, most of your mods let much of this lunatics posts stand for far too long.

So, this is the way you operate Mr. Panesar, attempting to besmirch my good name, accusing me of "getting off" over a person not much older than a child. Veiled accusations of racism or religious abuse, if this is the level of your argument, I think it says far more about you than me.

Eddie

Jimmy Moore a very busy man but always has time to fight for the cause!

Without doubt Jimmy Moore is very well known in the US and around the world. Many millions have read his blog and he is constantly travelling the world giving presentations and holding seminars. He has written top selling books and interviewed some of the most famous medical professionals in the low carb and paleo arena. That being said, he has always found time for the ordinary guy trying to spread the low carb message. Yet again he has helped me out today. He re-tweeted my open letter today to the diabetes.co.uk owner. Jimmy is followed by almost 26,000 people on twitter and he also featured my letter in the LCHF experts on line newspaper. Thanks Jimmy I owe you.

Read the free LCHF diet experts on line newspaper here. 

Jimmy can be found here.

Eddie

diabetes.co.uk An open letter to forum owner Mr. Arjun Panesar

Dear Mr. Panesar

I have some views to express and comments to make regarding your forum.

Almost from the very start of the forum and with only a couple of thousand members, the stand out news was the low carb diet. A day never went by without members reporting outstanding success in the control of their diabetes. Within days of trying the low carb diet, members were seeing non diabetic blood glucose numbers on their BG meters for the first time. The much needed weight loss for some members was almost effortless and lipid panels improved dramatically. Very often this amazing turnaround was achieved with nil or reduced medication. The simplistic beauty of this highly successful diet, is all the diabetic has to do, is eat whole fresh foods and drop the highly processed refined carbs and sugar. No need for starvation diets, no need for medication in many cases, and no downside whatsoever. What could possibly go wrong?

Unfortunately the forum soon degenerated into a war zone at times. A small group of anti low carbers, who preferred to follow the dietary guidelines of the National Health Service, The British Dietetic Association and the largest UK diabetes charity Diabetes UK, caused arguments and spread misinformation at every opportunity. The aforementioned nationwide organisations basically state, a diabetic can follow the same diet as any non diabetic and use medication to bring blood glucose levels down to a safe level. Unfortunately this does not work for the majority of diabetics. This fact is confirmed by the annually published NHS diabetes survey audited statistics. The total number of confirmed diabetics increases every year and no improvements in the all important blood glucose numbers, confirmed by HbA1c tests, are being made whatsoever.

To sum up, a newly diagnosed type two diabetic, approximately 90% of all diabetics are type two, has choices to make. Does he change his diet and stop eating many of the nutrient lite and very often factory made highly processed foods, which are doing him no favours at all, or does he continue to eat the foods that played a major contribution to becoming a diabetic, and cover the highly elevated and dangerous blood glucose numbers with medication. As stated earlier the NHS stats prove the latter does not work for the majority of diabetics, one must also realise most type two diabetes drugs are expensive, ineffective and carry side effects, some serious enough to have been banned in recent times. Clearly for the straight and logical thinker, the only safe way to go is dietary changes and the nil or minimal medication route. There are no known negative side effects in consuming whole fresh foods, none whatsoever.

Back to the forum. With so much success reported by countless diabetics type two and one, from the start of the forum, to the present day, via a low carb diet, why have hundreds of low carbers been banned? From well meaning and knowledgeable laymen and women to highly respected low carb experts such as Dr. Jay Wortman a low carbing type two diabetic. Why have countless thousands of low carbers posts been deleted over the years (well over two thousand of mine alone). Why has banning, thread locking, deleting and or editing of members posts been allowed to go on. The situation borders on the unbelievable, when you consider this massive wanton destruction and vandalism has been conducted by around a dozen individuals, mostly past and present forum moderators.

Why have honest, even-handed and highly knowledgeable mods resigned using this sort of language “A forum whose administration team have consistently shown poor management, questionable moral judgement” and “A moderation approach that stifles meaningful discussion” and “Members banned who have actively supported said community over the past six months... the sort of members that DCUK should be protecting and nurturing in order to ensure a strong community going forward”. The obvious question must be, has this happened because of a very small group of dishonest, underhand and totally biased mods, or does the problem go deeper? Could commercial reasons and considerations have a part to play in the years of dishonesty and the often appalling treatment of the rank and file members. Members who dared to ask a straight question, members who dared to constructively criticize, members who fell foul, of extremely unfair interpretations of the forum rules and clear abuses of moderator power.

Well, it must be taken into consideration diabetes.co.uk is a business as you Mr. Panesar recently stated in the on line 'Start Ups' website "We’re aiming to become the world’s largest diabetes community within the next 18 months, not just Europe’s. Financially, we’re aiming at turning over £8m a year" and in the Coventry Telegraph "One of the ways the website makes money is by charging to put organisations such as pharmaceutical companies doing medical trials in touch with forum members who have diabetes". Your Sales Director Barry Summers not so long ago stated publicly "We are interested to hear from investors, M&A groups, strategic partners, health insurance or pharmaceutical companies who have an interest in improving outcomes in the management and control of diabetes throughout the world. An ideal turn key beyond the pill distribution channel"

Astute observers have said, if a large proportion of diabetics went low carb, at least two major pharmaceutical companies would go out of business. That is purely conjecture, but without doubt there is very little money to be made in promoting a low carb diet. A forum that seeks to be the largest in the world and turnover £millions per year would also lose out financially in my opinion, especially if the low carb diet became the mainstay of safe and reliable diabetes control. The financial ramifications are clear and obvious, when the public statements from the forum owners have have made it abundantly clear and without equivocation, partnerships with big pharma feature highly in their plans.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course, receiving any comments and to answering any queries or questions you may have.

Your sincerely

Eddie Mitchell

Red Roasted Carrots

Now these are simply delicious. Although carrots do have more carbs. than vegetables like aubergine, courgettes, broccoli ... so if you are diabetic and may have a concern with blood sugar numbers, then test is best i.e. do use your meter. Read more about carrots and their nutrients here. 

Red Roasted Carrots
Combine a couple pinches (or a half teaspoon each) of cinnamon, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and sea salt. Mix spices well in a bowl (or bag!) with 5 or 6 diagonally (oval) cut carrots plus 1TBS olive oil and 1tsp sesame oil.

Roast at 400 for 20 minutes on a cookie sheet until the edges are crispy brown. Enjoy warm!

Original recipe idea from Erin

Somehow the colour is just right for Autumn

All the best Jan

Trans Fatty Acids May Not Be As Bad As Once Believed, As Long As You Only Eat Them In Small Doses

For years, medical experts and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have called trans fatty acids (TFAs), aka trans fat, the bane of the American diet. They say it can lead to memory loss, contribute to diabetes, and heighten risk of death. Trans fats are so bad that food manufacturers have hidden them in food, trying to trick consumers into eating what could potentially harm them. However, a new study published in the European Heart Journal has found that trans fats might not be as bad as people think.

Before you start gobbling down McDonald’s fries or an entire package of Oreos, let’s clear something up: Trans fats are still bad for you in large quantities, but low levels of them may not be as harmful, according to study researchers led by Dr. Marcus Kleber, a post-doctoral researcher at the Vth Department of Medicine at Heidelberg University in Germany. In fact, Kleber’s team found that low levels of artificially manufactured trans fats weren’t as harmful, while naturally occurring ones that appeared in foods, like dairy and meat products, could even be beneficial.

Artificial trans fats are produced when hydrogen is added to liquid oil to solidify it, a process called hydrogenation. Trans fats are used in everything from the aforementioned McDonald’s fries, to cakes, pies, biscuits, and basically any fried item. Consuming high levels of trans fats can lead to high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke, diabetes, and possibly even infertility, Alzheimer’s, and some forms of cancer.

For the study, Dr. Kleber and his team looked at data from the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study, which took place between 1997 and 2000 and involved 3,316 people who had signed up after undergoing coronary angiographies to determine cardiovascular health. Kleber’s study involved 3,259 of these people, 30 percent of whom died over the course of the 12 years.

The researchers analyzed the red blood cell membranes of patients to find their total concentrations of trans fats, as well as to distinguish between concentrations of artificial and natural trans fats. Using the blood samples, they compared it to information on deaths, causes of death, medical histories (particularly diabetes and blood pressure), and other factors, such as whether a patient was taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, how much they exercised, and if they smoked.  

“We found that higher concentrations of TFAs in the membranes of red blood cells were associated with higher LDL or 'bad' cholesterol, but also with lower body mass index, lower fats in the blood (triglycerides), and less insulin resistance and, therefore, a lower risk of diabetes,” Kleber said in a press release. “We were surprised to find that naturally occurring TFAs were associated with a lower rate of deaths from any cause, and this was driven mainly by a lower risk of sudden cardiac death.”

Kleber was surprised to find “that increases in the concentrations of industrially produced TFAs were not followed by increased mortality.” This differs from studies done in the U.S., and Kleber believes it was because the German participants showed lower levels of trans fats in their blood than what might be found in a typical American.

The patients with the highest concentrations of naturally occurring trans fats also had a 37 percent lower chance of sudden cardiac death when compared to those with lower levels. The associations between naturally occurring and industrially made trans fats and death were not statistically significant, the study found.

“Our results show that the low levels of industrially produced TFA we found in the LURIC study did not pose a health risk, and therefore could be regarded as safe,” Kleber said. “We also found that trans-palmitoleic acid (a naturally occurring TFA found in milk and meat from ruminant animals [like cows and sheep]) is associated with better blood glucose levels and fewer deaths from any cause, but especially a lower risk of sudden cardiac death.”

http://www.medicaldaily.com/

Graham

Sardines ... just look at the nutrients they contain

Sardines are rich in numerous nutrients that have been found to support cardiovascular health. They are one of the most concentrated sources of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels; one serving (3.25 ounce can) of sardines actually contains over 50% of the daily value for these important nutrients. Sardines are an excellent source of vitamin B12, second only to calf's liver. Vitamin B12 promotes cardiovascular well-being since it is intricately tied to keeping levels of homocysteine in balance; homocysteine can damage artery walls, with elevated levels being a risk factor for atherosclerosis. A true super food that will not break the bank ! This food is cheap and full of great nutrients. Very filling and very lowcarb.

More on sardines at this site here

How about trying ...

Sicilian-Style Sardines with Fennel : Low Carb, Full Of Calcium

This Sicilian sardine and fennel dish is full of calcium, low-carb and super savoury. Sardines are a great way to boost your calcium levels – just make sure you don’t choose a tin of filleted sardines – it’s the regular ones you are after. The bones melt away in the cooking, so you won’t notice them, promise. Nor is the dish fishy at all – just super savoury.

SERVES 1-2

INGREDIENTS:
1 head of fennel, cut into slender wedges through the root (save any feathery tops)
1 small onion, sliced
1tbsp olive oil
1/2tsp fennel seed
a pinch of grated lemon zest
1 tin of sardines in olive oil
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tbsp toasted pine-nuts

METHOD:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the fennel and onion. Fry at a high heat until beginning to caramelize.
2. Add the fennel seed and cook for another 30seconds.
3. Stir in the sardines, breaking them up with your spoon, and the lemon zest. Cook, stirring often, until the sardines have collapsed and the mixture is beginning to caramelize on the bottom of the pan.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, just letting them heat through and collapse a little in the mixture, keep scraping at the bottom of the pan to release the delicious gunk there.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts and any feathery tops of fennel you have saved.

Recipe and link also shown here

All the best Jan

BDA : Work Ready Programme

BelVita Breakfast are providing funding and their insights and consumer expertise to support this programme.

http://www.bdaworkready.co.uk/

Rather go to work on an egg methinks !

Graham

From this blog post here.

"Last weekend the Food and Drink Team took Belvita Breakfast to BDA Live, the annual British Dietetics Association conference. As headline sponsor the team was on hand to help keep the dietitians going all morning. Whether they visited the breakfast bar or attended the breakfast workshops they had the opportunity to hear about the science and nutrition behind the brand. The conference was a great success with 82% of dietitians agreeing Belvita Breakfast is a good option for breakfast and 71% admitting we had changed their previous perception."

Belvita Breakfast is a high carb, highly processed junk food that no one needs, but let's not forget, "82% of dietitians agreeing Belvita Breakfast is a good option for breakfast" and "71% admitting they had changed their previous perception" Changed their perception, a few free samples and some propaganda from the PR reps and they change their minds, wonderful. Check out the failed science experiment that is the Belvita Breakfast at link three.

So there you have it, whole fresh food or the Belvita Breakfast as endorsed and recommended by the BDA, no wonder the obesity epidemic gets worse by the day. I may track that fella down and treat him to some eggs, bacon and mushrooms, Oh and a bloody reality check.

Eddie

Maximize The Nutrient Content Of Your Food With These Tips!

These photographs and words are part of an interesting article I read on 'Food Matters' recently. I share some of it here with you, but please read more of the original article in the link I've given below.

"Now we all know the benefits of eating lots of fruits and vegetables. We all know we should consume more of fresh fruits, fresh greens, salads, steamed and grilled vegetables. That we should use vegetables and vegetable-based dishes as snacks, and learn how to sneak more vegetables into our daily menu. Sometimes it seems overwhelming though! How much plants should we eat daily to get all the nutrients our body needs?! We don’t have that much time to sit and chew all that food, let alone shop, store, and prepare it all!

We all, of course, do our best to make sure we consume our plants for better health daily. We care about our health, we care about the health of our loved ones.

But did you know that with all this effort you put into cooking good quality meals and consuming your daily portions of fruits, vegetables and other plants you might be wasting up to 90% of your efforts!

How do you get the most nutrients out of your food? If you don’t know how to choose the best, most nutritious produce, how to store it and prepare properly, you might be wasting some of your efforts and time!
Read on to find out how to get the maximum out of the plants you eat! Vitamins and minerals be wasted no more!

Green And Salads:
Choose the most colourful greens for your salads and other dishes. Red, purple, brown-red, dark green are amazing choices. Forget your Iceberg lettuce! It’s almost empty when it comes to nutrients! Go for dark green, super-nutritious varieties: arugula, radicchio, endive, spinach and others. The fresher – the better. Whole leaves are always fresher than cut mixed greens in the bags.

To keep your greens fresher and more nutritious for longer: steep them in cold water for 10 minutes or so, dry well, store in the fridge crisper drawer in perforated sealed bags ( or simply seal a plastic bag with your greens and make 10-20 tiny holes with a fork).

Never eat your salads without some good quality fat like olive oil or avocados. Some vitamins are fat-soluble ONLY and won’t be absorbed by your body, unless you consume some fat along with them. Use unfiltered extra virgin olive oil for maximum nutrition, antioxidant content.

Garlic And Onions:
Garlic is rich in nutrients and has numerous health benefits. To get most out of it - mince the garlic, press it and let it sit for about 10 minutes before exposing it to the heat. If you don’t do that and expose garlic to the heat, you’ll lose close to 100% of its health and nutrition value. 

The stronger your onions taste – the better they are for you. Sweet onions have little nutrition value and might have as much sugar as apples! The smaller the onions are - the most nutrients they have. Shallots are more nutritious.

Scallions (spring onions)are the most nutritious of all onions. If you can find them – eat them! Cooking your onions (except boiling) increases their nutrition value. Boiling reduces nutrition profile of most vegetables,because water-soluble vitamins and minerals leak in the water and stay there.

Unless you plan to consume the water – avoid boiling your veggies! Steam them, grill them, stir-fry.

Carrots:
Get the most out of carrots: choose whole fresh carrots (better with the tops – they are the freshest), cooked carrots are more nutritious. Cook carrots whole and cut them after cooking to save the most nutrients. Eat your carrots with some kind of fat to absorb the most nutrients. Purple and deep orange carrots are the most nutritious.

Tomatoes:
Deep red tomatoes have more nutrients than green, yellow or gold. Go for red tomatoes for nutrition, and green, yellow and gold for different tastes. As a rule, the smaller the tomato, the higher its sugar and lycopene content.

The heat involved in cooking increases the bioavailability of lycopene in tomato, making it easy for your body to absorb.

Store tomatoes at room temperature and NEVER in the fridge to preserve their flavour and aroma!

Cruciferous Vegetables:
Once harvested broccoli loses its sugar and nutrient content very rapidly. Choose the freshest possible. Whole heads stay fresher longer. Store them chilled at the crisper drawer of your fridge in a perforated sealed plastic bag.

Eat them raw or slightly steamed (up to 5 minutes) as soon as possible to get the most nutrients.

Brussels sprouts don’t stay fresh long either. Store them chilled at the crisper drawer in a perforated plastic bag. Steam them for 5-8 minutes to get the most taste and nutrition.

Cabbages can be stored in your fridge for longer as a whole. 

Red cabbage is the most nutritious. Cut your cabbage and steam briefly for the best taste and nutrient value.

Cauliflower needs to be consumed as fresh as possible. White cauliflower has the most anti-cancerous properties, while green and purple ones have more antioxidants. Store in the fridge for up to a week. 

Steam your cauliflower rather than boil for the most nutrition.

Kale is the most bitter and nutritious of all crucifers. Store it in the crisper drawer and use within a few days. It’s the most nutritious when it’s massaged with oil and eaten raw, or gently steamed.

Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocados:
Buy the freshest artichokes possible. They lose their nutrition value fast. Store them chilled. Steaming is the best. Eat within days. 

Asparagus doesn’t last long either. Choose the freshest. Consume within a day or two by eating it raw or steaming slightly.

Avocados are really rich in soluble fiber and “good” fats. Choose the right avocados for the most nutrition: soft at the stem having just a slight “give” in the middle. 

Store ripe avocados in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

Cut avocados will stay fresh for 2 days, if you leave the stone in, drizzle them with lime or lemon juice and wrap them up. Keep them in the fridge."

Hope you found this article interesting, please read more here 

All the best Jan