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The humble lentils have many superpowers! It's time we give this legume the respect it deserves.  Lentils contain a lot of protein and more iron than meat. They are also packed with essential vitamins, including B vitamins, minerals like phosphorus and dietary fibre. What more? Well, they are very easy and fast to cook, easy to store, and you can keep them in your cupboard for a long time.  Where are lentils from? Lentils are the edible seeds of a legume plant Lens culinaris or Lens esculenta.   These amazing seeds have been known and admired by humans for centuries. The archaeological evidence suggests that humans collected wild varieties of this pulse over 13,000 years ago. Historically, lentils were domesticated in the Fertile Crescent and then spread to Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and North India. Ever since they have sustained millions of people in different areas of the world as a great source of protein and nutrients.  Today, lentils have hundreds of different varieties cultivated around the world: in France, Le Puy lentil s; black lentils in the Middle East; beluga in North America; and in India, red lentils , <a href="https://wholefoodearth.com/p/wholefood-earth-organic-brown-lent...

Easy and quick way to prepare asparagus! Perfect for a side dish and a snack. 

Lentils with mushrooms and rocket salad You can enjoy this super tasty and nutritious warm salad with a toast. Perfect on colder days and warmer days, it's packed with protein and a lot of flavour!  See recipe here Easy focaccia with lemon and herbs Enjoy this Italian classic flat bread at home! Easy to make and delicious. It requires just a few ingredients and a pair of hands. This version features extra herbs and lemon for a more unique flavour. See recipe here Toast With Hummus And Asparagus Made with hummus and fresh asparagus this delicious toast can be a great snack during the day! It can also become your favourite healthy ...

You will love making this one. It's super easy and delicious!  If you don't like poppy seeds - don't use them :) 

1. Plant-Based food and drink The plant-based diet is now mainstream. People are reducing meat and dairy consumption and embracing plant-based foods for health and environmental reasons.  Young people are driving this plant-based food trend. They are aware of the impact meat consumption is having on the environment and how animals are treated in animal farms. In fact, the number of those identifying themselves as "vegan" has increased significantly in the U.K., especially among millennials and Gen Z. Large and small food companies recognise the need to cater to this growing audience and offer meat and dairy replacements and alternatives - plant-based milk, plant-based meats, dairy-free yoghurts, vegan chocolate, snacks, and condiments. Brands are innovating their products, and today you can easily find plant-based meat alternatives and vegan cheese that perfectly mimic their traditional counterparts in looks, taste and texture. More and more restaurants have been updating their menus to provide vegan and vegetarian options.  Plant-based products to try on your menu and easy replacements:  Look for meat-free burgers and sausages (made with plant-based protein from soy or pea) to replace traditional meat in your dishes Plant-based milk and yoghurt (made with oats, almonds, soy, rice, coconut and nuts) for morning cereals and coffee (try barista oat milk) Go for dairy-free nut-based cheese to replace fatty dairy cheese (try cashew-based camembert will satisfy all your c...

The plant-based diet, followed by at least 5% of British people (according to Statista), is the best diet for the planet.  A consumer protection organisation DECO PROTESTE has analysed diets considered planet friendly to find out which is the best for the environment. The experts explored vegan, ovo-lacto-vegetarian, and Mediterranean diets and concluded that the first "is the most beneficial for the planet.   Plant-based diet better for environment than Mediterranean diet   If you want to reduce your environmental footprint, the best you can do is to follow a vegan diet, which does not include the consumption of any animal-based foods, meat and dairy.  When choosing to go vegan for environmental reasons, you should consider rethinking some of your dietary choices. If you follow a vegetarian diet and replace cow's milk with a soy drink, you can reduce "5% CO2 emissions, 6% water consumption and 1% land use.  It's good you already switch dairy for plant-based milk, but you can do even better. For example, replacing almond milk with oat milk can reduce water consumption by 20%.  "In one week, more than 1,500 litres of water and two kilos of CO2 equivalent are saved. That is, it cuts the warming potential by 10%," the researchers say.    Ditching meat saves water and reduces global warming   The best thing you can do for the planet is to reduce meat consumption. Even those who follow the Mediterranean diet and switch beef to chicken meat manage to reduce their global warming potential and water consumption by 5%.    ...

Cooking pasta is one of the easiest things you can prepare in your kitchen.  Adding salt is supposed to enhance the flavour of the final dish - but according to the latest study adding it at the wrong time can be harmful to your health.  Most people drop salt into water before it boils, but this may wake up some unwanted toxins.  Scientists from the University of South Carolina, Columbia analysed the chemical compounds in tap water and found small amounts of disinfects that, when combined with salt, may create dangerous toxins, known as iodinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) which can lead to  cancer,  liver damage and nervous system issues.  The team of scientists experimented with cooking pasta in different ways, each time  measuring the amounts of six iodinated trihalomethanes. They  prepared a list of recommended steps to eliminating contamination in your pasta: 1. Boil the water without a lid. This way, the disinfectants aren not trapped and will be cooked out o the water. 2. Strain all of the water from the pasta. 3. Iodised table salt should be added after the pasta is cooked. 4. Iodine-free salt options should only be used if pasta is boiled in salted water.  The researchers team said: "Boiling pasta without a lid allows vaporised chlorinated and iodinated compounds to escape, and straining noodles removes most of the contaminants.  "Adding iodised salt after cooking should reduce risk of byproduct formation, but non-iodised salts ...

For most families, breakfast is usually the most hectic meal of the day. There is very little time to prepare a solid meal in the morning. Everyone is in a rush before going to work and school, and sometimes it's just easier to forget about it completely. That's why a cereal bowl is often the perfect morning routine solution - it requires zero cooking or preparation. Is it healthy to eat cereals every day?  It depends on what cereals you choose. The supermarket's go-to cereal brands are highly processed and packed with so much sugar that they are literally sugar bombs. So it is definitely not healthy if you eat the products every day.  It doesn't mean you can't enjoy it in moderation, but be aware that it provides more than a daily dose of sugar and many empty calories. This kind of breakfast will give you a spike of energy for a short time, and by the time of lunch, you will be looking to eat a snack bar.  How to make the cereal bowl healthier? The best solution would be to pick sugar-free cereals or whole grains , but some people claim healthy cereals taste like cardboard.  If you really struggle to eat the no-sugar-added variety of cereals, mix it with sweet cereals. By adding 1 or 2 spoons of your favourite cereals to your healthy cereal, you will get the flavour you like without so many nasty calories. Just remember to watch your portion size.  What healthy toppings can you...

Imagine all your house's disgusting, germ-filled corners, and you will never think of this one. You will most likely picture the bin, kitchen sink, floor or toilet. What if it turned out that your spice jars were the dirtiest items in your house? After reading this, you'll never look at the same way again.  The latest study commissioned by the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) revealed that spice jars are the hot spots for cross-contamination of germs. The researchers asked 371 participants to try out new recipes and prepare meals in test kitchens using raw ground turkey patties and a ready-to-eat salad. They wanted to see how much cross-contamination happens in a kitchen and where it occurs. The turkey meat contained a "tracer organism", a virus called MS2, so the researchers could track cross-contamination. The participants were not made aware of the fact.  The researchers then tested all the surfaces in the kitchen, including knives, sponges, tap handles and chopping boards. They discovered that MS2 cross-contamination was found on most surfaces such as knives, sponges or chopping boards less than 20 per cent of the time. But spice jars were contaminated 48 per cent of the time! Spice jars had never been tested before. But this can serve as a pretty shocking reminder to wipe down all of your spice containers after you use them while cooking your food.

A healthy diet is very important for those who suffer from diabetes and struggle with high blood sugar. They have to be very careful with what they consume.  One of the foods that can help control sugar levels is nuts.  Nuts are high in healthy fats, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients - all the nutrients to keep your body balanced. Nuts can be consumed as a healthy snack or added to some of you favourite dishes (always in moderation). They will make you fuller for longer and lower your appetite for carbs. Pistachios and peanuts have a low glycemic index. Almonds  Almonds are great for a daily snack. Almonds are high in essential nutrients along with fibre, vitamin E and magnesium. Eating almonds is especially beneficial when it comes to glucose control in pre-diabetes.    2. Walnuts Walnuts are a great source of  omega-3, polyunsaturated fats and protein. Unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids) present in walnut may play a role in glucose control and also suppress your appetite by decreasing the feeling of hunger.   3.   Cashews   Cashew nuts have some anti-diabetic properties. While the fat content in cashews is relatively higher, most of this is good fat which is healthy for those suffering from diabetes. When it comes...

Eating a plant-based diet is more beneficial for the environment than eating a Mediterranean diet, according to new research published in the  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . Researchers used the Life Cycle Assessment, a method to evaluate the environmental footprint of a product, and found that the vegan diet had 44% less total environmental impact when compared to the Mediterranean diet. The authors say that even modest consumption of animal products plays a critical role in damaging human and environmental health. Physicians Committee research shows that a vegan diet is has better outcomes than a Mediterranean diet for weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels. Participants lost an average of 13 pounds on the vegan diet, compared with no change on the Mediterranean diet.

Avocado has gained popularity in recent years. This green fleshy fruit offers excellent health benefits. It is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. It also contains vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, folate, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E.  According to research published in the Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics, eating avocado may reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), commonly known as bad cholesterol. Moreover, the researchers have also found no negative impact of avocado consumption on body weight.   Avocado consumption regulates cholesterol levels Healthy blood cholesterol levels are essential for maintaining healthy cell membranes, producing hormones like estrogen and testosterone and synthesis of vitamin D. Bad cholesterol (LDL) is the main source of artery-clogging plaque, while good cholesterol (High-density lipoprotein HDL) absorbs the LDL and carries it back to the liver to flush out from the body.    High levels of bad cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease High levels of good cholesterol can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. High levels of bad cholesterol can put you at a greater risk of getting a heart attack and stroke. The foods high in cholesterol and saturated fats are meat, dairy, eggs and highly processed food products, and these are the products you should avoid to maintain a healthy heart.    Avocado contains healthy monosaturated fats and phytosterols Avocados are high in monosaturated fats, and eating them can regulate HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. They are a great source of f...

Here's the list of foods your heart will love.    Fresh whole foods - Fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are the best foods you can eat. That's because veggies and fruits are loaded with the best and most dense nutritional value per bite. Both fruit and vegetables contain a lot of fibre, which can help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and vitamins and minerals essential for our health. Bananas, tomatoes and sweet potatoes are packed with potassium, a necessary mineral for heart well-being. Frozen fruits and veggies are great budget-friendly options for families, which are more affordable and have a longer shelf life. Also, tinned vegetables should be a must-have in your pantry. Just make sure they are low in sodium. Dry whole foods - Whole grains If you want to follow a heart-friendly diet, try to avoid harmful refined carbs such as white bread and pasta. Replace them with whole grains alternatives, dark bread and whole-grain pasta. These products contain complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, which are heart health boosters. Whole grains also contain vitamins and minerals like iron, selenium, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, folate and magnesium. Healthy fats - olive oil Not all fats are bad for your heart. It's all about the type of fat you eat. Your heart will appreciate it if you replace butter with healthier plant-based oils. Trans fats and saturated fats are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. Healthy fats include olive oil, avocado and those made of nuts and seeds, such as sunflower oil, canola oil, and sesame oil. Plant-based protein - legumes and pulses Eating red processed meat is very harmful to your body and heart. Legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas, as well as nuts and seeds, are a great source of healthy lean protein and can replace meat in a healthy-...

Super tasty and nutritious warm salad for colder days. Packed with protein and flavour! 

According to a new study, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods may be linked to a higher risk of developing cancer.  Imperial's School of Public Health in London published the most comprehensive research about the link between ultra-processed foods and the higher risk of developing cancers and cancer-related deaths.   Study on 200,000 participants The researchers used UK Biobank records and collected information on the diets of 200,000 middle-aged UK adults. Ultra-processed foods are heavily processed foods during their production. These items include many popular packaged foods like breakfast cereal, supermarket bread, ready meals and fizzy drinks. These products are popular among consumers because they are cheap and convenient. Brands also often falsely advertise them as healthy.    Processed foods dangerous for health Processed packaged foods contain a lot of salt, sugar, fat and artificial additives. They negatively impact our health and are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Researchers monitored the health of 200 000 participants during a 10-year period. They looked at the overall risk of developing cancer and the specific risk of developing 34 types of cancer. They also looked at the risk of people dying from cancer.   Processed foods linked to higher risk of cancer The latest study results show that eating more ultra-processed packaged foods was associated with a higher risk of cancer, specifically ovarian and brain cancers. Consumption of ultra-processed foods was also associated with an increased risk of dying from cancer, most notably ovarian and breast cancers. For every 10 per cent increase in highly-processed food in a ...

The average person in the UK consumes over half of their daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods . Eating too much highly-processed food like popular breakfast cereals, white bread, sweets, ready meals, takeaways, snacks, and crisps is bad for our health.  The problem is that these processed foods are attractive to customers as they are marketed as cheap, convenient, and often as healthy. However, the truth about them is different. Processed foods are packed with sugar, fat and salt, and they often contain artificial additives like colourants and preservatives to keep their shel life longer. We already know that these foods are linked to poor health, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  Now, a new study from Researchers at Imperial College London suggests that highly-produced foods may be associated with an increased risk of cancer. How can we reduce the intake of processed food? Is there any easy way to ditch processed foods?   It may be hard at the beginning as sugary and salty foods are addictive. But if you want to stay healthy and in good shape, you should avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar, salt and white flour and instead buy more unprocessed, nutritious whole foods for your pantry.  Here's a list of easy healthy swaps.    Replace brea...

Dried fruits are a highly nutritious snack options. One small piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as the fresh fruit, but condensed in a much tinier package. Raisins , like dried apricots, prunes and figs, are a great source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Additionally, they are packed with dietary fibre, several health benefiting antioxidants, phytonutrients and anthocyanins.  Raisins contain plenty of calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, fluoride, zinc and flavonoid compounds such astartaric acid, tannins, catechins. These all come together with inulin and fibre to further aid in ensuring smooth bowel movements through their gentle laxative function. Find different types of raisins in an online wholefood store You can easily find raisins in the grocery shops. However, they offered a limited selection of them and no organic options. If you look to buy raisins online, you will discover there are a few types and varieties of these tiny sweet delights. Buy organic raisins instead of conventional to avoid chemicals and preservatives.  From the health benefits point of view, all raisins are equally good. The difference is rather in colour, shape, size and taste. Black Raisins Black raisins are one of the most common types of raisins. Black raisins are dried or dehydrated dark grapes. Size ranges between 1.5 cm and 2.5 cm. As they become drier, their colour even darkens. Black raisins are fleshy and chewy.  <str...

What are raisins? Raisins are a type of dried fruit. They are actually grapes that have been dried in the sun or dehydrated.  Despite their small size, raisins are very healthy and nutritious. They are packed with energy as they are naturally sweet and high in sugar and calories, and essential nutrients.  What are the health benefits of raisins? Raisins are a very healthy snack. But they should be eaten in moderation, as they are high in sugar. Half of a cup of raisins contains about 47 grams of sugar and 217 calories.  Raisins are rich in dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins. They are a good source of iron and calcium. Calcium helps prevent the development of osteoporosis and keep your bones and teeth strong.  Half of a cup of raisins contains 1.3 milligrams of iron. Iron is vital for making red blood cells and helping them carry oxygen to your body's cells. Fibre can also help to lower bad cholesterol levels. Raisins also contain boron. Boron works with vitamin D and calcium to keep your bones and joints healthy. Raisins are an excellent source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from your blood and may prevent damage to your cells, keeping you at lower risk of some diseases like stroke, heart disease and cancer.   Can raisins help digestion?  Raisins can help digestion and relieve constipation. These dried fruit...

What are macadamia nuts?  Macadamia nuts are actually a type of seed from a Macadamia tree. The nuts are often roasted, salted, and used in chocolates, baked goods and confectionary.  They contain 73 percent of fat, and are a great source of vitamin B. calcium, phosphorus and iron. A ripe macadamia nut has a chocolate brown husk and inside. White inside of the husk means the nut is not ripe. A ripe macadamia nut is dry and will come out from the husk easily. Like most other nuts, macadamia nuts are rich in nutrients that are beneficial for our health.      Where are macadamia nuts from? Macadamia nuts are evergreen  tree nuts nati ve to Australia. Today, macadamia trees are grown in various places around the world, such as New Zealand, Hawaii, Brazil and Costa Rica.   What are the health benefits of macadamia nuts? Macadamia nuts are rich in healthy fats, minerals and vitamins. They contain good amounts of dietary fibre, protein, manganese, thiamin, and copper.  They  are also high in monosaturated fats (80% of their fat), which may lower cholesterol levels and protect you from heart diseases. Macadamia nuts are low in carbs and sugar but contain fibre, which can benefit your digestion and gut health. This fibre can act as a prebiotic, which means it helps feed the good bacteria in your gut.  Macadamia nuts contain antioxodants - flavonoids and tocotrienols that have...