About Mark

One of the things some of us don’t often realise is that in order to lose weight and gain muscle. We need to make sure that we are eating sufficient protein in our diets. If we don’t have the correct balance or eat enough of it, then we may either stay the same weight, or we may go the other way and gain weight.

One of the reason’s protein is so important is its the building block of building muscle and tissue repair. So for some people, taking a supplement maybe an easier route to get the adequate amount of protein. They need in order to help with losing fat and gain muscle.

A new one has come out on the market, recently called Bio Care Body Balance which this review is based upon in order to try this particular supplement.  All I did was mix one sachet with some water in a blender.

This is one of those supplements that you need to do this with other than using a shaker cup. Otherwise it won’t mix properly I can’t really comment on how it would affect me from a performance point of view because I only have a few samples to try, but overall it did taste quite nice the flavour I had to try was vanilla.

I did  some exercise throughout the day, but as I say, it would be harder to gauge any kind of performance gains without taking it for any length of time. Here is some information about this particular brand of supplement. Body Balance has these ingredients in it i order to maximise your performance from your workout.

• L Carnatine this is used for speeding up the cellular metabolism of fat.
• It contains high-quality whey protein, which is used to supplement your diet and to curb your appetite, so you don’t overeat.
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) what this does is help your body to convert muscle to fat food, exercise
• Chromium, this is an essential ingredient for keeping your blood sugar imbalance, which helps to prevent you snacking on foods, which are high in sugar and fat

Here are the ingredients which are based on a 30g scoop.

Whey protein concentrate 21.3g

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) 1.48 g

L-Carnitine                                    190mg

Chromium                                      220ug

For more details and information please see there website, which is at www.biocare.co.uk  

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Every so often I am sent products to review by various people, and this review is based around something called the fridge friend. The idea behind this is that you can record small memos up to a maximum of 15 lasting approximately 80 seconds each.

It has two buttons on the front of it below the screen. The left-hand button has a power sign next to it as well is a play sign the button next to it is the record button, so in order to record a video message which could be to remind yourself to do some exercise or some particular diet tip, once you switch the device on , you will see yourself in the camera.

Then it’s just a matter of pressing the right-hand button and this will start the video recording process. Once you have finished, it’s just a matter of pressing the record button. Once again, when you do this your recording will be played back to you straight away.

If you want to look at your messages. All you need to do is keep pressing the play button and you will see the number of each recording that you have made the thing to remember is, you can record up to 15 lasting up to 80 seconds each. If you want to delete any of your messages.

All you need to do is be playing each one, and when you come across one that you don’t want to keep any longer. Press the right-hand button and this will give you an option to delete it or save it as the case may be. The video quality that you get from it is reasonable.

The only thing I would say that lets it down a bit is the audio quality is a bit poor. It sounds a bit muffled, but you can make out what you are saying. Apart from that it does do everything that it should do so in summing up this would be an ideal gift. Or purchase was somebody who wanted to keep small reminders in video format on their fridge. For things like exercise reminders or to eat something healthy or anything you like really there are endless possibilities.

If you would like more information of similar products, please visit their website, which is http://www.ideasbynet.com/. You can also view a PDF with a description at this link http://www.ideasbynet.com/images/fridge-friend.pdf

Disclosure statement: I did receive this item in order to do a review of it as well as keep it.

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This is a guest post by Samantha Harvey on behalf of Tasty Bingo

It is important for families, especially kids, to get their 5 a day but it can be difficult to get them to eat their fruit and veg. Taking things slowly is the best way to gradually get them eating their greens, and you might even eventually convince them to even eat brussel sprouts. Here, we will look at easy ways to give your family their 5 a day.

Why Fruit and Veg?

Fruit and veg are important to stay healthy. Here are some other reasons why you should eat your 5 a day:

* They taste great

* They help reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease and some cancers

* They are a great source of fibre and antioxidants

* They are loaded with vitamins and minerals

* They are essential for maintaining a healthy weight

Plan the Day

Perhaps the easiest way to get your family to eat their 5 a day is by planning the day’s menu. Think about how you can include fruit and veg in meals ahead of time, and you should be able to easily sneak in healthy foods without them even noticing.

* Breakfast

A cooked breakfast can give you several portions of fruit and veg if you have grilled mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomatoes and a glass of unsweetened orange juice. If you give your kids cereal for breakfast, add some sliced bananas or strawberries.

* Morning Break

Take some fruit or a piece of veg (bite-sized celery or carrots are ideal) to work for your mid-morning snack. Don’t be tempted to snack on an unhealthy pastry or chocolate.

Remember that all children between four and six at Local Education maintained primary schools are entitled to one free piece of fruit or vegetable, usually given out in the morning break. When they are older, include a piece of fruit with their lunchbox. School Food Regulations require that fruit and/or vegetables are provided at all school food outlets, including breakfast clubs and vending machines.

* Lunchtime

Avoid junk food and try something healthier. A packed lunch with fruit and vegetables will help you avoid feeling lethargic and give you enough energy to make it through the afternoon. Think of creative ways to get your 5 a day, too.

A school lunch will give your son or daughter a piece of fruit and a portion of vegetables. Include dried fruits such as sultanas or apricots in their lunchbox (they count as a portion) and put tomatoes, lettuce or cucumber in their sandwiches. Remember that kids love to swap food, so talk to other parents and get ideas about how to give everyone their 5 a day.

* When they come back

Kids are usually famished when they leave school. Give them some fruit to help recharge until it’s time for dinner. When they’re so hungry, they’ll be more inclined to eat almost anything, so now is your chance to give them another of their 5 a day.

When you or your partner come back from work, eat a banana to get some energy for the rest of the evening. If you’ve had a stressful day, something sweet like grapes or raisins can help settle your mood.

* Dinner

Remember that vegetables in stews and other dishes count as a portion of your 5 a day, so try and include as many as possible. Avoid adding any extra fats or sugars, and use lean cuts of meat. Try to include at least two types of vegetable at dinner but don’t force your kids to eat them. Sometimes, just watching parents eating them might be enough to convince them.

Start Early

If you have young children, now is the time to get them involved. I often bring my 2-year-old son along on weekly shops to introduce fruits and vegetables, encouraging him to pick out something he’d like to try for dinner. He doesn’t always like them but being adventurous is a good step.

Pizza and other treats

You don’t have to give up pizza or other favourite foods. Simply add veggie toppings to give them a portion of veg. Here’s a recipe for red and yellow pizza fingers that the whole family can enjoy:

Ingredients:

for the finger bases

150g (5oz) of strong flour

3g (1/8oz) dried yeast

100ml (3 1/2floz) warm water

1/2tsp salt

1/4tsp sugar

2-3 drops of olive oil, to blend

For the topping

1/4 jar of ready-made tomato pasta sauce

1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced

1/2 yellow pepper, de-seeded and sliced

1/2 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

55-85g (2-3oz) cheddar or redLeicestercheese, grated

A few basil leaves, shredded

Method

1. First preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7. Make a pizza dough by combining the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl, and stir in the warm water.

2. Remove the dough and knead for 5 mins. Place it on a floured surface and roll it out to form a long rectangle, pressing down with the palm of your hand to flatten.

3. Place the pizza base onto a greased, non-stick baking sheet. Spread a little tomato sauce onto the base. Scatter the red onion and pepper slices over. Sprinkle the grated cheese over and scatter the shredded basil leaves over the top.

4. Bake in the oven for 10-12 mins, or until the dough is crispy and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, cut into fingers and serve.

Make it Fun

Kids like being messy, so let your kids help you make fun meals with fruit and veg.

* Make fun picnics (have them indoors when it’s cold) with lots of raisins, sliced carrots, veggie packed sandwiches and sweet grapes.  Add tasty treats like mini sausage rolls and low-fat crisps.

* Use cookie cutters to make sandwiches in shapes they love.

* Make funny faces out of pizzas and other dishes.

* Use a cookie cutter to make craters in mashed potato and add a vegetable moon lander. A flag made from dried spaghetti is the final touch.

* Grow your own veg and let your family pick them.

* Make tasty smoothies with your kids.

Finally, here’s a delicious recipe for smoothie jellies with ice cream. It’s a great alternative to traditional jellies and is perfect for parties, too.

Smoothie jellies with ice cream

Ingredients: (makes 12 small pots)

6 sheets leaf gelatine

1l bottle orange, mango and passion fruit smoothie

Ice cream

Method:

1. Put the leaf gelatine into a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave for a few minutes until soft and floppy. Gently heat the smoothie in a saucepan. Take off the heat. Lift the gelatine out of the water, squeeze out any excess water, then add it to the pan. Stir until smooth, then pour into 12 moulds, pots or glasses. Chill for at least 1 hour or until set.

2.Dip a tablespoon measuring spoon into a cup of hot water, then shake off the excess. Scoop the ice cream, dipping the spoon in the hot water each time. Serve each jelly topped with ice cream.

Post contributed by Samantha Harvey on behalf of Tasty Bingo the place to find great recipes and play bingo.

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Carbohydrates are in such a lot of food these days. We probably don’t even realise half the time how many we should or shouldn’t be eating. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with carbohydrates. We do need a certain amount in order to provide us with energy, but realistically, how many do we actually need?

The underlying problem with eating too many carbohydrates is when your body has enough of them, which is used to provide reserve and for your liver. Any that isn’t used results in spillage, which means your liver will take what it needs, and stores the rest, as fat, which is something, you don’t need.

If you are somebody who is very active and using lots of energy throughout the day. Then you may not notice, especially if you’re an athlete or something similar. However, a lot of us don’t fit into that particular category. So we’re going to need to watch how many we are consuming because we do not want to gain weight.

Here are some guidelines that I found on a blog called Mark’s Daily Apple. If you are eating more than 300g per day, then this is what he considered to be the danger zone. In other words, you are consuming far too many carbs, which is very easy to do in today’s society.

When you consider what we are consuming most of the time, carbohydrates are in quite a lot of food these days. They are in cereals, pasta, pancakes and so on. If you are consuming this amount of carbohydrate in your diet, then you are at risk of diabetes and inflammation, and he recommends that at this level, you need a sharp reduction in the amount of carbohydrates that you are consuming.

Next is 150–300 g per day at this level of consumption, you should expect the following, steady weight gain. If you have continued insulin dumps, which happen every time you eat food and even more so when you’re eating too many carbohydrates. The reason being is insulin interferes with the fat-burning  mechanism. When you are in this range, it can lead to an average a 1.5 pounds of fat gain per annum for a period of 40 years.

A more acceptable range is between 100 –150g per day, and tends to be based on your body weight and the amount of activity that you do each day. It allows for optimal fat burning and will help with muscle development.

Between 50 – 100g per day. This is supposedly the ultimate amount for promotion of fat burning and keeping insulin levels to a minimum, which is what you need to aim for. If you want to lose weight effectively eating this amount really ramps up fat metabolism. If you eat the average daily requirement of protein, which is based on the .7-1gram per lean body weight formula.

And by eating nutritionally rich vegetables and fruits. You will find it easy to stay in the range of 50 – 100 grams per day even if you eat quite large portions of food. If you do keep in this range y will range, it very easy to lose one or two pounds of body fat per week and keep it off as long as you stay within the above stated range.

Between 0-50g a day, this is okay for the odd day of intermittent fasting. Just make sure that you intake adequate amounts of protein, fat, and what other supplements, you may need. This would possibly be a good route for diabetics, but not recommended for a long time, practice.

Source material: Marks Daily Apple

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I watched a video presentation recently on You Tube and there was a weight loss tip which I hadn’t come across before, and it revolves around having 35g of protein upon waking. So here are seven breakfasts that you can eat and will give you 35g of protein, each morning.

1. Boiled Eggs, with Bread, four soft boiled eggs/hard-boiled, with two slices of wholemeal bread. Roughly, you will get 24 g of protein from the eggs and the wholemeal bread has 4 g of protein per slice which adds up to 32 g of protein, which is near enough.

2. Baked Beans Wholemeal Bread and an Egg, one large tin of baked beans, which is 22.8g of protein, and two slices of wholemeal bread, which will give you 8g of protein and one poached or soft or hard boiled egg , which will give you roughly 6g of protein.

3. Egg, Ham, and Cheese Whole Wheat English Muffin and Grapes, scramble two thirds of a cup of egg substitute and put on top of a whole wheat toasted English muffin top it with 1 ounce of extra lean ham and some American cheese and have it with a side of grapes. This will provide you with 35g of protein.

4. Six, Egg Omelette with Mushrooms, the eggs will give you 36g of protein. The mushrooms are there just to add a bit more variety to it.

5. Mexican Egg and Shrimp Pita with Peach, scramble, one third cup of egg substitute mix in 2 ounces of prepaid shrimp and put this in a wholemeal pitta bread topped with 2 ounces of low-fat shredded cheese, two tablespoon each of salsa with low-fat sour cream and serve with a large peach. This will provide you with 39g of protein.

6. Sausage and Rice Scramble with Greek Yogurt and Kiwi, scramble two thirds of a cup of egg substitute. Combine this with half a cup of brown rice and a ounce of pork sausage. Serve this with some plain Greek yoghurt and some fresh kiwifruit. This will provide you with 37g of protein.

7. Vegetarian Sausages with Beans and Egg, have two vegetarian sausages with one small tin of beans and one poached egg. This will provide you with 38g of protein.

If there are any ideas you have for high-protein breakfasts, then please feel free to add your input in the relevant section below.

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In the past, I have found our daily newspaper to be sometimes quite inspirational. When it comes to writing content and today’s post is again no exception during the holiday period. There was an article within it, which was entitled Give Yourself a Body Boost and, as always being as it was so good I am going to put it into a post.

It starts off by saying that you are probably feeling a bit bloated may be sluggish, with the amount of food that you may have been eating over the Christmas period, coupled with going to bed late and moving very little watching too much television, and the list goes on.

So this list is designed to revitalise your energy in order to get you moving again, if needs be, and give you a much-needed  energy boost.

Brussels sprouts

The reason for eating Brussels sprouts is they are high in vitamin C, which is a boost for your immune system as well as your skin nerves and mucous membrane. Not only, that, they will help maintain energy levels as well as good fat as well as helping to protect you against asthma, migraine and possibly depression.

They tend to be rich in a particular thing called glucosinolates. These tend to help increase c enzymes within your body, which get rid of carcinogens, which help with cancer prevention.

Onions

Onions have natural inbuilt antibacterial properties, which in turn will help with lowering cholesterol levels as well as that they can help your body to dissolve blood clots, if you have some onion soup.  This can help with coughs and colds in the winter.

Avocados

Avocados are very good nutrition wise and have lots of benefits for your health. They are high in potassium, which is known to lower blood pressure. Furthermore, they are very high in antioxidants which mop up free radicals, which may be present from the environment and what you eat.

These can be toxic to your cells, so the more foods that you eat with high antioxidants, the better. Free radicals can be one of the things that can start cancer and heart disease.

Because of their high amount of phytochemicals avocados have anti-inflammatory properties. They help to prevent yeast infections avocados can help protect your skin from ageing prematurely and will help with keeping your hair in good condition. Furthermore, some new research says that avocados can help improve  your sperm health.

Oats

If you have a bowl of hot porridge this is a very good way to start your day. Oats are high in protein, as well as iron. The fibre in oats is known to help with lowering your cholesterol levels, porridge is also able to help with stress and tired nerves.

Soya

Soya has a lot of phytochemicals in which are great for mopping up free radicals, which will help in prevention of some sorts of cancers. Soya is supposedly able to help with both prostate and breast cancer and may help to prevent as well as treat heart disease.

Potatoes

If you have some potatoes left over from your holiday period, then you might want to consider using them if you’re feeling a bit anxious.

Apparently there good for soothing your nerves as well as helping with digestive problems, e.g. stomach ulcers, their nutritional value, which includes high B vitamins, potassium, iron, is present within their skins, so make sure that you cook them with the jackets on.

If you want something a bit more nutritious, then why not try their counterparts, sweet potatoes, these tend to be very rich in vitamin A, as well as carotenoids, which help support your immune system should you become infected, as well as keeping cancer at bay. Another benefit of these is if you’re going through a rest period. They can help to maintain healthy muscles.

Carrots

Carrots are full of great vitamin’s and carotenoids, which are beneficial to your eyesight. They also support circulation and healing of wounds. Carrots can help prevent cancer and heart disease if you have some pureed carrots. These can help with diarrhoea if your infant/child has it.

Bananas

If you’re anything like me, I like having bananas with my cereal. This is great if you want a quick energy boost. Bananas have lots of potassium in that will help to lower your blood pressure. Bananas are fibrous, which means that they will easily digestible and have the following health benefits. They keep you healthy skin, hair, nerves and bones, on the other.

Curly Kale

This green vegetable has three types of phytochemicals, which help in cancer prevention.  These are glucosinolates, bioflavonoids. These help to stimulate your immune system. Kale also helps with your health in the following organs your heart, muscles and nerves and also helps protect you against high blood pressure, as well as vascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have a lot of antioxidant goodness in them and help support your immune system. At the same time, they help to maintain energy levels, so this will make them a good choice for people who may have prostrate cancer and heart disease. They also boost your resistance to infectious diseases and help with healing.

Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are something of a festive/holiday nut. They have high levels of vitamin E and selenium these two are essential ingredients for boosting your immune system. Both work together selenium on its own does the following. It activates an enzyme which prevents free radicals from forming, which can damage DNA, not only this; it  you against infection and will help suppress tumour growth.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a great detoxification fruit and works on your digestive system and liver. If your energy levels are low, then this is a good choice of fruit to eat. It also has the following properties. It aids in healing blood vessels help strengthen bones. The soluble fibre, which is in grapefruit can help to lower cholesterol levels, as well as other blood fats. It attaches itself to any excess cholesterol as well as bile acids and helps to remove them from the body.

Sage

This is an ingredient of stuffing, which has been left over. It has antiseptic properties, which help to improve the function of your mucous membrane. This tends to come into effect when you have colds and flu. It’s your body’s way of trying to get rid of the infection. It may also help to reduce perspiration.

Red Peppers  

Red peppers have a high level of vitamins C, as well as good antioxidant properties, which help to prevent certain degenerative diseases such as eye conditions like age-related macular degeneration.

Garlic  

The great thing about garlic is it has many antibacterial properties, which help to stimulate the production of white blood cells within your immune system and acts against a varied amount of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It also has an oil, which is volatile, which is excreted through your lungs.

Which is really helpful for respiratory problems such as bronchitis and whooping cough. Garlic also works in your blood, which helps to reduce body fat, as well as cholesterol and over a certain period of time will help to lower your blood pressure.

Spinach  

Spinach is a welcome addition to any salad that you may make its leaves are high in something called folate, which is important for healthy foetal development, which makes it an essential food for women who are pregnant, both before and during their pregnancy.

Spinach is high in the following vitamins A, C and K, which help to protect the skin and stimulate your immune system. It contains carotenoids,  which are powerful antioxidants, which will help protect you against cancer of the following lungs, breast and cervix. They also help with the eyes and liver function.

Oranges/Satsumas

Due to the high amount of vitamin C in oranges. They help to prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. They also can be beneficial to aid in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

Sources and references: This has been extracted from the book, Eat to Boost Your Immunity and was printed in the Daily Express newspaper onTuesday, 27 December 2011.

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Just recently I was contacted by the makers of Aspire, which is a cranberry flavoured calorie burning soft drink. And have been sent some to review. The drink comes in small 250 ml cans, which handily fit in a sandwich box, or even in a sports bag or small handbag, so you needn’t worry about it, taking up too much room.

The drink is very refreshing and made me feel quite refreshed and alert after drinking it. This could be due to the amount of caffeine that’s in it. They do say on their website that if you have a sensitivity to caffeine, then you may need to consult your GP if that is the case.

They have put together a drink which comprises of selected natural ingredients, and in the literature. It says proven to burn an average of over *200 calories per can, and contains only 5 calories per hundred ml and is a good source of vitamins and minerals, which are Vitamin C, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.

• As well as – Guarana Extract which helps boost your metabolism and helps with appetite suppression.
• Green Tea Extract – which boosts your metabolism and helps speed up your weight loss.
• L-Carnitine – this has a role in the oxidisation of body fat and can help with weight loss.

*As regards 200 calories being burned. It does say that this is the average amount of calories burned under controlled laboratory conditions.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Aspire as taken from their website.

• Will it help me to burn calories? Yes, it will help you to burn calories. If you want to read more, then please see this link for more information, read more here.

• Will I burn calories every time I drink a can Aspire? Potentially, you will burn up to 200 calories and maybe more.
  It is all dependent upon several factors such as your individual metabolic rate, which will be determined by your age, your overall weight and the time of day.

• If I am sensitive to caffeine can I still drink it? Aspire contains naturally occurring caffeine’s and you would find no more in it than a standard cup of coffee.If you think, you might have some kind of sensitivity issues regarding caffeine, then it would be advised to speak to your GP for your own peace of mind.

• How can I get the overall best experience from using it? People are finding their many different ways to use Aspire, and you can always use a look at their Facebook page for ideas. One of the recommended ways to try it is drinking it chilled with some ice during the day. And another is to have it with a small amount of champagne.

• If I just drink this only does that mean I won’t have to exercise? You do need to exercise in order to have a healthy body and mind, Aspire will help you to burn calories, but that doesn’t mean it should be a replacement for not doing any exercise, what you should do is implement it to a healthy eating plan, as well as exercise.

• Where can I buy aspire if I want to get some myself. You can order it from there secure online store or if you prefer, you can use a store locator to find your nearest local stockist. I have enjoyed my experience with Aspire and think it’s worth trying out.  If you need more information there at www.aspiredrink.co.uk

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Staying healthy can be challenging at work; if you’re working long hours in a stressful and demanding job, healthy living is likely to be the last thing on your agenda.

In actual fact, staying healthy at work could make you more productive, happier and less stressed[1].  Read these five ways your workplace can help you to be healthy and introduce some inspiring changes to your workplace.

1) Healthy eating as a workplace challenge

Creating a weekly healthy food challenge for your workplace is great as a team building exercise, as well as for implementing a healthy eating routine. Ideas such as a weekly smoothie making challenge or testing healthy recipes with a ‘work together- eat together’ lunchtime once a week will help to stretch the creative skills of your workplace as well as providing healthy and delicious snacks for the whole team.

2) Ask your workplace to provide healthy alternatives

Imagine a meeting with a delicious bowl of fresh fruit in the middle of the table instead of the usual stale biscuits! Fruit is a cost effective way for employers to provide snacks for the workplace and makes a healthy snack choice the easiest one.

Providing a weekly fruit box as a perk for your office can improve worker morale and encourage healthy snacking throughout the day. Fruit delivery company Fruitdrop specialise in office fruit delivery, with fruit boxes starting at just £20, containing enough fruit for up to 25 employees for a week; a small price for a healthy office!

3) Enforce lunch breaks

For over 18s working more than a six hour day, a 20 minute rest break is a legal requirement[2]; but with approaching deadlines and work piling up many of us will skip taking a proper break. Having a proper lunch break each day means you are more likely to eat a healthy meal instead of snacking throughout the day. Using your lunch break to take a walk and get some fresh air means you can return to work feeling refreshed and ready for the afternoon.

4) Create healthy eating goals and support each other

As a team, decide how you would each like to be healthier; whether your goal is to lose weight or to improve your general level of health, utilising your teamwork skills to support each other can improve your chances of achieving your objective. Record the changes you make and see if you notice a difference in the way you feel, your productivity (individually and as a workplace) and your general level of health.

5) Facilities for preparing food

Ideally every workplace should provide a basic kitchen area with a microwave, cutlery, plates and bowls, a fridge, a sink and adequate facilities for washing up and keeping the area clean and hygienic. Having crockery and utensils to hand as well as a microwave for the safe re-heating of food allows employees more flexibility when it comes to lunchtime options.

Make sure a selection of bowls and spoons are available to encourage staff to eat breakfast at work; eating breakfast can boost your concentration and performance throughout the entire day[3], so should be important to employers!

Introducing small changes to your workplace routine can make healthy living an easier choice; as we spend up to 60% of our time at work[4], small changes to your working day can impact your overall health significantly.

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Sometimes our daily newspaper can be useful for information regarding health and a couple of weeks ago they printed an article about the health benefits of certain spices being as it was very informative I decided to write it up into a post, mainly because a lot of people may not know the health benefits of some herbs.

1. Allspice, this herb has a pungent sweet taste about it with a bit of a peppery kick. Apparently, in Japan, researchers found that these berries contain something like 25 active components called phenols all of these help in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic health problem.

In some recent studies, which were conducted in Costa Rica. They found that this particular spice helps to lower blood pressure. The reason behind the thinking is it helps to relax your central nervous system, which helps blood flow in your arteries.

2. Thyme, they are a 100 varieties of thyme and they share all one thing in common. They contain an oil called thymol. This is one of nature’s own antiseptics and helps to kill germs when you apply it in or around your mouth. It is the main ingredient within the branded mouthwash Listerine

3. Some researchers in Switzerland tested thyme on people with people who had coughs as well as bronchitis and other colds and found that this particular herb was good at clearing up costs, except in 90% of cases

4. Sage, this herb packs one hell of a punch and should be included in your spice rack. It can help to enhance your mood, concentration and memory. Some British psychologists did experiments with 24 people, which revolved around some memory tests. These were repeated several times a day on three separate days.

When the participants had a sage supplement, they could  recall more information better than if they had taken not taken it. They also said to be feeling calmer, and content six hours after taking it.

5. Aniseed, this is used by Mediterranean people quite frequently in after dinner digestifs it is supposed to be very good for helping with digestion studies have found it contains certain compounds that have a calming effect on your digestive system. It works on the muscles of your digestive tract.

A study, done in Saudi Arabia found, aniseed stopped ulcers by preventing the acid that can irritate your stomach lining.

6. Cinnamon, if you are diabetic. Cinnamon is great news for you, but that doesn’t mean to say that you shouldn’t take it. If you aren’t diabetic in an American study, 109 people who had type II diabetes were split into two consecutive groups.

One of them had cinnamon once-a-day and other group just had a placebo. After three months, the researchers checked their data. The participants in the cinnamon group had lower blood sugar. Swedish researchers found that if you sprinkle cinnamon on your food. This will reduce your blood sugar levels after eating and reduce  sugar spikes.

If you want a bit of a brain boost, then chew some cinnamon gum, a professor at Ohio university found that when students either smelled or tasted it, they got higher marks on mental agility tests.

7. Horseradish,  broccoli is well-known for its cancer fighting properties. However, if you overcook it. The benefits can be lost If you, then add some horseradish. The benefits come back. Some scientists in Illinois University found by spicing up some broccoli, it increased absorption in the upper part of your digestive system, which gives it a boost.

Horseradish has certain compounds in which produce cancer protecting substances, so there are benefits to be had when you add some to a meal.

Ginger, a medical journal in the US, called headache found that, during a study, which involved 60 people whom were migraine sufferers which were treated with ginger, and something called feverfew it was found after taking it two hours later a third of the participants said they were pain-free. It’s been found that Ginger is good for preventing nausea in instances of travel sickness and morning sickness.

8. Juniper Berry, if you’re ever wondering where gin gets its taste from look no further, because it’s from this particular spice, its compounds are good for helping your kidneys to produce fluid that help to kill bacteria, which makes it ideal for preventing bladder and urinary tract infections.

Juniper Berry is good for your kidneys. Researchers at the University in California found that it helps kidney transplant patients with kidney rejection problems.

9. Cumin, if you’re one of those people who enjoys eating curry like me, then if you’re eating the right type of curry, this should be one of the ingredients in it. Researchers in India took some animals, which had type II diabetes, either cumin or an anti-diabetes drug worked more or less the same when it came to reducing levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are heart damaging blood fats.

The animals were also found to have a high level of reduction in blood sugar. Another study in India involving cumin found when diabetic rats were given it. It delayed them getting cataracts, which can be down to high blood sugar levels. Another health benefit of cumin is it has high levels of vitamins C and A which makes it a very powerful antioxidant spice.

10. Coriander, this is another spice that can be found in curries, depending on how they are made. Researchers in Portugal at the University found certain substances within coriander, have bacteria killing properties. G to patients in small amounts, it could help to treat E. coli and MRSA.

11. Basil, are you one of those people whom get stressed out regularly? Then why not try some basil. Some researchers in India found that this particular herb helps to normalise the amount of cortisol you have in your body and lowered blood sugar, which tends to be higher when you are under stress. Basil can help with protecting your heart and helps to lower cholesterol.

12. Clove, if you bite some clove. This will give you a slight numbing in your mouth very similar to an anaesthetic in the Journal of dentistry. They say that it has a similar effect as the drug, called benzocaine when numbing your mouth if you put some near a problem tooth.

It will dilate blood vessels, which will bring the blood to the surface and help soothe the pain. This particular herb has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial ones, which can help prevent gum disease, as well as cold sores.

13. Chilli, when you eat chillies, a compound is released called capsaicin, which will numb aches and pains that you may have it also releases a hormone that soothes inflammation

14. Fennel seed fennel is a vegetable, herb and spice, which tastes like liquorice. This herb is particularly useful for women who may have menstrual cramps. It is also beneficial to young children who may have colic.

This is extracted from a book called healing spices by Bharat, B Aggarwal.

Sources and references: www.dailyexpress.co.uk

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Not so long ago I was sent some Quickasteam cooking bags for review. Here is my experience, based on using them over a few days. The sample I was sent contained 25 standard bags. On the packaging, it says retains flavour and goodness better and quicker than any other cooking method.

I would have to say that after using them that does resonate with my experience, totally. For my first time using them, I decided to use some brussel sprouts so as per instructions put them in the bag and cooked them for between two and 4 mins, as suggested on the instructions on the back.

I used this figure because there wasn’t a specific time for brussel sprouts, but figured they would take about the same time as broccoli, as it is roughly the same size. I have taken some photos as you will see below of the brussel sprouts before they were cooked and after cooking.

Before cooking

After cooking

Served

After you take them out of the oven. You have to be careful because the bags are quite hot, especially when you open them to take out the food, I had my brussel sprouts with a cheese escalope and some potato chips. And I have to say they tasted delicious. To me, I couldn’t tell any difference, compared to having them cooked in a saucepan with boiling water.

On the second day that I used them. I went with something different this time I used some frozen vegetables. I had, which were carrots, cabbage and broccoli and cooked them for the roughly the same time and they came out exactly the same, just as if they had been cooked in a saucepan with water.

After cooking

Both the broccoli and the other vegetables tasted delicious. To me, they weren’t hard at all and were very soft to eat. They more or less melted in your mouth. Here are some photos I took of the steamer bag with the vegetables before cooking and after these are the assorted vegetables, which were broccoli, cabbage and carrots.

On the instructions, it says leave the bag to stand for 25 to 30 seconds to allow for cooling, which is a good idea. From my experience of using these within just a few days I would say they are well worth trying out, and I shall be using the remaining bags. I have to try with other foods.  If you’re looking for a simple and cost-effective way to steam vegetables Quickasteam are a good way to go. If you would like more information, please visit their website at.

http://www.planitproducts.co.uk/

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