Low-Calorie Recipes

Eating for exams If you're hitting the books this summer, follow our foodie advice for making the most of your mind... Having just started studying again in my late 20s, I am reminded of all the desperate ways we try to overload our brains when exams loom. Record cards, corkboards, exercise books, revision plans, mock tests and lots and lots of post-it-notes, jostle for space on every conceivable surface in my room. Which technique is most effective? I still don't know. Everyone's capacity for learning is different - but there is one way to ensure your brain is ready to absorb all the information on that carefully colour-coded spidergram - the right diet, packed with brain-boosting foods. Late nights, stress, missed meals and quick food fixes will all play havoc with your ability to concentrate, take in information and the function of your fit-to-burst brain-box. If you're hitting the books this summer, follow our foodie advice for making the most of your mind... ...

What to eat for... Healthy joints Natural anti-histamines, potent antioxidants and inflammation-fighting foods have been packed into our ultimate recipe for joint health. Read up on key ingredients to include in your diet and try making our powerful amaranth porridge... View this recipe: Amaranth porridge with green tea & ginger compote How these ingredients and others promote healthy joints... - Nuts and seeds Full of omega-3, these healthy fats hold anti-inflammatory properties. We’ve used chia seeds in our porridge because they’re one of the richest seed sources of omega-3. Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout also contain a potent form of omega-3, which dampens inflammation and relieves stiffness. Aim for two or more portions of fish per week and use gentle methods of cooking such as poaching and baking to protect their beneficial oils.   - Colourful fruit & veg Eating a rainbow of fresh, dried and/or frozen fruit and ve...

Good health starts with Good Food We make our healthy recipes as nutritious as they are delicious. Here we explain our approach to healthy eating, and how we label our recipes Our philosophy We believe that a varied, balanced diet featuring whole, unprocessed foods is the key to good health. Everyone’s needs are different, so we provide the information and recipes to help you create healthy habits. Our experts stay up to date on new research and emerging trends to bring you the latest and most relevant health advice. Our recipes are labelled healthy if they meet all of the following criteria per serving: Saturated fat : No more than 5g Sugar : No more than 15g Salt : No more than 1.5g Our healthy recipes are also checked to ensure they have low-to-medium levels of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt per 100g. If the recipe was a packaged product, it would carry a green or amber colour coding. Please note: Ingredients listed as serving suggestions are not included in the nutrition...

Vital vitamins Don't turn to a pot of pills for a health boost - nutritionist Jo Lewin divulges what different vitamins do and how to get all you need naturally. Vitamin A Vitamin A is essential for growth and cell development, vision and immune function, plump, youthful skin and hair. It protects against infections and is a powerful antioxidant, so helps prevent disease. How can I get it? One 180g baked sweet potato would provide you with your Nutrient Reference Value (NRV). Other good sources include, animal products such as liver, oily fish, eggs, milk, cheese, butter, broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet red peppers, pumpkins, mangoes, cantaloupe melons and apricots.   Vitamin D Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and is thought to possibly slow the progression of osteoporosis. It is also believed to strengthen the immune system and help prevent some cancers. It helps muscle function and works with vitamins A and C in the immune...

How to prevent a cold Discover top tips to support your immune system and keep colds at bay, from the best foods to eat to top up vitamin levels to how much exercise you need. If you're determined to stay cold and flu free, there are some simple steps you can take that might help you dodge those bugs. Supporting your immunity isn't just about taking extra vitamin C. It certainly pays to eat lots of fruit and vegetables that are packed with protective nutrients, but there are other foods you can eat and further actions you can take to give yourself the best chance of feeling fit and healthy, especially over the winter months when flu season hits. Bolster your natural defences with our practical and tasty suggestions. 1. Eat lots of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables Vegetables such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash and beetroot are rich in beta-carotene which our bodies convert to vitamin A. We need vitamin A to keep the mucosal linings in our nose and lungs...

What does organic mean? Is it worth buying organic? Make up your own mind with our no-nonsense guide... What does ‘organic’ actually mean and what’s the difference between organic and non-organic fruit, vegetables and animal products?   Organic – a definition  The Department for Agriculture and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states that: ‘Organic food is the product of a farming system which avoids the use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides; growth regulators and livestock feed additives. Irradiation and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or products produced from or by GMOs are generally prohibited by organic legislation.  Organic agriculture is a systems approach to production that is working towards environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production. Instead, the agricultural systems rely on crop rotation, animal and plant manures, some hand weeding and biological pest control’. **Taken from DEFRA - Crown Copy...

Simply super Want to pack yourself full of the good stuff? Discover our favourite super foods as well as ideas for adding them to your everyday diet... From Atkins to alcohol free, it seems that every day brings with it yet another fad diet or detox program. With each one promising even greater results than its predecessor, the business of healthy living is highly competitive. There is however one eureka moment that has endured the test of time and united the opinions of nutritionists across the board: the discovery of super foods. These little gems are nutritionally dense, containing very high levels of vitamins and minerals, some of which our bodies crave, but can't produce independently.   Unfortunately, these miracle foods often come with enormous price tags and can be very impractical when it comes to cooking (you try incorporating an umeboshi plum or daikon radish into breakfast). Well, once again science has done all the hard work for us and revealed that many ord...

A fat lot of good fat Sort the good fat from the bad with our expert guide to eating a healthy, balanced diet... High-fat diets are often linked with major health problems including obesity and heart disease.  However, we all need some fat in our diet to stay healthy. Fat is a good energy source and vital for the body to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. The confusing part is that not all fats were created equally - some are better for us than others. What's more, although high in calories, there is evidence that you could burn fat more quickly by changing the type you eat. So how can we get the balance right?   Choose... Monounsaturated oils - olive oil rather than sunflower oil for instance.   The right balance of 'omegas'. Linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3) are types of polyunsaturated 'essential fatty acids' or EFAs. Foods containing omega-3 EFAs - vital for a healthy heart and good lung function, and found in oily fish, flaxs...

Liz Earle's top five foods to improve your complexion Liz Earle is known worldwide for her wealth of knowledge on all things health and beauty. Here she shares her five natural beauty secrets that will help your skin to glow with health... Whether you're battling dry skin in the winter or an oily sheen come summertime, it seems we're rarely at ease with our complexions. Pollution, sun exposure, stress and a diet full of sugary, processed foods are just a few of the external factors that can cause your skin to look less than its best. Beauty expert, Liz Earle has honed her expertise for over 25 years and knows that great skin starts from within. Save face with her top five dietary do's and don'ts for a glowing complexion all year long...   Five natural ways to get perfect skin... 1) Avoid sugar   Wean yourself off the white stuff! Sugar is a real enemy to our skin, as raised blood sugar levels increase the risk of skin inflammation, and research...