More Questions than Answers?

It appears a lot of the nation were glued to the BBC's Angela Rippon, telling us 'How to Stay Young' - a two part series that delved into physical and mental health as we age.
There were lots of scientific bits, with research that backed up their theories, then lots that had absolutely no scientific evidence to support it at all (such as sitting down on the floor and standing up again with your legs crossed, not using any other part of the body, as a sign that you are likely to live longer), very disappointing.  A yoga instructor called into Radio 4 the following morning when this very item was being discussed, and pointed out that to attempt this was likely to cause injury - ankles and knees not being in line apparently.
Then there were the pieces that related to food - Angela was shocked to find she has visceral fat around her organs, but she was going to get rid of it by taking inulin every day (not a pile of old lentils, but just a teaspoon of powder) - no explanation as to what it is, what is does or how you may be able to get it from other foods?
Inulin is a dietary fiber, a naturally occurring oligosaccharide (several simple sugars linked together) belonging to a group of carbohydrates called fructans. Unlike other carbohydrates, inulin is non-digestible, so it passes through the small intestine, and ferments in the large intestine.  Through this fermentation process it becomes healthy intestinal micro flora and acts as a prebiotic, feeding probiotics (friendly bacteria) in the gut.  In addition to promoting a healthy gastrointestinal tract, inulin may also help with constipation.
Chicory root is the best source of inulin, but there are lots of other foods containing inulin that are easier to include in our everyday diets - leeks, garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas, wheat, Jerusalem artichokes and dandelion root.

For the brain we were told that purple foods would be beneficial, having studied a group of centenarians in the Far East.  Again, there was no mention of other aspects of their lifestyle (they were shown playing croquet and whizzing around on a scooter), or other aspects of their diet.  I expect the supermarkets are now being inundated with requests for purple sweet potatoes!
Anthocyanins are members of the flavonoid family of phytochemicals, found in plant foods.  They provide the bright red-orange to blue-violet colours found in many fruits and vegetables - blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, red cabbage, elderberries, cherries, purple grapes, blood oranges and aubergines especially.
Plants produce anthocyanins as a protective mechanism against environmental stressors, such as ultraviolet light, cold temperatures, and drought. This production of anthocyanins in roots, stems, and especially leaf tissues is believed to provide resistance against these environmental hazards, making them a potent antioxidant.  Research has shown anthocyanins may have a beneficial effect against cardiovascular disease, cognitive function and cancer.
To increase your intake of both nutrients, try these delicious low sugar muffins - perfect for a breakfast or brunch snack.  They are also dairy-free.  If you can find purple sweet potatoes great, if not orange ones are also fine in this recipe.

Banana and Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12

1 banana, peeled and chopped
4 eggs
100g light muscovado sugar
150ml olive oil
200g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
175g carrots, peeled and grated
160g sweet potato, peeled and grated
150g blueberries

• Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / Gas mark 5.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
• Mash the banana in a large bowl then whisk in the eggs and sugar.
• Slowly whisk in the oil.
• Fold in the remaining ingredients (do not over-mix).
• Divide between the paper cases and bake for 30-35 minutes, until risen and golden.
• Cool on a rack and store in a air-tight container - these also freeze well.

Never enough cake!

Lots of great comments about the recipes and blog, but one comment that stuck out was that there was not enough cake!!  Anybody who knows me well will know that cake features quite highly in my life.  Eating healthily is one thing, cake is quite another and certainly cannot be missed out!  And luckily my rule of 80% healthy and 20% naughty allows for this.
So here follows a healthy naughty cake recipe - it's rich in antioxidants (dark chocolate, cranberries and raspberries), is gluten and dairy free (gluten free flour and coconut oil instead of butter), and is to die for!

Raspberry and Cranberry Chocolate Brownies

Makes 12-16

225 g dark chocolate (min 70% cocoa)

250 g caster sugar

4 eggs

225 g coconut oil, melted

75 g cocoa powder

75 g gluten-free plain flour

150 g fresh raspberries

50 g dried cranberries

·      Preheat the oven to 180°C (375°F) Gas mark 5.  Lightly grease a 20 cm square tin.

·      Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water.

·      Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar and eggs in a large bowl, until the sugar has dissolved.

·      Whisk in the melted coconut oil then sift in the cocoa powder and flour and fold them into the mixture.

·      Finally, fold in the melted chocolate, raspberries and cranberries then pour into the prepared tin.

·      Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the middle of the mixture comes out with only a little of the mixture attached.

·      Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into squares to serve.

You can find more of my antioxidant-rich recipes in Total Sports Nutrition next month.

Autumn Colours

No doubt you will have heard of the expression 'eating a rainbow', but how much of this advice do you really follow?
There is a good reason why you should, especially at this time of year.  If people around you are starting to get the sniffles and coughs, then you need to be doubly sure your immune system is in the peak of condition, and that comes from supporting it with great foods that are rich in antioxidants, which are easy to spot as they are the colourful ones!
Firstly you need to know that your body is going to absorb these wonderful nutrients, so if you have any bloating, flatulence or stomach pain issue, you may need to see a health professional to ensure your digestive system is working at the optimum level.
Ensuring you are including colourful foods into your diet is easy - just look at your plate before each meal!  If it's all brown and beige you're doing it wrong!  And that may be because you are buying readymade foods.  For example, the pot of houmous shown here is homemade, but not only do I include all the normal ingredients - chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, I also add Brazil nuts and parsley - added essential fats, fibre, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, plus much more.  There is no comparison on nutrition or price to the shop-bought product.  And served with roasted sweet potatoes and carrots that have been tossed in olive oil, cumin seeds and pumpkin seeds, you have yourself a colourful, nutritious snack.
For those that have a sweet tooth and need a bit of a treat, even this can be healthy and takes little effort -

Mango and Apricot Crumble

Serves 4

175 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
1 large mango, peeled, stoned and chopped
100 g raspberries
50 g ground almonds
15 g coconut oil, melted

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas mark 6.
Place the chopped apricots into a bowl and add the orange zest and juice.  Cover and leave to stand for 1 hour.
Place the mango in an ovenproof dish then add the raspberries and finally spoon over the soaked apricots and all the juice.
Sprinkle over the ground almonds followed by the coconut oil and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

Increased need for ice-cream!

So now I've increased my training I obviously need to increase my intake of antioxidants to counteract the damage I am doing to my body.
Antioxidants are alright on their own (berries, peppers etc.), but why not have a treat at the same time?!  It is summer after all!

Cherry Active Ice-Cream


100g Cherry Active dried cherries
50ml Cherry Active Concentrate
300ml double cream
300ml milk
6 egg yolks
175g caster sugar

1.  Leave CA cherries to soak in the concentrate while you make the ice-cream.
2.  Mix together the milk and cream in a pan then bring to the boil.
3.  While they are heating whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until they are pale and light.
4.  Pour in the cream, whisking all the time, then transfer back to the pan and cook for another five minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour into a bowl and leave to cool.
5.  Place in an ice-cream maker and churn until nearly set.  Gently stir in the soaked cherries and concentrate. then freeze.