BBC Food - Five ways to up your five a day 18 March 2013Last updated at 09:41 By Hannah Briggs BBC Food One in five Brits consume at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily, the highest intake in Europe. But what are the easiest ways to increase consumption for those still missing out? Britain is leading the way when it comes to eating the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, according to an online survey of 29,000 respondents by Nielsen. It shows that 22% of UK consumers consume at least five portions a day, compared to an average of 8% across Europe. Eating 400g of fruit and vegetables a day can help lower the risk of health issues such as high blood pressure, obesity and some cancers, the British Dietetic Association says. However the British government's 5 a day campaign has only been partially successful, particularly among lower income groups, former chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson recently said. But there are some easy ways to get more in to a diet with minimum effort.
Seared Chicken Breast with Lemon Herb Pan Sauce: Sounds fancy huh? It’s not. I mean it tastes super duper extra fancy… but it’s so not fancy and hard to make. Got me? Great. This is a rustic one pan meal… which means that after you cut, chop and measure you cook the whole thing in one pan… and I like that in a recipe. I highly recommend using fresh herbs in this dish. I swear every time that I go to buy flat leaf parsley… they only have this stuff… the curly kind. Chop, mince or bludgeon the heck out of it… like so. Measure out a 1/3 cup of minced parsley and set aside. Grab some fresh thyme. STORY: Once, a long, loooong time ago, I put some not so fresh thyme into some soup. So since that horrible soup tasting experience, my husband has sworn up and down that he hates, and I mean HATES thyme… until I made this dish. Run your finger along the length of the branch, peeling of the thyme leaves… then just give those a quick chop. Once the herbs are chopped toss those into a medium bowl. Toss together and set aside. Enjoy! Yield: 4 servings
Who, Why, What: Can foods have negative calories? 15 March 2013Last updated at 16:08 ET By Kate Dailey BBC News Magazine Dieters looking for a quick fix may turn to the promise of negative-calorie foods. But can eating actually burn calories? Spring can be a confusing time for the body-conscious - a time when thoughts drift towards summer on the beach, but chilly temperatures have many reaching for an extra biscuit. Those looking to shed a few pounds have often clung to the hope of "negative-calorie" foods - a workout for your taste buds that burns calories while you chew. But do these foods actually exist? "A negative-calorie food would by definition consume more calories, for the body to handle it and process it, than is contained in the nutrient content in the food. "Theoretically that's possible," says Tim Garvey, chair of the department of nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. "In actuality there are no negative-calorie foods," he says. One is cold water, which the body has to warm up to 37C (98.6F).
Broccoli &Bow Ties This recipe is a great kid-friendly, weeknight standby. It's so easy to adapt however you wish. You can add a different veggie, some chicken, or shrimp. Just adjust the sauce as needed & make a bit more if you add a lot.It can also be made ahead of time & reheated in the microwave. Begin by grating the zest of one lemon. Then, mince {or grate} 2 cloves of garlic. Set aside. Wash & trim 2 heads of broccoli into bite sized florets. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon & bring the water back up to a boil. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil & 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet. Along with 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Drain the pasta & add it to the broccoli. Serve warm.Adapted from Barefoot ContessaServes 6-8 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil & cook the broccoli for 3 minutes.
How To Eat Like a UFC Hall of Famer It would take decades of training, countless black eyes, and a few dozen gallons of blood, sweat, and tears to learn how to fight like two-time UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes (46-9-0). But to eat like him? That’s something you can start doing today. Everyone wants to be in better shape -- “Most of the questions I get are about training,” says Matt Hughes, recently retired UFC Hall of Famer and current vice president of athlete development. “I think the diet is an area where some of the younger fighters need help; a proper diet helps you sleep, practice, and perform better in the Octagon.” Here, Hughes' eight basic rules for a healthy diet: Eat OftenInstead of eating three massive meals per day, Hughes opts for smaller portions that are more spread out. Check Labels“I look at the protein, carb, and sugar content,” Hughes says. Don’t Demonize FatsToo much saturated or trans fats can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and raise cholesterol.
Food & wine | Tips and recipes for making brown bag lunches more appealing Sure, packing your own lunch for work every day can save money. But what about your sense of adventure? When you bring a lunch from home instead of venturing to the cafeteria or the nearby sandwich shop, it's up to you to keep it interesting. The pay-off can be big, both in savings and flavor, especially if you plan ahead and incorporate leftovers from dinner. Freeze leftover soup or stew on the weekend for lunch during the week, suggested Autumn Faughn, marketing and community relations specialist for Whole Foods Market in Milwaukee. "Many recipes for soups and stews taste even better the second day, after their flavors have had time to mingle," Faughn added. For now, Faughn suggested an Ethiopian Chickpea Stew paired with a green salad or some naan bread for a well-rounded lunch that's as interesting as it is colorful. You can double your favorite stew or casserole and freeze single servings. Rotisserie chickens are a quick meal solution. — Spread ham salad on rye bread with dill pickles.
How little money can a person live on? 26 April 2013Last updated at 06:23 ET By Duncan Walker & Keith Moore BBC News Magazine The debate over how much money benefits claimants should receive has run on for weeks. But just how little money can someone realistically get by on? The government says no family on benefits should receive more than the £26,000 - after tax - the average family earns. A benefits cap estimated at £350 a week for a single adult and £500 a week for a couple or single parent - regardless of how many children they have - is being piloted in four areas of London. The major weekly cost for most people is housing. So, excluding housing costs, how much money does a person - for the sake of simplicity, single and living alone - need to get by? With careful planning, an adult could spend as little as £12 per week on a healthy, balanced diet, says Tom Sanders, a professor of nutrition at Kings College London. Filling up on starchy foods and cheap fruit and vegetables is key. Continue reading the main story
Are spices good for your health? 26 December 2012Last updated at 01:16 By Hannah Briggs BBC Food Spices have been revered for their health benefits throughout history. But can they cure a hangover or help shift those extra Christmas pounds? Whether you're grating nutmeg into your speculaas (Dutch spiced shortcrust biscuits) or sprinkling some cinnamon into your Glögg (a Norwegian version of mulled wine), adding a touch of spice is an easy way to make food and drink more appetising. According to Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient belief system in Hinduism, spices can be warming or cooling and are used to affect the balance of the digestive system. "They act as a stimulus to the digestive system, relieve digestive disorders and some spices are of antiseptic value," explains Dr Krishnapura Srinivasan, a scientist at the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysore, India. It is not surprising that spices have become associated with dieting. But the results of the month-long clinical trial were negative. “Start Quote
George Lockhart - Managing Diets for Rory, Easton, Assuncao Read on for the latest installment in UFC.com's weekly series of articles on proper nutrition from the biggest names in mixed martial arts...this week, George Lockhart One thing we know about George Lockhart – the guy ain’t lazy. He’s crammed a boat load of professions into his 29 years. He’s served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a martial arts instructor at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va. He has fashioned an impressive 10-4 record as a welterweight pro fighter, most recently competing on this season’s “The Ultimate Fighter,” where he lost to Bristol Marunde in a bout where the winner assumed one of the 16 slots in the house. A married father of three, Lockhart is also lead instructor at Brian Stann’s Warrior Legion Gym in Atlanta. I’ve worked with each of them a long time. The weight cut for Rory is a joke. Avocado, greens, spinach, quinoa. Right before Rory goes to bed, during fight camp, he might eat 1 or 2 tablespoons of almond butter.
Nutrition's Ultimate Guinea Pig: The Middle-Aged Athlete Read on for the latest installment in UFC.com's weekly series of articles on proper nutrition... This week’s nutritional column kicks off with a twist. I’ve had the privilege of interviewing some of sport’s finest in this space (such as Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, Mike Dolce, Forrest Griffin, Tito Ortiz, Demetrious Johnson, vegetarian Aaron Simpson and a host of others). I have diligently studied these men -- who I consider to be the hardest working athletes in the world -- and the dietary decisions fueling their pursuit of peak performances. Picking their brains is a passion of mine. You see, I am 40 years old. It’s a mixed bag, folks. I was around in the early 2000s when Randy Couture was still blowing minds and ragdolling men 15 years his junior. Nobody interviewed Couture without bringing up age-related questions. Anyway, I honestly believe that the middle-aged, age-defying athletes like Couture are more than just inspirational – they are ideal guinea pigs for the rest of us.
The Renzo Gracie Diet Read on for the latest installment in UFC.com's weekly series of articles on proper nutrition from the biggest names in mixed martial arts...this week, Renzo Gracie Renzo Gracie This week we highlight the diet of Renzo Gracie, easily one of the most eloquent speakers and widely respected gentlemen in the fight game. Before we dive into the interview, I’d like to share a few observations about the 45-year-old New York City transplant, whom I first met nearly a decade ago at the 90th birthday party of his grand uncle, legendary BJJ pioneer Helio Gracie. If you’ve ever met the perpetually positive Brazilian, you know that a light, an undeniable glow, shines on Renzo wherever he goes. I remember a few years ago talking with Dana White about Marc Ratner, the remarkably even-keeled UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs who never loses his cool and amazingly – despite many decades in the professional fight game – has no known enemies. Many people say that a rattlesnake tastes like chicken.
Skipping breakfast primes the brain to seek out fat 17 October 2012Last updated at 06:45 GMT By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News Should breakfast be the start to every day? Brain scans show that skipping breakfast makes fatty, high calorie foods appear far more attractive later in the day, according to researchers. Scans of 21 people showed the brain was more attracted to food if breakfast was missed so people had more food at lunch. Scientists said it made losing weight challenging as missing meals made calorific food even more appealing. Nutrition experts say breakfast is known to take the edge off appetite. However, researchers were curious about what happened inside the brain to alter the food people choose to eat. Scans Twenty one people, who were all normal weight, were shown pictures of calorie packed foods while they were positioned in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine at Imperial College London. The researchers said skipping breakfast created a "bias" in the brain in favour of high calorie foods.