Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Cooking from Scratch
Cooking from scratch can be more nutritious, tastier, cheaper, and it doesn’t have to take long. Give it a go and enjoy the sense of achievement once you’ve cooked a delicious meal:
Keep It Simple!
If you are new to cooking from scratch, try to keep meals simple to start with. If time is an issue, prep your meals in advance. For example, you can measure out your ingredients the night before or practice batch cooking.
Utilise Your Freezer
The freezer can be an important extension to your store cupboard. Did you know you can freeze herbs, fruits and vegetables? These can be very convenient to grab when you need them, and can help you cut down on food waste!
Staple Ingredients
Always keep ingredients for a few staple meals in the pantry and freezer so that there is always a meal just 30 minutes away. This may include dried pasta, quinoa, rice, lentils, canned tomatoes, frozen veg, herbs, spices and olive oil.
We hope we have inspired you to give cooking from scratch a go!
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Thursday 28th of April 2022 was Britain’s ‘On Your Feet’ day. This is a national awareness day to promote the benefits of sitting less and moving more.
Cutting down on the amount of time we sit can help to reduce your risk of developing heart disease, becoming overweight or obese and developing diabetes.
Here are a few tips on how to reduce sitting time:
Small changes
Think of one or two small changes you could make to help you to move more throughout the day. For example, try taking regular breaks from your computer, use the stairs more often, or stand during phone calls and presentations. If you work at a desk, you may even consider improving your setup by investing in a standing desk!
Keeping children active
Only 20-23% of children meet the physical activity guidelines of one hour per day so we should try to encourage children to exercise daily. On days off, aim to get outside and play some games in the garden, visit the local park, or go for a family bike ride instead of spending too much time on the couch.
Walk for a Healthier Heart
Making walking a more important part of our everyday life means taking positive steps towards a healthier heart and body.
Walking is free, requires no specialised equipment, can be done by all ages and abilities and fits in any lifestyle. Compete with friends, family and colleagues by logging your steps, miles or walking routes over the week.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Salt Awareness
14th to 20th March 2022 is Salt Awareness Week. It is estimated that in the UK we consume around 8.4g of salt a day which is 40% more than the recommended 6g a day. Too much salt in your diet can have a negative effect on your health and can increase the risk of water retention, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Here are some tips to help you reduce your salt intake:
Reduce salt gradually
By gradually reducing the amount of salt in your food, your taste buds will adapt over time. Try tasting your food before you add salt. You may find that your food is tasty enough. You could try experimenting with different flavours to replace added salt, such as herbs, spices, lemons, or limes.
Check food labels
Around 75% of the food we eat contains hidden salt. Food labels use a traffic light system, which allows us to see if a product contains a low (green), medium (amber), or high (red) amount of salt.
Check the labels to see how much salt is in your food before you buy. Different brands of similar products contain varying amounts of salt, so look at the label and choose products that contain less salt. Salt is made up of sodium chloride and sometimes the label will list ‘sodium’ but not ‘salt’.
You can work out how much salt is in a product by multiplying every 1g of sodium by 2.5.
Make a swap
Swap your high salt foods with foods lower in salt. Try snacking on fruit and vegetables, plain rice cakes, unsalted nuts and seeds or lower salt alternatives to your usual snacks.
Foods such as processed meats, stock cubes, ready-made sauces and powdered soups can contain high amounts of salt. Try swapping these for lower salt versions or make your own soups, with little or no added salt. You can also reduce the amount of salt in your diet by having smaller portions of foods that are higher in salt.
Adopting these tips can be challenging, but reducing your salt consumption gradually over time can help to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
New research from World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reveals that 97% of Brits already own the foods that could help to prevent cancer
Brits who spend the least on their weekly food shop own the most cancer preventative staple foods
Nation’s favourite staples revealed as tinned tuna and pasta
Nation’s least favourite voted as dried pulses, seeds and tinned carrots
World Cancer Research Fund, the leading authority on cancer prevention, is urging people to look in the back of their cupboards and make heroes of their forgotten basics.
While 40% of cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes including diet, only 10% of Brits realise this, and 7% of people think that no cancers can be prevented.*
However, you don’t need to eat goji berries or other ‘superfoods’ every day to help prevent cancer. The basic foods that often languish in our cupboards can hold the key to improving our health. Even better, most of us already own them.
Respondents were asked to select from a long list of common, nutrient rich staple foods including tinned tomatoes, rice and pulses, that all aligned with one of the charity’s key cancer prevention recommendations: ‘Eat a better diet’. 97% of people owned at least one of these items.
The nation’s most loved staples were revealed as tinned tuna and pasta (both 27%), while the nation’s least loved foods included dried pulses (4%), seeds and tinned carrots (both 6%).
To help people make the most of these ingredients, the charity has developed a Cupboard Heroes recipe generator where people can type in their cupboard (or fridge, or freezer) basics and discover an array of delicious and healthy recipes that can also help reduce the risk of cancer.
Interestingly, the research shows that the majority (42%) of people spend £20-30 per person on their weekly shop. And it’s those who spend under £30pp who were shown to own the most cancer preventative foods, proving that eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to break the bank.
Bestselling author, chef and ambassador for Cancer Prevention Action Week 2022, Phil Vickery, said, “I’m thrilled to be partnered with World Cancer Research Fund to raise awareness of these important findings.
“Eating fuss-free staple foods has so many benefits, particularly in the current context. It’s never too late to change your diet and improve your health and you really can make showstopper meals which are full of flavour using unexpected ingredients.”
Rachael Gormley, CEO of World Cancer Research Fund said, “We have seen the power of prevention first-hand. Healthy eating can often feel unattainable, but our evidence shows we don’t need to rely on heavily marketed, expensive ‘superfoods’.
“Whilst canned, dried and frozen items often get a bad rap, the good news is they are also packed full of vital nutrients and can help to reduce your risk of cancer. This Cancer Prevention Action Week, we wanted to provide people with the tools and information that can help them reduce their cancer risk.
“Our latest research shows that people already have the right ingredients they just need some inspiration to turn them into delicious dishes.”
World Cancer Research Fund’s recipe generator enables people to input up to two basic ingredients and discover an array of nutritious meal ideas at the click of a button.
Recipes include lentil & tuna salad – mixing the nation’s least favourite store cupboard staple with one of its favourites, vegetable pasta bake – a simple and budget conscious option from the charity’s Family Flavours cookbook, and a chickpea & bean casserole.
For all recipes fresh ingredients can also be swapped for tinned.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, occurs 47 days before Easter Sunday and this year it will take place on 1st March.
Traditionally, pancakes are made with flour, eggs and milk and they are fried in butter or oil. Whether you prefer your pancakes with a savoury or sweet filling, there are numerous recipes to choose from online and in cookbooks.
In this tip, we guide you in how to prepare healthy pancakes and choose a tasty and nutritious filling. We also provide a healthy pancake recipe that you might want to try out.
Choose a fibre-rich flour
By switching from white flour to wholemeal flour for your pancake recipe, you can increase the amount of heart-healthy fibre in your pancakes. You could blitz some high fibre, cholesterol-lowering porridge oats in a food processor to create tasty oat pancakes (see our recipe below).
Choose a heart-healthy oil
Some people like to fry their pancakes in butter, however, butter is high in saturated fats which can raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. We recommend choosing an unsaturated oil, such as rapeseed, vegetable or sunflower oil. Fats and oils are high in calories and should be consumed in small amounts. Make sure you add just enough oil to coat the base of the frying pan and you can remove excess oil with kitchen paper, before heating the pan.
Choose a healthy filling
Some of the most popular pancake fillings, such as sugar, syrups, chocolate, cream, bacon and cheese, can be high in fat or sugar. Look for healthier options, such as fruit and low-fat yogurt with chopped nuts and no added sugar, or smoked salmon, spinach and low-fat cream cheese.
RECIPE:
Oat pancakes with raspberry & pear compote and toasted walnuts
Serves 2 – 3
Ingredients: 100g porridge oats 1 tsp baking powder 1tsp cinnamon plus a little extra to sprinkle on before serving 1 orange, finely zested and juiced 1 egg, lightly whisked with a fork 120ml oat milk or skimmed cow’s milk 100g frozen berries, such as raspberries 1 pear, diced into 1cm pieces 1 tbsp rapeseed oil 2 tbsp low-fat crème fraiche or fat-free Greek yogurt 20g walnut pieces, toasted in a dry frying pan and chopped Mint leaves to garnish (optional)
Method
Start by making the pancake mixture. Blitz the oats in a food processor for a couple of minutes until they resemble a course, powdery flour and pour into a large bowl. Add the baking powder, 1tsp cinnamon and the orange zest, and mix the ingredients together. Make a well in the middle of the oats, add the egg and milk and mix until you have a thick batter. Cover and leave in the fridge until you are ready to make the pancakes.
Make the fruit compote by putting the juice from 1 orange in a saucepan with the raspberries and chopped pear and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the pear is soft. Leave to cool.
Make the pancakes by heating half the rapeseed oil in the frying pan. Pour a sixth of the pancake mixture into the pan and spread it out to make a small pancake. Cook over a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until golden. Flip the pancake and cook for a further 2 mins. Repeat until you have 6 small pancakes.
Stack 2 or 3 pancakes on individual serving plates, pour over the fruit and put a spoonful of low-fat crème fraiche or fat-free Greek yogurt on the top. Sprinkle with the chopped, toasted walnuts and a little cinnamon and garnish with mint leaves (optional).
Childhood is a particularly important period for forming positive behaviours related to nutrition. Children who learn and practise positive eating habits from an early age are likely to make healthy choices when they grow up.
Here we explore some ways to help promote positive eating behaviours:
Stick to regular meal and snack times
A regular eating pattern forms the basis of a healthy, balanced diet.
Children love routine. Providing three meals, and two or three snacks a day is ideal for children.
Keeping mealtimes regular creates predictability and encourages a healthy appetite.
Set a good example
In the long term, children and young adults are most likely to learn from how we behave rather than what we tell them. The more we can be a role model about healthy eating habits the better!
Set an example to your child by showing them how you make healthy choices and how you practice positive eating habits; this could be something as simple as choosing to eat a wide variety of foods, or by ensuring you drink plenty of water.
Eat together at the table
Wherever possible allow your children to eat with you. Family mealtimes offer an excellent opportunity to teach children good eating patterns as well as a time to connect and talk to each other.
Make the meal table relaxed and enjoyable, free of pressure or tension and minimise distractions by turning off the television and keeping phones away.
Get them involved!
Children love to get involved in new things, so why not get them to help in the kitchen? Cooking with kids and getting them involved in the meal preparation process may encourage them to try new healthy foods.
Small children could be responsible for setting the table, any mixing or stirring and washing fruit and vegetables. Older children could get involved with preparing the shopping list, chopping, and peeling!
We hope this has given you some ideas to try with your family!
Pilton Community Health Project’s women’s Garden Cooking Club will be back tomorrow in #GrantonCommunityGarden at 12pm where we’ll #harvest#cook then serve up our famous and delicious #soup with crusty bread!
We all spend at least some of our time each day sitting down, whether it’s when we are working or watching the television, but research shows that too much sitting can be bad for our heart.
We should ideally aim to sit down for no more than 8 hours each day, but this can be difficult, especially if we have a desk-based job.
Here are some tips on how to be more active:
Set a Movement Reminder
If you are working at a desk, try setting an alarm once every hour to get up and move. This could be as simple as walking to get a glass of water or doing a few star-jumps on the spot!
Vary Your Workspace
If you have access to a standing desk, this can be a great way to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down. If not, there are lots of ways that you can still change your work setup, such as by using a raised surface like a kitchen worktop, or by placing your laptop on a sturdy box.
Take Active Breaks
Taking a short walk on a lunch break can be a great way to take your mind off your work, enhance your energy levels and get your heart pumping.
Get Creative
Setting cues can help to remind us to move during the day. A fun and creative way to do this is to label each door in your house with an exercise such as squats, star jumps or jogging, and every time you walk through each door, you do the exercise labelled on that door.
Public bodies to prepare plans making good quality food accessible to all
Health boards and local authorities will develop wide-ranging plans to help ensure good quality, locally sourced and produced food is a practical everyday reality for everyone under new legislation.
The Good Food Nation Bill will ensure Scottish Ministers and a range of public bodies will produce good food nation plans to support social and economic wellbeing, the environment, health and economic development.
The Bill lays the foundation for Scotland to become a Good Food Nation where people from all walks of life take pride and pleasure from the food they produce, buy, cook and eat each day.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “We are committed to ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to healthy, nutritious fare and that businesses and public kitchens commit to producing, selling and serving good food.
“Organisations can play a leading role in this process – looking at how they boost local procurement, cut down food waste and packaging, use in-season produce as well disposing of food waste in an environmentally friendly way.
“But that’s not all. For example, a wide ranging food education can equip school pupils with the key skills they need to cook tasty, nutritious meals using the incredible array of world-class produce we have, but also to make informed food choices when they are away from home.
“We have been working across government through an extensive programme of measures to deliver on our ambition to be a Good Food Nation and our work to deliver action and practical measures will continue throughout this Parliament, not least to encourage the use of sustainable local produce and to help our children eat well.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
With the August bank holiday coming up tomorrow, what will you do with your extra day off? Why not follow our tips to bank some heart health and still have a good time.
Hearty BBQ
If the sun is shining this bank holiday weekend, it could be the perfect time to fire up the BBQ and try some healthy alternatives to traditional burgers and sausages. Tuna steaks can be sliced and flavoured with lime, ginger and coriander for a healthy zesty burger alternative. Why not roast some veggies on the BBQ, such as corn on the cob or vegetable skewers.
Raise your game
Games like basketball and swing ball can be a fun way of entertaining the kids or catching up with friends in the garden or park. Don’t let the threat of rain stop the fun, there are plenty of indoor activities, such as trampolining, indoor skating and swimming.
Take to the streets
With carnivals, markets and food events back on the calendar, make sure you know how to spot some heart healthy street food. Simple swaps can go a long way towards a healthier heart and still tingle the taste buds; try out some delicious vegetarian options for a meat free alternative that’s packed with goodness; go for a side of corn on the cob or baked sweet potato wedges instead of fries.
Laugh and dance
For a healthy heart it’s important to keep the oxygen and blood flowing. What better way to do this than to have a good laugh and a boogie with your family and friends.
However you choose to spend your extra day, try to make your bank holiday count towards a healthier, happier and longer life with those you love.
