Tag: healthy eating

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Hearty Soups

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Hearty Soups

Soups are great for lunch or dinner, or even as a snack between meals in a mug. When planned properly, soups can be a healthy, balanced meal and be a great way to increase your intake of vegetables. They’re usually a low cost per portion, great to make in bulk and convenient to warm up in a hurry or take out and about in a flask.

We’ve outlined some tips for building a balanced, nutrient-dense soup below:

Base

A great soup starts with a tasty base. Sautéed onions, celery and garlic make a wonderful starter for most soups.

Next select your stock, homemade is best and the most cost effective as you can make it from leftover meat bones and vegetables. Shop-bought stock cubes can be high in added salt and sugar so if you are using these make sure you choose a low-salt and low-sugar variety or leave it out altogether.

You can use herbs and spices to add depth of flavour.

Carbohydrates

White potatoes, sweet potatoes, wholewheat noodles/pasta, and brown rice are all great options for adding to soup.

They provide a healthy source of carbohydrates to give you the energy you need to fuel your body.

Vegetables

All vegetables work well in soups, try choosing ones you wouldn’t usually eat to increase the variety in your diet.

Butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli are great options.

Protein

Protein is often forgotten in soups, but it is an important nutrient for growth and repair in the body. It also helps us feel fuller for longer which can help us maintain a healthy weight.

Healthy sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish and low-fat cheeses. Plant based options such as different varieties of lentils and beans are healthful options, and these are a cheap option for bulking up soups.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at:

 www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Heart Tip: Sandwich Month

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Sandwich Month

August is officially sandwich month! The first sandwich became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and has been a staple part of our diets ever since.

Whether you’re grabbing an egg sandwich for breakfast or a turkey BLT at lunch, sandwiches are convenient, quick, and easy. Here we share some ideas to make your sandwiches healthier.

Choose nutritious wholegrains

Your basic sandwich is generally made with bread, on a roll or in a wrap. If you’re going to choose one of these items, boost the nutrition of your sandwich by choosing whole grains. Whole grains are a more nutrient-dense, less processed, and healthier option compared to refined grains (like white bread).

Healthy filling

Add a healthy sandwich meat or other lean protein. Freshly-cooked lean meats such as roasted turkey or chicken breast, canned salmon or tuna, or for vegetarian options; eggs, nut butter, tofu, smashed cooked beans and reduced-fat cheese are good healthy options. Additionally try using low-fat butter or a vegetable spread if you normally use full-fat butter.

Add in some colour

An easy way to make any sandwich or wrap a bit healthier is by adding vegetables as they can add a whole host of benefits to your meal. Veggies add nutrients, freshness, and flavour. Any mix of roasted veggies, fresh tomatoes, fresh greens (the darker, the better), sliced red onion, sliced cucumbers, and sliced peppers are all good choices.

Give these healthy sandwich tips a try and get creative!

Serve with a piece of fruit and a high-protein snack as a side, and you’ll score a lot of nutrition and satisfaction all at once.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at

www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:

: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Heart Tip: National BBQ Week

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: BBQ Week

This week is National BBQ Week, and it is a perfect time to get friends and family together to enjoy some healthy, nutritious food. We all know Covid-19 has impacted on social activities, so BBQ week provides a welcome opportunity to get together, share BBQ tips and recipes and have some fun in the process!

  • Choose the rainbow

See how many different vegetables and fruits you can add to the barbeque to make it extra colourful.

Whether this is on a skewer or as a side, including more fruit and vegetables will increase your fibre intake and reduce your risk of heart disease. Grilled aubergine, courgette, peppers, pineapple and peaches work well.

  • Be creative

Think of a food theme that everyone can enjoy and have fun with. How about having a variety of foods from around the world, trying new recipes, and experimenting with flavours.

You could find foods that are low in fat, such as chicken, fish, or plant-based alternatives. Burgers and sausages are often high in saturated fat, which can contribute to high cholesterol.

  • Dips and sauces

How about creating your own dips and sauces by using fat free yoghurt or low-fat crème fraiche with fresh herbs and spices. A lot of ready-made sauces are high in salt and sugar and they can be high in calories, which can lead to weight-gain and high blood pressure.

By being adventurous and trying out new healthy recipes this BBQ week, you can begin to reduce your risk of heart disease and increase your creativity!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Making healthier food choices easier

Consultation on restricting junk food promotions

Proposals to limit the promotion of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt have been published.

The Scottish Government’s consultation seeks views on restricting the promotion of confectionery, cakes, crisps, savoury snacks and sugary soft drinks at checkouts and front of store, and on multi-buy discounts.

The aim is to reduce the health harms associated with poor diet and higher weight.

The consultation will help assess what impact the proposed restrictions would have on businesses and public health, including on health inequalities. It will run for 12 weeks to 23 September 2022.

Minister for Public Health Maree Todd said: “Our diets remain too high in calories, fat, sugar and salt which can have serious consequences for our overall health.

“In Scotland, two out of three adults are overweight or obese, with those living in our poorest areas more likely to be overweight and experience the most harm as a result.

“We know that promotions can encourage over-consumption and impulse buying.

“By restricting the promotion of less healthy food and drink we can better support people to make healthier choices and help create a Scotland where everyone eats well and has a healthy weight.”

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) Head of Nutrition Science and Policy Dr Gillian Purdon said: “We welcome the launch of the Scottish Government’s consultation on restricting promotions of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.

“FSS supports the introduction of promotional restrictions on these products as part of a suite of recommendations to address the nation’s poor diet. Promotions can encourage us to buy more than we need, and don’t necessarily save us money.

“Evidence shows that a considerable amount of the food and drink we buy is on promotion, and is often skewed towards less healthy choices such as confectionery, sweet biscuits, savoury snacks, cakes, pastries, puddings and sugar containing soft drinks. These foods account for around 20% of calories and fat in our diet, and more than half of our free sugar intake.

“Restricting promotions of these types of foods is one way to support people to make healthier choices.”

consultation-restricting-promotions-food-drink-high-fat-sugar-saltDownload

 Link to consultation https://bit.ly/consultation-restricting-promotions 

Kids prepare for a Tomtastic summer!

Over 5000 children in Edinburgh are on a journey to ‘Grow Strong’, a pilot project from social enterprise and charity Edinburgh Community Food and not-for-profit Veg Power, to help children learn about where food comes from and to encourage them to grow fruit and vegetables.

38 Edinburgh primary schools and local families received their Grow Packs earlier this year and have been carefully raising Cherry Tomatoes. The packs included propagators, seeds and compost kindly donated by Unwins Seeds.

The P2 Class at Liberton Primary School have been repotting their tomato plants ready to take home for the summer holidays with the help of Gracemount Community Garden and the new Deputy Lord Provost, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron (top).

Over the school holidays, if our little growers are having trouble with their crop, children and families will be able to attend ‘Tomato Plant Surgeries’ taking place weekly at Broomhouse and Murrayburn & Hailesland Community Gardens.

Once the cherry tomatoes are ready to harvest the children will head to the kitchen to turn their tomatoes into a delicious pasta sauce.

The learning will continue throughout the Summer with a number of exciting events for children taking place at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, which will help them on their Grow Strong journey and ensure the cherry tomatoes make a tasty pasta sauce.

Share your Tomato Adventure using #TOMTASTIC.

Healthy Heart Tip: Cooking from Scratch

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!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at  www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips./

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:  https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Heart Research UK: Get on your feet!

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.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Healthy Tip – Salt: We consume 40% more than what is recommended

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.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

Eating everyday ‘Cupboard Heroes’ can save your life

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.

Find out more at www.wcrf-uk.org/cpaw and watch the campaign video here.

Healthy Heart Tip: Making Healthy Pancakes

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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).

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/