HEALTH TIPS 4 U

Deep, earthy flavour and a whole lot of crunch, but what I love most about beetroot is the incredible colour that can transform anything shocking pink. The overpoweringly vibrant hue makes it one of the most bossy vegetables that can completely take over your dish. It comes from a pigment called betanin which is often extracted to create natural food colouring and dyes. Interestingly, beets were also used to add colour to wines back in the day. Originally from Europe, beetroot was first cultivated by the Romans. By the 19th century, it was discovered that it contains one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable and was then used commercially to extract sucrose from the beet plant. For years, it's been restricted to the corner of the plate as a forgetful side or mostly dumped in salads. But with its sweet and rustic charm, this root vegetable is enjoying a well-deserved comeback thanks to its health credentials. It's difficult to resist the ruby red juiciness especia

TOM KERRIDGE is helping more dieters shed the pounds on Lose Weight for Good tonight. The 44-year-old reveals his recipes for diet versions of takeaway food, to help keep the cravings at bay - including a delicious chicken tikka masala with 640 calories Tom Kerridge is back tonight with another episode of Lose Weight for Good. He claims low-calorie food has a bad reputation, and he has vowed to shower dieters and the viewers at home that it is possible to make delicious healthy food. The 44-year-old chef has been tasked with helping food lovers to lose weight with healthy and delicious recipes, and the group of 13 have got to week seven. Every week he offers some tasty recipes that cut the calories without cutting the taste. This week Tom’s dieters are struggling to stay on track, thanks to cravings for their favourite fast food. So, the chef has whipped up low-calorie versions of the most popular takeaways in the UK to help dieters stay on track. Tom turns his hand to a

Garlic has a pungent smell, and is good in certain dishes, but is there more to it? Why is it so often considered a great, healthy herb? Well, for one, it has the vital chemical compound allicin, which is a wonderful therapeutic ingredient with many medicinal qualities. Allicin contains sulfur, which gives the herb its pungent savor and peculiar smell. The health benefits of garlic are innumerable. It helps fight heart ailments, cold, cough and lowers blood pressure. What Is Garlic? Garlic is the oldest known medicinal plant variety or spice in existence. It belongs to the genus Allium and is native to Central Asia. Mankind recognized the curative qualities of this magic herb over 3,000 years ago. Sir Louis Pasteur, the scientist who discovered pasteurization, effectively utilized the anti-bacterial qualities of garlic all the way back in 1858. Garlic Nutrition Facts World War I medical surgeons used the health benefits of garlic juice as an antiseptic for treating war

When you eat cherries, you enjoy much more than just their amazing taste. They are packed with antioxidants and offer many health benefits, including help with insomnia, joint pain and belly fat. Cherries can be just what the doctor ordered. Here are 10 good reasons to start this powerfood today! 1. Protects Against Diabetes Sweet cherries have a low glycemic index of 22 - lower than apricots (57), grapes (46), peaches (42), blueberries (40) or plums (39). This makes them a better snack than many other fruits, especially for diabetics. 2. Promotes Better Sleep Tossing and turning at night? Cherry juice to the rescue! Drink cherry juice 30 minutes after waking and 30 minutes before your evening meal. In a study, participants boosted their melatonin intake by following this routine. Cherries are a good source of melatonin, which helps us regulate our sleep cycles. Cherries have also been found to help with jet lag. Note: There is a higher level of melatonin in tart che

Cauliflower is from the same family of vegetables (cruciferous) like Broccoli and yields amazing health benefits like its cousin. In fact, the vegetable world is so diverse and amazing in benefits that many people are shifting to being vegan! It is also a very good trend actually given the sorry state of the animal farming industry. However, abandoning animal protein cold turkey is understandably difficult because you are conditioned to a particular kind of diet. Nevertheless, you can still find cauliflower wonderfully beneficial. 1. Keeps body inflammation in balance Internal inflammation or reddening is often an immune system response to encountering an infective threat. However, over-response from the immune system can get the inflammation out of balance. Cauliflower provides a good supply of anti-inflammatory ingredients such as 13c or Indole 3 carbinols. 13 c is a compound that can act on the genetic level to repair damage caused by inflammation. The unbalanced infla

The benefits of dates include relief from constipation, intestinal disorders, heart problems, anemia, sexual dysfunctions, diarrhea, abdominal cancer, and many other conditions. Dates also help for a healthy weight gain. They are rich in several vitamins, minerals, and fiber. These delicious fruits contain oil, calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium, which are all beneficial for health. Some health specialists have said that eating one date per day is necessary for a balanced and healthy diet. The massive health benefits of dates have made them one of the best ingredients for muscle development. People consume them in several ways, such as mixing the paste of the dates with milk and yogurt or as a bread spread for a delicious and healthy breakfast. The paste is beneficial for both adults and children, especially during a time of recovery from injury or illness. According to a modern medical survey, it is now accepted that dates are useful

You may have heard how great dark chocolate is. You may even have used its reported health benefits to give yourself permission to tuck into a giant slab of chocolate every so often. After all, how great is it to be told your favorite sweet and indulgent treat is actually helping you stay healthy? But does dark chocolate really live up to all the hype? (And there is a lot of hype!) Thankfully, it does…most of the time. Read on to discover what I found out about this alleged superfood. The Lies About Dark Chocolate The sensational headlines earlier this year claiming chocolate helps the pounds melt off was welcomed by chocoholics everywhere. But, I’m sorry to say it was all a big hoax. The science journalist behind the whole thing wasn’t interested in testing chocolate’s effect on weight loss. Instead, his aim was to demonstrate how easy it is to turn bad science into the big headlines behind fad diets. And many fell for it. But, I do believe that chocol