We all eat healthy, right? Sometimes we don't take notice of what we eat, or we eat in a hurry, or we simply "forget" about those crisps and chocolate bars...
We are what we eat, so let's make sure that what we put into our body is fresh and healthy!
Here's a simple explanation of healthy eating from Energya www.energya.co.uk
twitter: @paolaenergya
2. Our digestive system is like a long
TUBE
●
MOUTH-TO-LOO LINE
Oesophagus Stomach Liver Pancreas Small Large Anus
intestine intestine
Mouth
3. Understanding our bodies
To function, our bodies need to:
●
Absorb nutrients
●
Zinc, digestive enzymes, stomach acid
●
Take the rubbish out
− Avoid or limit
●
Salt, sugar, coffee, alcohol, drugs, processed foods
●
Increase consumption of whole foods
− Pulses, wholegrains, fruit and vegetables
4. Wheat and dairy: the enemy
●
Most people have an intolerance or allergy to
wheat and dairy products, causing:
− Bloating
− Constipation
− Lack of absorption
− Mucus production
5. Cheat your taste buds: choose
wheat and dairy free recipes
Aduki bean chocolate muffins
This recipe is wheat, yeast, dairy free and with a low Glycaemic Index if you use agave syrup instead of sugar and
gram flour instead of normal flour.
Ingredients
●
150gr pre-soaked aduki beans
●
3 tablespoons agave syrup (or sugar)
●
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
●
1 tablespoon coconut oil
●
1 egg
●
½ tablespoon gram flour
●
1 pinch baking soda
●
cinnamom and other spices to taste (optional)
Soak the beans overnight. Cook the beans in boiling water for at least one hour then blitz in a food processor. Check
that there's no small bits left, you need to get a smooth paste.
Mix all the ingredients together: melt some coconut oil over boiling water if the weather is cold and set some of it
aside for the ramekins.
The mixture should make 4 small muffins. Swirl the coconut oil inside the ramekins, pour the mixture in and cook in
the oven for 15-20 minutes at 150 degrees Celsius.
Serve with either single cream or strawberry jam.
www.energya.co.uk
6. Energya's top tips
●
Put pen to paper:
− Keep a food diary for at least 3 days noting the
foods you eat and what you drink. Note down the
times of each meal and snack and any reaction
(e.g., sleepy, energised, heavy etc)
7. Energya's top tips
●
Always eat breakfast and never skip meals:
THE INVERTED PYRAMID
This will avoid a process of starvation so your body
won't hold on to body fat to survive
8. Energya's top tips
●
Have protein with every meal
It helps you feel fuller
●
Aim for variety in foods:
Our bodies are programmed to have nutrients from
different food groups to ensure we have an
optimum intake of vitamins and minerals
9. Energya's top tips
●
Fit exercise into your diary:
− Exercise helps to manage hunger
and cravings by reducing
emotional eating
●
Take regular time out:
− Relaxation is vital for a
healthy digestion. Don't
eat that sandwich at your desk!
10. Healthy snack ideas
3-4 almonds
1 apple/1 pear/1 orange
2 rice cakes with hummus or almond butter
small bag of popcorn
unsweetened yogurt with 2-3 dried apricots or other dried fruit (no added preservatives)
celery, carrot, pepper and cucumber sticks
fruit salad (without added sugar) with a few sunflower seeds
banana/strawberry/fruit smoothie
pitta bread with tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber dip)
1 hard boiled egg
small handful of mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, hemp)
3 slices of ham and salad
1 chicken drumstick and salad
1 side salad (tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce) with plain yoghurt dressing
1 small vegetables soup
11. Case study: sugar overload
It was a challenge at first to source a lunch without bread and a
dinner without pasta, but after a week it became quite
interesting to see what foods I had not tried before. I never felt
compromised as there is so much choice in fruits and
vegetables, pulses and meats, I just had to think 'outside the
square'. My energy levels increased and I wasn’t
feeling sluggish in the morning and my appetite
was reduced as I felt satisfied from the food lists
and menu guidelines Paola provided. I also lost weight
and lost that bloated feeling.
... Paola has raised my awareness of some wonderful new foods,
the positive effects of a wheat free diet and that breads and
pasta aren’t the only foods that can satisfy the appetite. Thanks
again!
