Are you being tricked into food bliss?

I am not really sure at exactly which point it dawned on me that my health was my responsibility alone, and that it was directly linked to what I put in my body. It was probably more of a gradual process. However as I have studied, investigated and immersed myself in nutrition, food as medicine and eating as naturally as possible I soon came to realise that neither food manufacturers or food businesses are looking out for me.

Believe me as I say this I am not going to go down the route of “the evil food manufacturers”. The way I see it is that number 1, they want to make money, then 2. they want to make more money, 3. they want to make more and more money and on it goes. 

We are a trusting nation, we do think that if the government and big business tells us its healthy, and they go all out to market in an amazing way, we want to try it, we want to trust that ‘they’ want the best for us. But let’s face up to it, they really are not interested in the fact we could keel over with a heart attack at 30, develop diabetes type 2, have a limb amputated, develop extremely bad habits that will shorten our lives or develop a range of cancers.

It is time for you to question yourself, the foods you put in to your shopping basket, your habits, those you have inherited and then passed on to your children. I will continue to read the food labels and eat as naturally as I possibly can. What can you do to take responsibility for your amazing body?

As part of my studies into nutrition I have come across the psychology of eating (not just the book as referenced below), the effect fats (saturated in particular) and sugars can have on us, separately but more so when combined. This is something that has fascinated me, as a person who has held on to self blame in the past linked to thoughts pertaining to a lack of self control. This is a damaging mental state to have, and in my case turned into a vicious cycle of low self esteem and an eating disorder to boot. I am happy to say my awareness and understanding has helped me overcome this at least 99% of the time. 

Before we move on to the specifics of how we get hooked on certain foods more than others, let’s just look back a few years to post war 1950s. It was a time of huge change, women did not want to stop working and go back into the home. They wanted the family, house and career, and so to make this easier, the food manufacturers caught on to this to ‘help’ the consumer. Hence the birth of highly processed convenience food products. Women were no longer required to spend hours making a dinner and pudding, they could purchase an instant pudding with a list of chemicals and preservatives added as well as a ready meal. All of the convenience came with a price, but that price is only being realised now in our generation. 

This was all very exciting for food manufacturers, there was a captive audience, marketing and the psychology of hooking consumers was being recognised, thus this is where the most money was being spent. Food manufacturers understood that the more sugar and fat they were adding to foods, the more people were buying them. There are a few stories in Michael Moss’s book ‘Salt, Sugar Fat: How the giants hooked us’ which describe times when companies tried to produce healthier versions but customers just did not buy them.

Michael Moss writes in detail about the mixture of these ingredients, and the respective roles in the rising levels of obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure. He also writes about the bliss point, pointing out that in one particular study (paid for by one food giant) subjects were given mixtures of cream, milk, sugar “so pleasing to their brains that they never gave the signal to stop eating”.

The bliss point originates back to our ‘hunter gatherer ‘days as our preferred speedier source of energy was sugar or carbohydrates. Food manufacturers are able to combine fat, sugar and salt to find the bliss point, making sure that the product is irresistible to consumers ensuring we eat more and buy more. It has been studied in so much depth that food companies have it down to a mathematical statistic. So when you are wondering why you haven't the self control to stop eating the giant bag of Doritos or that your kids beg you to take them to McDonald’s on a regular basis, please think about the bliss point and who you are handing your well earned money to!

Please check our recipes to help you on your ‘eating for health journey’. Please comment and if there is anything we can help you with please contact us. Also if you haven't already add your email and subscribe to our community, you will receive a free natural food plan, with recipes and a shopping list. 

Love,

Kelly x

Reference reading list:

Salt, Sugar, Fat Michael Moss

The food babe way Vani Hari

Psychology of eating Jane Ogden

How coconut oil can change your life

We’re going a little nuts for coconuts — or its oil, at least. But can you blame us? This miracle oil, extracted from the kernel of matured coconuts, is suggested to be the solution to many of life’s little (or big!) problems. 

Natural coconut oil is 90 percent saturated fat which makes it one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man. By virtue of this, there is a great deal of controversy as regards its impact on heart health. The kind of saturated fat matters just as much as the amount.

Coconut oil’s main fat is lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid (MFA), which permeates cell membranes easily, does not require special enzymes to be utilised effectively by your body, and puts minimal stress on your digestive system. It also contains vitamins E and K iron, and has anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. 

These factors, and more, give coconut oil a set of unique health properties as well as being a great beauty product, too! 

Here are 25 ways you can use coconut oil in your day-to-day life:

Health

1) Boosts your metabolism. While adding oil to your diet may sound counterintuitive, the fats in coconut oil are easy to digest, can be used directly by the liver for energy and encourage fat burning. 

2) Lowers cholesterol. It has been shown that lauric acid increases the good HDL cholesterol in the blood to help improve cholesterol ratio levels.

3) Keeps your stomach happy. Ingesting coconut oil may help soothe your stomach and is even thought to ease symptoms from serious disorders like Crohn’s Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It may also help treat ulcers.

4) Improves your oral hygiene. Oil pulling is an Ayurveda practice that’s all the rage at the moment, is believed to help your wellbeing in lots of different ways: it whitens your teeth, improves bad breath, reduces plaque and more. Swish about two tablespoons of it around your mouth for 3 to 20 minutes a day. 


5) Wound care. Applying a thin layer to small scrapes and cuts can act as a topical protector for wounds, shielding them from outside contaminants. 

6) Helps calcium and magnesium absorption in your body for healthy bones and teeth.

Food and cooking

7) In cooking. The oil has a high smoke point, meaning it won’t emit harmful free radicals as readily as other oils. Great for baking, stir-fries or as a dairy free replacement to butter or vegetable oils. See 'How to choose coconut oils’ below.

8) Smoothies. Add one tablespoon of coconut oil into your favourite smoothie recipe and increase your energy with the oil's MFAs.

9) Roasted vegetables. The next time you’re roasting a batch of hearty winter vegetables such as butternut squash or sweet potatoes, try tossing them with a mixture of coconut oil, lemon juice, thyme / rosemary, and salt and pepper for an appealing hint of coconut.

10) Frying eggs. Lightly coat the bottom of your frying pan with coconut oil to create a non-stick surface for delicious eggs.

11) Nut butters. In a food processor grind together 2 cups of nuts such as almonds, pecans, or cashews with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil until smooth and buttery. Add cinnamon, flax seed, or even ground coffee.

12) Popcorn. A sweet twist on a classic snack! First, add the coconut oil and popcorn to a heavy-bottomed pan. Coat the area of the pot with the oil, and use just enough popcorn to make a single layer over the bottom of the pot. Give the pot a little shake to make sure all of the kernels are coated with oil. Next, place the pot over a medium heat. Put the lid on the pot, leaving it slightly open so that steam can escape. It should take about five minutes for the popcorn to pop completely.

13) Replace vegetable oil for baking. Next time you make your favourite cake / brownie recipe, replace the vegetable oil with coconut oil. 

14) Homemade granola. Embrace your inner hippie and bake up batches of homemade granola using coconut oil, which lends an irresistible aroma to your oats and nuts. We have a great recipe ‘Extremely tasty granola' on our breakfast recipe page.

Skin care and beauty

15) Facial moisturiser. Massage a light layer on your skin after cleansing.

16) Eye make-up remover. This works with waterproof make-up too.

17) Body scrub. Mix with equal parts sugar. 

18) Fade age spots. Rub on hands or other areas daily to benefit from its natural anti ageing properties.

19) Homemade lip balm or lip gloss. Apply directly.

20) Massage oil. Not too greasy and with a relaxing scent.

21) Body moisturiser. Apply directly after showering. 

22 Sunburn care and prevention. Use as SPF4 sunscreen or after too much sun.

23) Elbow rub. Helps manage the dry skin on your elbows.

Hair Care

24) Leave-in overnight conditioner. Rub a small amount of oil into hair (mostly at ends), comb through and put hair in a loose bun before bed, and wash out in the morning.

25) Hair flyaway tamer. Use very sparingly on ends or areas with flyaways.

Choosing the right coconut oil

Coconut oil that is labelled “virgin” or “extra virgin” is extracted from coconut meat using delicate methods such as cold-pressing. I use this type of oil as it has more antioxidants, therefore it has more benefits, though it does have a stronger coconut flavour and aroma. (Best/reputable brands known to us are Biona, Tiana, Perfectly pure, Lucy Bee)

You could try refined coconut oil (sometimes labelled “expeller-pressed”), which is further processed to have a more neutral taste and scent for external use or cooking. These refined coconut oils also have a higher smoke point than virgin oils, so they can be used for higher-heat cooking such as stir-frying or for making dishes like scrambled eggs when you don’t want the taste of a beach holiday. I would recommend researching brands online to find ones that avoid using harsh chemicals to refine their coconut oil. 

Both versions have a long shelf life (about 2 years without refrigeration), meaning there is less worry about coconut oil going rancid than there is about more delicate oils such as flax or extra-virgin olive oil.

A 500ml jar of virgin coconut oil will cost £8+ from health stores or online, but will last a long time. I have two, one for nutrition (which I keep in the kitchen) and one for beauty (in the bathroom).

While the disagreements among doctors and nutritionists over coconut oil's cardiac health benefits will continue, there is no doubt that coconut oil - being both safe and natural - has a myriad of different uses that anyone can take advantage of.

We would love to hear how you use coconut oil at home. 

Alison x

Sources:

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/vitamins-coconut-oil-2386.html

authoritynutrition.com/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/

http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/

http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/