Research says that we need to eat more meat. If your vegan or vegie, the core of your being will be shrieking in horrified defiance – so ignore this post. But if you’re interested to know why, read on…

A new study has found that UK diets for people of all ages are often low in the nutrients normally found in meat, including vitamin A, vitamin D, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and potassium. The implication: we need more meat. Or at least more of other foods that contain the aforementioned nutrients.

How they worked this out was:

A bunch of professionals – independent dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton, Emma Derbyshire, Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition, Manchester Metropolitan University and Prof Robert Pickard, Emeritus Professor of Neurobiology, University of Cardiff – got together and analysed data from 103 previous scientific research papers, many of which drew from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS).

The professionals then compiled a new report entitled “The seven ages of man – is there a role for meat in the diet?” which is to be published in the British Nutrition Foundation’s Nutrition Bulletin. Here’s what it says – in a nutshell:

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I ate a massive amount over the Christmas 2012 season. Seriously. It is, in fact, ridiculous how much I ate. If like me, you’re currently contemplating the sad state of your recently expanded rear, you might be interested to hear about Pete Cohen’s ‘ditch the diet forever’ campaign.

If you’re a little confused because you though I was talking about ‘losing weight’ – not really synonymous with ditching any diet – you’re right to be wondering what’s going on.

Pete Cohen, TV presenter and previously GMTV’s resident life coach, has launched a weight-loss programme called The Weight Loss Guru, which abandons the restrictive and unfulfilling nature of dieting in favour of a method that coaches people to make healthier choices and break bad habits.

The programme seems to follows in the current weight loss thought trend that says that the way to drop pounds is to alter lifestyle rather than binge diet.

The main differences to The Weight Loss Guru programme as opposed to more traditional diets are summarised by Pete Cohen as follows: Continue reading →

So, what are we going to see on menus, in delicatessens and on store shelves this year?

Mysecretkitchen.co.uk has revealed the ten top UK food and drink trends for 2013. Check it out:

1. Chilli – food has been getting hotter over the years and different types of chillies are going to come into fashion. Look out for Pasilla, Poblano, Guajillo and Ancho.

2. Popcorn – gourmet experiments riding on the back of flavours including Blue Cheese and Walnut, Strawberry Cheesecake and Madras.

3. Free (from) – foods ‘free from’ will become more mainstream.

4. Creative cocktails – inspired by flavours popular overseas, like smoked ice cubes, cardamom syrups and yuzu bitters.

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Clean, fresh, natural white is the starting point for many a colour scheme, featuring in most rooms in the house, even if only on the skirting boards! And though it can be a challenge to keep clean, nothing beats a crisp white shirt, whether it be a smart version for the office, or an old favourite for lazy Sundays.

Here’s the power of colour: White….

White foods suggest purity, and some may even fool you into thinking they are devoid of nutrition as well as colour! Consider the humble mushroom – more than 90% water and none of the vibrant colour we are always being told to look for in our food.

But in fact, mushrooms are good sources of several vitamins and minerals including iron, as well as being a source of dietary fibre.

Other white foods that are extremely nutritious include fish and rice, and don’t forget white tea – studies suggest that it may inhibit the laying down of fat as well as stimulating fat breakdown .

Decorating with white can be deceptively difficult. It is not as simple as just painting floor to ceiling in brilliant white, unless you want to feel like you live in a laboratory!

With a seemingly infinite number of different shades available, all of which look different in different lights, finding the perfect white for your home can be a challenge.

But when you find it, it will feel bright yet warm, calm yet vibrant, and constantly changing with the weather and the seasons.

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The colour of the sea and the sky, blue can bring a sense of peace and harmony to your world, providing you can shake off the memory of baby blue walls in old hospitals and primary schools! Here we discuss the power of colour: blue.

There aren’t any foods that are truly blue, which is why blue plasters are worn in a catering environment, so that they can be easily seen before they accidentally end up in the soup!

But closest food to blue that we all know as a super-food is the humble blueberry.

A great source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants, blueberries also contain manganese, a mineral that is essential for bone development and the conversion of food into useful fuel.

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