seeds

A new study has shown that diet may help with counteracting the effect of the menopause on women's metabolism. Evidence is growing to suggest that a healthy diet could help with easing symptoms. There's a lot of advice out there - what should you be eating to help with the menopause?

How nutrient-rich store cupboard staples can help with budgeting. Eating healthily while balancing the household budget can be daunting, but a nutrient-rich diet is achievable if your store cupboard staples are put to work. Good nutrition is essential at the very best of times but, when the financial climate changes, getting the balance between healthy food and affordable eating can have a positive effect on our mental as well as our physical health.

As well as being a great source of fibre, chia seeds have three times more iron than spinach and twice as much potassium as bananas. They may be tiny but these are truly mighty. The word 'chia' itself means 'strength,' derived from the Mayan language.

Here are five ways to get more chia into your diet.

Sometimes the smallest packages pack the biggest punch. And so it is with nuts and seeds when it comes to gut-supporting fibre. Dietary fibre is the carbohydrate in plants that your body cannot absorb, aiding digestive function.

Researchers have found that eating the plant-based version of omega-3 fatty acid present in walnuts and flaxseeds can reduce the risk of heart disease and boost heart health.

Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, crunchy nuts, chewy fruit and fluffy popcorn, this gut-loving treat trumps your standard rocky road on flavour. Your gut microbes will get quite the feast of phytochemicals, prebiotics and 5g of fibre per slice, using just store-cupboard ingredients. Plus, the cocoa flavanols in dark chocolate could even boost your brain power!

The essential equation for wellbeing says The Gut Health Doctor, Megan Rossi. Good health is intrinsically linked to the state of our gut and the 40 trillion bacteria that live there, according to The Gut Health Doctor, Dr Megan Rossi.

Super simple, so delicious! If you’ve never tried flaxseed pudding before, you’re in for a treat! Flavoured with vanilla paste and sweetened with a touch of maple, this pudding is a perfect low carb dessert and also delicious as a breakfast! Ready in just 15 minutes - or easily prepared ahead of time.

Winter is the time to bolster your immune system against the bugs and infections that abound at this time of year. From spices to nuts and chocolate we can make changes to our diet that can give us a ring of confidence during those short days and long nights. Here are the foods that can help our internal protection system:

Our health, wealth and the planet will benefit from change Feeding the world sustainably remains one of the biggest global challenges that humankind currently faces. For, according to the United Nations, agriculture accounts for almost a quarter of the world’s damaging greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock farming is considered one of the major contributing factors to the extreme weather conditions that large parts of the world are experiencing.

While we are all almost certain to have a guest who may not enjoy the traditional meal, we have ensured that our vegan and vegetarian friends have a delicious option too. Including chestnuts, walnuts and chickpeas. This tasty alternative will go down a treat!