Are You Getting Enough Fibre?

Most people are eating less than 20 grams of fibre a day. The current daily fibre recommendations is between 25-40g. A study published in the Lancet Medical Journal found that switching from low fibre diet to higher fibre could prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes and reduce risk of colorectal cancer https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31809-9/fulltext

What is fibre? Dietary fibre is found in fruits, vegetables and cereals. The most known types of fibre are insoluble, soluble and resistant starch.

• Soluble fibre: fruits, vegetables, oats, legumes, lentils, psyllium husks. This fibre dissolves in water and broken down into a gel-like substance in the large intestine.  It helps with absorption of nutrients and supports digestion. Soluble fibre has been shown to help lowering blood cholesterol levels and balance blood sugar levels.

• Insoluble fibre: wholegrain cereals, brown rice, fruit with seeds, legumes, lentils, seeds and nuts. Insoluble fibre doesn’t dissolve in water and isn’t broken down by the gut. It bulks the stool, keep your stools regular and prevent constipation. 

• Resistant starch: found in grains, seeds, legumes, potatoes, rice, chickpeas, banana. Resistant starch is non-digestible starch, passing into large intestine undigested. Resistant starch feeds your friendly gut bacteria by digesting it and forms short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. Butyrate provides the colon cells with energy & supports healthy gut bacteria.

Top tips to boos your fibre intake 

1. Replace all breads, pastas, cereals to wholegrain versions

2. Have meat-free days & eat legumes

3. Add ground linseeds and seeds to your breakfast

4. Add extra portion of vegetables to every meal 

5. Snack on fruits & veggies. 

5 Tips to Stop Mindless Snacking

Nowadays many of us are working from home and you may find yourself eating more snacks. According to a 2007 study, we make daily over 200 decisions about food but aware only a fraction of these. (Environment & Behaviour https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0013916506295573). Reasons for mindless snacking can be boredom, increased stress levels and feelings of loneliness. Mindless snacking can lead to making poorer food choices, eating too much and weight gain.

Snacking between meals can help to balance your blood sugar, depending on the type of the snacks. Healthier options such as nuts, fruit and vegetables maintain your energy levels and focus. Sugary foods such as cookies and chocolate cause energy dips, fatigue and increase sugary cravings.   

5 Top Tips to Healthier Snacking

1. Before eating a snack, check-in with yourself - are you truly hungry? What are your emotions right now (are you bored, stressed etc). 

2. Drink water. Sometimes we mistake hunger for dehydration.  Your body could just be craving for water.

3. Eat good wholesome main meals – breakfast, lunch & dinner with plenty veggies (half of the plate) + good size of protein. 

4. When you eat a snack, put away your laptop, don't check your phone or put your book down. Eat your snack slowly & enjoy it.

5. Eat a good & satisfying snack; few nuts with a piece of fruit or chopped cucumber + 2  tablespoons of hummus or few energy balls.  Energy ball recipe here: http://sannasumner.com/blog/2015/2/11/chocolaty-energy-balls

5 Top-Tips For a Healthy Lockdown

As we face a lockdown all around the world, it's good time to share and support each other during these uncertain times. 

Here in the Netherlands our schools, gyms, cafes and restaurants are all closed. The shop aisles are pretty empty but after a week of people panic-buying, this has seemed to calm down and shelves are restocked daily.

You may find that your usual groceries are not as available so it’s a good idea to do a inventory of what you already have in your cupboards, tins, rice, flour, pasta, sauces. 

These uncertain times can be financially difficult too. Shop budget-friendly foods such a root vegetables, cabbages, broccoli, green pepper and carrots which are also great for your health too.  And don’t shy away from frozen vegetables as these contain lots of nutrients.

Tip 1: Make a bigger batch of food while cooking. You will have a healthy meal ready the next day and waste less food. 

Tip 2:  Buy economical fruits; apples, bananas, frozen berries. If you have ripe bananas, make banana bread or banana pancakes to avoid waste. Here’s a yummy recipe: https://www.facebook.com/sannasumnernutrition/photos/a.1414755845408117/1429598307257204/?type=3&theater

Tip 3: If fresh produce is unavailable, use frozen. Veggies such as kale & spinach are great in soups or in sauces or even in a smoothie! Add frozen berries to porridge, muesli, yogurt and smoothies.

Tip 4: Stock up (not panic buying!) for the basics: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tortillas, canned fish, chopped tomatoes, brown rice, quinoa.

Tips 5: Working from home? Use this quiet time to focus on your health, prepare food and perhaps trying new recipes.  If you’re looking for more immune boosting recipes, check out my Instagram:  
https://www.instagram.com/sannanutrition/?hl=en

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My first ever blog!

I'm very excited to have my website up and starting my first ever blog!  This follows 6.5 years of learning about different aspects of nutrition.  To recharge batteries and rewind, we went on a big holiday touring Italy and France for 4 weeks which was amazing.  

We spent a lot of of our time around food - either eating deliciously cooked local food or planning our next meals!  We visited wonderful food markets and it was fascinating to watch how the Italians shopped for their food. Their are so passionate about food and cooking and use local and seasonal foods.  

Although we ate very well, I struggled to find healthy breakfast alternatives with all the refined wheat products around!  Therefore I'm quite happy to be back home and having a little 'detox' of processed sugars, wheat or dairy products.  So far so good but I had major craving for dark chocolate so made these simple raw chocolate and coconut balls...all in 15min!  

Raw chocolate, honey & coconut balls

1 cup of ground almonds

1/2 cup of raw chocolate powder

3 tablespoons of organic honey

3-6 tablespoons of water

1. Mix raw chocolate, grunded almonds, honey and water together to make a smooth consistency (very sticky!) 

2. Make balls and roll them in shredded coconut.   

Put in a fridge for 30 mins & enjoy! Delicious!