10 healthy foods you need to add to your shopping trolley

As recommended by the experts...

(image courtesy of Squirrel)

Eating enough healthy food is something most of us have on our mind every day. Thoughts like: did we get our recommended amount of fruit and veg today? Are healthy foods really healthy? And, what are the healthy foods to eat without spending an actual fortune? We’re looking at you Manuka Honey.

To sort fact from fiction, and decode what we actually need to be eating to keep our bodies and minds healthy, here is a list of superfoods from Andrew Bredon, founder of Bel-Air in Shoreditch, and nutritionist Zoe Stirling from Squirrel in South Kensington, who spoke to us about the small changes you can make to feel the biggest results...

(image courtesy of Bel-Air)

Lemons ‘Known for their anti-inflammatory properties and benefits to your skin, the juice of just one lemon also contains more than 100% of your daily dose of vitamin C.’ – Andrew Bone broth ‘Essentially a stock made by slow cooking carcass bones in water for 24 hours. It’s an all-round source of nourishment; full of minerals, collagen and amino acids to promote healthy skin, optimise immunity and support digestive health.’ – Zoe Broccoli ‘One medium stalk of this super veg contains more than enough of both vitamins C and K needed to strengthen and build bones, not to mention bags of fibre.’ - Andrew

Seaweed ‘Seaweeds contain iodine, an important mineral commonly deficient in Western diets, which has an important role in supporting the thyroid gland and therefore the metabolism.’ – Zoe

(image courtesy of Bel-Air)

Sweet Potato ‘Cancer-fighting and immune-boosting sweet potatoes also contain magnesium and vitamin A which aid in relaxation and anti-stress.’ - Andrew

Turmeric ‘It’s only recently been discovered just how powerful Turmeric’s active compounds, curcuminoids, can be. It’s a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, whilst also being a fantastic spice to support the liver and detoxification pathways.’ – Zoe.

If you need a quick fix, add Pukka's Turmeric Active, £15.95 to your daily diet. It's in an easy capsule form, so you can just pop one when you need.

Mackerel ‘Mackerel is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids - linked to reducing depression, heart disease and cancer - and can help to keep your blood pressure in check.’ - Andrew

Beetroot ‘When ingested, Beetroot is converted into nitric oxide, a compound that helps dilate blood vessels and support circulation. For sports enthusiasts this means a better supply of oxygen and nutrients to muscles during exercise.’ – Zoe

Beans ‘A serving of legumes (peas, beans or lentils) eaten four times a week can dramatically lower risks of both heart disease and breast cancer.’ - Andrew

Hemp Seeds ‘Due to the omega fatty acid content, they’re a great anti-inflammatory and contain a type of essential fatty acid called GLA, which is useful for supporting hormone balance, especially in women.’ - Zoe

6 foods that might actually be making you more hungry...

Some days, we just have the munchies. No matter what we snack on or how early we eat lunch, there seems to be no filling that hunger hole. Sound familiar?

Well if you’ve ever wondered just why on earth it happens, science says it could be down to the types of food you’re trying to fill-up on. Some snacks may make you more hungry the more you eat them, so rather than quell hunger pangs, they’ll actually rev them up!

While hormones, stress and exercise can all have an effect on your appetite too, these could be the foods to blame when you just can’t stop eating…

Cereals Beware of sugary cereals. Though they taste great, many contain high fructose corn syrup which can interfere with the release of the body’s ‘fullness hormone’ leptin. Despite munching away, your brain will never be notified when you’re full, so you’ll continue to feel hungry. White bread Love white toast in the morning? No matter what you spread on your slice, it turns out that the lack of bran and low fibre content in white bread could be to blame for your insatiable appetite. The body turns refined carbohydrates into sugar super quickly, meaning that after the initial spike, you’ll experience a blood sugar low that leaves you craving more. Fries Ever get that sad feeling when you’ve finished all your fries? Turns out that the tasty snack could actually be tricking your brain into wanting more. Deep-fried in fat and sprinkled with salt, fries tick-off two major triggers for stimulating appetite in the brain.

Chinese takeaway If takeaway is your go-to when you’re far too hungry to actually cook dinner, be wary of the MSG (monosodium glutamate) in some Chinese food. Lots of Chinese restaurants use the additive in dishes, as it works as an artificial flavour enhancer. Studies have shown that regular consumption of MSG can override signals which let the brain know you’re full, leaving you feeling hungry even after eating.

Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners are added to lots of pre-packaged foods, but can be slippery slope when it comes to feeling full. When our taste buds detect the presence of sweeteners, the body readies itself for carbohydrates or a sugar boost to follow, yet when those fail to arrive we’re left with cravings and a desire to eat more.

Alcohol Okay, so a glass of white wine or a G&T isn’t really considered a snack, but alcohol is another huge appetite trigger. Because the chemicals in alcohol work to relax your brain and lower inhibitions, you’re likely to eat far more during a meal if you’re enjoying a bottle of wine at the same time.