‘Health nuts’ seem to go a little nutty over nuts… raw and roasted nuts, trail mix, nut spreads, bars and milks are the dietary darlings of the health conscious. However, nuts and seeds certainly aren’t the ‘superfoods’ you might believe them to be.

Coconut is a brilliant oil to cook with as it as highly saturated, therefore stable even at high temperatures and will retain all its beneficial properties (see this post for more about coconut oil and nutrition). This recipe is gluten-free, low in PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids), high in beneficial MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) and quality protein.

Ever heard that you should cut out things like pâté, ham, smoked fish and bacon because they’re high in “cancer-causing” nitrates and nitrites? 

The role of sound, restful sleep in the promotion of good health cannot be underestimated, with poor sleep (quality and/or quantity) linked to weight gain, metabolic disorders, depression, impaired cognitive function, athletic performance, reduced immune function, stress tolerance, and a host of other health conditions. 

Folic acid has gained a lot of negative press in the past for potentially increasing the risk of cancer development, and more recently multivitamins in general were linked to an increase in all-cause mortality. 

Fruit and cheese make a perfect pair, especially with the weather heating up and long, lazy summer days setting in – days spent soaking up the sunshine and balmy evenings spent outdoors, in good company, not labouring away for hours over a hot stove. 

There’s something magical about the way the French eat food. In France (pardon the generalization), people don’t seem to diet or deprive themselves, they appreciate quality of produce, real ingredients, developed flavours, and they take the time to savour long, lavish meals in an unhurried and sociable way.

This Cantonese classic is traditionally served to women post-childbirth, and is shared with friends and visitors in celebration of the arrival of a baby. As per Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophies, the dish is heralded for its ‘blood-building’, ‘re-building’ and ‘warming’ properties. According to our understanding of modern nutrition, I’d say that it’s incredibly nourishing for a number of reasons, as a rich source of:

The “drink more water” message is everywhere – water bottles are practically a fashion accessory – but when it comes to water, is more really… more?

Who wants to pay upwards of $40 for a body scrub when you can home-brew your own for a couple of bucks? Cheap and cheerfulness aside, making your own skin products also means you can control exactly what’s going onto and into your body – your skin is porous and will soak up anything you slather on it, so needless to say additives and excess chemicals aren’t a great idea. If it’s good enough to eat, you can be sure it’s good enough to put on your skin (and perhaps bake with later, no?).