A Cheering Glass of Red with Mr Buettner!

There is always someone out there trying to spoil all the fun isn't there? Particularly when it comes to the occasional tipple after a stressful day!

The 'can alcohol be part of a health-enhancing diet?' debate rages on and on and on and on... but my good friend Dan Buettner (no I have never met the man and I am well-aware that he probably doesn't know I exist but I like to call him my friend anyway coz I like what he has to say!) has obsessively studied the diets of those who live to a healthy and ripe old age in those countries known as 'The Blue Zones' and he tells me (through his research) that "yes, a glass or two of red wine - especially when consumed with a Blue Zones, plant-based meal­­ - is a good idea for most people" so I can't imagine for a second why I might decide to argue?

Of course, summer is upon us and many of us prefer a cool drink when the temperature has gone up a few notches but there are quite a few 'reds' offering a whole bunch of protective plant chemicals that lend themselves rather nicely to being chilled so try the following grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Gamay, Cinsault, Shiava, Grenache or ask your local wine merchant for advice.

NB: can I urge you to remember the bit about 'with a blue zones, plant-based meal'... ie: with a nutritiously-fabulous-every-colour-under-the-sun salad rather than a takeaway pizza! 

Liquid Indulgence

Why your morning cup of coffee, your afternoon cup of tea and your evening alcoholic pick me up can offer a hefty health boost!

Research continues to uncover the power of phytonutrients (plant chemicals) in not only helping to protect us from disease but also in boosting our defences. Coffee, tea and alcohol, once deemed our evil indulgences are right up there alongside broccoli and berries - as long as we choose carefully! Here’s a rundown on the best of the best, what makes them great and how and when to fit them into a health-enhancing diet and reap the benefits. As our great grannies were wont to say “a little of what you fancy does you good” and who would have thought that after so many years of being told to swap our morning cuppa for a fruit smoothie and our stress-relieving glass of wine in the evening for a large glass of sparkling water we may have been doing ourselves more good than harm before we got caught up in the possible frenzy of abstinence! 

• COFFEE - make it dark, make it rich, make it Fairtrade, make it freshly-ground, buy the best you can afford and make the addition of milk and/or sugar an occasional treat. The less-processed the coffee, the more antioxidant-rich and protective plant chemicals you get and the smaller the cup, the greater the punch. If your usual coffee habit is a milky, frothy, sugary concoction, start the process by adopting the Italian habit of having a small, dark, single espresso with a large glass of water on the side early doors and to benefit from the now-well-documented fat-busting properties of top-quality coffee beans, wait at least 30 minutes before having your first meal of the day
• TEA - make it black, green, white or red, buy loose leaves and infuse your own tea whenever possible or spend a little extra to make sure your tea bags are either organically-grown or sympathetically-processed. If milk is required, add a splash of full-fat from pasture-raised cows (makes a way better cup of tea and adds nourishment to your cuppa) and if a dash of sweetness is required, stir in a little Manuka honey

• ALCOHOL - red wines (particularly the Pinot Noir, Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties) get the vote for their richness in the protective plant chemical, resveratrol but the white, rosé and fizzy varieties don't do a too-shabby job either as long as you keep it dry - the drier the wine, the more antioxidant-rich it is and the less health-disrupting sugar is involved. Discerningly-produced beers also offer respectable amounts of protective plant chemicals and are increasingly being flagged up for their possible health benefits as do spirits but sadly, many prefer to enjoy their spirits with all manner of super-sugary, fizzy extras which do little other than upset blood sugar levels, prompt the need for another 'hit' and add inches to waistlines. On the rocks or with soda is the way to go with spirits if you are looking for possible health benefits and most important of all - make sure you adopt a responsible stance where alcohol is concerned and stay within the recommended daily levels.