Why Your Brain Loves Avocados!

It was some considerable time ago that avocados leapt into the superfoods chart thanks to the impressive levels of a group of monounsaturated fats that have been shown to provide important anti-inflammatory benefits to our body systems - particularly the cardiovascular system. All manner of new and exciting superfoods have hit the charts since then (goji berries, macqui berries, watermelon seeds, chia seeds, chaga mushrooms - the list goes on) but research into the health benefits of the now-perhaps-overly-familiar avocado continues and this is extremely good news!

A recent study conducted at Tufts University found that the consumption of fresh avocado is an effective way to increase lutein levels in the eyes and brain. Lutein is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant plant chemical which is found in fruits and vegetables and avocados are a rich source. Researchers found that one medium avocado per day increased lutein levels by 25% in the eyes and progressive improvement on tests that evaluated memory, processing speed and attention levels in the control group (40 healthy adults over the age of 50) leading to a meaningful proposal that the consumption of fresh avocado daily may lead to increased macular pigment density and improved cognitive function in healthy older adults. This study also revealed that lutein levels in the eye more than doubled in subjects that consumed fresh avocados compared to those that took a supplement.

I find myself getting somewhat distressed when people shy away from eating avocados on a regular basis believing them to be fattening because they are rich in fats - nothing could be further from the truth! Not only are they an excellent source of health-enhancing monounsaturated fats and anti-inflammatory and protective plant chemicals, they are also rich in soluble fibre which helps stabilise blood sugar levels, facilitate good digestion and bowel regularity and aid weight control, they are a good source of energy-generating B vitamins and immune-boosting vitamin C, they are rich in essential minerals like magnesium, potassium, iron and copper and they offer a worthy supply of folate for pregnant women which is crucial in the prevention of birth defects. They also have the highest protein levels and lowest sugar content of any fruit and the richness of fat makes them a filling, delicious and nutritious part of a meal or simply as a fast and fabulous snack.

Here are the links to a few of my tasty avocado recipes that offer their unique combination of nutrients and a great deal more:

Stuffed Avocado

Lemon Ginger Chicken

Soft Boiled Eggs with Sweet Potato and Avocado

Crab, Salmon, Avocado, Fennel and Apple Salad

Oh To Have Been So Misled By So Many For So Long!

I am not alone in having a number of family members suffer the massive life-changing consequences of having a stroke. One minute, it’s all good and the next it’s totally, completely and utterly not. Within the space of just a matter of minutes, a stroke victim loses their independence, often can no longer work, in the majority of cases has to rely on others to help with their everyday needs and assist in decision-making and unless the extent of the damage to both brain and body has been severe and the stroke proves fatal within around 30 days, can only expect this tragic change to their lives to continue for a number of years.

So where did it all go so horribly wrong? Why do statistics indicate that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 6 men of 75 and over are at serious risk? Is it simply age or might diet be involved?

Rationing during WW2 meant very little in the way of fats in diets and as rationing continued until 1954, they continued to be a very occasional luxury - meat and dairy products were in short supply and when you could get them, they were expensive. So why should any housewife lucky enough to get her hands on (and on rare occasions, afford) not treat the family to a good scraping of butter on their toast or a steaming-hot dish of macaroni cheese or a deliciously-creamy trifle for pud? Things were looking up!

But, just as families were beginning to enjoy feasting on delicious and filling fats, along came the ‘fat police’, in the main, courtesy of a researcher by the name of Ancel Keyes who spent years analysing the diets of the healthiest nations in the world and determined that fats were bad for us and would make us sick and fat. His extensive (but now universally-agreed, erroneous in so very many aspects) research prompted governments and health organisations to issue warnings about our fat consumption globally and who were we to doubt the advice of ‘those in the know’?

For some reason, which remains a mystery to those who are professionally, nutritionally trained, eggs continue to be regarded as a dairy product - sorry but no, they don’t come from a milk-producing animal! However, did they come in for some bad press or what! Thanks again to Ancel Keyes, eggs were vilified for decades because they contain cholesterol and saturated fat. But the truth is that cholesterol and saturated fat in animal produce has health benefits.  There is absolutely no scientific evidence to suggest that eating cholesterol-rich foods cause our cholesterol levels to increase. It is estimated that only 20 percent of our blood cholesterol levels actually come from our diet (the rest of the cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver, which it makes because we need it for brain, hormone, nerve and immune system health) and there is no evidence that the consumption of up to six eggs per week increases our risk of heart disease.

It all started so well when eggs became more readily-available post-rationing and ‘dried eggs’ (which few got too excited about) were left to become even drier on the top shelf! "Go to work on an egg" was an advertising slogan used by the UK Egg Marketing Board during the late 1950s as part of more than £12 million spent on advertising, including a series of television advertisements starring Tony Hancock and Patricia Hayes in 1965. The proposition was that having an egg for breakfast was the best way to start the working day and it worked. In a very short space of time, eggs were the breakfast of choice in a great many households but it wasn’t to last. In 1988, the Tory health minister of the time, Edwina Currie stunned the British nation by announcing in a TV interview that “most of the egg production in this country, sadly, is now affected with salmonella”. As egg sales plummeted, the government was forced to offer a compensation package of millions of pounds to cover the cost of purchasing surplus eggs and for the slaughter of unwanted hens, the minister weathered a political storm which ultimately led to her resignation but the worst outcome of all was that eggs were largely removed from the breakfast table and all manner of starchy, sugary and health-threatening breakfast cereals took their place.

And even more frustratingly, in 2007, plans to rebroadcast the original ‘go to work on an egg’ advertisements were rejected by the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre, which observed that “the adverts did not suggest a varied diet”. This was not just frustrating - it was nothing short of negligent!

So now where are we on the ‘egg front’ in 2017? Well… it appears that an egg a day is linked to a reduced risk of stroke (1). It’s likely too late for many in their 70’s and 80’s to turn back time but boy have they been tragically-misled by their governments, their health advisors and their GPs over the last 50 years!

Who is to say that if they had continued to ‘go to work on an egg’ things might have been different and the stroke statistics would look less alarming but let’s hope that the youth of today, many of whom are more than just a little bit interested in their health, think seriously about the shocking headlines they read before simply reacting to them and continue to enjoy the extraordinarily-amazing health benefits offered by one of the easiest and most nourishing little numbers to fit into their daily diet - eggs!

Are You in the Mood for Love?

Here are a few last minute suggestions on how to make your Valentines Day one to remember without fear of packing on the pounds!

The hormones testosterone, dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin play an important role in mood and desire and what you eat can do more than you might imagine to heighten both for a memorable Valentines Day! Here are some quick, easy and delicious suggestions, most of which can be eaten with your fingers - the last thing you need on the 14th Feb is a load of washing up!

Fresh king prawns painted generously with garlic butter and grilled (what could possibly be the problem with garlic if you are both eating it and it has long been associated with promoting love and arousing desire!)

Slice up some creamy buffalo mozzarella, scatter some basil leaves around (full of libido-lifting nutrients) and lots of sliced, sweet tomatoes (the first tomatoes grown in Europe were called love apples because they were related botanically to the mandrake or love plant which was noted in the Bible for its reputed aphrodisiac qualities). Add a few sea salt flakes, a generous grinding of black pepper and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Eggs are hard to beat for a quick, easy and delicious snack for two! They are a great source of protein, rich in iron which helps circulate oxygen around your body, creating the kind of energy that you are looking for on Valentines Day and there’s so much you can do with them! Scrambled with smoked salmon (or even more indulgent, with shavings of fresh truffles), Eggs Benedict or Florentine or just soft boiled eggs with toast ‘soldiers’ or steamed asparagus tips to dip in. And it’s not only hen’s eggs - try boiling a few quails eggs, peel them (that’s a job for 2) and hoover them down with a cocktail and a bowl of salted almonds while you are putting other delicacies together in the kitchen!

And while we’re talking eggs, let’s not forget caviar (fish eggs). Caviar packs a real nutritional punch containing almost all the proteins, essential fats, vitamins and minerals required to get those hormones singing! Beluga is expensive but we’re talking one night of the year here and a little goes a long way.  A few slices of brown toast, a spoonful or two of caviar, a couple of glasses of champagne and you might find you’ve lost your appetite for food and moved on!

If you both like getting into the kitchen, why not experiment with fish baked in a parcel. If you’ve never tried it you are in for a treat and keep in mind that studies indicate that historically, those who lived by the sea and feasted regularly on fresh fish and shellfish had impressively-boosted levels of testosterone throughout most of their lives! Place your fish fillet of choice on a large square of foil, top with very finely-sliced onions, crushed garlic, spinach (bursting with zinc, an essential mineral involved in the production of sex hormones), asparagus tips, finely-sliced tomatoes and diced, fresh chilli, season with sea salt crystals and lots of freshly ground black pepper, scrunch the foil to create a loose parcel and bake in a medium oven until the fish is cooked through and the juices are running clear.

And for dessert, well it has to involve chocolate (which has the added bonus of being rich in a chemical called phenylethylamine which plays a vital role when we fall in love and feel passion and levels are believed to peak during orgasm!) How about ‘fingers’ of mango and papaya or whole strawberries dipped in melted dark chocolate or a small, dark, rich chocolate mousse topped with silky smooth double cream – unbeatable!

The Giant Easter Omelette!

Napoleon was clearly as sharp at the dinner table as he was on the battlefield! Legend has it that when he stopped at an inn in the south western French town of Bessières one Easter he was so taken with the omelette he was served that he asked for a giant version of same to be made by the villagers to feed his entire army! And, so the giant easter omelette tradition was born...

Easter is upon us so it's got to be eggs, eggs and more eggs and whilst the chocolate ones may not be regarded as a super-healthy addition to your diet (other than the very deepest, darkest variety which offer a number of health-protective plant chemicals), a bit of a chocolate-fest for a day or two surely can't do too much damage!

Fresh eggs from happy pasture-fed hens, on the other hand, rightly deserve their super food status. Not only are they an excellent source of protein but they also offer good levels of heart, brain, nerve and hormone-friendly Omega 3 fatty acids - and - the list of essential vitamins and minerals they provide is impressive. Plus... they are fabulously-inexpensive and very low in calories!

Whether you like them boiled, scrambled, poached, fried or (if you have the required skills - omeletted), there are endless ways you can feast on them this Easter and reap all the benefits.

Here are a few of my suggestions that don't have to involve a giant omelette pan! Just click on the images for recipes

ham'n'eggs

poached egg special

mexican-style baked omelette

salmon kedgeree

tofu towers

egg and prawn crisp breads

omega 3 salad