Is Saffron the New Wonder Spice?

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Fiona Kirk Saffron the Wonder Spice.jpeg

I am currently reading Rosanna Ley's The Saffron Trail (and racing through it!) I have read a number of Rosanna's books and not only are they all brilliantly clever and highly entertaining, but also, she clearly does a great deal of research before putting finger to keyboard and right now I am learning a lot about the incredible, amazing, expensive but oh-so-worth-the-spend-spice, saffron!

Then... what should appear in my inbox but an article from Nutri Advanced about the impressive health benefits of saffron as an effective natural remedy for a range of health concerns - particularly mental health issues - with a range of referenced studies to back up just why this may be the new wonder spice! I urge you to have a look and share the article with others...

it's all about the plant chemical compounds...

"Saffron stigmas contain four major bioactive compounds (crocins, picrocrocin, crocetin and safranal) and many powerful carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and polysaccharides.  Collectively, these compounds are responsible for the health-enhancing properties of saffron." Nutri Advanced

Most studies involve saffron extract at a dose of around 30mg per day which equates to around 10-15 strands of dried saffron or around 1 teaspoon of ground saffron which, unless you fancy a pinch of saffron added to your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on a daily basis, could be a bit much so you may wish to consider a supplement on saffron-free days!

But, as you might expect, I have a couple of soup recipes (Carrot and Saffron Soup and Cream of Mussel Soup with Saffron) plus there's my Aromatic Lamb Casserole which makes a great make-ahead dinner and my rather special Fennel, Orange and Quinoa Salad for a great packed lunch - all of which use this wonderfully-aromatic and health-enhancing spice. NB: get your saffron threads and powder from Halal and middle eastern shops - it's a great deal less expensive than in major supermarkets!  

The Power of Peas for Fat Loss!

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the humble pea has a lot going for it!

One of the most important aspects of successful fat loss is good blood sugar management. Healthy blood sugar levels are sustained through a combination of eating a balanced, unprocessed diet, getting regular exercise and managing the body’s most important hormones in other ways (eg: getting enough sleep and reducing stress).

Blood sugar is raised by glucose, which is the sugar we get from eating foods that contain carbohydrates. The glucose is then ferried off to body cells by insulin which is secreted by the pancreas, to generate energy and blood sugar levels return to normal.  When we haven’t eaten for a while, levels drop and messages are sent to the brain to tell us to eat something and the process begins again. Insulin levels rise and fall in accordance with when and what we eat so it is vitally important we get it right. A diet overloaded with sugar and starchy carbohydrates and light on fibre, protein and fats prompts all-too-regular blood sugar highs and lows and increasing demands on the pancreas to produce insulin and over time the system breaks down and we can become insulin resistant which greatly increases our risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease and weight gain is almost certain.

read more and see a selection of recipes

Are you Getting the Max from your Super-Seeds?

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When eaten raw and by the handful, no matter how ‘super-nutritious’ they may be, seeds have a nasty habit (unless your digestive system is in really tip-top condition) of cruising their way through the digestive process without being properly broken down into their relevant parts and releasing their wonderfulness into your bloodstream and delivering the goods to your body cells. Irritating when you are doing your very best to get maximum nourishment from your diet? Yes!

But it’s really not that difficult to redress the situation and here’s how. Soak them, crush them, grind them, roast/toast them or allow them to wallow for a while in soups, stews, smoothies and/or ‘live’ yoghurt so they start to become a little more digestion-friendly and it will all come good! They make great, super-nourishing and fat-busting snacks but if your digestive system is not up to breaking them down into their nutritionally-important, component parts, it can be a bit of a waste of time and money when all they do is ‘come out the other end’ or cause sleepless nights as your digestive system struggles to deal with them.

The Wonderful World of Pulses

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Are you up to speed with the fact that 2016 is the Year of Pulses? The United Nations determined that this should be the year "to heighten awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security and nutrition".

 

And, here are just a few of the many reasons they are rightfully regarded as super foods from a health and weight maintenance perspective:

 

  • rich in vitamins and minerals

  • excellent source of plant protein

  • high in both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre

  • improve blood sugar regulation

  • help to control hunger and appetite

  • rich in protective plant chemicals

  • contain valuable amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids

 

 

The general recommendation for improved health, protection against disease and weight management is 4 to 8 cups (800 to 1600g) per week and the huge variety of beans, peas and lentils available to us makes including them in our daily diet a bit of a no-brainer.

 

NB: IF YOU ARE A PULSE-VIRGIN, GO SLOW IN THE EARLY STAGES TO AVOID 'WINDY' EPISODES! YOUR DIGESTIVE SYSTEM WILL SOON GET USED TO THEM IF YOU PERSEVERE... 

 

Try some of my soups, stews and salads to get you onto the pulse-road (click on the images to download the recipes) and please send over any delicious concoctions that are already part of your regular diet so we can all share in the year of pulses experience!