Rude Food
Foods for health
Some foods and supplements can have a beneficial anti-inflammatory influence on the body. Gerald Colfer of Only Natural health store in Wexford looks closer
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Brain box!
Feeding your brain to improve concentration and mental ability
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Spice it up
The amazing health properties of some of the most common spices in your kitchen. By Hannah Dare from health store and café Organico in Bantry, Co Cork
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Feed your brain
As we age our brain starts to slow down and lose nerve cells, but there are a number of things we can do to keep sharp
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Feeling run down?
We look at the best foods and remedies to give you a boost this January and February
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The truth about organic foods
Should we all be buying organic food? Are there real benefits for our health and environment? And why is it more expensive? Read on for the answers
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Inflammation the health enemy
Rude Health magazine demystifies the positive role anti-inflammatory foods can play in your life, including turmeric and CBD oil
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Feeding your brain
Keeping your brain in good condition can be aided by a good diet, and natural supplements can play a role too. Hannah Dare from health store and café Organico in Bantry, Co Cork looks at both aspects of brain support
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Scrap the sugar
Sugar used to be a treat and for special occasions, now it is hard to escape it. Rude Health magazine asks health store experts for their tips on healthy alternatives
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Protein that packs a punch
Find out the best vegetarian sources of protein with our handy guide
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Lockdown food & drink
Vitamin-packed smoothies, fermented foods for gut health, perfect proteins and healthy snacking - so that you can eat and drink well through the global crisis
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Cut out the cravings
Do you ever have cravings for sugar, salt or caffeine? You wouldn't be alone. There are a few replacements you can make to discover a healthier you and banish those cravings forever
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Allergy or intolerance?
There is often confusion between food allergies and intolerances. Rude Health magazine investigates
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Perfect proteins
What are the best sources of protein – for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans? Rude Health magazine asks the experts
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What's the story with anti-inflammatory foods?
Alkaline, anti-inflammatory, free radical – it can be hard to keep up with the vocabulary of natural health. Rude Health magazine demystifies the positive role anti-inflammatory foods can play in your life
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In the ferment
Fermented foods have become a buzzword in recent times, but what exactly are they and how can they help the body?
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Going vegan
Ever thought of becoming a vegan or trying a vegan diet? We find how others did it and how they feel they benefit
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Healthy food swaps
Most of us know that foods with too much sugar are bad for us, but sometimes we need inspiration and ideas for what to eat instead
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The healing power of foods
Did you know that eating certain foods can help you to fight off seasonal viruses? Here are the main health heroes we can all include in our diets
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Allergic or intolerant?
Some foods don’t agree with you, but are you allergic to them or intolerant? Rude Health magazine asks the experts to explain the difference
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Is flexitarianism the best way to eat?
Want a healthy eating plan that’s simple and flexible? – try being a flexitarian
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Form and function
Not all of us will know what functional foods are, but any food that has added probiotics, plant stanols or sterols, omega-3 fatty acids or folic acids are considered functional foods...
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The superfood spectrum
Superfoods are foods that are highly beneficial to our health. But which are the best, what do they offer and how can you eat them without breaking the bank?...
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Food
The fats of life
Not all fats and oils are bad, but how can you make sure you choose the most healthy for cooking and eating?...
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Free world
Being told you are intolerant to a particular food can make buying and cooking food more difficult. So what role can free-from foods play?
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Growing up strong
Healthy children are full of energy and vitality and a balanced diet is key to maintaining this. Here’s how to keep them in tip-top health...
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Star quality
Just what makes a food ‘super’ and how can you incorporate them into your diet?
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Fuelling your day
Just why do carbohydrates have such a bad name, and how can you make sure you choose good carbs over less healthy versions?...
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The medicinal chef on a mission
Dale Pinnock BSc (hons), PgDip (Nutr Med), also known as the medicinal chef, combines the science of nutrition with the culinary arts. His new book is called How to Cook Healthily.
“When I am cooking for myself and busy working at home I cook certain staples such as lightly cooked greens or salad, sweet potato wedges and loads of humous. Perfect comfort food! When time allows I will get more creative in the kitchen. I go through phases – for example, I might be into Japanese- or Greek-influenced food.
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Super veggie protein
Rude Health magazine discovers the best vegetarian proteins and how you can incorporate them into your diet
Protein plays an important role in our diet. “Your body requires protein for many different functions such as growth, digestion, energy and vitality, mood and behaviour, performance and recovery and a healthy immune system,” says Oliver McCabe of Select Stores in Dalkey, Co Dublin and author of The Fuel Food Cookbook. “Protein is basically the building block that you use to produce natural chemical reactions to assist the digestion, absorption and metabolism of foods.”
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Sweet enough
Sugar is fast becoming one of the biggest food baddies we are all exposed to, but how can you navigate a path to healthier sweetness? Rude Health asks the experts
“Sugar being bad for you has hit the headlines massively lately,” says Sally Smith of Open Sesame in Ennis, Co Clare and Gort, Co Galway, “But health food stores have been saying this for years.”
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Your guide to healthy fats and oils
We all needs fat to survive, even though they often have a bad name. Read on for your best options
“Healthy fats are important to help you feel fuller for longer and they help aid the essential functions in your body,” says Oliver McCabe of Select Stores in Dalkey, co Dublin.
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A grain of truth
Don’t be afraid to try some new grains and extend your sources of carbohydrates
“Grains have always been really popular as they are so versatile and nutritious and there is a great variety to choose from,” says Lucy Kerr of The Good Earth in Kilkenny. “Some of our most popular grains include quinoa, which is a complete protein including all essential amino acids and is a rich source of fibre and iron and is gluten-free; and buckwheat, which is actually a member of the rhubarb family, is a great source of protein, magnesium and manganese and gluten-free.”
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Super heroes
Super foods are the heroes of the healthy eating world. Here’s the inside track on the best available and how to cook and eat them
What are super foods?
Super foods are foods that do not just nourish the body but provide additional nutritional and medicinal benefits because they have very high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Chia seeds, seaweed, bee pollen, coconut oil, cacao and goji berries are just a few as well as some less exotic-sounding ingredients such as oats, nuts and seeds.
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Free (from) and easy
If you’ve been told you are gluten or dairy intolerant you may wonder what you can eat. Luckily, your local health store is a great source of advice and information
Why eat free-from?
“A lot of our customers suffer from severe allergies or intolerances and have to be really careful about what they eat,” says Angela McGlanaghey at Simple Simon in Donegal town, “others may choose to avoid certain food groups for health, lifestyle or dietary reasons.”
“We get a lot of customers coming in and asking for free-from foods because they have a health issue,” says Margaret Guthrie-Nally, a nutritional therapist at Evergreen health stores. “They are usually avoiding sugar, dairy and gluten. We have also noticed an increase in those who are choosing free-from foods as a lifestyle choice and they often benefit from sleeping better, not getting sick as often and reduced bloating.”
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Protein power!
The best meat-free proteins for health
Protein without meat
“It is quite possible to access the full range of amino acids which make up a complete protein through non-animal sources,” says Sian Morgan of Healing Harvest, Kinvara, Co Galway. “You will need a good varied diet consisting of nuts, wholegrains and pulses – these do not need to be consumed in the same meal, but preferably during the same day or so. Unless we are training hard or trying to build muscle for a particular reason, our protein requirements are roughly 56g per day for men and 46g per day for women unless pregnant or breastfeeding when it rises to 71g. A number of current diets place a great stress on the consumption of protein, but it should be relatively easy to reach the levels required on a daily basis through a balanced diet combining a variety of wholefoods.”
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Oils & their health benefits
Not all oils are bad – some have positive health benefits and are suited to different kinds of eating and cooking. Rude Health gets the facts
“We all need fat in our diet,” says Rob Whinnett of Blasta Wholefoods in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. “It keeps us warm, adds flavour to our food and carries essential vitamins like A, D, E and K. Oils also contain essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) which cannot be produced by the body and are vital for heart health, skin and brain function.”
Nutritional therapist Aoife Martinho works in the Health Store in the Frascati Centre in Blackrock, Co Dublin: “Good fats are essential for optimum brain, eye and digestive function, energy levels as well as hormone production and vitamin absorption.”
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Ancient Grains
Many people are looking for a healthier alternative to heavily refined modern wheat. Ancient grains are less processed and give us more vitamins, minerals and fibre than modern forms of wheat. We find out what the experts say
“Ancient grains such as quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat represent a ‘back to the source’ approach to nutrition,” says Jason Linton of Iswari Ireland, an organic and raw superfoods company based in Kinsale, Co Cork.
“Before crops such as wheat were being sold on a mass commercial scale, they were far less modified and more complete sources of nutrients. At Iswari we take it one step further by sprouting the grains. This increases the nutrient content, and also the bioavailability of the nutrients in the grains, since the sprouting process transforms heavier starches and proteins into a more digestible form.”
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Going organic
The case for choosing organic food is becoming stronger. Rude Health magazine finds out why
What is Organic?
John Halpin, the Health Store, Dundrum: “Organic means food being free from artificial fertilisers, pesticides, and also from being of GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) origin.”
Gillian Westbrook of the Irish Organic Farmers & Growers Association (IOFGA): “Organic regulations cover the entire food chain, from farm production, right through to the processing and packaging stage. Organic has a set of principles that aim to safeguard our environment, improve animal welfare and produce clean, safe food for the consumer. Many substances and ingredients are prohibited in organic food. Therefore organic meat cannot have been fed cereals that contain GMOs, or cereals that have been sprayed with synthetic herbicides prior to harvest.”
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Super stars
Super foods are healthy foods that provide additional nutritional and medicinal benefits. Rude Health looks at the benefits of including them in your diet
What makes them super?
Niall Fennell of Nua Naturals based in Galway: “Superfoods are simply foods with very high concentrations of vitamins, minerals and all things good. Chia, bee pollen, coconut oil, hemp seeds, cacao, goji berries are just a few. I love cacao nibs, maca powder and coconut oil – amazing for keeping my mind alert, energy up throughout the day and protecting my future health.”
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Free-from explained
Whether you are intolerant of certain foods or choose to live a vegan lifestyle, it’s now easier to avoid eating wheat, dairy and sugar and choose alternatives instead
“People are becoming much more aware of what they eat, and the fact that different foods can affect how they feel, and can be linked to symptoms such as IBS, bloating, skin problems, migraines, fatigue and low mood,” says Dr Gill Hart, Scientific Director of YorkTest Laboratories who develop food allergy home testing kits.
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Eat for energy
Just what sort of foods should you be eating if you want to improve your energy levels? Rude Health magazine asks the experts
Autumn blues
“There is no doubt that the autumn days with fading light can put a load on energy reserves,” says Alan McGrath from The Health Store in Tuam, Co Galway (below). “The darkening days and drop in temperatures most definitely have effects on metabolism and overall wellbeing. “Customers come in to The Health Store and ask for something to improve their energy levels, especially since we’ve added a new raw food smoothie/juice bar.”
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I can’t eat that
Having problems digesting certain foods? You may be intolerant. There are a number of different natural solutions to help you to enjoy a wide and varied diet
Word on the street
Sian Eustace, owner of Healing Harvest in Kinvara, Co Galway is a registered homeopath. “We would deal with a large range of food health- related questions including allergies and intolerances, particularly to dairy and wheat or gluten,” she explains. “Lately we have had lots of enquiries about the paleo diet, which excludes dairy products, grains, potatoes, refi salt and sugar and processed oils. We also have queries about foods to help with constipation, high cholesterol, low energy and many more.”
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Super foods
These six natural foods are indeed super, and available in your local Irish health store. Check out what they can do for you
Seaweed
Tell me more
Growing naturally on Irish coasts, in particular the west and north-west, one of the best known seaweeds is Dulse or Dillisk. Others include sea lettuce, bladderwrack, kombu or kelp, wakame and Carrageen moss.
Who is it good for?
Those who want to detox their diet, as seaweed has detoxing properties.
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