Be berry-licous this summer

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Berries are here, there and everywhere. From the supermarket to the farmer’s market, the smoothie bar to the old-fashioned green grocers, those little nuggets of natural goodness are there for enjoying at every turn we take.

Given that there is so much choice out there, we are going to look at which berries might be best for you.

Blueberries
Long gone are the days when these berries were the preserve of sugar heavy muffins. These little blue (well, more purple) dynamos are full of the energy-boosting mineral, manganese, and bone building Vitamin K. Add a handful to salads and smoothies or sprinkle them on top of cereal and yogurt, and you will be glad you did.

Acia Berries
These tiny, dark purple berries grow on trees in South America and pack a punch when it comes to the amino fatty acids that keep us fit and strong and the Vitamin C that boosts immune systems. One of the easiest ways to enjoy this yummy superfood is to blend with other fruits such as banana, mango, kiwi as well as a little coconut water or almond milk and you will be set for the day.

Cranberries
While many people only get these bad boys out for Christmas, cranberries are natural infection-fighting super berries that need to be in the fridge all year round. Packed with flavonoids, they can help to lower the risk of urinary tract infections but are also a tasty way to keep fit and well. Fresh cranberries make a great addition to smoothies, jellies and homemade ice creams but you can also add the dried ones to your breakfast cereal and mix with almonds and sunflower seeds for an on the go snack.

Strawberries
These red beauties are a diet staple and for good reason. They contain Vitamin C and B12 as well as clever little phytochemicals and anti-oxidents which help us feel, and look good. Whether you slice them over ice cream, blend into a smoothie, add to a cheesecake or just eat them on their own after dinner, always add them to your weekly shop and enjoy whenever you can.

Blackberries
Blackberries might not be as sweet as other fruits, but they are just as good for you. Often found in hedgerows and gardens come September, the blackberry might be small but it is mighty in goodness and comes with plenty of Vitamin C, A and E was well as potassium and copper and is perfect in a pie or preserve.

Goji Berries
Dried goji berries, have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, but in more recent times have become a superfood hero in the Western world too. As well as being a good source of Vitamin C, they are also loaded with beta-carotene, iron, vitamin B2, selenium and can be added to pretty much anything from energy balls and salads to smoothies and wraps for an instant health boost.

Raspberries
While these are found in everything from shakes to smoothies, we bet you didn’t know that the humble raspberry is packed with fibre and are exceptionally low in sugar and carbs? They also contain copper, magnesium and Vitamin K so make sure you pick up a punnet the next time you are shopping.

Team Pure Beauty

Nuts about nuts

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Nuts are most certainly nature’s way of proving that good things come in small packages.

Nuts are quite literally bite-size nutritional powerhouses that are packed with heart-healthy fats, minerals, protein and vitamins.

We know nuts are high in fat and calories, but as long as you don’t eat handfuls and avoid the ones coated in sugary, salty toppings, adding nuts to your diet can help your health.

So, let’s get the lowdown on what’s good when it comes to nuts.

Almonds
Almonds are a great choice because that are high in Vitamin E, a nutrient that feeds your skin and keeps it looking plump and healthy. The benefits don’t end there, because they also contain bone building calcium making them perfect for anyone who doesn’t eat dairy products. Add almonds to your cereal and make sure you keep the skin on because it is full of the heart-protecting compounds flavonoids.

Brazil Nuts
Talk to most people and they will know someone with a deficient thyroid. If this is you, you need Brazil nuts in your life. Brazil nuts are a fantastic good source selenium, the mineral that is needed to produce the active thyroid hormone that keeps you in good health. Selenium also helps keep your immune system strong and just three or four nuts a day are all you need for good mineral levels.

Chestnuts
You might not know this, but raw chestnuts are a fabulous source of Vitamin C. They also have the lowest calorie and fat count of all nuts but are still rich in starchy carbs and fibre. While they are lower in protein than other nuts they do still contain B vitamins including B6 which helps keep hormones balanced and healthy. Fresh and roasted chestnuts make a healthy snack and ground chestnut flour is delicious when used for baking.

Macadamias
Macadamias are delicious and found in many dishes, and while they have a high fat content this is the healthy mono-unsaturated variety type. They are a rich source of and contain magnesium, calcium and potassium, so enjoy them but in small amounts.

Pecans
If you want to keep your heart in tip-top condition, the mere pecan can be your friend because they are full of compounds that help lower cholesterol levels. They are also antioxidant-rich and contain oleic acid, the healthy fat you also get in avocado and olives. If you get tired, you’ll benefit from snacking on pecans as they are crammed full of energy giving Vitamin B3, so enjoy.

Walnuts
We love walnuts because they are jam-packed with cancer fighting antioxidants and are a brilliant source of mono-unsaturated, heart-friendly fats. If that wasn’t enough, they omega-3 rich so great for a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle.

So, the next time you are in the supermarket, add some nuts to your basket and snack the healthy way.

Team Pure-Beauty

The good news about chocolate

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antioxidants, bad news, beauty routine, blood flow, blood sugar, brain, British Medical Journal, calories, chocolate, chocolate cake, circulation, cocoa, control your weight, Dr. Will Clower, Easter bunny, eatend, eggs, expectant mothers, Facebook, fat, Finland, good stuff, goodness, green tea, guilty, happy pills, Harvard Medical School, heart, hormones, insulin sensitivity, iron, KitKat, levels, lower blood-glucose levels, Mars bar, meal, memory decline, mini eggs, mugs, non-chocolate-eating parents, potassium, protect, RDA, researchers, scientists, selenium, sugar, Sun cream, sun damage, treat, trigger, two, win, zinc

The Easter bunny might be long gone, but it could be that you still have some chocolate eggs hanging around waiting to be eaten. Or not!

If you have and you are feeling guilty about finishing it off, we are here to tell you not to.

We have it from the powers that be, that chocolate is good for you.

Now, we aren’t talking about cramming down a family bag of mini eggs followed by a KitKat chaser, but as with most things, eating it in moderation doesn’t hurt.

It would seem that good quality, dark chocolate with a cocoa percentage of around 70% or more, can be good for the heart, circulation and brain, and could be beneficial for managing conditions such as obesity and diabetes.

Dark chocolate is full of health boosting minerals including potassium, zinc and selenium, and a 100g bar of the really good stuff provides 67 per cent of the RDA of iron – great for anyone looking to boost their iron intake!

Blood sugar levels are tricky to control but eating a square or two of dark chocolate can help maintain healthy levels of insulin sensitivity and turn this helps to lower blood-glucose levels. Win, win.

Research published in the British Medical Journal has suggested that eating a little dark chocolate could help lower the risk of developing heart disease by one-third, and that’s got to be worth considering?

Eating an entire chocolate cake with a side of Mars Bar isn’t going to help your waistline but, a little can help control your weight. The scientist, Dr. Will Clower, believes a small square of good chocolate melted on the tongue 20 minutes before eating a main meal triggers the hormones in the brain that says you are full. so you eat less. Think about it and finishing a meal with the treat and trigger could reduce subsequent snacking.

Apparently one mug of cocoa (using pure cocoa powder) has double the antioxidants of green tea and we think it tastes way better too. It is also worth noting that two mugs of cocoa may help keep the brain healthy and prevent memory decline, thanks to better blood flow. That’s according to scientists at Harvard Medical School, so it must be true.

Dark chocolate is jam-packed with the helpful flavonols that help to protect your skin against sun damage. You still need to layer on the sun cream but good to know that evening snack is helping your beauty routine.

Forget happy pills, if you want to feel good a little chocolate will boost your levels of dopamine, a natural painkiller, and serotonin, which produces feelings of pleasure. Eat up and feel the love.

We believe researchers in Finland found that chocolate reduced stress in expectant mothers, and that the babies of those mothers smiled more often than the offspring of non-chocolate-eating parents. Watch out for those new baby photos on Facebook to see who is snacking on chocolate.

The bad news! Yes, you know you couldn’t have it all. Sorry. However much goodness is packed onto a bar of chocolate, it is still pretty high in calories, fat and sugar – so make sure you eat in moderation if you want the good to outweigh the bad.

Team Pure Beauty