Читать книгу The Doctor’s Kitchen: Supercharge your health with 100 delicious everyday recipes - Dr Aujla Rupy, Dr . Rupy Aujla - Страница 18

Worth the extra spend?

Patients often ask me whether they should spend money on ‘health foods’.

I’m encouraged by the fact that more people are interested in food, experimenting with different ingredients and at least attempting to live healthier lives, but the ‘superfood’ trend has its downsides. It has tainted the image of organic as something only attainable for conscientious middle classes, and perusing the aisles of ‘health’ sections in major supermarkets, you can forgive people for thinking eating well is costly. Some ingredients that caught media attention in recent years are incredibly expensive, and are backed by ‘research’ which is questionable in a lot of cases. I often get asked ‘which ones are worth the money’?

As a foodie, I’ve probably tried most of them. But, importantly, I judge them on the evidence base of their supposed health benefits as well as their taste. If we choose to spend an exorbitant amount of money on these ingredients, they’d better be worthwhile! Bitter gourd juice has been shown to improve glucose control in diabetics, but the taste is frightful! And I can’t see Western palates taking to ‘Amla’ powder any time soon.

However, the following ‘health’ ingredients, add flavour and texture and I believe are worth the extra pounds on your weekly shopping bill.

Hemp seeds

These are one of the most concentrated sources of plant-based protein available. The seeds have a whopping amount of fibre and a great fatty acid profile to make them a potentially heart-health-promoting product.^178,179 The Omega-3 fatty acids they contain are an important source of fats for largely plant-based eaters like myself.¹⁷⁸

The nutty and slight oily texture of the seeds makes them a great addition to smoothies or granola, and toasted with spices they make an awesome salad topper. The seeds are easier on your digestion than most processed protein powders and far more nutritionally dense.¹⁸⁰ In fact, I don’t use protein powders any more in my post-workout smoothies because shelled hemp seeds are brilliant and, on balance, much cheaper than those outrageously large tubs I used to buy.

Cacao powder

Raw cocoa beans are roasted and ground to create this bitter, antioxidant- and flavanol-rich product that I use in everything from Mexican Mole (see here) to vegan ice cream. Most people aren’t aware of its incredible amino acid profile. It’s a complete protein (i.e. it contains all nine essential amino acids) and its phytochemical profile is off the charts!¹⁸¹ It’s thought to potentially reduce the risk of stroke,¹⁸² elevate mood by preventing tryptophan destruction¹⁸³ (an amino acid used in synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin) and improve cardiac function by increasing nitric oxide levels in the blood.¹⁸⁴ It is even suggested that cacao has a positive effect in neurocognitive disorders like dementia,¹⁸⁵ but while I welcome this fascination surrounding polyphenol-rich foods, I wouldn’t get too overexcited. Cacao may have potential applications in the future of medicine, but for now, let’s focus on its culinary uses!

Once you know how to use cacao, it becomes worth the expense, and since the ‘drink of gods’ has become so popular, it has also become a lot cheaper! The lengthy process of making the raw powder justifies its price, and the depth of flavour it offers makes it a worthwhile purchase. Look for 100 per cent powder, not cocoa with added dried milk products and sugar. Follow some of my simple recipes (see here and here) to discover how versatile it is in both savoury and sweet dishes and acquire the taste for this wonderful ingredient. You can get the same nutritional benefits from using high-quality dark chocolate powder, which I don’t think I could live without (75 per cent cocoa solids or higher is ideal).

Quinoa

I still get some eye rolling when I mention quinoa to my colleagues! But quinoa in all its coloured varieties is a really worthwhile addition to your diet. It’s good value and widely available, it’s easy to cook and it has a better nutritional profile than rice, bread or pasta (higher in protein, with more vitamins and minerals¹⁸⁶), plus we even produce some right here in the UK! It contains all essential amino acids and the dark varieties possess even more antioxidants than the white.

It has been labelled as a potential ‘functional food’, because it may help reduce the incidence of high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome and stroke.¹⁸⁷ This is quite a claim to make, given the lack of human studies testing these theories,¹⁸⁸ but is certainly an area to watch.

Note, however, that these potential benefits don’t extend to every product just because it has quinoa in it. If a chocolate bar has some sprinkled puffed quinoa grains on top, this does not automatically make it a protein-rich, blood-pressure-reducing functional food! I recommend cooking with whole quinoa, and using it in both savoury and sweet dishes.

Extra-virgin olive oil

A cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, the popularity of this polyphenol-rich fat has fluctuated in recent years, as it has found itself caught up in the battle of opinion on what constitutes a healthy plate, but I use good-quality olive oil liberally.

In the context of a low-sugar, nutrient-dense diet, olive oil has been shown to potentially be protective of heart health¹⁸⁹ and, importantly, makes food so much more enjoyable. ‘EVOO’, as it’s affectionately called by health bloggers, is thought to reduce oxidative stress because of its good fatty acid content¹⁹⁰ and rich diversity of phenolics.¹⁹¹ The role of oxidation and inflammation in heart disease has become well recognised in the medical community, so it’s probably the antioxidant effect of EVOO that makes it a heart-healthy ingredient.

It’s a staple in my store cupboard and fat of choice for lightly sautéing food, dressing dishes and making pestos. It remains stable (the chemical bonds do not break down) up to reasonable cooking temperatures around 170°C¹⁹² and the difference in taste between poor- and high-quality EVOO is noticeable to even the least refined of palates. Spend a few extra pounds on organic, cold-pressed¹⁹³ olive oil – your heart will thank you for it.