Healthy Eating features

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Seasonal eating: capture the taste of summer!
In the first of our new seasonal eating series, nutritionist Sarah Schenker samples the gastronomic delights of home-grown summer produce. Sarah also provides a selection of recipes using seasonal ingredients and four special menus that really capture the taste of summer!

Celebrate family life for a week - and more!
Family life is something most of us take for granted, yet the amount of quality time we spend with our families seems to be ever-shrinking. National Family Week is a new initiative that aims to reverse that trend.

Diet tips for a healthy bowel and digestive system
We know that having a high fibre intake is important for a healthy digestive system, but are there any particular vitamins and foods that can help prevent bowel cancer, as well as less serious digestive disorders? Nutritionist Sarah Schenker investigates.

Tea: the cuppa that's never out of flavour!
For centuries, a cup of tea has provided comfort, refreshment and an excuse for a chat. And some types of tea may provide additional benefits. Nutritionist Sarah Schenker reviews a selection of cuppas thought to have health-giving properties.

Cooking with kids at half term
Teaching kids about food and nutrition from an early age can help them form healthy eating habits that last a lifetime, says nutritionist Sarah Schenker. So why not plan some culinary 'edutainment' for your kids this half term?

Step-by-step changes for a healthier you!
The government's Change4Life campaign, launched amid much publicity earlier this year, is advocating a radical lifestyle shift if the UK is to reverse the trend of rising levels of obesity and overweight seen in recent years, especially among children.

Spice up mealtimes with healthy ethnic foods
We may be eating out less during the recession and cutting back on ready meals and takeaways, but that doesn't mean we're giving up our favourite ethnic foods. Instead, we're cooking them at home. So how can we make sure they're healthy?

World cuisines with health appeal
World cuisines with health appeal

Unusual foods that pack a health punch
It's all too easy to get in a culinary rut and shop for the same old ingredients week in, week out. If you have time off over the summer, why not seek out some of the more unusual foods in specialist shops and farmers' markets to ring in the menu changes?

Fun-filled family BBQs with a healthier twist
A 'barbecue summer' is in prospect - allegedly! To help us make the most of it, behaviour expert Judi James looks at some of the social benefits of al fresco family gatherings, while nutritionist Sarah Schenker offers suggestions for healthier BBQ menu choices.

Med-style healthy eating in a cold climate
What is it about the warmer weather that sends us rushing to the salad aisles, spurning the fatty, stodgy foods that loom large in our diet during the colder months? This month, we look at simple ways to give British food a Med-style twist for year-round healthy eating.

Ugly fruit and veg make a comeback
Despite our grumbles about rising prices, the average UK household throws away £420 worth of food a year, say government experts. The good news is that are some simple ways we can reduce waste and save money - without compromising our healthy eating goals.

Making food go further, last longer
More than 4 million tonnes of useable food is thrown away each year in the UK, at a time of rising prices and constrained budgets. So what practical steps can we take to get the most out of the food we buy? We asked nutritionist Sarah Schenker...

Shape up for Summer
With the summer soon upon us and the holiday season around the corner, it’s a great time to look and feel your best. Whether you’re off on a beach holiday, or enjoying time out with the family, it’s always a time of year when we feel more body conscious.

Retro eating with a 21st century twist
As part of its efforts to tackle obesity, the government is promoting a return to traditional customs like cooking meals from scratch and regular family mealtimes. But how relevant is family life fifties-style in the fast-paced, technology-driven 21st century?

Getting the family involved in retro eating
Teaching our kids to cook and reintroducing regular mealtimes are two of the government's latest challenges to parents. But how do we get our family to go along with the idea? It requires stealth and strategic thinking, says behaviour expert Judi James.

What is a stroke?
Given that a stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK, and a leading cause of disability, most of us know someone who has been affected.

Fighting the bad guys
A high intake of saturated fats can increase blood cholesterol levels and, in turn, risk of heart disease. But what makes saturated fats the bad guys – and how do we cut back on them? Dietitian Azmina Govindji has the answers…

Improve your mood with feel-good food!
Is it possible to plan your diet to improve your mood? Yes, according to dietitian Azmina Govindji. Azmina offers her top feel-good food and nutrition tips for an uplifting 2009!

Time for a Detox?
Better skin, more energy, a purer body – can ‘detoxing’ really deliver all that? It depends who you listen to – the concept of ‘detox’ is open to many interpretations, some healthier than others.

I'm dreaming of a 'light' Christmas!
The economic storm clouds may be gathering, but with a bit of creative menu planning and some shrewd shopping we can protect our wallets – and our waistlines! – this Christmas. Dietitian Azmina Govindji explains how...

Sizzle without sausages - healthier Bonfire Night party grub!
Bangers and butter-filled jacket potatoes may be traditional Bonfire Night party fare, but they’re high in unhealthy saturated fat and loaded with calories.

Fruit Drinks
We each already drink more than 36 litres of fruit-juice every year but, with so many on the market, which ones are best for us?

A healthy mouth speaks volumes...
Good oral health is as vital to our well-being as a healthy diet and regular exercise, say dental professionals, with growing evidence that gum disease is linked with a higher risk of serious illnesses like heart attacks and strokes.

Simple steps to a healthier heart!
September 28 is World Heart Day and this year’s theme is ‘know your risk’. The key message is that simple steps can dramatically reduce our risk of heart disease. So what should we be doing (or not doing!) to keep our hearts healthy?

Wild about watermelon!
It regularly features in the health news headlines, it has a national day dedicated to it and it even has its own queen in North America. So what’s so special about the watermelon?

Hot tips for staying healthy in the sun!
Here are some top tips from our nutrition and fitness experts to help you and your family enjoy a healthy, happy summer.

Smoothies: nutritionists' dream or dentists' nightmare?
Delicious and packed with goodness, fruit smoothies may seem to be the perfect fast-food for the health-conscious consumer. But beware: your teeth and gums may suffer the effects if you indulge in too many, too often.

Are you ready to make your veggie pledge?
Whether you want to cut down on red and processed meat for health reasons, or just want to try something different, National Vegetarian Week is an ideal time to take a break from the roast beef and spag bol and get creative with the veg

Real food for real lives
Dentists can offer more than just a check-up when they look into your mouth they can detect clues about your general health.

Brushing up on dental health
Dentists can offer more than just a check-up when they look into your mouth – they can detect clues about your general health.

Top 20 Cancer Fighting Foods
The evidence is overwhelming: according to the experts, we can all reduce our risk of certain types of cancer by simply changing our diets. Medical journalist Patsy Westcott reports on the latest advice on the foods that could help save your life.

Christmas Dinner Delights
You know the feeling: you've had a great time over Christmas but are lethargic, you've overdone it (again!) and you feel guilty. But it does not have to be like that.

Bug busters
Could your chopping board be giving you a dicky tummy or is your J-cloth spreading salmonella? The kitchen is home to millions of nasty bugs... so what can you do to eliminate them?

The fats of life
For anyone who has ever worried about their weight, the word ‘fat’ is public enemy number one. But the truth is, fats can be good for you.

Eating for good health
A healthy, balanced diet plays a vital role in maintaining our general wellbeing. So what foods should we be eating more or less of?

"Superfoods" - science or fiction?
How do "superfoods" improve our health, and should we be including them in our everyday diet?

Putting food into perspective: how to control your eating
Azmina discusses the right way to lose weight and how to adopt eating habits that will help you stay at your target weight.

Eating for your age - tailoring your diet to your time of life
Azmina looks at how our dietary needs need to be adapted according to our time and stage of life.