Here in Northern Ireland, we eat a lot of traybakes. During my two years living in England, I became dangerously deficient due to the sheer lack of Fifteens, Malteser Squares and Rice Krispie buns. It was quite a shock to the system and frankly, rather traumatising. But we all go through hard times.

These traybakes are made up of three delicious layers – a chocolate almond base, a gooey caramel centre, and a crispy chocolate finish. The caramel is a recipe that I’ve perfected over time – you’ve seen it before in my bubble balls recipe, and you will see it again. All the ingredients will either already be in your cupboard, or are widely available (and affordable) from supermarkets – there’s nothing worse than a recipe that calls for ingredients you can only find from one obscure website and cost £35. It becomes a bit of an adrenaline rush – “how much do I risk getting scammed for the sake of my tastebuds?”

If you aren’t a fan of almonds, give hazelnuts or cashews a go! I can’t say I’ve tried these, but we all know how much I like to experiment, and you should too! Please let me know if you enjoyed these (or any other variations) by posting on your Instagram and tagging me!

Chocolate Almond Caramel Bites

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Sweet TreatsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Chill time

1

hour 

These triple-layered bites are decadent and delicious, made with easy-to-find and wholesome ingredients. I won’t lie – they’re not what I’d call a highly nutritious snack, but they sure are good. Starting with a chocolate almond base, filled with gooey caramel, and finished off with a puffed rice and chocolate top layer. Trust me on this one – you’re gonna want to try these!

Ingredients

• Chocolate Almond Base

• 2/3 cup almond flour

• 3tbsp cacao

• 3tbsp maple syrup

• Pinch salt

• Caramel Filling

• 1/2 cup almond butter (can substitute for any nut bitter)

• 2tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2tbsp butter or coconut oil

• Pinch salt

• 1/3 cup puffed rice

• Topping

• 75g high quality dark chocolate

Directions

• Make the base by combining all the base ingredients in a bowl and then transferring into a lined baking tray or glass container. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon (or your fingers) and place in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blitz the filling ingredients in a food processor. Layer on top of the base, spreading out evenly. Sprinkle with the puffed rice and gently press into the caramel, then place back in the fridge or freezer for another 10 minutes.
• Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave in 15-30 second bursts, or alternatively in a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water on the hob. Evenly pour over the bars and put in the fridge for a final 30-40 minutes to fully set.
• To cut into bites, remove the lining and block from the container. Allow to come to room temperature for 5-10 minutes – this lets the chocolate slightly soften to prevent cracking. Cut into even squares or rectangles using a sharp knife.
• These will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight container, ideally in the fridge. They will also freeze well, and can be kept in the freezer for around 2 months.

Additional Notes

• If you like an extra crunchy moment, you could for sure add some roughly chopped whole almonds to the base. Always room for extra crunch!

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Mayonnaise is made up of three basic components – egg yolk, oil, and an acid (usually vinegar or lemon juice). Beyond that, you can play about with different spices or flavourings. I experimented a little bit with some variations, but this one is the most basic and straightforward. Obviously – this homemade mayo is a full-fat recipe. However, believe me – it’s worth it! This recipe is also made with heart-healthy olive oil, as opposed to vegetable oil often used in shop-bought options. I’ve added turmeric, as I love the vibrancy it brings to the colour. Adding spices to foods is also a way to boost the health profile (although only a little). The amount added isn’t enough to alter the flavour particularly, but if you would rather leave it out or don’t have turmeric on hand, feel free to skip it.

This works super well in a potato salad, or to dress your favourite burger (such as my ‘Put It All In Turkey Burgers).

Simple Homemade Mayo

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Sauces, CondimentsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

small jar

Prep time

15

minutes

Like myself, you may think homemade mayo is a faff – but I’ve recently discovered it’s far from it! As long as you have a high-speed blender or food processor in your kitchen, making homemade mayo couldn’t be easier! Plus, it is so much creamier and richer than any store-bought option could be! This recipe makes one small jar, however keep in mind that since we’re using raw egg yolks, and not adding any preservatives, this will only stay fresh for around one week. If you won’t use it in that time, halve the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks

• Juice 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp honey

• Heaped tsp dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• Crack of black pepper

• 1.5 cups olive oil

Directions

• Add all ingredients except the oil to your food-processor and blitz on high until well combined.
• Keep your blender or food processor running, and begin adding the oil. This must be done in small increments to ensure an even and smooth consistency. This amount of oil took me about 8 minutes to add! The longer you take, the thicker the consistency will be, so aim for 6-10 minutes depending on preference).
• Store in a jar or air-tight container in the fridge for up to seven days.

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Remember when life was just black and white? Going to “work” was just make-believe, tax was just a word and milk was just milk? Nowadays, it seems life is a never-ending string of decision after decision (#adulting); even “any milk with that?” requires a list of follow-up questions. Don’t get me wrong, I love that our food system is becoming so much more diverse and can cater for so many more people – whether you’re lactose intolerant, vegan, or just prefer the taste of non-dairy milks. But, it can seem a little overwhelming when a whole section of the supermarket is now occupied with milk alternatives. Which is the best choice? Which one is healthiest? Which will taste best in my coffee? These are all valid questions to consider, and of course, many of us are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of our food choices on the environment and animal welfare. It’s important to have an understanding of all of these things, so before you google “how does one milk an almond?”, allow me to help.

Before I get into it, this is a guide only – exact nutritional breakdown will vary by brand and even environmental impact will depend on where you live in relation to where the milk was produced due to air miles. Your choice, and which is best for you, will also largely depend on your health goals (e.g. calorie and protein content) or any dietary requirements you may have (e.g. tolerance of gluten, nuts, lactose).

Finally, if you are opting for milk alternatives, it’s really important to ensure it has been fortified with calcium (look at the label for this). Most brands are fortified with an amount comparable to dairy (around 300mg per 250ml glass), but some more “natural” brands do not. This is also something to consider if you are tempted to make your own homemade plant milk, believing that the fewer additives the better. Not all additives are created equal and in the case of calcium, this is super important for healthy bones and teeth, and also supports heart and nerve function. If you’re really opposed to this, do so with caution, and make sure you are getting plenty of calcium from other sources (tofu made with calcium sulfate, fish with bones, dark leafy greens, beans). It’s worth noting that girls and women, in particular, are at a high risk of calcium deficiency, and of developing osteoporosis (brittle bones that are prone to fractures) in later life. So don’t underestimate this.

Cows Milk

A Quick History (if you hate history, I’m judging you, but you can skip ahead if you wish).

According to historians cow’s milk has likely been consumed by humans for at least 8000 years. Since lactose is present in all mammalian milk (including human breast milk), we produce lactase (the enzyme that enables us to digest lactose) as infants. However, the production of lactase is dependent on demand – so when we stop drinking breast milk, we slowly stop producing it. Over time, a genetic mutation resulted in the continued production of lactase throughout adulthood. Studies suggest this occurred ~7500 years ago; so, allowing for the time needed for genetic mutations to occur, this helps us to pinpoint when cow’s milk started being consumed by humans. Interestingly, we have the dairy industry to thank for helping discover the smallpox vaccine.

The Controversies

Cows milk has been at the centre of plenty of controversies as the plant milk alternatives started piling up. A lot of these controversies are based on myths, not facts. My least favourite of these is that cow’s milk is “cow pus”. Oh the inaccuracies. I have had very intelligent friends believe this absolute BS – it’s maddening. Let me explain why.

In the UK, the upper limit for somatic cells allowed in milk is 400,000,000. Those peddling the concept that cow’s milk is full of pus will often quote this as 400,000,000 “pus cells”. Firstly, 400,000,000 cells is not as vast as you may think, and 90% of milk doesn’t even contain half that. But most importantly, somatic cells are not “pus cells”, as “pus cells” do not exist. Pus is a mixture of dead white blood cells, dead skin cells, and bacteria in serum – pretty gross. This is not the same as the live somatic cells (i.e. mostly white blood cells) present in milk from healthy cows. Mandatory quality checks mean that any milk produced when a cow has an infection (e.g. mastitis), is thrown out. Farmers, therefore, have a strong financial incentive to keep their cows healthy. Equating live somatic cells with pus is in no way shape or form scientifically valid. For reference, breast milk also contains somatic cells – yet, we know not only is breast milk not harmful, but massively beneficial. Not only this, believing that the presence of somatic cells indicates infection, by the same logic would mean all humans are constantly ill – because of course, we all have white blood cells in our blood. So, we can just forget that the somatic cells in cows’ milk are causing us ill-health. Whether or not you choose to drink cows’ milk is your own prerogative, but please for the love of Pete, do not let this false rhetoric be one of them.

Thank goodness that’s over with.

Nutritional Breakdown

Cows milk actually ticks a lot of nutritional tickboxes, and is extremely comparable to breastmilk in terms of protein, carbs and fat. Just one 250ml glass has around 40% of our calcium requirements, 50% of our B12, and 9g protein (more than an egg). Lactose-free versions are available if you are lactose intolerant, however, these should not be the preferred option if there is no indication to do so, as lactose actually aids calcium absorption, and as mentioned earlier, cutting out lactose completely means a one-way ticket to actually developing lactose intolerance (remember supply of lactase is based on demand!). Depending on your goals, you can also choose lower fat and calorie options.

Some people may have concerns around the saturated fat content of dairy, while others may have heard dairy is “inflammatory” in the body. In reality, there are plenty of studies to show that dairy is actually anti-inflammatory, with evidence suggesting that its consumption has a neutral or beneficial impact on risk of heart disease, despite its’ saturated fat profile (even full-fat options).

So from a health perspective, regular cows milk gets a big green light from me.

Environmental Impact

Environmentally though, this is where things start to lose their shine. In general, food production is one of the main contributors of greenhouse gases (~18-20% of the total emissions in the UK), with meat and dairy releasing more than any other type of food production. One glass of cows’ milk emits three times the amount of greenhouse gasses (mostly methane, which is twenty times more potent than carbon dioxide) and nine times the land of most plant milks. Just one litre of milk requires 628 litres of water, most of which is needed to grow the crops used to feed the cows.

The actual environmental impact though actually varies a lot between countries, even between individual farms, and some countries are making good progress. In the UK, dairy farms are thought to contribute less than 2% of the total annual greenhouse gas emissions, making it one of the world’s leaders in sustainable milk production.

Therefore, while we undeniably need to be aware of the significant impact dairy can have on the environment, it isn’t all doom and gloom. Progress is possible, and the simple inclusion of dairy in our diets isn’t the issue; rather, it’s the sheer overreliance on these foods, and the increasing and excessive pressure this puts on the industry. You don’t have to cut it out if you don’t want to, but instead, be mindful of the environmental impact of diet and lifestyle as a whole, and consider using alternatives more often. Variety is the spice of life!

Soy Milk

Soy milk is the OG alternative to cows’ milk, but I feel has been rather pushed out by his plant-milk peers. Nutritionally, soy milk has the most similar nutrient profile to cows’ milk compared with other alternatives.  It sits roughly between semi-skimmed and whole milk for calories and fat content, but contains the same amount of protein. It is also the only plant-based milk to contain all of the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein), which is rare in plant foods. Sweetened versions contain a similar amount of sugar to regular cows’ milk in order to try and replicate the subtle sweetness of milk. However, choose unsweetened if possible, as the  sugar contained in cows’ milk is intracellular (meaning it’s bound with other cells); whereas in plant milks, any added sugar is free sugars, so has more of an impact on blood sugar and teeth. In my experience, most people find sweetened plant milks overly sweet, so often prefer unsweetened versions anyway.

Phytoestrogens

One of the main concerns people have with soy milk stems from something called phytoestrogens, which are present in soy; namely a specific class of these called ‘isoflavones’. As the name would suggest, these have a similar structure to the female sex hormone, oestrogen. This raised concerns that this could interefere with hormone balance, because excess oestrogen levels are associated with increased risk of breast cancer, weight gain and thyroid dysfunction. One thing to note is that we don’t only get phytoestrogens from soy, but also many plant foods including garlic, wheat, rice, beans, carrots, potatoes, apples and cherries; yet we know a diet high in plant foods is highly beneficial for health. The studies investigating the effect of phytoestrogens in the body have shown conflicting results. This is due to how the study was conducted, such as animal vs human studies, and concentration of phytoestrogens used.

In a nutshell, the current and growing evidence shows that phytoestrogens in soy have a milder effect on your body than your own oestrogen and that the effect on the body is likely neutral or tipped towards beneficial, rather than harmful. Many of the studies suggesting a negative effect use phytoestrogen supplements, which are much more concentrated than those in soy milk. Post-menopausal women are particularly likely to benefit, due to the natural decline in oestrogen levels at this stage of life. Not only does this cause unfavourable symptoms, but due to oestrogens protective effect against heart disease, puts post-menopausal women at higher risk. Soy products may therefore help to alleviate associated symptoms (with less side effects than with hormone replacement therapy) and may help to attenuate risk of heart disease in this population group. For any men out there who have heard the horror stories, let me assure you that soy does not impact testosterone levels and will not cause you to grow breasts. If it did, do you really think breast implants would still be a thing?

As with all plant milks, ensure the soy milk you choose has been fortified with calcium appropriately.

Environmental Impact

Soy has also come under fire for its impact on the environment, mainly due to soy plantations being a major source of deforestation in countries such as Brazil. However, it’s worth noting that the increase in demand for soy has more to do with the growing amount of livestock to meet the demand for meat, dairy and eggs – around 75-90% of all soy crops are used to feed these livestock.

Otherwise, soy milk is the most water efficient milk alternative, using almost twenty-three times less water per litre than cows’ milk to produce. Scores for land use and carbon emissions for soy milk are also pretty impressive. As with any food, try and aim for sources as close to home as possible to reduce the impact of air miles.

Overall, considering its natural creaminess and similarity in nutritional composition to cows’ milk, for significantly lower environmental impact, soy milk is a great choice.

Almond Milk

Next after soy milk, in came almond. This is arguably the milk that changed everything as far as milk alternatives go. Let’s face it, most people who drank soy milk only did so if they were vegan or had dairy intolerances. Once almond milk hit the shelves, it seemed like everyone was on board.

While soy milk though is a fairly straight forward swap for dairy, the same can’t be said for almond milk. Simply put, almond milk is mostly water (around 97% in fact, with 2% almonds and 1% emulsifier, which help keep the oil from the nuts and water in suspension for a smooth consistency). While this means a lower calorie and fat content, which may suit your goals, it also means it’s virtually void of any protein. Whole almonds offer a range of healthy fats, fibre and micronutrients, but due to such a small percentage of almond milk actually being almonds, these are negligible in the final product. Any vitamins and minerals in almond milk will more than likely be added during processing. It’s important you do go for these fortified options though  if you are replacing regular milk with almond – so go for brands that add calcium, and if possible, vitamin D and B12 as well. As with soy milk, go for unsweetened if you can.

Environmental Impact

Environmentally, almond milk produces less carbon emissions than dairy and soy. However one of the main considerations is the amount of water needed to grow almonds. I’ve seen vastly different figures quoted, but it appears that a single almond takes anywhere between 5-14 litres of water to grow, or around 74 litres per glass of almond milk. It’s worth noting that this is still less than the requirement for cows’ milk; however, source matters. 80% of all almonds are grown in California, well known for its hot and dry climate, and prone to long droughts. Growing almonds also relies on pollination by bees. 70% of commercial bees in California are used for almonds, and due to the increasing demand, over a third of these bees die prematurely; a figure which is growing. The sustainability of the current demand on almonds, without making changes, is questionable.

Being fully honest – I would say almond milk is my go-to plant milk. It’s a good option for anything where I would be consuming a larger volume of milk in one go (e.g. protein or fruit smoothies), as cows’ milk can be fairly heavy on the stomach. I often use it in baking as well. However, it sits on the lower end of nutritional value, but the higher end in terms of environmental impact, when comparing it to other plant milks. While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with consuming almond milk from time to time, it’s something to think about, and maybe time to consider choosing other options more often. A good, easy switch is hazelnut milk. This is comparable in taste and texture, but unlike almonds, hazelnuts are pollinated by wind and grow in moist climates, so use less water. Cashew milk is another option that uses less water than almonds, but go for Fairtrade if you want to go for this choice, as cashew farmers, most of which live in India, can be treated very poorly.

Coconut Milk

“Coconut milk” could be referring to one of two things – the thick, super creamy stuff that comes in cans; or the more liquidy form that comes in cartons (and more than likely shelved with the rest of the plant milks in the supermarket). For clarity – I’m talking about the latter.

Coconut milk tends to vary more across brands in terms of exactly how it’s made. Some brands are made with a blend of coconut and either soy or rice milk, other brands not.  However, coconut milk will generally be over 90% water so, like almond milk, will have overall poor nutritional value, with only negligible differences between the two

Environmental Impact

Coconut milk stacks up well in terms of carbon emissions and water use – they are grown in tropical areas with typically high rainfall, and the trees are particularly good at drawing carbon out of the atmosphere. However, most of our coconuts are grown in poor regions of the Philippines, India and Indonesia. The main concern with the coconut industry as a whole is deforestation and exploitation of workers, who are overworked and underpaid. If you buy coconut products, including coconut milk, buy Fairtrade.

Rice Milk

Rice milk isn’t often talked about but is actually one of the least likely to be an issue for people with allergies. Rice milk is higher in carbohydrates than the likes of nut milks, but this makes it a good option for a post workout protein shake (getting a good ratio of carbs and protein is great for muscle recovery). Like most other plant milks, on its own it is low in protein and the any meaningful micronutrients will be based on fortification.

Environmental Impact

The environmental impact though, when comparing with other plant milks, isn’t great. It uses just slightly less water than almond milk, and has the highest greenhouse gas emissions. Similar to cows, rice production is associated with methane production, which is released as a by-product from certain bacteria that breed in rice paddies.

If you have issues with allergies and intolerances to all other options, rice milk will likely be suitable for you. Otherwise – rice milk seems to be at the bottom of the list when taking into account nutrition and environmental impact.

Oat Milk

If you liked what I said about rice milk being a good option for post workout recovery, and are disappointed in the final verdict – oat milk is the way to go. This is another higher carbohydrate option compared with other alternatives. It has more calories than most other plant milks – typically similar to cow and soy milk, although can even be a little higher depending on the brand. However, try not to see this as a bad thing! Firstly, calories are not the devil and secondly, oat milk is so much creamier than other plant-based options, so is a great swap for use in coffee (lattes/cappuccinos are more forgiving, but for just adding a splash into Americanos, oat milk is the only one I like). I feel like a broken record at this point, but the protein content is low and the remainder of the nutritional composition depends on fortification.

Environmental Impact

Oats grow in cooler climates in the northern hemisphere, so taking into account air miles, are more likely to be grown close to home (home being the UK). They are a good, sustainable option across all areas, and are not associated with deforestation or exploitation of workers.

Combining its nutritional content (albeit low in protein), creamy taste, and low environmental impact, oat milk is a great option all round. Yay!

Bottom Line

Realistically – there is no one “right” option when it comes to milk, and they all come with pros and cons. Nutritionally, it’s hard to beat cows’ milk, and with growing evidence that dairy may have an anti-inflammatory and possibly protective effect against heart disease, it’s not something I would suggest totally eliminating from the diet (unless you are vegan or have intolerances). In the UK, milks will also be typically produced locally, so have minimal to no air miles and supports local farmers.

However, there is no doubt that, while none are perfect, all milk alternatives have a significantly smaller environmental impact than dairy. My best advice would be to include some dairy in the diet, but don’t overdo it, and instead supplementing with alternatives where needed.

But which alternative? Well, there’s no perfect choice, and it depends on where you live, taste preference, nutritional goals, intended use, brand, and even which values matter most to you. Weigh up the pros and cons of each, and see how they align with your own goals and morals. Always choose fortified options, unsweetened where possible, look for brands using sources as close to home as possible, and where applicable, buy Fairtrade.

References

Ulven et al. (2019) Milk and dairy product consumption and inflammatory biomarkers: An updated systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Advances in Nutrition, 10(2), pS239–S250

Nieman et al (2020) The effects of dairy product and dairy protein intake on inflammation: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 1, p1-12.

Bordoni et al. (2017) Dairy products and inflammation: A review of the clinical evidence. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 57(12), p2497-2525.

Astrup et al. (2019). Effects of full-fat and fermented dairy products on cardiometabolic disease: Food is more than the sum of its parts. Advances in Nutrition, 10(5), p924S–930S.

Lordan et al. (2018). Dairy fats and cardiovascular disease: Do we really need to be concerned? Foods, 7(3), p29.

Dehghan et al. (2018). Association of dairy intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 21 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study. The Lancet, 293 (10161), p2288-2297

Poore & Nemecek (2018). Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science, 360(6392), p987–992.

FAO (2013) “Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock” [accessed February 2021]

FCRN (2012) “Report on UK dairy sector GHG emissions” [accessed February 2021]

Macdiarmid et al. (2013) Sustainable diets for the future: can we contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eating a healthy diet?, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 96(3), p 632–639

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Anyhow, Bircher-Benner left behind at least one good thing as part of his legacy, so I can forgive and forget his flaws – and that is his Bircher Muesli.

I was first introduced to fresher, creamier version of overnight oats at one of my family and my most frequented cafes along the North Coast of Northern Ireland – Warke’s Deli. Keep in mind this was before I’d ever even heard the phrase “overnight oats”, so it was a totally new experience. While I love porridge in any form (if you follow my Instagram you’ll know this), my Mum has always hated it until she tried this. A transformative moment, really. We later discovered that my great-grandmother had written down this recipe by hand – if that doesn’t tell you a recipe is worth trying, I don’t know what will.

In essence, Bircher Muesli is a combination of soaked raw oats, some form of dairy, nuts, and fresh or dried fruit. The original recipe created by Bircher-Benner has been tweaked and altered many times, so of course, there are a ton of variations found online. I’ve included my go-to recipe below, but variety is the spice of life – try playing about with the proportions, timings and ingredient options!

Variations

Base: This stays fairly consistent across the board – any recipe I’ve seen creates the base from oats and apples. The only variations I’ve seen on this are the suggestion of adding other grains as well, such as wheat or rye flakes; whether the apple is mashed, finely chopped, or grated (grating is most common and I find this the best personally); and the ratio of oats to fruit – some are very oat heavy, others almost all apple with only a tbsp or so of oats. Naturally, I like the ratio in my recipe (hence why I use it) as I feel this is well-balanced. The variety of apples is up to you – choose a crisp, tart Granny Smith for example or a sweeter option like a Gala or Pink Lady. Whether you add the apple before or after soaking is up to you. Some recipes I’ve seen also add in pears, which I can see being a nice addition.

Soaking Time: Whatever variation you choose above, to be Bircher Muesli, soaking is a must. Most recipes suggest overnight – this also makes the most sense in order to make this a “grab-and-go” breakfast. But if you aren’t totally prepared, a lot of recipes suggest that 10-15 minutes is sufficient.

Soaking Liquid: The original recipe soaked the oats in just water. However, most adaptions use a combination of apple or orange juice, milk (dairy or plant-based) and another form of dairy (see below).

Dairy: Because of the time, Bircher-Benner used condensed milk – which I can see being tasty if you want an extra sweet version. However, this might be a little cloyingly sweet for every morning – better options often used are yoghurt or creme fraiche. If you’re feeling extra fancy, double cream is sometimes also added. Even the type of yoghurt can make a difference – for example, a thick greek yoghurt or a thinner pouring yoghurt, depending on how thick you want the final product. Most recipes add the milk at the same time as the apple or orange juice, but there are different opinions on whether to add the yoghurt, cream, or creme fraiche before or after soaking.

Fruit and Nuts: Dried fruit was not implemented in the original recipe, but many modern recipes often include options such as raisins, sultanas, dried cranberries or apricots, or a combination. Honestly – anything would go well (dried mango would be delish, especially if coupled with coconut yoghurt and desiccated coconut for example). Again, there are no fast and hard rules about which nuts to add, but I would suggest including some type of nuts (or alternatively some seeds), simply because they’re so nutritious.

Final Touches: These are largely optional – the original recipe added a squeeze of lemon juice, probably to cut the sweetness of the condensed milk. I’ve seen a lot of recipes suggest adding sweetener – such as honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. I don’t feel this is necessary, as the apple juice and fruit make this sweet enough. For me, adding some berries or banana and some cinnamon are all the extras I need.

Simple Bircher Muesli

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Breakfast, RecipesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Long before overnight oats came Bircher Muesli, and if you are a fan of the former, you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to try this. This is perfect to make the night before, meaning minimal prep time the following morning, while still getting a filling, nutritious and yummy breakfast. It’s delicately fresh, creamy and fruity, and packed with fibre. Play about with the ingredients and toppings so that every day is like trying something new!

Ingredients

• 30g oats

• 1/3 cup apple juice

• 1 small apple, grated

• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 50ml milk of choice

• 1 tbsp dried fruit

• 1 tbsp roughly chopped nuts

Directions

• In a bowl or jar, place the oats, apple juice, yoghurt, cinnamon, milk, and grated apple* Mix well and place in the fridge overnight, or at least 10-15 minutes.
• Once your oats have been soaking for the allotted time, top with the dried fruit, nuts, and whatever other toppings you prefer before serving.

Additional Notes

• * The grated apple can be added the following morning if preferred, but for maximum handiness the following morning – I add it before. Because it’s mixed in, I don’t personally find that it goes brown or mushy at all, but feel free to do this to your own preference!

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I don’t tend to eat a whole lot of meat, but a good burger is hard to beat. I originally wanted to make these with chicken mince, but honestly just couldn’t find it in my local supermarkets. I don’t dislike turkey mince per se, but I can’t say it fills me with excitement – or at least it didn’t until now. From a health perspective, turkey is a great option because it’s such a lean source of high-quality protein, as well as a good hit of certain B-vitamins, selenium, zinc, and some iron. While a juicy beef burger is always welcome on my plate, red meat tends to be higher in saturated fat, so switching to chicken or turkey burgers on occassion is a good idea.

The real champion of these burgers though is the hidden veggies. If you’re a purest, I know it feels like I’ve just ruined the entire concept of a burger with that last sentence. Listen – I feel you. Just stay with me a second. While adding additional plant-based ingredients into your meals is fantastic for your health (and this may be enough incentive for some), the number one reason I even came up with this recipe was actually to use up leftover vegetables in a way that tasted delicious. I can’t tell you how often I hear people tell me they point-blank stopped buying veg because they “always go off and go in the bin”. Food waste is one of the number one stressors on our environment, and so if you care about climate change in any capacity, we have to get smarter about using up leftovers. I can’t think of a better way than a big, juicy turkey burger – can you?

If you want to recreate this recipe, feel free to make it exactly to my suggestions (because they’re delicious and nutritious), but if you have other vegetables that need used I urge you to use those either as well, or instead of, the vegetables I used. These are also a great way to get extra vegetables into your kids (or carnivorous husband).

Have some lemon or eggs needing used? Make these burgers even more delicious by pairing it with my homemade Turmeric Mayo.

“Put it all in” turkey burgers

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Main Meals, RecipesDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

burgers

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

These turkey burgers are a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your meals and reduce food waste, without compromising on taste. They’re packed full of flavour, are super juicy, and high in lean protein and micronutrients. What’s not to love?

Ingredients

• 500g turkey mince (2% or 7%)

• 1 courgette, grated

• 1 large or 2 small carrots, grated

• ~7 mushrooms (~150g)

• 1/2 medium brown onion

• 2 stalks celery

• 1 fresh red chilli

• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1tsp dried coriander (or a handful fresh, finely chopped)

• 2tsp smoked paprika

• 1tsp onion powder

• 2tbsp wholemeal flour

• 1tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

• 1 egg

• Salt and pepper to taste

• To Serve (suggestions):

• Burger buns; rocket, lettuce or kale; tomato; mayo, sweet chilli or barbecue sauce; avocado; cheese

Directions

• Start by prepping all the vegetables. Once you have grated the carrot and courgette, you need to squeeze out the extra water by wrapping the grated veg in a clean tea towel (or kitchen roll) and squeezing over the sink. Then place them into a large bowl.
• Next, extra-finely chop the mushrooms, onion, celery, and fresh chilli. This is easiest in an electric chopper or food processor but can be done by hand. Transfer into the bowl along with the carrot and courgette.
• Preheat the oven to 180C. While the oven is heating up, finish the burgers by adding the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mixing well to combine.
• Separate the mixture into patties. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan and start grilling the burgers on a medium-high heat. Cooking time will depend on how thick you’ve made the burgers and your stove, but should take ~5 minutes on each side. Aim for a golden exterior and a fully cooked middle (no pink!).
• Once the burgers are cooked through, transfer into a large ovenproof dish and place into the oven for 5-10 minutes to ensure the burgers are fully cooked through.
• Serve immediately as desired, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Otherwise, can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The post “Put it all in” turkey burgers | reduce food waste appeared first on .

Although a lot of “healthy” granolas avoid added sugar, I chose to include some. I feel that this helps create bigger clusters and let’s be real – it also tastes good. But you are absolutely free to adjust the amount of syrup added to your liking, or omit it entirely. Sometimes I make granola with added sugar, other times I skip it. It really just depends on how I’m feeling. This recipe is packed with health-promoting ingredients, and that is not negated by adding a little sugar. Ultimately, the amount of sugar in this recipe remains significantly lower than a lot of supermarket alternatives (around 1tsp per portion). Food should be enjoyed, not bland, and not feared. Try not to see food as black and white, entirely “good” or “bad”. Eat more whole-food ingredients where you can, but make sure every bite is enjoyable; just have fun with it!

This Spiced Caramel Granola also serves as a good basic granola recipe – by making some simple substitutions you can really make this your own. For example, switching around the types of nuts and dried fruit included, using a different flavour of protein, playing with different spice mixes, or even thinking outside of the box by adding quinoa or puffed rice.

Spiced Caramel Granola

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Breakfast, Recipes

Makes

1

jar

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

This spiced caramel protein granola is packed with gut-loving whole food ingredients, but most importantly tastes amazing. This will make one large jar so you’ll be set for a full week! This recipe can be easily adapted to suit your own tastes – switch up the protein powder, play with different spices, or experiment with different combinations of nuts, seeds and dried fruit. This recipe will last for around two weeks in an airtight container. Serve with milk, or sprinkle on top of your favourite Greek yoghurt.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup buckwheat groats

• 1 cup oats

• 1/2 cup coconut flakes

• 1/3 cup sultanas

• 1/4 cup goji berries

• 1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped

• 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp flaxseeds/linseeds

• 4 tbsp pumpkin + sunflower seed mix

• 3-4 tbsp protein (I used salted caramel, but vanilla would also work)

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup golden syrup

• 2.5 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180C and prepare a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (EXCEPT the coconut oil and syrup) and mix well to achieve an even distribution of all components.
• Melt the coconut oil in the microwave, then add in the golden syrup. Mix together before pouring over the dry ingredients. Stir together well.
• Transfer the mixture onto the lined baking tray and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from the oven and then allow to cool completely before breaking it into large chunks. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

The post Spiced Caramel Granola | Whole Food Recipe appeared first on .

What’s The Deal With “Massaging” Kale?

We all have different food preferences, and that’s okay. But I think one reason kale, in particular, is disliked is due to the rather bitter flavour and tough texture. A super simple way to alleviate both of these is to incorporate it into curries or hearty stews, letting it cook down and soften (for example, try adding kale into my plant-based ‘Cheese & Broccoli Soup‘). The toughness of kale actually makes it perfect for this reason – it holds its own much better compared to spinach, which is at risk of becoming almost sloppy if overcooked. However, what do you do if you plan to eat it raw (like in a salad)? Well, much like myself when I’m feeling bitter – a good massage works wonders (candles and oil diffuser optional). A little-known fact about kale is it’s actually pretty sensitive – sometimes we need to let it know it’s appreciated.

Massaging kale with your hands for 1-2 minutes really helps make the rough leaves much more tender, and actually makes them easier to digest as well. There are two key ingredients here – (i) oil (e.g. olive or rapeseed), and (ii) an acid (e.g. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar). These work together to partially break down the kale and release some of those bitter compounds. Oh, and one other thing – remove those frickin’ stems. They nasty.

How To Massage Kale

Mastering the perfect massage takes years of practice. But first things first – set the mood by dimming the lights and playing some relaxing music or rainforest sounds. Whale sounds also acceptable.

I kid.

It’s pretty simple – place the (de-stemmed) leaves in a bowl, drizzle with some oil and a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar, crack a little salt, and then work these into the kale by rubbing and squeezing the leaves between your hands. Depending on the amount of kale, anywhere between 30-120 seconds is enough. Don’t overwork it as the last thing you want is mushy kale. It gets far too over-emotional.

Some kale varieties don’t need any messaging – cavolo nero for example. You can also skip massaging if you’re preparing a salad ahead of time. Dressing it with an acid-based dressing and letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours will have the same effect.

Kale Crisps

Okay, but this post doesn’t include a recipe for a stew or a salad. Nope – we’re taking it back to kale in it’s simplest form. And I could honestly eat it every day. I can’t promise that these kale crisps convert you if you’re a hardcore hater, but I recommend giving it a shot. And if you already like kale, you’re in for a treat. These could also be added to a salad bowl (see my ‘Zesty Chipotle Nourish Bowl‘), or used as a side dish for a main meal.

“Cheesy” Vegan Kale Crisps

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: SnacksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1-2

servings

Prep time

2

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

These kale crisps are perhaps your best shot of being converted into a kale-lover (if you aren’t already). They take less than 15 minutes to make, and give you something to munch on in the afternoon while boosting your micros for the day! They work perfectly as a perfect savoury snack on their own, or as part of a snacking platter with veggie sticks and hummus for example. Alternatively, they could be incorporated into a salad or eaten as a side dish to your favourite meal. They’re suitable for vegans, made with whole ingredients, and of course, unbelievably tasty – but I may be biased.

Ingredients

• 3 good handfuls of kale

• 1tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1-2tbsp olive oil

• 7tbsp nutritional yeast

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180C
• Wash kale and make sure to pat dry with a clean tea towel. Remove stems and chop into smaller pieces if required.
• In a bowl. mix the remaining ingredients together. Then spread your kale onto a lined baking tray, pour over your mixture, and massage in for 60 seconds.
• Place your tray into the oven for about 10 minutes to bake. I like them a little charred around the edges, but bake to your preference!
• These can be stored for a couple days in an airtight container – but are best served straight away.

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There are tons of small ways we can improve our eating habits, but today I wanted to focus on some foods to add into your current meals to increase nutrition content a little. Like little nutrition sprinkles, so to speak.

A caveat to this entire post though – while I’m giving specific suggestions, these are all things I think are easy to add to your current diet. Dietary patterns, not specific foods, are key. Any health outcomes associated with “a diet high in [insert certain food here]”, is often the result of overall healthy lifestyles and eating patterns – not that specific food in and of itself. So keep that in mind. Once again, these foods are all recommended parts of a wider, balanced, and varied diet.

That aside – let’s get into it.

1. Beans & Lentils

Here in the UK, we’re used to basing our meals on meat. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with including meat in the diet from a health perspective, many people get defensive when plant-based proteins are suggested as an alternative. However, one of the reasons I think this is is because it’s often interpreted as having to choose between one or the other – meat, or full-blown veganism. But that’s simply not true! You do not need to completely exclude meat from the diet in order to increase your intake of plants!

Adding beans and lentils into the diet on a regular basis is a fantastic way to increase fibre intake and lower saturated fat intake, all while providing adequate protein. My stance with nutrition has always been that the more diverse your diet is, the better. Evidence shows that including a variety of plant foods in the diet is associated with significantly improved health outcome, while often costing less money and reducing your carbon footprint. How can you not be interested?

Try switching out half, or even a third, of the mince in a lasagne, for example, with lentils. Make a curry with chick peas instead of chicken once a week, or once every two weeks to begin with.

2. Mixed Nuts & Seeds

I can bet you that a significant chunk of the population never eat nuts and seeds unless they’re covered in salty or sugary seasonings. But out of all these tips, this has to be one of the easiest to implement.

Nuts and seeds are high in fibre, healthy fats, and micronutrients, and studies have actually shown that despite their relatively high-calorie content, increasing consumption of whole, plain nuts, does not result in weight gain. Instead of focusing on calorie targets, a more important goal is aiming for over thirty different plant foods per week, in order to optimize health and increase nutrition status. Adding a sprinkle of mixed nuts or seeds to salads, curries, casseroles, smoothies, porridge (almost anything you can think of) has to be one of the easiest ways to wrack up your plant points for the week!

If you’re starting out and are not a fan of the concept, start off super easy – add chia seeds to a smoothie, almond flakes to a curry, cashews to a stir fry, or even a tbsp of ground almonds into your porridge (I promise you you’ll barely, if at all, notice this!).

If you’re more on board, I would even suggest keeping a jar of mixed seeds on your table along with salt and pepper. Get used to just adding a sprinkle to every meal!

I also love to jazz up some 80%-85% dark chocolate by making healthy chocolate bark. To recreate this, melt the chocolate in a double-boiler or the microwave, and stir in a variety of nuts and seeds, and dried fruit too (I made some this morning with 1 bar dark choc, 4tbsp desiccated coconut, a handful dried mango, a handful of pistachios lightly chopped and 2tbsp each of chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds). Pour onto a lined baking tray and allow to set in the fridge before breaking into chunks. Super simple and delicious!

3. Olive Oil

The “low fat” trend of the 1990s-2000s has been a hard one to shake. While there are certain products and situations low fat may be beneficial, there is substantial evidence that reducing saturated fat, rather than total fat, is the key to improve health. Despite this though, there is still a general fear of fat amongst the general public. This goes hand-in-hand with our obsession with low-calorie foods; a food high in fat, no matter the type, is not going to be low-calorie. But we need to stop associating high-calorie as “bad” and low-calorie as “good”, without considering the nutritional composition as a whole.

Populations who consume a lot of nuts, seeds, plant oils, and oily fish often have longer healthy life expectancies than Westernised civilizations (not to mention lower rates of obesity – go figure). The Meditteranean diet is one most often talked about (but by no means the only healthy cultural diet), which is well known for its focus on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, from oily fish and olive oil for example. A commonly used “Meditteranean Diet Score Tool”, proposes that >4tbsp of olive oil be consumed a day to improve health outcomes associated with such an eating pattern.

Olive oil is not necessarily the only option – walnut oil, rapeseed oil and flaxseed oil (to name a few) are all good choices. But consider implementing these more readily into your diet. Including oils and healthy fats adds a heap of flavour, and helps to make a dish much more satiating (this is likely why increasing intake of healthy fats is not inherently associated with higher body weight). They are also hugely beneficial for heart and brain health, contributing to better energy levels, mood, focus, and possibly better mental health as well. Since hormones are actually made from fat, ensuring adequate fat intake is also crucial for a healthy hormone balance, which has shown to be particularly important in women’s health. I could go on, but I hope this is enough to show you – fat is not to be feared! If you are looking to increase nutrition content of your diet, you can’t avoid healthy fats.

While we often only use oil to cook with, some of the best benefits will come from adding oils after cooking. So consider swirling a tbsp of olive oil into your bowl of soup, making a salad dressing based on olive oil, or even adding a tbsp of a lighter-flavoured oil (e.g. flaxseed oil) to a smoothie.

4. Berries

Another super simple way to boost the nutrition of a meal is to add berries. I hope it goes without saying that all fruit and vegetables are healthy, and there’s no one superior to the other. Once again – the best thing you can do is get the biggest range as possible!

Berries provide an amazing source of essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin C and folic acid. However, alongside these, berries provide a particularly rich concentration of phytochemicals (chemicals naturally found in plants that have shown to have benefits on human health), such as anthocyanins (responsible for the rich reds and purples of berries). These have been associated with having high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and may help to reduce risks of cancer and heart disease. While the relative importance of these phytochemicals is yet to be determined, berries are undoubtedly a great addition to the diet – and are something that few people dislike! Fortunately, most berries also grow seasonally in Northern hemispheres, so in terms of air-miles and carbon footprint, we’re all good. Try to choose options grown as close to home as possible.

I try to include berries as part of my daily diet – whether on their own as a snack, or added into a smoothie, a yoghurt, or on top of porridge or cereal.

5. Celery

Okay, this one’s a bit random I’ll admit. The reason why I included this one isn’t so much because celery has any “magic” properties (don’t even get me started on celery juice *BIGGEST eye roll*). But if you listen to my podcast, I’ve already brought this up at least twice.

Increasing our intake of plants is a fantastic way to improve health, and increase nutrition status. A rough guide to help with this is to aim for >1/2 of your dinner plate to be filled with vegetables. When I say this to people in clinic, I’m often met with a blank stare or an attempt at a placating nod that’s clearly just for my benefit. But when I break it down, people start to see that filling half the plate with a mound of peas isn’t necessarily what I mean. One of these strategies is adding more veg into the meal itself when making things like casseroles, curries, chillis or stews. For those who are on the picky side, celery is a godsend.

While raw celery is probably a less popular vegetable, it is virtually undetectable when added into a dish. It adds minimal/no flavour, cooks to a soft texture (similar to cooked onion), and can be chopped up as small as you need to cater to you or your family. Give it a go!

6. Dark, Leafy Greens

I think of dark, leafy greens as the “berries” of the veg world – again, all vegetables are equally as important. But, compared to something like iceburg lettuce, darker coloured greens pack more of a punch.

A diet high in dark, leafy greens is associated with lower rates of obesity, heart disease, cancers, type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline. They boast an incredible profile of vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, E, K and B-vitamins such as folate, as while as fibre, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phytochemicals. Aim for 2-3 servings per day of options such as kale, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, bak choi or rocket.

Implement these by using as the base for a salad or in sandwiches or wraps instead of iceburg lettuce, add kale, broccoli or spinach to soups and stews, or throw into an omelette. Spinach, in particular, is an easy addition as it wilts down so much – so you can add in a heft portion without it overtaking the entire dish.

Due to the high content of fat-soluble vitamins (A, E and K), this is also the perfect opportunity to implement your salad dressing based on olive oil (pairing fat with sources of fat-soluble vitamins aids their absorption). Alternatively, pair with oily fish or some avocado.

7. Colour

This goes back to point #5. As I keep mentioning, our main goal should be increasing variety, particularly of plant foods, into our diet. The easiest way to think about this is colour – so as you’re preparing a meal, think about how many colours are present. This is also a great way to get kids on board and teach them about cooking and healthy eating – make it into a fun game they can participate in!

How can you add more colour to your dish? Where’s the red? Make a sauce based on chopped tomatoes. Greens? Add a handful of spinach and chopped celery. Yellow? A chopped yellow pepper. Orange? In go some carrots. White? Garlic it up. Purple? Red onion.

Not every single meal needs to be perfect, or filled with every colour under the sun. Sometimes, I want white pasta with butter – is that too much to ask? BUT, if you do this throughout your day, week and month – you’ll be well on the way to boosting that nutritional intake!

To learn more about creating healthier eating habits, take a look at my post about Navigating Food Labels or learn from the world’s healthiest civilisations.

The post Increase Nutrition of Any Meal | Easy Nutrition Boosters appeared first on .

Like 99% of my recipes, these no-bake chocolate coconut slices are very quick and easy to make and are based on whole foods, so they’re much higher in fibre and lower in sugar than standard Bounty bars. I’m a massive fan of mixed textures – the buckwheat groats help give these bars some “bite”, which contrasts with the soft coconut filling. I like to enjoy these with a cup of tea in the evening or as a treat to get me through Zoom meetings!

I do include desiccated coconut in this recipe, but the coconut cream adds moisture and creaminess, and avoids the Sahara desert dryness I get when I attempt my annual “do I like it yet?” Bounty re-test (spoiler: the answer is always no).

This recipe makes quite a large batch (~30 slices), but trust me, you’ll be glad to have a good supply for the week. I keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Feel free to half the ingredients to make a smaller batch. They keep for about 5 days at room temperature, but I feel like they keep better stored in the fridge.

If you like these, why not try out some of my other sweet recipes, such as my Chocolate Bubble Balls, Fudgy Chocolate & Peanut Butter Slices or Spiced Orange & Poppy Seed Muffins?

Chocolate Coconut Slices

Recipe by Katie Wilson at Salt & HoneyCourse: Sweet Treats, SnacksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

30

bites

Prep time

25

minutes

I’ve always wanted to like Bounty bars – but alas, I do not. I know I’m not alone there, so if you are like me and like the taste of coconut but could do without the texture, you need to try these. These chocolate coconut slices are made with all whole ingredients, taste amazing, and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

• 175g pitted medjool dates (~7-8 dates) soaked in 60ml hot water for 10 minutes

• 150g buckwheat groats

• 1tbsp coconut oil (or butter if preferred)

• 150g desiccated coconut

• 3.5tbsp (~60ml) liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey, yacon, rice malt syrup etc)

• 4.5tbsp (~80ml) coconut cream for the filling + 1tbsp for the chocolate layer*

• 80g high-quality, dark chocolate, melted

• 1tbsp milk of choice

Directions

• Prepare a high-sided tray or baking tin by lining with greaseproof paper.
• In a food processor, combine the dates, date water, buckwheat groats and coconut oil to form a sticky paste. Don’t worry if some of the buckwheat remains intact.
• Decant this mixture into the tray and firmly press down with the back of a spoon, or even with your hands (make sure they’re clean!).
• Rinse your food processor before adding in the desiccated coconut, sweetener, and 4.5tbsp of coconut cream. Blitz until smooth. Then, spread evenly on top of the base layer.
• For the top layer, melt your chocolate over a double-boiler or in the microwave, being careful not to let it burn. Stir through the final tbsp of coconut cream and milk. It will form a slightly thick, ganache-like consistency. Pour over the coconut layer and smooth with a spatula to ensure an even covering.
• Allow to set in the fridge for an hour or so, or in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. To cut into bites, I recommend using a sharp knife than has been run under hot water – this helps avoid cracks in the chocolate (but of course – this isn’t the end of the world).

Additional Notes

• * coconut cream is usually bought canned, or in a Tatra Pak carton. Make sure you buy coconut CREAM (not coconut milk) – it should be fairly thick in consistency.

The post Chocolate Coconut Slices | No-Bake, Healthy Bars appeared first on .

However, when bloating is excessive, causing pain, occurs after almost all meals or is accompanied by other gastrointestinal symptoms (altered bowel habit, excess flatulence, nausea, cramping), it could be a sign of some underlying issues. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is best to seek advice from your GP.

In saying that, there’s a middle ground. Even in the absence of the above symptoms, excess bloating can be distressing and uncomfortable. It’s also something that affects everyone differently. This is why it can seem like you’re constantly feeling the bloat, while your best friend hardly ever seems to experience it. Some of this comes down to the sensitivity of your gut, how much gas your microbiome naturally produces, and how efficient your body is in absorbing it. Take note that true bloating is different from what we now have come to lovingly call “the food baby”; the presence of food or fluid will naturally cause your belly to stick out a little more – this is normal. Bloating on the other hand is due to the gas described in the first paragraph, so more often than not will occur sometime after digestion has started.

It’s not uncommon for people to immediately self-diagnose a “food intolerance”, and blindly start cutting out foods, or even whole food groups, from their diet. While this can sometimes alleviate symptoms initially, more often than not symptoms return some time later. This leads to an endless cycle of cutting out more and more foods, resulting in an increasingly restrictive diet.

There are several issues with this. Firstly, cutting out foods, and especially food groups, unnecessarily increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Secondly, it impedes on being able to enjoy a variety of foods in the diet and can be psychologically problematic. Especially when it comes to dining out and socialising, having a list of “banned” foods can make these events more stressful than enjoyable. Thirdly, cutting random foods out of your diet is more likely to exacerbate problems in the long run, rather than help them. For example, often foods most associated with bloating are those that are high in fibre (our microbiomes preferred food), resulting in more fermentation and gas production. But this is also what will help support growth of these beneficial bacteria, so it’s not a good idea to cut these foods out. And finally, self-diagnosing can mean missing an actual underlying problem, which could be treated more appropriately.

Needless to say, if you truly suspect a food intolerance, it’s never a good idea to cut it out blindly. Start a food and symptom diary and get support from a GP or dietitian.

What many people don’t realise, is that the root causes of bloating are often not related to individual foods at all. So before you jump the gun, take some time to consider some of these common non-food causes of bloating. Again, while some bloating is normal, some simple changes can help to reduce the severity or frequency.

Causes of Bloating Related to Eating Behaviour:

Improper Chewing

We don’t think a lot about how we chew foods, but chewing is actually a really proper part in the digestion process. Because of our busy lifestyles and lack of sit-down or extended meal times (which we see a lot more of in other, typically healthier, cultures), eating is often a rushed experience. Depending on the food, we might only chew each mouthful 5 or 6 times before we swallow. Research shows that in order to get the maximum benefit, we should actually be chewing anywhere between 20-40 times, achieving a paste-like consistency, before we swallow. I don’t know about you – but I definitely need to work on this! It certainly takes practice, but it can have a powerful impact on our digestion. Some foods, such as watermelon or porridge, will of course take much less, so this is a guide only.

Chewing digests food through mechanical means (breaking the food into smaller pieces with our teeth) and also chemical means (digestive enzymes present in our saliva). Without utilizing this step of digestion properly, the rest of our digestion can be inhibited. This means more undigested material passes into the lower part of our intestines where most of the microbes are, and so can cause excess fermentation and gas production.

It’s also important to realise that our digestive system isn’t always “on”, as such. Many of the steps in the process are triggered by the presence of food, or as part of a feedback system, where the activation of one step in the process alerts subsequent steps to get ready. Taking time to chew allows your body time to recognise that it’s time to fire up the rest of the digestive system.

Start by counting how many times you chew food at the moment, then intentionally start to chew each bit a little more (e.g. chew an extra 5-10 times to start with, depending on where you’re starting from). Do this consistently for a few weeks, aiming towards the 20-40 times mark, and see if this improves your digestion or bloating.

Eating Too Quickly & In Stressful Environments

This relates to the above point, but with this I’m more relating to the headspace we’re in when we eat. Our brain and gut live in strong communication with each other (think of how nerves cause gastrointestinal shifts – nausea, butterflies, “nervous poos”). From a paleolithic perspective, “fight or flight” was necessary to survive predatory threats. We still possess this trait but more often than not the threat is psychological or emotional, rather than physical – i.e. stress. Nonetheless, our body’s automatic response is to channel all of our energy into parts of the body that would be needed in fight or flight – our legs, lungs, limbs etc. Other processes, including digestion, are switched “off” – production of saliva, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes are all reduced, and there is less blood flow to our stomach and intestines, which inhibits mechanical movements needed in digestion. When eating “on the go” or in a rush, we signal to our bodies to be on high alert, rather than that we are in a safe and calm moment in our day; that no threat is near and it can focus less on survival mode, and more on other bodily processes.

In order to maximise digestion, sit down, try to take a few moments to breathe deeply roughly 5-10 times (see below), and begin to eat. Take your time and be mindful.

As a side note, studies slow show that eating slowly and chewing food more helps to reduce overeating and excessive calorie intake. So if this is something you struggle with, all the more reason to try it out.

Too Large Meals

This one doesn’t need much explanation. But essentially, excessively large meals create a lot of work for our digestive system. Overloading on too much food at once is too much for our body to deal with – it simply cannot digest all that food as effectively. Once again, improper digestion – whether caused by not enough chewing, “fight or flight”, or too much at once, means more undigested food for the bacteria to digest and ferment. As I’ve already mentioned, large meals will also likely result in the food baby, so when this is coupled with bloating, can become particularly uncomfortable.

I feel the need to highlight here there is nothing wrong with occasionally overeating. It’s normal that when we’re celebrating or enjoying our favourite foods, we might overdo it a little. However, if you are someone who is struggling with excess bloating and looking for advice, this is simply something to consider.

Dehydration

There are two reasons why dehydration can worsen bloating: (1) As with every bodily function, our digestive system requires proper hydration to work effectively. Dehydration can result in the muscles of our digestive tract to become sluggish. (2) fluid is critical in adding “bulk” to the stool – around 75% should be made up of water. Inadequate fluid means a smaller stool that is more difficult for your body to move along the GI tract.

These two things in combination, mean an overall longer transit time. Although a certain amount of fermentation is good and part of a healthy digestive process, there’s always a balance. Slow transit time often means that the bacteria start to over-ferment some of the food, producing more excessive gas. Normal transit time is around 28 hours, but in a dehydrated state it can be up to 4 days. One of the most common reasons of constipation (often coupled with bloating) is inadequate fluid intake. So make sure to properly hydrate!

Causes of Bloating Related to Lifestyle:

Swallowing Excess Air (for the nerds: Aerophagia)

This is less common, but worthwhile considering all the same. We swallow air when talking, eating and laughing. usually, this isn’t a problem as it rarely reaches the stomach. However, some individuals swallow an excessive amount, which can result in bloating, distention and trapped wind. This can be exacerbated by certain behaviours, including eating too quickly and improper chewing (see a common theme?), talking while eating/chewing, chewing gum, drinking with a straw, fizzy drinks, smoking, and breathing through the mouth instead of the nose.

Aerophagia can also be related to underlying psychological issues, such as chronic stress of anxiety, where swallowing excess air is part of a coping mechanism.

Modifying some behaviours may therefore help avoid swallowing excess air, including taking smaller bites, chewing well, eating with your mouth closed, diaphragmatic breathing techniques, being aware of mouth-breathing, stopping smoking and avoiding drinking with a straw, chewing gum, carbonated drinks or sucking on hard sweets.

Too-Tight Clothing

We all love the athleisure vibe, especially in lockdown. Listen – I appreciate the flattering effect of high-waisted gym leggings as much as the next gal. But constantly wearing skinny jeans, tight leggings, and other restrictive clothing puts pressure on the abdomen, restricts blood flow and impedes our body’s ability to properly digest foods.

Obviously, occasionally sporting tigher clothing isn’t going to be an issue. But try and make sure you give your body some “unrestricted freedom” – get yourself some Mom jeans, flowy pjs and oversized sweats and embrace the unbridled belly.

Other Useful Strategies:

Okay, so these aren’t “causes” per se, but in tandem with addressing some of the above suggestions, these strategies can help alleviate some of that bloating when it does arise.

Stretching & Gentle Movement

Stretching can help to relax the muscles, including those of the gastrointestinal symptom, while some gentle exercise helps increase blood flow and stimulate the passage of trapped wind out of the body. Be mindful that overly vigorous exercise could have the opposite effect* (remember that fight or flight response), so something like a slow to moderately paced walk is enough. Given the tight links between the gut and brain, doing some stretches and gentle movement also helps to relieve stress, which as a by-product may also alleviate some of that bloating.

*Note: this is relating to times where you are in the midst of bloating. Otherwise, more intense exercise, such as HIIT, can of course enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle and is beneficial for overall and gut health.

Heat packs & Abdominal Massages

Like stretching, applying heat to your abdomen relaxes the muscles, and much like all muscles, massages can also help. Try and lie down in a calm space (however, this can be done anywhere if the need arises!), and using a flat hand on your lower abdomen, gently stroke upwards a few times. Next, place each hand on your waist and stroke from your mid-back, down the side of your stomach and towards the groin.

Now turn your hand into a fist. Place your right fist on your lower right abdomen, and firmly slide it up and across. Then use your left fist to continue the direction back down towards your groin. Repeat for a few minutes. Then repeat this, but splitting the previous movement into it’s wo parts – so focus on just your left fist kneading down for 1-3 minutes, then on your right first moving up and across for another 1-3 minutes.

Finish by placing a flat hand anywhere on your lower abdomen, and gently shake. Repeat around 5-8 times, moving your hand to a new spot each time.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Bloating can be aggravated by improper breathing (as previously discussed). Diaphragmatic breathing can help to “switch on” the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease the sympathetic nervous system – in essence, switching from “fight or flight” to a calmer state. This helps to redirect blood flow from the limbs and brain to other parts of the body, including the digestive system, allowing it to work more effectively. However, even while at rest, some of us take shallow breaths through our chest, rather than breathing using the diaphragm. Chest breathing is designed for short periods of increased exertion, not for prolonged periods of time. Due to our high-stress lives, we can often find ourselves breathing this way as a standard. Practicing diaphragmatic breathing for 8 weeks has shown in studies to improve belly distension, and may be particularly useful for those with IBS-like symptoms.

To do this, take a slow, deep breath in through your nose. It can be useful to place one hand on your stomach, and one on your chest. If you are breathing through your diaphragm, the hand on your stomach should move more than the one on your chest. Then, breath out (mouth or nose, whichever comes naturally to you). If you previously noticed that the hand on your chest moved more, on your next breath, really focus on allowing your belly to move out. Visualise the breath traveling into your stomach, instead of your lungs. If done correctly, your chest should barely move at all.

Sleep & Stress Management

Stress is possibly the number one cause of gastrointestinal distress. As you’ll have discovered by reading this post, this is because it ties in with almost all of the above causes. No amount of dietary changes will make a difference if you are chronically stressed! The gut-brain axis is incredibly powerful, and studies show that individuals with chronic anxiety or stress actually display an altered microbiome. Likewise, even two days of sleep deprivation can decrease microbial diversity in the gut.

We live in a stressful environment a lot of the time, but implementing stress management strategies and ensuring adequate sleep are essential for a healthy microbiome.

Implement More Bitter Foods

In Western society, bitter foods have been pushed to the wayside in preference for salty and sweet-tasting options. This is one reason why a lot of people dislike a lot of vegetables, many of which are more bitter than you might be used to. This is especially true for some lesser-liked vegetables, such as kale and Brussel sprouts.

Bitter-tasting foods can help to trigger the production of digestive juices (saliva, stomach acid and pancreatic enzymes). In some cultures, it’s common to start a meal with a salad, which often is based on bitter leaves such as rocket, radicchio or chicory. This is thought to help prepare the digestive system for heavier parts of the meal, like meat, beans and grains.

The evidence of this is limited, but given the overall health benefits of such foods it’s worth a try!

Learn More:

If you want to learn more about gut health and the microbiome, make sure to take a listen to my podcast episode on “The Better Bite”: #8 The Gut Microbiome: Understanding the Basics. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all main podcast platforms.

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