8 Foods Experts Stock In Their Cupboards For Cold And Flu Season

Posted on 26/10/2024 by Boris Clair

Fall is in the air, and so are an increased number of viral pathogens.

Flu activity usually begins to pick up its pace in October, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and many of us will have already experienced the first trace of a sore throat or stuffy nose that heralds the beginning of the cold and flu season well before then. Clearly, now is the time to start building your defences. A healthy immune system depends on a lot, including quality sleep, solid hygiene, stress management and, not least of all, a well-balanced diet.

Up to 80% of the body’s immune cells are found in the gut, and experts increasingly understand that what you eat affects the unique mix of friendly bacteria in the GI tract known as the microbiome, which influences overall immunity.

“The immune system is a complex network of organs, tissues and cells,” said Dr. Carlos Zambrano, a board-certified infectious disease physician and the head of the COVID-19 task force at Loretto Hospital in Chicago. “Clinical deficiencies of [some key] nutrients can weaken immunity and increase susceptibility to infections.”

Nearly half of American adults fail to meet the most basic dietary guidelines. “So even a little boost can help,” said registered dietician Toby Amidor. While she cautions that there is no “magic bullet” food or drink that will “boost your immune system through the roof,” the following are foods that nutrition and infectious disease experts keep stocked in their own pantries. Find out why and what to add to your grocery shopping list.

Garlic

This bulb has both anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.

“It works to upregulate certain chemicals in the immune system responsible for fighting viruses and bacteria and also targets inflammatory cells,” said Dr. Tania Elliott, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

While heat can destroy some of those benefits, researchers at Penn State University found that crushing or chopping the cloves activates their main bioactive compound. So, if you want the benefits without the bite of raw garlic, chop it and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking.

Chilli peppers

While people default to citrus as a source of vitamin C, green or red chilies (serrano, jalapeño, poblano) have nearly as much of this potent antioxidant, which has antiviral properties and may stimulate antibody production, which may help fight off bacterial infections when you have the flu, according to Dr. John La Puma, author of ChefMD’s “Big Book of Culinary Medicine.”

“You should have vitamin C-containing foods twice daily so you can fully absorb it,” he said. As a bonus, Elliott said that spicy foods contain capsaicin, a compound that can thin out mucous, making it less habitable for inflammation-causing viruses and bacteria.

Ginger

Like garlic, this root has antiviral and antibacterial properties and may be especially good at warding off or soothing a sore throat. One in vitro study found that a ginger solution was effective against three pathogens that commonly cause throat infections, and another found a ginger solution comparable to antibiotics in treating the bacteria that cause strep throat.

“Ginger contains gingerols, compounds that act as anti-inflammatories,” Amidor said. Studies have tested ginger extract in amounts from 20g/100mL to 100g/100mL and indicate more is better, so grate or slice some fresh ginger into soups, smoothies, broths or tea for the benefits.

Sunflower seeds

Amidor likes to keep these on hand for snacking because they are a potent source of vitamin E and several minerals related to immunity. Not having adequate vitamin E is associated with reduced activity of white blood cells, which normally keep invading viruses from spreading, Zambrano noted. Sunflower seeds also contain magnesium, and skimping on that mineral is associated with decreased immune cell activity, increased oxidative stress and increased inflammation, according to recent research.

Canned salmon or other fish

Most people struggle to get enough vitamin D, particularly in the colder months. “In winter, too little vitamin D is made in your skin because the angle of the sun is too low,” La Puma said.

Harvard researchers found that people with low levels of this nutrient were about 40% more likely to have had a recent respiratory infection compared with individuals who had plenty of vitamin D. This may be because vitamin D triggers the production of antimicrobial compounds that can help neutralise the activity of infectious agents, including the influenza virus.

Salmon is one of the best sources of this nutrient, with one 3.5-ounce serving to deliver two-thirds of your daily value of D per USDA data, and shelf-stable cans or pouches make adding some to a salad or spreading on crackers easy.

Raw Manuka honey

Zambrano’s sweetener of choice is a specific kind of honey produced by bees in New Zealand. Manuka honey has antibacterial properties and contains a natural compound that can help with cough as well or better than over-the-counter cold medicines, according to research.

Sea salt

Too much salt in your diet can get a bad rap, but Elliott likes to have coarse sea salt on hand to soothe a sore throat. “Gargling with warm salt water when you are sick, especially sea salt, can have an anti-inflammatory effect,” she said. “It works by helping to wash away viruses, bacteria, allergens and mucus in your throat. The rougher the salt, the better.”

One study found that participants who gargled with sea salt reduced the duration of their colds by an average of nearly two days, reduced their use of over-the-counter cold medicine by more than one-third, and were less contagious to members of their household.

Tea

“Hydration is such an important part of supporting your immune system,” said Glassman, “and people often aren’t drinking as much as they do in the summer.” Her solution is to stock up on tea. She especially likes turmeric tea, which contains the compound curcumin, an anti-inflammatory.

One study found that consuming curcumin for 12 weeks reduced the time healthy Japanese adults experienced cold symptoms. La Puma likes green tea, which he says has been shown to lower the viral protein production of cells infected with the influenza virus. He explained, “Catechins in green tea change the physical properties of the viral membrane and block a protein, called hemagglutinin, from the flu virus so the virus cannot be absorbed into your cells.”

Is It Healthy To Eat The Same Thing Every Day? Even If It’s Nutritious?

Posted on 03/08/2024 by Boris Clair

Sometimes, eating the same thing every day, especially if it’s nutritious, seems like a good idea. Having something like egg whites, yogurt and toast for breakfast, and chicken, broccoli and rice for dinner helps with meal preparation and simplifies one’s life.

It can also aid in maintaining energy levels. For example, an athlete friend of mine eats the same thing every day at the exact same time (3:30 p.m.) to “secure his energy levels.” Two hours before his workout, he eats chicken, rice and rice cakes. Eating the same thing guarantees his energy, and eating two hours before working out allows him to digest the food. He also typically eats the same food for breakfast every day.

But getting stuck in a steadfast routine can have some drawbacks. Is this type of eating regimen healthy enough?

There’s a fine line to be aware of.

While it can be common to eat the same foods every day, there can be a point when it turns into something of more concern. Katherine Metzelaar, a Seattle-based dietitian and certified intuitive eating counsellor, explained if someone’s eating the same foods every day, they might have an eating disorder called avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID.

“My first thought is, ‘Why is someone doing that?’” Austin-based dietitian, nutrition therapist, and body image healer Emily Van Eck told HuffPost. “If someone is doing that, I would wonder why, because they could be overly fixating on something.”

Even if someone is neurodivergent and needs to eat the same foods all the time, Metzelaar encourages variety. Plus, consuming the same foods every day could lead to nutrient deficiencies and poor gut health. Metzelaar said that could include bloating and constipation.

“Humans don’t benefit from having the same exact thing every single day,” she said. “Human bodies really benefit from having a variety of different kinds of foods throughout the day, throughout the week, over time.”

Variety is generally best.

Van Eck also said choosing an assortment of foods works best. “I think a variety is best, as in trying to eat different types of grains, different types of vegetables, and different types of protein over the course of a month,” Van Eck said. “I don’t think we need to micromanage the variety of our diet but generally change it up. That also helps with enjoyment and satisfaction. You will get bored eating the same thing every day. It’s beneficial to practice variety because that way when you get sick of something, you have other things you know you like.”

She suggests eating vegetables because they contain valuable fibre, vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants, which lower cholesterol and blood pressure and help in disease prevention.

“If your everyday meal includes a lot of variety, just in that one day you’re going to be getting a lot more nutrients than if you’re just eating egg and toast for breakfast, a turkey sandwich, and beef and rice for dinner,” Van Eck said. “You’re not going to be getting lots of vitamins and minerals, so it really depends on what you’re eating.”

Meal prepping something healthy for a week is fine, just as long as it's not the same exact food every week. — Meal prepping something healthy for a week is fine, just as long as it’s not the same exact food every week.

However, according to Van Eck, it’s OK to meal prep a batch of chicken and rice and broccoli for a week as long as you switch it up the following week or so. “That’s a good way to streamline,” she said.

Long term, not eating a well-balanced diet can affect a person’s mental wellness and social life.

Limiting one’s food options “can increase anxiety around food,” Metzelaar said. “Food is such a pleasurable, joyful part of life, so it can impact people’s mental health as well. We gather with food. We celebrate with food.”

Another concern about eating the same thing is that it can result in intense cravings, or a fixation on the foods you aren’t eating. Metzelaar cited fitness competitors who go on strict diets, saying, “They start to notice cravings for other foods and that can show up in all kinds of ways like in sweets or certain dishes, and a lot of food taking up a lot of headspace for them, dreaming about food, waking up in the middle of the night craving food.”

The bottom line is, eating a mixture of foods and obtaining enough nutrients every day is ideal for a healthy lifestyle.

“Not overthinking our food choices is important, and over-stressing about food doesn’t necessarily do any good,” Van Eck said. “We don’t need to be perfect eaters. If you want to improve your diet, if you’re looking at the things you’re eating and you’re like, ‘Man, I’m not really getting any vegetables,’ or ‘I am not getting enough protein,’ or ‘My blood sugar is kind of out of whack’ or whatever, you can take small steps to improve that. But overhauling everything in your diet is never the answer.”

Help and support:

Breakfast Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day — Or Is It?

Posted on 08/06/2024 by Boris Clair

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it, my stomach’s heard it, too. But my stomach doesn’t care, and I’m not alone. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a quarter of Americans skip breakfast.

So what are we doing to ourselves? Well, it depends on whom you ask.

A strong case for eating breakfast.

According to Dr. Emily Cooper of Cooper Center for Metabolism, you aren’t doing yourself any favors by skipping breakfast. “When people skip breakfast, a good percent will start disruption in insulin secretion,” Cooper said. In other words, low blood sugar, which can cause fatigue, brain fog and “exaggerated emotional response,” also known as a crappy mood. Having a meltdown? Maybe you just need a smoothie, according to Cooper’s thinking.

People have many reasons for skipping breakfast — they’re rushing to get out the door in the morning, they don’t have reliable food access or maybe, like me, their circadian rhythm is such that their ghrelin — that’s the hunger hormone — doesn’t kick in till later. Cooper doesn’t care. Skipping breakfast is a deal-breaker for her patients.

She practices what she preaches. She’d already had “two pieces of good local bakery sourdough whole grain toast with tahini and apricot jam” and was enjoying a bowl of raisins before 7 a.m. when I spoke to her. That’s complex carbs, protein, iron and healthy fats.

But not every breakfast choice wears that kind of halo. Sugary cereal and processed meats, for example, deliver calories but few nutrients. Even so, Cooper says bad breakfast beats no breakfast.

“If you don’t get enough to eat early in the day, ghrelin levels rise later. Your body is trying to make up for all the stuff you’ve missed,” she explained.

You’re hungry, even hangry, which can lead to making poor choices. You’re liable to grab something that gives you the immediate lift you need, maybe an iced Frappucino, extra whip. So here you are mid-morning, loaded with calories, fizzing with caffeine and sugar, but without enough nutrients to sustain you. You’re a hot mess for your 3 p.m. Teams meeting.

Keep that roller-coaster pattern up, and, studies indicate, including one from Cleveland Clinic, you’re looking at potential weight gain and diabesity — obesity-caused diabetes. That morning toast sounding better to you?

Caffeinated beverages have been shown to be good for brain health.

Breakfast’s effect on your brain cognition.

Dr. Jonathan Rosand has seen those studies, too. As co-founder of Massachusetts General’s McCance Brain Care Center and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, it’s his business to understand factors that may lead to depression, stroke and dementia. Does skipping breakfast make the list?

When I spoke to Rosand, he had eaten his oats this morning but said it’s OK that I hadn’t. He said, “I don’t know. There’s a lot of evidence” between missing breakfast and cognition. In other words, skipping breakfast won’t make me stupid. Unlike Cooper, he focuses not on the when but the what: “Getting more stuff that’s good for you — a diet rich in vegetables and leafy greens,” as well as other foods linked to brain health, including fatty fish, berries and walnuts, which are rich in omega-3s and — caffeine fans, rejoice! — coffee and tea.

Check in with yourself, Rosand advises. “How do you feel? Are you cloudy? Clear?” If you’re feeling fine, don’t worry.

What about young people?

But Rosand suggests that breakfast isn’t a bad idea for children, teens and anyone with health issues. Science backs him up on this. The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that kids who eat breakfast typically learn better at school, have fewer behaviour issues and buck the teen obesity trend by maintaining a healthy weight.

Despite that, many of Yasi Ansari’s younger patients regularly skip breakfast. For Ansari, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Los Angeles, it’s a concern. “The problem with not getting our needs met, especially in the adolescent years, is that it can lead to unhealthy eating habits, unhealthy relationships with food,” she said. “Not getting their needs met during this time period can also put individuals at risk of stunting their growth and not being able to perform their best in the classroom or out on the field.”

But, she admitted, the data is inconclusive. When working with patients, she considers other factors: “Are they meeting enough of their nutrition needs throughout the rest of the day? Do they make time for movement in their day? Are they getting enough sleep? Is there a work-life balance? What do foods at lunch and dinner look like?” Ansari advises eating “at regular intervals,” but just as important is to “listen to what your body needs.”

Rosand agrees. “Listening to your appetite — that’s helpful,” he said. “Much of what you’re inclined to do for your body is probably OK.”

What about intermittent fasting? Isn’t that supposed to be healthy?

And now the big IF is intermittent fasting. This eating trend du jour indicates fasting, skipping meals or stretching out the time between them forces your body to work more efficiently, so you’re running on ketones and fatty acids for energy, not glucose (sugar). Most people choose to stop eating around 8 p.m. and not eat again until noon the following day, meaning they skip breakfast.

Intermittent fasting isn’t proven for weight loss, but studies like one in the New England Journal of Medicine show it can benefit the body. It decreases the risk of major diseases, including diabetes, reduces inflammation, and potentially leads to living healthier and longer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that kids who eat breakfast on average learn better at school, have fewer behavior issues and buck the teen obesity trend by maintaining a healthy weight.

Does skipping breakfast mean you’re in the ketone-burning club? Quite possibly. And it’s the most common way to practice intermittent fasting. Just don’t tell Cooper. “I’ve never been a fan. All these kinds of trends people get into — nothing good comes of it. It doesn’t make metabolic sense.”

What about breakfast skippers?

If you’re a member of the breakfast-skipping tribe, you’re in good company.

St. Thomas Aquinas wasn’t a morning meal fan either. He believed breakfast led to gluttony, one of your seven deadly sins, and was immoral. Pete Wells, the New York Times restaurant critic, doesn’t think breakfast is immoral, but he just doesn’t eat it. Stands to reason. He tastes food — a lot of it — for a living. It’s not what he wants to do on his time off.

If you’re expecting a lecture from nutrition and public health expert Marion Nestle, guess again. Nestle doesn’t do breakfast, either. “I prefer eating when I’m hungry, and I rarely get hungry before 10:30 or later,” she said.

As for all those studies talking about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, Nestle advises reading the fine print. Who’s funding the study? Money for The International Breakfast Research Initiative, an exhaustive database of breakfast patterns and outcomes, came from Cereal Partners Worldwide in the U.S. and Canada by General Mills.

The decision is up to you.

To eat breakfast or not to eat breakfast?

“One of the challenges when counselling people on a diet is our all-or-nothing culture,” Rosand said. “That’s not how we live.”

Do you want to start eating breakfast? Great! “Make small changes over the course of weeks, months,” Rosand added. “Look for ways to improve.”

Still not sold on the benefits of breakfast? That’s fine, too. “The goal is to feel comfortable, take better care of ourselves,” Rosand said. “Let’s give ourselves a break.”

Do You Have Issues Sleeping? These Foods And Drinks Could Be To Blame.

Posted on 06/06/2024 by Boris Clair

If you’re one of the millions who struggle with sleep, you’ve likely tried all the most-talked-about remedies. Maybe there’s chamomile tea in your pantry and melatonin supplements in your bathroom cabinet. You already know it’s not a good idea to consume caffeine in the late afternoon and that even though that glass of wine may help you initially drift off to sleep, you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night regretting it.

Still struggling? You could be unknowingly consuming something that’s to blame. According to sleep doctors, there are more foods and drinks that can mess with sleep than people realise. Rounded up here are seven foods and drinks that sleep doctors recommend steering clear of if you struggle with sleep. Plus, they offer guidance on which foods will work for you, not against you.

7 Foods And Drinks That Surprisingly Can Cause Sleep Problems

1. Spicy foods

Digging into some hot chicken wings or curry at dinner could cause sleep problems when you head to bed. Dr. Abhinav Singh, a board-certified sleep medicine and internal medicine doctor, is medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center and a medical reviewer for Sleep Foundation. He told HuffPost that eating food that’s spicer than you’re used to can increase acidity in the stomach, which can cause acid reflux that can make sleeping difficult. Singh explained that gastric acid is already naturally higher at night, and if it continues to rise, it can disrupt sleep.

Dr. Ruchir P. Patel, a sleep medicine doctor and medical director of The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona, agreed. “Eating spicy food close to going to bed can cause acid reflux, which can trigger the brain to wake up excessively.”

In addition to triggering acid reflux, Singh said, spicy food can make people feel hotter, which can also disrupt sleep.

2. Pizza (or anything with tomato sauce)

Patel said many people don’t realise that tomato sauce can be an acid reflux trigger, which can disrupt sleep similarly to the effect of spicy food. That means having pizza or spaghetti for dinner could keep you up.

In general, Patel said, it’s best to avoid eating food that’s high in sodium and saturated fat (like pizza, especially if it has pepperoni) three hours before bed because it takes longer to digest, which can then cause sleep problems.

3. Burgers

Like greasy pizza, burgers are another food that takes the body longer to digest. For this reason, Singh said, eating a big, juicy burger too close to bedtime could keep you up, especially if it has ketchup on it, which, again, can trigger sleep-disrupting acid reflux.

If you want a burger that will help with sleep rather than disrupt it, choose a plant-based burger made with lentils, which Singh said are easier to digest, or, if you are going to have beef, go for as lean a cut as possible.

4. Ice cream

You might want to resist having a bowl of ice cream for dessert if you’re dealing with sleep issues. Dr. Raj Dasgupta, the chief medical adviser for Sleep Advisor, told HuffPost that foods high in sugar, such as ice cream, can keep you up. “The high sugar content can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar, cause stomach issues and keep you alert at bedtime, preventing you from relaxing and falling asleep,” he said.

Singh also said that chocolate ice cream in particular can keep you up. “Many people don’t know that chocolate has caffeine,” Singh said, adding that dark chocolate has more caffeine than milk chocolate. Singh explained that the high fat, high sugar and high caffeine in chocolate ice cream is a triple whammy in terms of disrupting sleep.

5. Milk

In movies, TV shows and children’s books, kids are often given a glass of milk before bedtime. But in real life, Patel said, this can make falling asleep harder.

“Milk can trigger acid reflux,” he said, adding that this can happen to both children and adults. Patel explained that the lactose in milk can be problematic. If you are prone to acid reflux but want to have milk in the evening, his advice is to choose a plant-based milk, which is lactose-free and shouldn’t cause symptoms.

6. Vitaminwater

Though most people know that caffeine can disrupt sleep, Patel revealed that not everyone realises they’re consuming something with caffeine in it. “Some fancy water brands, like vitaminwater, can have up to 50 milligrams of caffeine,” he said. Singh added that some electrolyte drinks or powders can also contain caffeine.

7. Peppermint

Sucking on a peppermint after dinner or sipping peppermint tea seems pretty innocuous. But Singh said that this can cause sleep problems for some people. Why? Like many other foods on this list, he said that peppermint can trigger acid reflux, a link most people aren’t aware of.

A handful of nuts is a smart option for bedtime snacking.

What To Eat Instead

Now that we know greasy foods, spicy foods and ice cream are off the menu, what can you eat that will work in your favour? All three sleep doctors recommend eating a dinner that includes complex carbs, fibre and lean protein. Examples of complex carbs high in fibre are most vegetables, brown rice, lentils, beans, whole wheat bread and quinoa. Examples of lean protein are poultry and fish.

Dasgupta explained that these types of food support healthy digestion, which in turn is good for sleep. Scientific research backs this up, showing that a diet high in fibre, complex carbs, protein and unsaturated fats is connected with good sleep.

Singh says that meal timing matters, too. If you are going to eat close to bedtime or want a nighttime snack, he recommends keeping the portion small, under 300 calories. “A handful of nuts is a good nighttime snack because it has fibre and unsaturated fats,” he said.

What we eat and drink has a powerful effect on the body, including how well (or not) we sleep. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, avoid the seven foods and drinks on this list to see if it makes a difference. Soon you might not need that melatonin after all.

This Is What You Should Be Eating Right After Exercising, According To An Expert

Posted on 14/04/2024 by Boris Clair

After a particularly gruelling workout, the one food I want to immediately reach for is a giant bowl of chips, coated in vinegar with a buttered bread roll on the side.

Obviously, there is nothing wrong with this and food has no inherent moral value but it’s probably not the ideal meal to opt for to keep my energy up for the rest of the day, and help my body to process the work I put into exercising.

So, what is best to eat after exercising and how can we maximise the workouts we’ve done?

The best food to eat after a workout

In good news, the health experts at ZOE said: “If you have a good-quality, varied, plant-based diet, and you’re only doing gentle to moderate exercise, you don’t need to eat anything different after a workout.”

Alex Platts, one of ZOE’s senior nutrition coaches, said that while we do place too much emphasis on protein and the idea that not consuming protein after a workout makes it a waste of time is a myth.

However, he added: “Total protein intake throughout the day appears to be more important for recovery than timing.

“But consuming a protein-rich meal pre- or post-training can be a good habit to get into to help reach daily goals.”

Platts also pointed out that both animal and plant sources of protein are equally effective for muscle-building but Platts added: “you may need to eat a larger amount of plant sources to get quite the same level of total protein intake [as animal sources provide]”

What are the best protein-rich foods?

According to BBC Good Food, protein-rich foods include:

Eggs
Milk
Yoghurt
Fish and seafood
Chicken and turkey
Soya
Nuts and seeds
Pork
Beans and pulses
Tofu and tempeh

What should you avoid drinking after exercise?

Platts said that as you eat and drink normally following exercise, your electrolytes are naturally replaced.

However, if you have a long, intense exercise, you were exercising somewhere warm or you plan to exercise again shortly, you need to put a little more work into rehydrating and replacing electrolytes.

While a sports drink could be a good solution, Platts warns that some of them do more harm than good.

If you do choose sports drinks, Platts urges you to check for additives, sweeteners and artificial colours. He added: “Sports drinks are very simple, and any attempt to dress them up or make them taste amazing will likely come from these sources.”

Alternately, he said: “Making homemade fruit or veg smoothies (potentially with a little added salt if you’ve had a very long, intense, or hot exercise session) might be a good option.”

Good sources of electrolytes

ZOE recommends the following foods and drinks for replacing fluids and electrolytes without grabbing a sports drink:

sodium: vegetable juices, cheese, fermented foods, and pickles
potassium: avocado, bananas, and sweet potato
magnesium: dark chocolate, whole grains, nuts, and seeds
chloride: prawns, seaweed, and any sodium-rich foods
calcium: okra, kale, dairy foods, almonds, and fortified plant milk

Time to re-assess my fave post-workout foods.

Mary Berry’s Genius Potato Salad Addition Transforms It Into A Main

Posted on 20/02/2024 by Boris Clair

I can stand some Irish stereotypes; actually, yes, we do all know each other (more or less). And yep, we love potatoes ― what sane person wouldn’t?

I like mine baked, fried, chipped, boiled, mashed, and, uh, be-saladed (?). But It wasn’t until I read Mary Berry’s version of the dish that I started eating it on its own for lunch.

That’s because the Cordon Bleu-trained chef adds tasty (and omega 3 and protein-rich) salmon and prawns to her dish, not only making it more delicious but also turning it into a more balanced meal.

In fact, the dish is so tasty that it’s earned a five-star rating on its BBC page ― having tried it myself, I can understand why.

The dish also contains radishes

The tasty addition of radishes to the dish adds a crisp and peppery bite to the meal, balancing out the mushy spuds and tender fish.

It holds up well during storage, too ― in fact, all of this recipe does. “The potato salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge, adding the radish, freshly cooked salmon and the prawns up to four hours ahead,” the BBC’s page suggests.

In order to hold up longer against refrigeration, Mary Berry recommends using thicker, middle-cut salmon from the centre of the fish, rather than the tail.

The result is a delicious, balanced dish with loads of contrasting texture and complex flavours ― way, way better than your standard spud salad.

What’s the recipe, then?

You’ll need three middle-cut salmon fillets, each weighing 125 grams or four and a half ounces, with their skin left on. Additionally, the recipe calls for one lemon and 16 cooked tiger prawns.

For the potato salad, you’ll need 500 grams of baby new potatoes, four tablespoons of olive oil, three tablespoons of Dijon mustard, one tablespoon of caster sugar, and three tablespoons of white wine vinegar.

You’ll also require six tablespoons of mayonnaise, one bunch of thinly sliced spring onions, 150 grams of thinly sliced radishes, four finely chopped celery sticks, one small bunch of finely chopped flatleaf parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. This makes enough for six people.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4, and line a baking tray with kitchen foil.

To prep the salad, place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water and bring them to a boil. Allow them to cook for approximately 15 minutes or until they are tender ― once they’re cooked, drain them and then slice ’em into quarters.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the salmon fillets skin-side down on the foil-lined baking tray. Squeeze half of the lemon juice over them and season them with salt and pepper. Cover the fillets with foil, seal to make a parcel, and bake for about 15 minutes or until just cooked. Once that’s done, remove them from the oven and let them cool before removing the skin.

For the salad, combine oil, mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the hot potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool. After that, you can mix in the mayonnaise, spring onions, radishes, and celery. Adjust the seasoning to your taste and add the remaining lemon juice.

Gently flake the cooked salmon into large pieces and stir it into the salad with the prawns and half of the chopped parsley, ensuring you don’t accidentally mash any spuds. Serve sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

Voila ― you’ve got an elite potato salad that’s bulky and balanced enough to count as a full meal (at least, I’ve eaten it for dinner with a baguette twice this week).

Enjoy!

How Much Salt Is Too Much Salt When It Comes To Your Health?

Posted on 20/02/2024 by Boris Clair

Low-sodium soy sauce, soup and snacks dominate supermarket shelves, so it seems pretty obvious that a lot of Americans are aware that they need to lower their sodium intake. But to what extent is it really a problem?

Most people have no idea how much salt they’re eating every day, or how much is recommended (particularly for those with certain health conditions). And did you know that some people are actually encouraged to eat more salt?

We spoke with doctors to answer all of our saltiest questions.

First of all, we do need to eat a certain amount of sodium.

According to Dr. Columbus Batiste, the regional chief of cardiology with Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, “We need the right amount of salt to provide our bodies with important electrolytes that can regulate things like muscle contractions, fluid balance and nerve transmission.”

Dr. Rohan Khera, an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, told HuffPost that salt is “needed for every single body cell, especially the more active heart and muscle tissues.”

Moreover, salt plays a role in ”sweating, normal cell function, metabolism, maintenance of body fluids, and keeping muscles and nerves working properly,” said Dr. John Higgins, a cardiologist with UTHealth Houston.

How much salt do healthy adults need?

Healthy adults only need 500 milligrams of salt per day (about a quarter-teaspoon of salt) to maintain healthy body function, according to cardiologist Dr. Nieca Goldberg, the medical director of Atria New York and a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Limiting salt intake to such a paltry amount isn’t realistic for many people, and that’s OK for most healthy adults, as long as they don’t overdo it. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt per day and ideally no more than 1,500 milligrams, or about three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt per day.

However, most Americans eat far more than the recommended amount of salt, according to Goldberg. “The average American eats about 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day,” she said. “Seventy percent of that salt that consumed is from processed foods.”

Although the recommended maximum of salt may seem low for such an important nutrient, there is a good reason for these guidelines. Khera explained that “our body is built to preserve sodium, so we only have to supplement a little in our diet to ensure we are in good balance” — and too much salt is risky for some people.

What are the risks of eating too much salt?

Too much salt can be dangerous. This is true whether you add salt to your food or purchase processed foods made with salt.

According to Higgins, “A high-salt diet can contribute to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease, renal stones and obesity.” Since too much salt can increase blood pressure, this has the ability to cause a heart attack or stroke, he added.

Your daily sodium intake involves a lot more than just the salt that you sprinkle on your food.

Other risks of high salt intake include blood vessel damage and negative impacts on hormonal and inflammatory pathways, immune response, the gut microbiome and body fat metabolism, Batiste said. He added that the effects of consuming too much salt can lead to premature death.

Are we all at equal risk?

Not everyone needs to worry. Too much salt “may not be bad for everyone. It depends on the person’s health status,” Goldberg explained. “If you are healthy and have low blood pressure, salt may not be harmful,” she said.

If you aren’t sure whether you need to watch your salt intake, Goldberg recommended discussing your diet with your doctor.

How do you know if you should cut back on your salt intake?

High amounts of salt are dangerous for many people, however.

For those with high blood pressure “in the pre-hypertensive range or higher,” or with “heart failure or kidney disease,” Goldberg cautioned that “high salt intake may worsen your condition.”

Higgins said that patients with moderate to severe heart failure should limit their salt intake to under 2,000 milligrams, or about one teaspoon, a day. Those who have had a heart attack or stroke should consume under 1,000 milligrams, or about a half-teaspoon, per day.

Here are the best ways to lower salt intake.

Higgins recommended switching out table salt for an alternative like Morton Salt Substitute, which does not contain any sodium. Goldberg also recommended looking for lower-salt versions of foods that you already eat and becoming skilled at reading labels.

For those with high blood pressure, Higgins recommended eating fruits and vegetables high in potassium, which can lower blood pressure naturally. These include potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, raisins, lima beans, lentils, bananas, oranges, watermelon and cantaloupe.

Some people may actually need to eat more salt.

Although most people consume too much salt, some conditions require more salt. However, before increasing your salt intake, Khera emphasised that “these are specialised conditions that require specific expertise,” and that no one should increase their salt intake before having “explicit discussions with their doctor.” The following conditions may require adding salt to one’s diet:

Orthostatic hypotension. Khera explained that if people have low blood pressure when standing up, or orthostatic hypotension, they may need more salt. When a patient is diagnosed with this condition — one variation of which is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — doctors “sometimes recommend salt to retain more fluid in the body and have fewer dizzy or loss-of-consciousness spells,” Khera said.

High-performance athletes. Khera explained that high-performance athletes may lose a lot of salt via sweat, especially if they are training or competing in hot climates. However, he noted that “this is rarely needed,” and that when it is, “modest increases are sufficient.”

Cystic fibrosis. Individuals with cystic fibrosis lose salt through their sweat more than those without the condition, Khera said. That means they “often require an increase in intake in salt,” although the amount of additional salt each person needs varies and is determined by their doctor.

Addison’s disease. According to Batiste, “People with Addison’s disease, a condition affecting the adrenal glands, may experience low levels of sodium.” Health care providers may recommend increased salt intake to maintain electrolyte balance.

Electrolyte abnormalities. Some electrolyte abnormalities, such as low blood sodium or hyponatremia, are treated with increased sodium intake. However, these conditions are sometimes treated with reduced fluid intake.

Dialysis. Some dialysis patients are instructed to increase sodium intake, Khera said.

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