Monthly Archives: November 2014

Thoughts on Coffee

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Robert Barrington
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Pepper: More Than Just A Condiment

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is one of the most widely used seasonings in the Western world, surpassed only by salt. The pepper plant is indigenous to India where its use can be traced back to early human history. In Greece … Continue reading →

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Sunflower Seeds: Not just for The Birds

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) has a very distinctive flower with amazing geometric patterns. In terms of human nutrition, it is the grey and black seeds of the sunflower plant that are of interest. Sunflower seeds make great bird food because … Continue reading →

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Eat Smart, Stay Smart

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Western lifestyle diseases include cognitive degeneration. It is often assumed that it is common to experience such age related cognitive decline. However, studies on populations consuming traditional Mediterranean foods show that this is not the case, and suggest that diet … Continue reading →

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Calcium and Vitamin E: The Cured Meat Connection

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The association between meat and colorectal cancer is controversial. This controversy stems in large part from studies that show that different types of meat may have very different effects on the risk of carcinogenesis. In particular, the association between meat … Continue reading →

Posted in Calcium, Cancer, Iron, Nitrates / Nitrites, Tocopherols, Vitamin E | Comments Off on Calcium and Vitamin E: The Cured Meat Connection

Make Sure Your Mother Gets Her B12 (Before You Are Born)

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Choline is an important component of phospholipids, functions in lipid metabolism and is also able to form the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Choline can be derived from the diet, but is also synthesised endogenously. The synthesis of choline requires methylation and this … Continue reading →

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Blueberries For Blood Vessel Health

Posted on November 10, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Diets high in plant foods are protective of health. In particular, plant based diets appear to be protective of cardiovascular disease. Plants produce polyphenolic substances as secondary metabolites and many of these chemicals are biologically active in humans. The absorption … Continue reading →

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Can You Get All The Vitamin C You Need In The Diet?

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Robert Barrington
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Why You Should Choose Legumes Over Grains

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Robert Barrington

A healthy high quality diet should be composed of fat, protein and carbohydrate. All of these components should be of high quality which means that the protein should contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions for human … Continue reading →

Posted in Beans, Carbohydrate, Fibre, Glycaemia, Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic load, Protein, Pulses / Legumes, Weight Loss, Whole Grains | Comments Off on Why You Should Choose Legumes Over Grains

Pumpkins

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Halloween is a time when pumpkins become available in the shops and people buy them to carve ornate decorations. However, few consider the nutritional value of the pumpkin during this process. The pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) is a type of winter … Continue reading →

Posted in Carotenoids, Essential Fatty Acids, Pumpkin Seeds, Winter Squashes, Zinc | Comments Off on Pumpkins