How to eat beetroot – and love it!

By Heather Cupit

Once upon a time, beetroot was only to be seen – pickled in a jar – at the back of Granny’s pantry. But that was then… Now it’s seen as a superfood you can use far beyond the salad bowl. Why all the fuss?
Celebrity chefs have gone beetroot crazy: Jamie roasts beef with it, Nigella teams it with chocolate and even Mary Berry makes cakes with it. And, naturally, sales are on the up, with retail analyst Kantar claiming they’ve soared 20% in the past four years.

Rich and earthy, root vegetables make a meal satisfying without bumping up the fat and calories, and beetroot, in particular, is surprisingly versatile and great value. As well as the familiar purple orb, you’ll find white, golden or even striped versions in varying shapes and sizes.

Raw baby beetroot can be peeled and grated into salads or juices, while the mature kind tastes better boiled, roasted or baked in foil (don’t peel or cut it before cooking or the colour and nutrients will leach out). Ready-cooked ‘natural’ beetroot has no additives, but ‘traditional’ beetroot is dipped in acetic acid or mild malt vinegar (thanks, Gran).

Healthwise, beetroot juice is a great pick-me-up that contains nitrate, a chemical that helps to reduce blood pressure, cutting the risk of heart disease and stroke.

How to use beetroot

Choose

Firm, fresh-looking veg – avoid any that feel soft and limp. They should smell fresh and earthy, not musty.

Store

Beetroot keeps well for a month or two in a cool, well-ventilated place. Brown paper bags are ideal as they allow a good airflow.

Eat

An 80g serving or 3tbsp cooked beetroot counts as one of your five-a-day.

Healthy Food Guide expert and nutritionist Amanda Ursell says: ‘Although they taste like comfort foods, root veg like beetroot are packed with useful amounts of vital nutrients and often have fewer calories than their reputation might suggest. Beetroot is rich in super-nutrients, such as betacyanins, which Professor Govind Kapadia, of Washington DC’s Howard University, believes may have a role to play in cancer prevention. And research published in 2012 says it improved running performance in healthy adults – perhaps due to its nitrates. It also contains betaine, which could help protect furred arteries and help to prevent heart disease.’

Try these 3 easy recipes

*Make hummus: whiz cooked beetroot flesh with a tin of drained chickpeas in water, lemon juice and a little cumin in a food processor.

*Roast it: drizzle wedges with olive oil and a little clear honey. Scatter with fresh thyme and cook for 25 min in a medium oven.

*French rarebit: boil one or two beetroots, then cool and slice. Layer on to slices of sourdough (or any crusty bread), top with a few thin slices of French-style soft cheese, such as brie or camembert, and grill until melted.

Why should we increase our fibre intake?

By Gulshinder Johal, British Dietetic Association spokesperson

There was more positive news about fibre this week, with a new study revealing that a fibre-rich diet helps heart attack patients live longer. Why should the fibre we eat make such a difference?

A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in America found that patients who ate the most fibre were 25% less likely to die within nine years of having a heart attack than those patients with the lowest fibre intake. Those patients also had a 13% decrease in risk of dying from heart disease.

The study found that every 10g increase in fibre was associated with a 15% decrease in risk of death. With more people surviving heart attacks, looking at the lifestyle of patients and their dietary habits could help improve outcomes.

In this latest study, the authors looked at the different sources of fibre and found that higher cereal fibre consumption was associated with these decreased health risks. 

Possible mechanisms for the effect were lower inflammation in the body, lower levels of the more harmful 'HDL' cholesterol and improved glycaemic control. 

What does fibre do?

High-fibre foods can play a key role in keeping our diets healthy and balanced, while preventing the risks associated with diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. The fibre in some cereals, fruits and beans, known as soluble fibre, binds with cholesterol, preventing its re-absorption by the body thereby improving heart health. It can be found in foods such as cereal products, fruits, vegetables, pulses, beans, nuts and seeds.

So how much should we be eating? 

The NHS says that the UK population consumes approximately 14g fibre per day – well short of the 18g per day target.

Think wholegrain

Eating wholegrains is an easy way to increase dietary fibre because they contain all three parts of the grain – the bran, germ and endosperm – which makes them an excellent source of fibre, as well as iron, magnesium and vitamin E. 

Wholegrain foods include: whole oats, wholegrain breakfast cereals such as Weetabix, Shreddies, wholegrain muesli and Shredded Wheat, wholegrain bread, brown rice, whole wheat, oatmeal, barley, bulgur, and popcorn

Also get into the habit of:

* swapping white foods for brown foods, so choose wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta and brown rice over white varieties.

* substituting white flour for brown flour in baking.

* adding lentils, beans or pulses to stews, soups and casseroles.

* checking labels: beware foods that are marketed as high fibre, such as biscuits, flapjacks, cakes and savoury snacks, as some could be very high in fat and sugar.

* having your five daily portions of fruit and vegetables as this alone could provide as much as 20g fibre per day.

One word of caution: increase your intake of fibre gradually, as a sudden rise can lead to bloating and wind!

Any other tips for better heart health?

Remember that fibre is one change of many that could improve our heart health. Looking at our overall lifestyle and addressing low fruit and vegetable intake, high salt consumption, low physical activity levels, oil-rich fish consumption and saturated fat levels will all contribute to optimum heart health.

Can coffee reduce your risk of diabetes?

By HFG expert Tracy Kelly, registered dietitian and clinical adviser at Diabetes UK

Coffee lovers will no doubt be rejoicing after being greeted with headlines such as ‘Drink more coffee to slash risk of diabetes’. But before you pour yourself a double espresso, let’s look more closely at the new study behind the news stories.

  

Scientists at Harvard School of Public Health looked at data on almost 128,000 healthcare professionals who, over two decades, were asked regularly about their diet. During that time 7,300 of them developed type 2 diabetes.

Those who boosted their coffee intake by more than a cup a day had an 11% lower risk of developing diabetes, while those who cut their consumption by more than a cup a day had a 17% higher risk of the disease. The researchers also found that people who drank three cups of coffee or more were 37% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who drank one cup or less. The researchers suggest that coffee could decrease glucose levels in the blood.

The trouble is, at the moment that is speculation. They haven’t proved it was the coffee itself that was responsible for the increase or decrease in risk.

Think about it this way. What if you at a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and were trying to make some lifestyle changes, perhaps including a reduction in your coffee intake? You would still be at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first place but you would be drinking less coffee.

You might also decide to reduce your coffee intake as you get older. We know that your risk of type 2 diabetes increases as you get older, so in this case your age would be the key influence on your risk, rather than your coffee intake.

On first glance at this study, it might seem that upping your coffee intake is an easy solution if you want to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but at the moment we simply can’t say it will make the slightest difference. Being overweight is the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes, accounting for more than 80% of the overall risk of developing the condition. The best way to reduce your risk therefore to maintain a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet low in fat, sugar and salt and high in fruit and vegetables and by being regularly physically active.

Our advice would be to keep walking past the coffee shop and on to the gym, the hills or the park. 

How to pick wild garlic

By Hannah Sherwood

If you’re a fan of pick-your-own, have you considered wild garlic as your veg of choice? You can find it growing in woodlands up and down the UK, often in amongst the bluebells, from April to June.

Wild garlic is quite different from the papery bulbs we’re used to seeing in the supermarket and tastes like a cross between garlic and chives. Its soft green leaves are similar in appearance to those of lily-of-the-valley and the pungent aroma draws you to the woodland areas where it grows in abundance.

It’s delicious eaten raw in salads as it doesn’t have the harsh kick of the domestic variety, or you can cook it alongside roast meats or include it in risotto for a subtle extra flavour dimension.

If you don’t want to track down your own wild garlic, order some as part of the Riverford home-delivered organic veg boxes (riverford.co.uk).

Their expert pickers shared this advice when I went picking at their farm in Totnes, Devon, in April:

* Don’t pull up the bulb as this means the plant won’t come back next season, so cut just the leaves, close to the base.

* Take care not to harvest any other unidentifiable plants along with the garlic, as some may be toxic.

* Wild garlic is at its best before its delicate white flowers appear.

If you want to try its subtle flavour in an every day recipe, this Riverford Organic Farm frittata recipe is perfect for a light lunch or supper.

Leek and wild garlic frittata with tomatoes and ricotta

Cuts into 4 wedges

Cooking spray oil

250g (2 small to medium) leeks, finely sliced (use the green parts too)

6 wild garlic leaves, finely shredded

6 tomatoes, finely chopped

4 eggs, beaten

125g ricotta

Freshly ground black pepper

1      Spray a small to medium frying pan with cooking oil. Add the leeks and gently cook for 8–10 min until soft.

2      Add the wild garlic and cook for another 2 mins. Add the tomatoes.

3      Mix the beaten eggs with the ricotta in a small jug or bowl and season with freshly ground black pepper. Pour into the leek mixture and tilt the pan until the base is covered and the mixture is evenly distributed.

4      Cook on the hob for 2-3 mins, until the base has just set, then finish the top under the grill or in the oven.

Per serving: 176 kcals, 12.6g protein, 6.8g carbs, 6.3g sugar, 11.3g fat, 4.7g sat fat, 3.8g fibre, 0.3g salt

Low sat fat, High protein, Low salt

Yes, you could run the Marathon, too

By HFG fitness writer Hannah Ebelthite

Four words you need to know about the Marathon: you can do it. Injury or illness aside, I truly believe anyone can run 26.2 miles if they want to.

And that’s what I did yesterday, along with 36,000 other runners who lined up to start the 34^th London Marathon. It was my third marathon and I was proud to be representing my running club, Ranelagh Harriers, in my blue vest. Waiting in the warm spring sunshine at the start on Blackheath I felt a flutter of nerves, but was determined to channel them into energy. My goal was to come in under four hours, for which I’d need to run even splits of nine-minute miles.

And, despite the crowds, I managed that comfortably for the first half of the race, passing halfway in 1:58. After that? Things went a little pear-shaped. Running along The Highway from mile 13 is the first chance you get to see the much-speedier runners coming back in the opposite direction. Distracted by looking out for other members of my club, I tripped on a traffic cone and went flying. I quickly picked myself up and styled it out… but I’d badly stubbed my toe and kicked myself in the calf and was a little shaken. Then, at mile 15, I could hold out no longer, and had to stop for a quick wee (at a Portaloo - I didn’t ‘do a Paula’).

It was at this point I realised that my GPS watch, that had been keeping me on pace, had stopped! I’d have to run the remaining 11 miles ‘on feel’ – something many runners do anyhow, but something I wasn’t used to. Too fast and I risked burning out before the end. Too slow and I’d miss my target. Such are the challenges of endurance running.

In the end I ran what I thought was a decent pace, even managing a sprint for the final iconic metres down Birdcage Walk, past Buckingham Palace and into The Mall. As I collected my medal I couldn’t stop grinning. But I had to wait to retrieve my baggage in order to find out my finishing time (the digital number shown over the finish doesn’t include the time it took you to cross the start line).

Did I make it under four hours? Unfortunately not. My time was 4:02:03, which marks a six-minute personal best for me. But I was so desperate for my time to start with a three that I can’t say I’m not annoyed. Would things have been different had I not tripped up, stopped for the loo or had a working watch – or if it hadn’t been quite so hot and sunny? Who knows? But I’m pleased that I finished the race in decent shape, with a smile on my face. 

Today my legs ache and my stubbed toes are sore, but I feel good and I’m planning my next challenge. There’s nothing to regret about taking part in one of the world’s greatest events – it takes in some of the city’s most impressive sights and shows Londoners at their finest. The roar of crowds cheering us round Canary Wharf and along Embankment are still ringing in my ears.

The ballot for next year’s Virgin Money London Marathon opens on 22 April… just in case you’re tempted!

My top Marathon tips:

• Have your name printed on your top – the sound of strangers calling it out in encouragement is really motivating.
• Follow a decent training programme of at least 12 weeks, ideally 16. I got mine from www.runwithkaren.com.
• Practise race day nutrition and hydration on your long runs. I had Weetabix and a banana for breakfast, then topped up my energy during the race with SIS Go Gels – sachets of easy-to-digest carbohydrate fluid to fuel you.