POP Porridge News

Preservatives are compounds that help slow or prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms in foods. Preservatives helps to keep foods fresh for a longer amount of time and therefore protects food products from spoilage or contamination. Preservatives can be natural or synthetic and below we list natural preservatives that you can use. 

Some foods have naturally longer shelf lives, and if stored properly, will last for months or years. Other foods can spoil quickly and will last a long time only if they are dried, canned, preserved or frozen.

We would like to give a warm welcome to our new POP Porridge ambassador Paul Navesey.   Paul is a breakfast enthusiast with a particular love for porridge. His love of oat based meals is shared with running. Particularly endurance events from 5k through to the marathon. A British Champion at 100k and County titles at 3000m, 5000m and 10k.

Here are three foods with long lasting shelf lives compared with other popular foods items. To maximize the shelf life of these foods it is adivsed to store them in a cool, dark, dry place and in airtight containment. A dark cupboard in the kitchen or pantry works well.

How many fruit and vegetables should we be eating daily? Well the World Health Organisation back in 2003 recommended 5 portions a day, however more recent studies show that perhaps 10 would be better which is double the recommended amount in the UK.

Flaxseed is also called linseed and comes from the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum). Its nutty-tasting seeds can be eaten on their own or crushed and cold-pressed to release flaxseed oil.

Flaxseeds occur in two basic varieties and colours: brown or yellow (golden linseeds). Most types of these basic varieties have similar nutritional characteristics and equal numbers of short-chain omega-3 fatty acids. An exception is a type of yellow flax called solin (Linola) which has a completely different oil profile and is very low in omega-3s.

Below we list 5 health benefits that Flaxseed may provide for you.

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds harvested from the plant Salvia hispanica which is found in Mexico and Guatemala. Chia seeds were also a staple of Mayan and Aztec diets. Good-quality chia seeds are naturally black or white in colour. 

Chia seeds absorb up to 12 times their weight in liquid when soaked and are a rich source of B vitamins, niacin, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and zinc.

Below we list 5 possible benefits of including Chia seeds in your meals.

Oranges are juicy,  citrus known for being high in vitamin C. The orange peel also known as zest and rind is the outer most layer of the orange and full of  several nutrients, including fibre, vitamin C, provitamin A, folate, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6, and calcium and plant compounds like polyphenol which are beneficial to your health.

One tablespoon (6 grams) of orange peel provides 14% of the Daily Value (DV) of vitamin C, almost three times more than the inner fruit.

Below we list the potential health benefits from eating orange peel.

Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a plant grown in Peru and it is a cruciferous vegetable similar to  broccoli, cabbage, and kale. The Maca root plant can be ground up into a powder and added to meals or smoothies where both the root and leaves are edible. There are different colour Maca ranging from black to white where its biological properties can vary.

Below we explore the potential health benefits that Maca may provide.

There are two types of cinnamon: Ceylon (true cinnamon) and Cassia (more common variety found in most supermarkets). Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees known as Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is high in cinnamaldehyde, which is thought to be responsible for most of cinnamon’s health benefits.

Ceylon is thought to contain more health benefits than Cassia. The Cassia variety contains significant amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is believed to be harmful  in large doses. All cinnamon should have health benefits and Ceylon (s much better in this regard, and studies show that it’s much lower in coumarin than the Cassia variety.

Cacao (pronounced  as“cu-cow”) refers to the Theobroma Cacao tree from which Cocoa is derived and is used when referring to unprocessed versions of the cacao bean.

Normal cocoa powder and chocolate have been chemically processed and roasted, which removes a high proportion of antioxidants and flavanols. Non-organic cocoa (and non-organic chocolate) has also been treated heavily with toxic pesticides and fumigation chemicals, and may contain genetically modified (GMO) products.

Cacao is made by cold pressing raw cacao beans ensuring that no nutrients are lost by heat treating. Unlike cocoa which has been roasted and heavily processed, raw cacao maintains its high nutritional profile making it a superfood loaded with flavanoids and magnesium.

Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, drought resistant tree. The purported health benefits are: 1. Skin and hair - Moringa contains hydrating and detoxifying elements, which also boost the skin and hair. Moringa seed oil is beneficial for protecting hair against free radicals and keeps it clean and healthy. 2. Protecting the liver - Moringa appears to protect the liver against damage caused by anti-tubercular drugs and can quicken its repair process. 3. Preventing and treating cancer - Moringa extracts contain properties that might help prevent cancer developing. Moringa also contains niazimicin, which is a compound that suppresses the development of cancer cells.

Matcha or macha is a finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves.  The following benefits of consuming Matcha are: 1. Anti-aging - Matcha green tea contains antioxidants which combat the negative effects of UV radiation to give us younger-looking skin. Studies show that a cup of Matcha green tea has around the same amount of nutrients and antioxidants as 10 cups of conventional green tea. 2. Detoxification - The chlorophyll  gives Matcha detoxifier. abilities because it helps cleanse the blood and aids in maintaining the alkalinity of the blood and tissues by removing heavy metals, chemical toxins, and hormone disrupters.