Nutrition - Our Green Health

What is the Function of Dietary Fiber for our Body?

14/10/202109/07/2021 by Hannie Mommers

In The 6 Essential Nutrients to Have a Balanced Diet, I have mentioned that some say this should actually be “the 7 essential nutrients” because dietary fiber should be included as well. This poses of course the question “What is the function of dietary fiber?”.

Our ancestors had a diet rich in fiber. Gradually, a large part of our food has been refined and stripped of nutrients and fibers.

In the US, 40% of the inhabitants eat fast food every day, which does not contain any fiber. In Europe, most people eat an average of 15 grams of fiber per day, which should be double the amount.

Lifespan and Nutrition, an often Neglected Partnership

14/11/202104/06/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

Lifespan and nutrition are an often neglected partnership. This partnership had a huge impact on the way we live today. Why do we consistently neglect the impact of this partnership? This needs some serious discussion.

In the eighties of the last century, as a communication expert, I designed a circular policy decision-making model. I used this model to explain to civil servants and politicians how their decisions transformed into the actions that were supposed to materialize their intended goals. The goals were always aimed at changing citizens’ behavior.

Amazing Health Benefits of Magnesium and Magnesium Supplements

11/11/202102/06/2021 by Hannie Mommers

Are we aware of the health benefits of magnesium? Do we consume enough magnesium or is it sensible to take a supplement as well?

To support our immune system, our body needs to ingest the following: Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C, vitamin D3, vitamin K, iodine, zinc, selenium, and magnesium.

Most fresh foods, let alone processed foods, do not contain enough nutrients. On the one hand, this is caused by the depletion of the soil and the use of pesticides. On the other hand, we rarely eat according to the recommendations of the national health organizations.

How to Buy Organic Food on a Budget the Smart Way – 9 Tips

14/10/202103/05/2021 by Hannie Mommers

Buying organic foods is a growing necessity for many families. A lot of children are already obese at a young age. Half of the people living in the Western world have chronic diseases. The majority of elderly people are on medications that can be avoided for a great deal if we make healthy choices.

The more concerned we become about the pollutants and chemicals in our food, the greater the need for organic replacements. However, it’s not always easy to go the organic way as this can be expensive.

Once we are motivated enough it is very doable to buy organic food on a budget. If more people did this, it would be a big advantage in two ways: prices would drop because of more demand and organic farmers would get their fair share.

2 Delicious Organic Desserts, that are Ready in an Instant

14/10/202129/04/2021 by Hannie Mommers

When we stopped eating and drinking dairy it was a big problem to come up with ideas for a dessert, especially organic desserts. Eventually we have found several recipes which gave inspiration to invent some of our own as well.

Almost everything we buy is organic. Someone asked me on Facebook where we get organic hazelnut paste. We’re glad that nowadays even in Spain there are more and more organic stores, where they have hazelnut paste, peanut butter, or cashew butter.

Have a look for another recipe here: apple and pear sauce.

Eating a Rainbow of Food Will do a Lot of Good

14/10/202117/03/2021 by Hannie Mommers

Eating a rainbow of food is healthy. To always eat the same food is not good. Every day, we try to balance the composition of the colors of what we eat.

This may sound a little bit strange, but we do this because different fruits and vegetables have different qualities. Mixing the colors helps you to optimize the balance of all the different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need.

Each nutrient in fruits and vegetables has its significant impact on our health. This is even more significant when we encounter minor health problems. Get as much color variety in your diet as you can. Eating a rainbow of food will do a lot of good.

Healthy Food Dishes with Blue and Purple Fruits and Vegetables

14/10/202115/03/2021 by Hannie Mommers

Healthy food dishes are amazing to prepare and often much easier than you would expect. The trick is to use the right ingredients. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables are such healthy ingredients. Tom and I always use organic fruits and vegetables which are delicious.

The next step is to know what the specific health benefits are of the food we use in our dishes. Most fruits and vegetables are the healthiest when eaten raw. Steam cooked is also a healthy way to prepare food. We always use as little oil and water as possible. And the oil is always organic and plant-based.

Food with a Conscience is More than just Healthy Food

06/01/202210/03/2021 by Tom van Oosterhout

Food with a conscience is something most of us want more and more. We visit the supermarket and try to think beyond what we want on our plate. Yes, we want healthy food, but we also want to know where the food comes from.

However, the more we have to buy, the more difficult it is to keep track of our good conscience. And if both parents have a busy and demanding job, there is little time and energy left to be mindful of what we buy and eat.

That’s why I’ve made up some rules of thumb for ‘food with a conscience’.