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Wholegrains (porridge), so good in so many ways

Wholegrains

Wholegrains are very beneficial in the diet because they help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, several forms of cancer and some gastrointestinal problems. The risk of both heart disease and diabetes may be up to 30% lower in people who regularly eat wholegrains as part of a low-fat diet and healthy lifestyle.

Eat porridge oats at breakfast and get 2 wholegrain servings. A bowl of porridge oats (40g serving of oats = 2 servings of wholegrains) meets 66% of the recommended daily amount of wholegrains.

Irish Oatmeal with diced cranberries, flaked almonds and orange zest;

Neven Maguire – TV chef and Proprietor of MacNean House

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

  • 3/4 pint – 1 pint (11/2 cups/350-475ml) of milk, (according to desired consistency)
  • 4oz (11/2 cups/110g of Flahavans Irish Oatmeal
  • Zest of half an orange
  • 1 tbsp cranberries
  • Toasted flaked almonds to serve

Cooking and Serving instructions

  1. Place the oats and milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes until soft & creamy
  3. Grate the orange zest
  4. Add dried cranberries
  5. Place in a bowl and serve sprinkled with toasted almonds

Sound health!

Source; http://www.flahavans.ie

 

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Going drinking tonight? 3 things you must do..

If you are going out, there are three things you must do;

1.EAT   2. EAT.  3. EAT

1. Alcohol is an awful messer when it comes to food because it throws your whole system into chaos. It helps to eat before drinking, especially foods high in protein. Having food in your stomach will help slow down the processing of alcohol. And keep your energy levels high

2. If you’re having a meal with friends, so much the better. If you’re not, avoid crisps and snacky things.

3. Have something ready to eat when you get home. Your body will be craving a carbohydrate boost from having to cope with alcohol which is why you feel hungrier after drinking

If you do eat, you’ll sleep better and feel fresh in the morning

Sound health!

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Wine goes down very easy in this sizzler

When its hot like this, good to be outside with friends and family

With a real Mediterranean feel in the air you can relax, no worries

A glass of wine in the hand helps, great to get  a buzz going

Soon the bottle’s empty and you’re sending for another

Remember this, wine contains alcohol and alcohol is a poison, so it’s wise to keep track of what you drink

A bottle of wine may have anything from 7 to 12 units, depending on its alcoholic strength

In Ireland the recommended safe levels are 17 units for men and 11 for women

Which means no more than two bottles of wine for men, and one for a woman, in a week

That’s all, no more alcohol after that

Can you leave it at that?

 

 

 

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Smirnoff vodka, with ice cream and Nutella

Smirnoff nutella

Found this yummy recipe on the Smirnoff Facebook page

A must for all Nutella lovers according to Smirnoff

Put a dollop of  vanilla ice cream, Nutella, some milk and a shot of Smirnoff vodka into a blender and mix until smooth

Pour into a glass and garnish with gratings of chocolate. Add some hazelnuts if you fancy

A delish way to refresh your day.  Especially in this weather, when its so hot!

Oh and enjoy the lovely Smirnoff ice cream cocktail with Nutella sensibly

If you can. You think the responsible people at  Smirnoff forgot to mention this?

No they don’t have to. Not on Facebook, that’s why there’s so much heavy alcohol stuff on there

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Do you know how alcohol affects your skin? 10 Q&A’s

1. Why does your skin appear dull after drinking?

Alcohol dehydrates your skin and depletes it of vital skin nutrients

2. If you overindulge in alcohol, what long-term effect on facial blood vessels occur?

Drinking alcohol causes facial blood vessels to dilate. Excessive alcohol can cause the vessels to dilate permanently. This causes red spiky veins.

3. Does alcohol consumption affect other skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis?

Alcohol may aggravate these skin conditions and cause additional flare ups

4. Which foods should you avoid when suffering a hangover?

Anything fried. Choose nutrient rich foods to reverse some of the negative effects of the drinking from the night before, whole grain toast for example

5. Alcohol depletes which beneficial vitamin?

Vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant

6. Why is vitamin A beneficial to the skin?

Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant that boosts collagen production and skin cell turnover

7. What is the primary physical trait of heavy drinkers?

Heavy drinkers usually have rosy cheeks, a red nose or a flushed face

8. What should you drink along with alcohol to avoid dehydration?

Drinking water along with alcohol will counteract the effects of the alcohol and will decrease dehydration

9. The toxins in alcohol can contribute to what unattractive skin flaw?

Alcohol can cause the build up of cellulite

10. After several drinks, the body will divert oxygen and blood away from where?

The skin. Skin loses important blood circulation because oxygen and blood is diverted to the liver and other organs

Source: Howstuffworks.com

 

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Bacardi, the Facemask approach

Facebook, 21/7/2014; This is an extract from Bacardi Facebook

“Bacardi    Untameable   Exiled   Outlawed   Imprisoned and always free    Since 1862

7,828,000 likes       Win Electric Picnic Tickets

Your legs must be tired and voice crocked, so drop by our bar for a refreshing Bacardi Cuba Libre to make the last day of the Longitude Festival the best one yet

We’ve loads of Electric Picnic tickets to give away! All you need is a unique code found on promotional Bacardi bottles or when you buy a Bacardi at participating bars, then enter here to win”

The following information of vital consumer health interest is not to be seen anywhere on Facebook

BACARDI IS A BOTTLE OF 40% PURE ALCOHOL, a toxic, addictive, psychoactive drug

 

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10 simple ways to lose weight

1.Eat a healthy breakfast! It kicks start your metabolism and you are less likely to snack mid morning and less likely to eat past the point of fullness at lunch. Eating porridge every morning has other health benefits. It boosts energy, helps to lower cholesterol( as part of a low-fat diet), and may help prevent heart disease and other cancers, helps control blood sugars and aids digestion.

2.Eat cereal for breakfast (hot or cold). Breakfast cereals such as whole grain cereals (oat or wheat based cereals) are lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals than other breakfast foods. A typical breakfast demi- baguette contains 1,335 calories and 66g of fat – EIGHT times the calories and 33 times the fat value of a breakfast of porridge oats and a serving of orange juice.

3. Choose porridge and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice Instead of a latte and a croissant and save 140 kcal and 14g fat. Or if you insist on having morning coffee, swap your cappuccino or latte for an Americano and save 100 kcal. As porridge is 100% whole grain, one bowl provides two of the three servings of whole grains recommended for health. Diets rich in whole grain can help prevent heart disease.

4. Drink plenty of water; people often mistake thirst for hunger. The recommended daily amount is two litres and more when exercising.

5. Choose an apple instead of a muffin and save 265 kcal and 14g fat. Or go for a pear instead of a ring doughnut and be 200 kcal better off.

6. Eat more low energy dense foods like fruit and vegetables – leave the fruit bowl on the kitchen table and finish every meal with a piece of fruit.

7. Half fill your plate with steamed or salad vegetables at your main meal. These foods are filling but have very few calories.

8. Avoid distractions at mealtimes. Eating while reading the newspaper or watching the television can blunt satiety cues and results in higher calorie intakes.

9. Don’t snack while watching the television (or at the cinema) as this leads to passive over consumption of calories. Look but don’t eat.

10. Watch the size of your portions! Food portion sizes grow year by year, even though people actually need less energy due to a shift towards sedentary lifestyles. The Americans have dubbed it ” portion distortion”

Source; Nuala Collins, Leading independent nutritionist, www. flahavans.ie/health-and-nutrition

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Fruit Oat Smoothie

Here’s a summer breakfast option with thanks to Flahavans.ie

Fruit Oat Smoothie, makes 500ml approx or 1 pint

Ingredients

150g(6oz) fruit(e.g. bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwis or stewed apple)

100g(40z) yogurt

40g(1 and 1/2 oz) or 2 scoops Flahavan’s Quick Oats

200ml(7fl oz) milk

Honey to sweeten

Method

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for about 1 minute until smooth

2. Add more milk for consistency

3. Pour into two tall glasses and serve

From Mary Flahavan’s Tasty Oat Recipe Booklet

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Cooler West Coast now has vodka

west coast cooler, epic

Epic Together? To get the connection you have to go to Facebook

There the target consumer, two attractive females whose friendship is Epic say;

“Us girls have a special bond that’s like no other, our friendship is beyond special”

Clearly “Us Girls” don’t think West Coast Cooler is cool unless there’s a kick in it

That’s why Pernod Ricard added vodka. Be careful, West Coast Cooler is now 7% pure alcohol

But you won’t find this item of vital consumer health information anywhere

 

 

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Guinness Paint the Town Black? Never Again

Drinkawaste.com complained about this campaign through the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland

On the basis the slogan, ” Paint the Town Black”  was coined from the phrase ” Paint the Town Red”

Paint the town red, is to engage in a wild spree. The allusion is to the kind of riotous behaviour that results in blood being spilt, according to Urbandictionary.com

Under pressure Diageo/Guinness withdrew the campaign for its alcohol product. It was a clear directive to abuse alcohol on Arthur’s Day and St Patrick’s Day

Now Diageo/Guinness say there will be no more Arthur’s Day. That is good news for the community, the  police, ambulance people, hospitals and others, who had to deal with the mayhem Arthur’s Day created