Eating Clean - by Choice or Necessity? | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service

What do your food choices say about you? Do you have to read the label carefully because of a health condition, do you like to be seen to buy the latest trends, or do you just buy things because you like the taste?

These days, many people are choosing to go the extra mile, and putting more effort into their food awareness. And not just because of allergies or intolerances. For some, it’s a lifestyle choice, and the health and fitness benefits easily pay off the effort they put in.

According to the latest statistics, more than half of Britons are now buying ‘free from’ products. That is, products free from such ingredients as gluten, wheat or lactose. Only around 1% of the population suffer from coeliac disease (which requires them to avoid gluten) and it’s estimated only 15% are lactose intolerant. That’s way below the 55% now buying products that cater to these conditions. So are people buying them just because it’s the latest trend (certainly helped by high profile celebrity endorsements), or are there health benefits to be had for everyone? The fact that you’re thinking about your diet enough to choose these products means you’re likely to have a pretty healthy diet, so it may be hard to pin down specific benefits.

Could it just be down to the perception that it’s better because of the way it’s made? By ensuring products are free from certain ingredients, the producer gives the message that they have put more effort into making the product. More effort equals better, healthier product, right? It’s the same with organic food, which hit the headlines again recently.

Previous studies had suggested that organic foods show no significant health benefits over non-organic food. But new studies contradict this, and say that organic foods are richer in antioxidants and lower in harmful metals, equivalent, they say, to an extra one or two portions of fruit and vegetables per day, which sounds extraordinary. However, the reports were quickly followed by claims that the study and its findings were misleading. Some scientists said that while organic food may be higher in antioxidants, these are not part of the essential nutrients we need, and so benefits would be minimal. Often, people are choosing to buy organic and free from products not for their health benefits, which may or may not exist, but in support of the method of production - environmental concerns, such as sustainable farming techniques.

Or maybe it’s as simple as taste. Over recent years, we’ve seen an explosion in the range and flavours of beer and chocolate available, and a subsequent rise in popularity of real ale and dark chocolate. That was down to small pressure groups such as CAMRA running successful campaigns.

Now there’s a new group aiming to change our perception of unpasteurized milk. Pasteurizing may kill off various bacteria that can cause food poisoning and other illnesses, but it also kills off the desirable bacteria that can have health benefits. And it neutralizes the flavour, they say. Unpasteurized milk is a living food with a complex flavour that varies according to breed of cow, and what they feed on. The Food Standards Agency has found a widespread appetite for it, and is considering the case. If that starts appearing on your supermarket shelves, what would be the most persuasive argument to make you try it? One that’s based on the health benefits, the social benefits or the taste benefits?

Whatever your reason for choosing to eat something or not, that’s your choice. And we fully support you in all your diet decisions. If it’s just because you don’t like the taste, that’s as important to us as if you have an allergy. We listen to what you need and what you want, and we tailor every plan to the individual. So you get the freshest, healthiest and tastiest food delivered right to your door.

Contact us 7 days per week on 020 86269360 between 9.00am and 21.00pm or via www.totaldietfood.com

Get our daily menus plus other food and diet based insights on our website here or via Twitter and Facebook

Eating Clean - by Choice or Necessity? | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service

The Perfect Summer Diet Plan | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service

It’s the middle of a heatwave, and you probably don’t feel like eating anything too substantial, right? But it’s vital you still stick to your plan and get the right nutrients. Your body still uses as much energy to stay cool as to stay warm. It probably won’t hurt to skip the odd meal if you’re not hungry, but make sure you get the right vitamins and minerals packed into the food you do eat. And of course, keep drinking plenty of fluid. Food with high water content, like melon, lettuce and peppers, can contribute towards your daily hydration, so don’t feel you have to drink buckets of water.

If you take out a Total Diet Food plan, we can tailor your meals however you like. So if you don’t want any hot meals this week, we can make sure your food is still healthy and matched to your needs. Like this delicious Smoked Salmon Salad Nicoise that’s on our menu for tomorrow. Salmon is an excellent source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals, as well as being high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for a healthy heart, brain, joints and general wellbeing. And there’s good water content in the greens and radishes to help keep you hydrated.

All our food is highly personalized, so if there’s anything particular you want, or don’t want, while the weather is hot, or for any other reason, just let us know by midday the day before and we can change it. It’s all prepared with the freshest ingredients, so it’s easy, tasty and nutritious. You don’t have to shop, chop or cook, and that means more time for you to enjoy the weather while it lasts! Cos this being England, we know it won’t last long!

Contact us 7 days per week on 020 86269360 between 9.00am and 21.00pm or via www.totaldietfood.com

Get our daily menus plus other food and diet based insights on our website here or via Twitter and Facebook

The Perfect Summer Diet Plan | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service

Sugar - What You Need to Know | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service

Why is it an issue?

It’s the latest thing on the health police’s agenda, being cited as a major cause in the rise of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and possibly even dementia, not to mention tooth decay. The risk to your health is becoming harder to ignore, and the costs to the NHS of treating avoidable illnesses are enormous.

But some sugar’s ok, isn’t it?

Yes, it’s the added sugars that are the problem. Naturally occurring ones in fruits, milk, etc are generally considered ok. Government guidelines give recommended levels of added sugars. They say no more than 10% of your daily calorie intake should come from added sugar (taking into account alcohol).

That equates to 50g for women and 70g for men, as a rough guide. But the government has just halved its recommendations, so 25g or 35g now!

How do I know how much I’m eating?

Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as just reading the labels. The problem is that these guidelines are for added sugars, but the guidelines you read on food packaging are often for total sugars, including the naturally occurring sugars in fruits, milk and other foods that are not considered such a danger. There are no government guidelines on total sugars, because that doesn’t tell you the proportion of added to natural. So the industry uses a rule of thumb of 90g for labelling.

One can of standard Coca Cola contains 35g of added sugar. That’s your entire daily allowance under the new halved guidelines! A sweet and sour chicken ready meal can contain 22g, although some of that is naturally occurring in the pineapple, and it’s hard to work out how much is added.

It’s all a bit too confusing isn’t it? What can I actually do?

Try to cut down on sugar you add yourself, in tea, coffee, cereals etc. Do it gradually, by reducing the amounts rather than going cold turkey. You’ll find you don’t miss the taste if you adjust gradually, and that alone can make a big difference.

Switch fizzy drinks for fruit juices or flavoured water. Think about what you snack on, and try not to head straight for the donuts. Read labels, especially on things that claim to be healthy – a prominent health claim on the packaging is often countered by less healthy additives such as sugars.

Most importantly, avoid processed foods. The ready meals and pastries many of us grab for convenience are stacked full of the bad sugars we need to avoid. Eating clean is the one bit of advice that can help a wide range of issues with the modern diet.

And don’t forget to exercise regularly – any diet should go hand in hand with that.

Shouldn’t the labels be more informative?

Yes, as the extent of the problem is becoming better known, pressure groups are demanding more accurate and less misleading information on a variety of topics, and sugar is right up there at the top of the agenda. But multi-nationals use sugar to generate cravings and make you buy more of their product, so they’re not likely to change unless they’re forced by law or our shopping habits.

What’s the sugar content of your diet plans then?

At Total Diet Food, all our ingredients are super fresh, and we guarantee that we use no added sugars. We don’t use processed foods or starchy carbohydrates, which can also be a source of bad sugars. We also personalize every plan we send out to your specific needs, and special requests. So if you want to cut out fructose, carbs, or anything else, we can help with that. So you can rest easy knowing our food not only tastes great, but it’s perfectly balanced and tailored to you, with no added sugar.

Contact us 7 days per week on 020 86269360 between 9.00am and 21.00pm or via www.totaldietfood.com

Get our daily menus plus other food and diet based insights on our website here or via Twitter and Facebook

Sugar - What You Need to Know | Total Diet Food - London's Fresh and Personalised Diet Delivery Service