SO WHAT IS TASTY AND HEALTHY? ; Raymond Blanc and Nutritionist Dr John Briffa Review Some of the More Unusual Whole Foods Offerings

SO WHAT IS TASTY AND HEALTHY?

Raymond Blanc and nutritionist Dr John Briffa review some of the more unusual Whole Foods offerings

EQUITABLE GOURMET, LOUBIEH GREENBEANS IN TOMATO) MOUSSAKA Pounds 4.49 for 380g Equitable Gourmet links small producers of authentic Lebanese foods to food buyers. Producers enjoy shares in company profits.

RB The ethical-trading foundations sound marvellous. The Loubieh had good flavour; the moussaka was let down by the excess oil.

**** Dr B Despite hefty price and air-mile consideration, from a socio-political perspective this is a great concept they’re essentially good vegetables cooked in olive oil and packaged in glass, so no extraneous chemicals can leach into the food.

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INCAN BERRIES Pounds 2.50 for 60g Golden-dried fruits from a herb indigenous to parts of the Amazon, and rich in cholesterol-lowering pectin and B vitamins.

RB Quite acidic with a sweetness towards the end. I’ve ordered some use for our buffet breakfasts.

*** Dr B These are nuggets of nutritional gold but no single food will replace a varied healthy diet.

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LIZI’S GRANOLA CRUNCH SNACK PACKS Belgian chocolate, treacle and lime ginger, Pounds 1.20 for 50g Bite-size toasted cereal clusters less disruptive to blood-sugar levels than popular cereal.

RB It’s crunchy with large oats and the treacle was stunning with no stickiness. The Belgian chocolate version tastes flat.

*** Dr B Giving food a glycemic-load ranking, which measures the effects on blood-sugar levels, is nutritionally relevant but just being low-carb doesn’t make it healthy. Still, these have so few carbs compared with popular cereal bars, they make a natural and convenient alternative to most snacks.

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PERCIE DU SERT WILLOW FLOWER AND ROCK ROSE NOURISH KEFIR MILK Pounds 1.89 for 500ml Kefir (“good feeling” in Turkish) isfermented by shepherds from the Caucasus and believed to bring longevity. Studies have found Kefir improves the immune system and inhibits tumour growth in animals.

RB It’s a good, clean oldfashioned milk – tart, slightly lemony and delicious and I like to think I’m nurturing my gut.

**** Dr B Fermented milk breaks down certain components making it more digestible. This will do more good than popular probiotic drinks, which can have so much sugar added that they encourage yeast organisms and bad bacteria.

Kefir smells horrible but it’s worth putting on your muesli.

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FRESHLY FROZEN BEE POLLEN Pounds 19.90 French beekeeper Percie du Sert believes high-nutrients are destroyed in dried pollen so he invented a freezing process to lock in all the vitamins. He claims the hormonal, digestive and immune system benefits are staggering.

RB Lovely to look at and very moist. It had a clean tang but lacked punch.

Sprinkle on muesli.

*** Dr B It’s sweet and tastes flowery and is high in vitamin E and powerful antioxidant nutrients called carotenoids. The price is prohibitive.

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VITA COCONUT JUICE Pounds 1.29 for 330ml Green coconut water is an outstanding natural energy and rehydration drink – it’s naturally sterile and has the same mineral and electrolyte makeup as human blood plasma.

RB It’s so hard to get fresh coconuts – I love the clean, fresh taste. It would be great to marinate mangos in this coconut juice with a bit of lime juice.

**** Dr B This has a third of the sugar of Lucozade and gives a good dose of potassium and magnesium needed for energy. I can’t think of anything else which is unprocessed, unadulterated and with the same health properties.

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SHAZZIE’S NAKED CHOCOLATE Pounds 4.45 for a 65g bar Sweetened with lucama, a low-GI fruit, and mesquite, which is reportedly high in protein, calcium and magnesium. The Empress bar contains flakes of 23-carat gold. Siren bars contain spirulina and bluegreen algae from Oregon lakes.

RB This is not remotely like chocolate. The spirulina bar should be sold as an energy bar.

* Dr B Cocoa is rich in magnesium and plant chemicals that are good for the circulation. But this tasted tasted soapy.

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For information on Raymond Blanc’s cookery programmes and restaurant, including a course in La Nutrition et la Cuisine Moderne, call 01844 278 881 (www.manoir.com).

For nutrition and natural health advice visit www.drbriffa.com. Prices are based on RRP values and may vary in store.

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