Will you take the veggie challenge?

By Hannah Sherwood

Today marks the beginning of National Vegetarian Week – will you be setting aside your carnivorous ways and going cold turkey for seven days? It may sound like a challenge, but meat-free eating has never been so accessible – or delicious. At this time of year, there’s an array of fresh fruit and veg at their seasonal best, and a trip to your local supermarket will reveal a great selection of protein-rich vegetarian options. But if you’re worried going meat-free will mean you're depriving yourself of vital nutrients, HFG nutrition consultant Juliette Kellow has this advice…

More choice for gluten-free products

By Norma McGough, HFG expert and dietitian at Coeliac UK

It may seem like the current hype about gluten-free diets and foods has come from nowhere. Some people see it is as yet another fad spurred on by diet-conscious celebrities who give up gluten to ‘beat the bloat’. But for people who have coeliac disease, a gluten-free diet isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity.

Is fruit juice really as bad as cola? HFG reports…

Sugar is currently being touted as public health enemy number one and has rarely been out of the news since campaign group Action on Sugar launched its attack on the white stuff earlier this year. But while limiting trips to the biscuit tin, stopping short of ordering a pud when out for dinner, and avoiding snacking on sweets, chocolate and cake are no-brainers, one area that’s left many of us confused is fruit juice.

How to eat beetroot – and love it!

By Heather Cupit

Once upon a time, beetroot was only to be seen – pickled in a jar – at the back of Granny’s pantry. But that was then… Now it’s seen as a superfood you can use far beyond the salad bowl. Why all the fuss?

Why should we increase our fibre intake?

By Gulshinder Johal, British Dietetic Association spokesperson

There was more positive news about fibre this week, with a new study revealing that a fibre-rich diet helps heart attack patients live longer. Why should the fibre we eat make such a difference?

Can coffee reduce your risk of diabetes?

By HFG expert Tracy Kelly, registered dietitian and clinical adviser at Diabetes UK

Coffee lovers will no doubt be rejoicing after being greeted with headlines such as ‘Drink more coffee to slash risk of diabetes’. But before you pour yourself a double espresso, let’s look more closely at the new study behind the news stories.

How to pick wild garlic

By Hannah Sherwood

If you’re a fan of pick-your-own, have you considered wild garlic as your veg of choice? You can find it growing in woodlands up and down the UK, often in amongst the bluebells, from April to June.

Wild garlic is quite different from the papery bulbs we’re used to seeing in the supermarket and tastes like a cross between garlic and chives. Its soft green leaves are similar in appearance to those of lily-of-the-valley and the pungent aroma draws you to the woodland areas where it grows in abundance.

It’s delicious eaten raw in salads as it doesn’t have the harsh kick of the domestic variety, or you can cook it alongside roast meats or include it in risotto for a subtle extra flavour dimension.

If you don’t want to track down your own wild garlic, order some as part of the Riverford home-delivered organic veg boxes (riverford.co.uk).