A woman blamed Sainsbury's cooking instructions after burning her cottage pie by putting it in the microwave for 45 minutes.
Kylie Jarman, 20, from King's Lynn, Norfolk, hit out at Sainsbury's claiming the culinary disaster was caused by the instructions on the packaging not being clear enough.
Ms Jarman had planned to share the £1.39 meal with sister-in-law Sarah McKown.
She took to Facebook after the incident to complain soon after the incident, ranting: 'Don't buy cottage pie from Sainsbury's as this is what happens when you put it in the microwave for 45 minutes.'
Soon afterwards, however, dozens of her friends revealed her mistake to her in the comments.
Gemma Parker wrote: Gemma Parker 'I'm no cooking expert but 45 mins in the oven yes, not the microwave.'
She posted on social media soon after the incident showing a picture of her burnt cottage pie
How the Sainsbury's Basics cottage pie appears in the shops - where cooking instructions advise it should go in the oven for 45 minutes
Ashleigh Holder said: 'Not the supermarket fault. It's yours love I've never know a cottage pit to go in a microwave for 45 mins. In a oven yes but not a microwave. U need to use your brain.'
One friend wrote: '45 mins in the microwave, I'm surprised it's not radioactive.'
Another said: 'Four to five minutes more like!'
Kylie later admitted her error, telling The Sun: 'The pack had cooking instructions on two sides, one for the microwave and one for the oven.
'I thought it said 45 minutes in the microwave because it had small writing.
'I did momentarily think it was a little strange when Sarah tapped in '45' on the microwave but we were so tired and hungry neither of us noticed.'
Unemployed Kylie said: 'We can have a laugh about it now. It's silly but we've had a giggle.'
We’ve all been constipated before—you know, those super fun multi-day stretches of poopless discomfort and bloating. Really, is there anything worse than a poopless day? But the issue of constipation actually goes beyond missing your daily fix. Did you know that you can be constipated even when you’re pooping daily?
Shocked? You’re not alone. There is a major discrepancy between what most people believe is constipation and what constipation actually is. Research out of King’s College London showed that nearly one in three healthy people who did not consider themselves constipated actually WERE without realizing it.
That’s right. Constipation can be a hard condition for people to self-diagnose, simply because mild constipation can feel like a “normal” part of life for some people (especially if they’ve been living with it for a long time). It just might not seem out of the ordinary. So it’s important to pay attention.
SO HOW CAN YOU TELL IF YOU’RE CONSTIPATED?
Constipation is different for everyone, but there are some telltale signs to look out for:
You have fewer than three bowel movements a week.
You have to use your finger to get things flowing.
Your poop is consistently hard, dry, and lumpy. (Nuggets are common.)
You push hard and strain to poop. (Ideally, you should never really have to push all that much.)
Your poop is incomplete and doesn’t all come out in one go. (You never feel fully vacated.)
The most important thing to realize is that you can, indeed, be constipated, even if you poop with daily regularity. The nuances of your poop are what count—the quality and color both matter as much as the frequency of your bowel movements, so pay close attention to those.
If things are chronically hard and scanty, it’s time to accept that your daily rabbit plops may be an indicator of constipation. Also take into consideration how long it takes you to make a bowel movement. Anywhere between one to 15 minutes is average, but anything longer than that is considered constipation territory.
If you suspect that you’re constipated, trying adjusting your water and fiber intake. If that doesn’t help after a week or two, seek professional support. Constipation can be caused by any number of factors, from weak pelvic floor muscles to stress to certain medications. Take the time and effort to figure it out. You deserve to have a good, healthy poop.
We’ve all heard that misery loves company, and apparently, anxiety loves sugar. While sugar often earns a bad rep for the harmful effects it can have on our bodies physically, it turns out that too much of the sweet stuff actually wreaks havoc on our mental states, as well.
If you are someone who suffers from anxiety, eating too much processed sugar could be exacerbating your symptoms. Here’s the scoop.
HOW MUCH SUGAR IS TOO MUCH?
Sugar is tricky, because it lurks in many of the foods you buy at the grocery store without clearly announcing its presence. The truth is, sugar masquerades under many different names (such as molasses, corn syrup, maltose, sucrose, fructose, dextrose, syrup and more), so you might be consuming added sugars without even knowing it.
According to the American Heart Association, American women should aim to eat no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day, while American men should aim to eat no more than nine teaspoons—about 100 and 150 calories per day, respectively. However, the average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day.
THE LINK BETWEEN SUGAR AND ANXIETY
When we eat sugar, the dopamine receptors in our brains light up like a sky full of fireworks, and we feel bursts of pleasure and contentment. That’s why that first bite of a chocolate bar feels so rewarding and satisfying.
Unfortunately, those calming and soothing feelings are somewhat of a fallacy. The momentary high you feel from eating sugar is quickly followed by what is commonly referred to as a “sugar crash.”
What is a sugar crash?
After you consume processed sugar, your body goes into overdrive and releases insulin in order to help absorb all the excess glucose running through your system and re-stabilize your blood sugar levels. The amount of work it takes for your body to do this is pretty significant—which is why you’re left feeling sort of cranky, deplete, and even nervous for no apparent reason.
Too much sugar can lead to brain fog or feelings of fatigue, which in turn can impair your body’s ability to cope with stress. If you’re an individual who suffers from feelings of anxiety, too much sugar can therefore make you feel panicked, worried or fearful.
In other words, sugar could be fueling your negative feelings, rather than abating them.
WILL ELIMINATING SUGAR CURE ANXIETY?
Cutting sugar out of your diet will not magically cure anxiety or panic disorders. You should seek help from a therapist or support group for severe anxiety.
What it can do is help you mitigate your symptoms and even minimize them in certain situations. Understanding the link between processed sugar and anxiety gives you more tools in your arsenal to proactively combat triggers in your day-to-day life.
If you’re interested in minimizing your processed sugar intake and monitoring how you feel, you could try eating a diet that is designed to keep your blood sugar levels stable, and track how anxious you feel.
Blueberries are truly amazing. For one, they’re one of the most nutritious berries on the planet. They’re super dense in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. But that’s just the beginning.
Eating blueberries comes with a host a impressive health benefits. They reduce bodily inflammation and can reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. They help the body fight free radicals and premature aging. They can help lower blood pressure. They can help prevent UTIs. They may help with insulin sensitivity and glucose production. They support brain function and reduce cognitive decline.
They are a true super berry. And believe it or not, the list still doesn’t end there.
HOW BLUEBERRIES PROTECT YOUR HEART
Thanks to new research, we now know that blueberries are excellent for heart health, too. According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, blueberries harbor powerful cardio-protective potential.
The randomized, double-blind study followed 115 adults (ages 50 to 75) who were all at high risk for cardiovascular disease. The study was simple. One third of the group ate a cup of freeze dried blueberries a day. One third ate half a cup. And one third consumed a similar-looking placebo.
That’s it, no lifestyle changes or anything, just blueberries for six months.
The results were utterly fascinating. The group who consumed the most blueberries experienced reduced stiffness in their arteries, higher levels of HDL cholesterol (which is beneficial), increased levels of specific substance that improves blood flow and relaxes smooth muscle tissue (like the heart), and increased levels of anthocyanins—the antioxidant responsible for putting the ‘blue’ in blueberries.
Yes, all from simply consuming one cup of blueberries every day. Even better: consuming blueberries had no adverse effect on insulin levels or blood pressure. They were purely a benefit.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America for both men and women, and something as simple as adding blueberries to our diets could make a massive difference.
The study authors estimated that consuming one cup of blueberries daily could potentially reduce the risk of heart disease by 11.4 to 14.5 percent. Additionally, they believe that the same amount of blueberries could reduce the chance of suffering from any sort of cardiac event by 13 percent! And it’s a simple habit to adopt. Buy a big bag of frozen organic blueberries and load them into your daily smoothie.
Blueberries are expensive, you say? Think of it as a (very delicious) whole food supplement to support your long-term health. Nature makes the best preventative medicine.
Sometimes, digestive irritation is inevitable. Most of us know we’re setting ourselves up for disruption when we opt for the cheesy pasta dish when our dairy threshold is low or choose to overindulge over the holidays.
Through understanding why improper digestion occurs, we can make mindful choices, like choosing foods with beneficial digestive enzymes, to help give our bodies a break.
WHAT ARE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES?
Digestive enzymes are a group of enzymes that our bodies make to help facilitate the digestive process. Digestive enzymes are split up into categories that work together to break down macronutrients into smaller blocks that our bodies then absorb.
Digestive enzymes help explain why some of us are able to tolerate dairy, while others are not, for example. If your body is unable to naturally make enough digestive enzymes to break down lactase, then you’re probably going to experience bloating, gas or even diarrhea when you consume dairy.
Luckily, there are many foods that are high in helpful digestive enzymes, which means they help your body’s digestive system work optimally and regularly. Below are foods that are naturally high in digestive enzymes.
1. BANANAS
Bananas contain two enzymes—amylase and maltase—that help break down complex carbs (the kinds you find in cereals or starch) into more easily absorbable sugars.
Of course, bananas are also known for their hefty dose of potassium, and they also contain fiber to help digestion run smoothly.
2. KEFIR
Kefir is made by adding cultures of yeast and bacteria—referred to as “grains”—to milk, resulting in a fermented milk (or non-dairy milk) beverage. The fermentation process gives kefir the digestive enzymes lipase, lactase and protease, which help break down fats, lactose and protein, respectively.
3. AVOCADOS
Yup—the internet’s most Instagrammable fruit is also great for digestion. Avocados contain the digestive enzyme lipase, which helps you digest fat into smaller molecules, thus relieving feelings of discomfort and indigestion after consuming a very high-fat meal.
As an added benefit, studies show that avocados can also help reduce inflammation levels.
4. PINEAPPLE
Pineapples contain a group of digestive enzymes called bromelain, which break down protein into building blocks. However, these digestive enzymes are sensitive to heat, so the optimal way to consume pineapples—if you’re after their digestive enzyme benefits—is raw.
5. MANGO
Have you ever bought a hard mango, let it sit out on the counter, and then returned to it days later to enjoy it once it had softened up? The reason mangos soften is due to the enzymes inside of the mango.
Like bananas, mangos contain amylase, to help break down starches into digestive sugars, also sometimes called maltose.
6. GINGER
Ginger is highly regarded for its ability to help relieve nausea, but it also contains an enzyme called zingibain which might even help increase digestive enzyme production in the body. Zingibain also helps the body digest proteins into building blocks.
Everybody’s favorite food just became even better (if that’s even possible). That’s because, in addition to being absolutely delicious, research shows that it may be therapeutic for those suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis.
The research, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, found that chocolate may help symptoms of MS and CFS. In the study, researchers assessed the effects of dark cocoa on the frequently debilitating fatigue present in both diseases by administering cocoa to the participants on a daily basis for 6 weeks. Participants’ fatigue levels were monitored at the baseline as well as after mental and physical tasks. Those who had the daily cocoa had a 45 percent improvement in fatigue and an 80 percent increase in walking speed. While pain levels were not assessed as part of this study, many of the study participants also reported reductions in pain.
While the mechanism behind the symptom improvements is unclear, it may be linked to the flavonoids found in cocoa. Cocoa contains naturally-occurring compounds known as flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and brain and nervous system healing benefits.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable, almost disabling, disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, as of 2017, there were almost 1 million people living with multiple sclerosis in the United States.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic ephalomyelitis, (CFS or ME), is a serious, debilitating condition that is difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms overlap with other conditions. It is usually diagnosed by ruling out overlapping conditions and then determined by a physician that patients meet the other diagnostic criteria, including: severe fatigue that often leaves sufferers bedridden and lasts for at least 6 months while not improving from rest or sleep, memory impairment, sleep disorders, worsening of symptoms while standing or sitting upright, muscle or joint pain, frequent headaches, tender lymph nodes, digestive disturbances, chills and night sweats, allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals or noise.
Earlier research showed that dark chocolate in small amounts was helpful to those suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis. Chocolate contains high amounts of compounds known as polyphenols, which appear to improve levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a feel-good hormone, known as a neurotransmitter, that helps ensure we’re motivated, have balanced moods and feel good about life. Boosting low serotonin levels is one of the keys to health and happiness. Low serotonin levels can be linked to anxiety, depression, insomnia and even violent behavior.
DARK CHOCOLATE NUTRITIONAL INFO AT-A-GLANCE
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a 101-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70 to 85 percent cocoa provides: 604 calories, 7.87 grams of protein, 43.06 grams of fat, 43.36 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of fiber, 24.23 grams of sugar, 12.02 milligrams of iron, 230 milligrams of magnesium and 3.34 milligrams of zinc.
HOW TO BENEFIT FROM THE STUDY RESULTS
While it may be tempting to gorge yourself with chocolate after reading this, not just any chocolate will do. You should select dark chocolate only, not milk chocolate. Also, be sure the chocolate you select is low in sugar and free from additives, particularly those that are often linked to food sensitivities, such as butter, milk, cream, colors and artificial flavors.
Raisins, are the dried form of raw grapes. They are the most common natural sweeteners, which do not contain any added sugars.
Raisins are produced by laying grapes on brown craft paper trays between the vineyard rows and allowed to dry in the sun when harvested. During this process, the oxidation and caramelization of natural sugar give raisins their dark brown to black colour.
Types Of Raisins
1. Sun-dried (natural)
2. Artificially dried (water-dipped)
3. Sulfur dioxide-treated raisins
Nutritional Value Of Raisins
100 g of raisins contain 299 calories and they also contain:
3.1 g protein
79.2 g carbohydrate
3.7 g fibre
59.2 g sugar
2.3 mg vitamin C
0.1 mg vitamin E
3.5 mcg vitamin K
0.1 mg thiamine
0.1 mg riboflavin
0.8 mg niacin
0.2 mg vitamin B6
5.0 mcg folate
50.0 mg calcium
1.9 mg iron
32.0 mg magnesium
101 mg phosphorus
749 mg potassium
11.0 mg sodium
0.2 mg zinc
0.3 mg copper
0.3 mg manganese
Health Benefits Of Raisins
1. Promote heart health
Raisins are an excellent source of antioxidants and phytonutrients which prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and stroke. According to the American College of Cardiology, daily consumption of raisins lowers blood pressure.
2. Prevent cancer
Dried raisins are considered a very healthy snack choice for type 2 diabetes patients. A study showed that consumption of raisins reduced glucose levels after a meal by 23% and reduced systolic blood pressure [1] .
3. Reduce diabetes risk
The high antioxidant content in raisins prevents free radicals from causing cellular damage. Free radicals cause the growth of cancer cells, which is why eating raisins can ward away cancer [2] .
4. Aid in digestion
Raisins contain dietary fibre that has a laxative effect on the stomach and relieves constipation. Daily consumption of raisins helps in regular bowel movements and aids in digestion [3] .
5. Prevent anaemia
Raisins are a good source of iron, which is required for the production of red blood cells and help them carry oxygen to different parts of the body. Eating raisins will prevent iron-deficiency anaemia.
6. Decreases cavities
Raisins contain phytochemicals that have been linked to oral health. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that, the phytochemicals in raisins assist in healthy teeth and gums by fighting the bacteria in your mouth and lowering the chances of developing cavities.
7. Prevent osteoporosis
Raisins have a good amount of calcium, an essential mineral required for healthy, strong bones and teeth. Post-menopausal women should consume more of raisins to prevent the development of osteoporosis [4] .
8. Protect eye health
Raisins contain polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that protects the eyes from free radical damage. This reduces the likelihood of eye disorders, like cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
9. Prevent excess acidity
Raisins contain substantial amounts of iron, copper, potassium, and magnesium that aids in balancing the acidity levels in the stomach. The next time you have acidity, eat raisins to reduce the acidity levels in the stomach.
10. Enhance skin health
The presence of various antioxidants and important nutrients in raisins like zinc, and vitamin C help keep the skin cells young and delay the ageing process. Raisins contain resveratrol, a substance that helps maintain healthy skin. These dried fruits also protect the skin from sun damage.
Potential Risks Of Eating Raisins
There are no harmful risks of eating raisins as such. People who are looking to lose weight should consider not eating large amounts of raisins. Also, raisins contain dietary fibre, so eating them in excess could cause bloating, gas, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps.
Ways To Consume Raisins
Sprinkle raisins in a bowl of oatmeal or other breakfast cereals.
Add raisins to pancakes, cakes, and muffins.
Sprinkles raisins in your green salad for some sweetness.
Add raisins to spiced curries.
How To Make Home-made Raisins
Take a handful of grapes and wash them properly.
Place them in a dry tray and keep it outside in the sun for drying.
Rotate the grapes every day to ensure even sun exposure.
In just 2 to 3 days, you will have your own home-made raisins.
