http://www.cdgosteopathy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/raspberry-blog-300x224.jpg 300w, http://www.cdgosteopathy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/raspberry-blog.jpg 1296w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Ingredient 1: ALMONDS

The humble almond is NOT in fact a nut, but the edible seed from the fruit of the almond tree. Technically (and to boost your general knowledge!), almonds are known as drupes (where the fleshy part contains the seed- like peaches and plums…).

Health benefits are legion:
• Low in sugar, high in protein and very high in fibre makes them very supportive of gut health and a great choice for people wanting to control their blood sugar.
• High in good fat (mainly monounsaturated).
• High levels of calcium (for bone health), magnesium (for muscle health among other things) and vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant).

Almonds are calorific, however the latest research is increasingly at odds with western medical consensus that fat intake is linked to heart disease. The famous Lyon study looking at post heart attack patients compared controls on a “standard” low fat diet with test subjects on a much higher “good fat” diet. After 4 years, the latter group experienced 70% less heart disease than the controls (about 3x the reduction expected from taking statins…).

Ingredient 2: ORGANIC LIVE YOGHURT

Good quality organic and unsweetened yoghurt is high in calcium and other micronutrients. So-called “live” foods also contain pro-biotics- good bacteria that go to populate our large intestines. A good balance of gut bacteria is essential for proper digestion of short chain fatty acids, has an important role in immune function as well as in making vitamins B and K. Above all, well-balanced gut flora promote healthy digestion- limiting nausea and headaches, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea as well as being implicated in illnesses ranging from eczema, flu, coeliac disease and IBS to ADHD, autism and depression.

Ingredient 3: RASPBERRIES

Following the general knowledge theme, raspberries are aggregates of drupelts- ie a bunch of little fleshy fruits containing mini seeds! They have one of the highest fibre contents by weight, almost no carbohydrate ( ie sugar) and provide a broad spread of micronutrients including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamins C and K. They are also very good sources of ellagic acid (which has been shown to be anti-proliferative (inhibits cancerous growth)) and anthocyanins (anti inflammatory compounds). Above all they taste AMAZING so get as much of this super food in as you can before summer is out!

[Consider buying organic, as commercial varieties have been shown to be highly contaminated with agri chemicals]

In summary, my (The?) perfect breakky consists of a large tablespoon of organic, live yoghurt (Rachel’s is my current favourite), a handful of almonds or almond-containing, home-made granola (recipe to come!) and a sprinkling of seasonal organic berries with a little honey to taste.

To really super-charge your morning, take a tablespoon or 2 of mixed seeds (sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and flax) and grind them in a coffee grinder (15 quid on Amazon). This makes their super-charged nutrient profile MUCH more bioavailable to your digestive system (instead of it passing out undigested…). Sprinkle this powder onto your yog-nut-fruit mix and away you go.

Nutrient profile is maximised; gut health is addressed; the combination of good fat and fibre makes this breakfast go a long way in terms of satiety and glycaemic load (sugar profile) and above all it tastes fantastic. Buon appetito!