Food additives are chemical substances that are added to food to keep it fresh and enhance the colour, flavour or texture. Some are found in nature and wholefoods, however, food additives are regularly present in high amounts in processed foods. Also, some food additives are used more than others, posing questions about continuous exposure and long-term consumption.

Having a variety of different wholefoods in our diet makes a big impact on our healthspan. Today we talk about 11 types of nuts that have shown to have an anti-cancer effect, making nuts a definite addition to our menu.

It seems that nutrition labels on the back of food products are getting longer and more complex to understand, which leaves many of us wondering — what is really in our food? Food processing and food manufacturing have brought many areas in the world out of starvation by making food items last longer and more available. But in our modern world of convenience, have we become too reliant on semi-prepared and fully processed foods, and what long-term effects might this have on our health?

Lavender is one of the most versatile essential oils, and throughout history it was used in the kitchen for cooking, as an antiseptic and antibacterial aid, and recently research has focused on its use as a relaxing aid during heart surgery.

A food product being “Plant-Based” sounds great, and they are often given a label or claim as being “healthy”. But what is really in these products – carbohydrates that are a part of real, whole foods or carbohydrates that are highly processed?