To mark our Healthy Eating Fortnight (1) from October 18-31, 2010, Essential Trading commissioned further research into healthy home cooking ingredients. 

This revealed some interesting trends in nuts, rice and baked beans…. 

Organic and ethical foods continue to find favour

Food industry specialist Helen Lewis (2) was commissioned by Essential to research further key trends in healthy, home cooking ingredients.  Despite economic difficulties, Helen discovered sales of organic food are still three times higher than in 1999 and over 50% higher than five years ago with 88.3% of households buying some organic food.  Fairtrade sales achieved 12% growth in 2009 compared to 2008 (source: Fairtrade Foundation) showing people are also still keen to make ethical purchases.

We’re Going Nuts!

From her research, Helen forecasts that UK nut sales will rise from £270.5m in 2005 to £473.4m in 2010 – and she predicts they could reach £847.4m in 2015.  “I believe we will see a continued and marked growth in nut sales,” says Helen.  “People clearly have a greater interest in nuts as a healthy snack and they are also using them in more home cooked, authentic Asian recipes,” she explains.

Highly Rated Rice

Rice is a ‘healthy carb’ so it’s no surprise it also enjoys healthy sales.  “But what is interesting is the range of rice being consumed,” says Helen.  “Wild, Arborio and Basmati are all examples of more adventurous varieties being enjoyed.”  Helen believes rice sales overall will increase from £205.2m in 2005 to £368.0m in 2010 – and she predicts they could reach £553.3m in 2015.

Baked Beans a Firm Favourite

Baked beans remain one of the nation’s favourite foods with 81% of Britons buying them (Source: Mintel).  “Finding baked beans in eight out of ten homes is no great surprise,” admits Helen.  “However, what is interesting to see are the lower sugar, lower salt varieties like Essential’s fun, ‘pop art’  baked beans making their mark and enjoying increased sales as people select a healthier version of this firm family favourite,” says Helen.

Viva the Vegetarians!

“Vegetarian and vegan diets continue to prove popular and this trend is further fuelled by the growing number of ‘meat avoiders’ or people who have one or more vegetarian or vegan meals each week,’” explains Helen who predicts that sales are likely to rise from £698.5m in 2005 to £820.9m in 2010 and possibly as high as £1250.5m by 2015. 

1)         During Healthy Eating Fortnight, Essential is inviting people to enjoy a 20% discount across over 100 of its products at its participating high street retailers and www.ethicallyessential.coop.

2)         Helen Lewis is a professionally trained and highly experienced journalist who has written and researched food and drink trends and categories since 2001. Helen’s time as Head of Publishing at leading market research company Reuters Business Insight (owned by Datamonitor) provided the experience and expertise required to write reports for numerous other research agencies during her time as a freelance analyst (2004 to date). As the managing editor and founder of www.foodanddrinktowers.com, Helen has access to numerous secondary resources as well as direct access to food and drink companies. Helen’s experience and contacts have helped her to value and forecast key food categories for Essential Trading.

Essential Trading Co-operative Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) is a measurement of the antioxidant rating of different foods. Antioxidants fight against harmful free radicals, known to be one of the main factors of the ageing process and also associated with the growth of cancerous cells. Although antioxidants are produced naturally in the body, the number declines with age, hence the need to acquire them from our diet.

Antioxidants work by significantly slowing or preventing the oxidative (damage from oxygen) process, caused by free radicals that can lead to cell dysfunction and the onset of problems like heart disease and diabetes. Antioxidants may also improve the immune function and perhaps lower your risk of infection and disease. In your body, the antioxidant process is similar to stopping an apple from browning. Once you cut an apple, it begins to brown, but if you dip it in orange juice, which contains vitamin C, it stays white.

Different fruits and vegetables contain varying levels of antioxidants. The higher the ORAC score, the better the food can neutralise free radicals. By choosing fruits and vegetables with a higher ORAC score, you can maximise your intake of antioxidants in your daily diet. Look for fruits with bright colours – lutein has a yellow pigment found in sweetcorn and turmeric and orange pigment in cinnamon and squash; lycopene is a red pigment found in tomatoes and melon, and purple pigments in berries and grapes. In general, the deeper the pigment in a fruit the higher its ORAC score. This is evident in fruits like cranberries, blueberries, plums, blackberries, grapes, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, figs, cherries and oranges. However, high levels of antioxidants are not only found in fruits and vegetables. Nuts such as pecans, walnuts, pistachios and cashews also rank highly on the ORAC scale. 

Our new muesli contains blueberries, raisins, apples, pecans, walnuts and pistachios. We’ve also added pumpkin, sunflower and flax seeds for that extra omega and mineral boost. And to add even more goodness of antioxidants and flavour, we’ve put a pinch of cinnamon in. We were at the Your Healthy Living Show in Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms on the 12th and 13th of June letting everyone taste the lovely samples! It is available to buy in our stores or from our webshop here. 

One of our newer, popular products is the Red Grape Cherry Antioxidant Drink by Mile High. With an extraordinary high ORAC value of 3,600 (compared to tomato juice at 275) it’s well worth a try, buy at either of our stores or buy online here.

Real Foods Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Things are getting personal at online organic beauty boutique, Lucy Rose!  The award-winning natural beauty website is now offering a range of personal care products, which have been through the usual fastidious vetting process, to guarantee genuinely natural products, which are not in the slightest bit tinted with chemicals, animal testing or unethical production.

The Organyc Cycle

Organyc is a range of organic natural cotton tampons and sanitary towels, certified by the Soil Association, which feel fresh, safe and clean, and have absolutely no negative effects on the environment.  The natural cotton fibres feel instantly more comfortable as they are skin-friendly, breathable and pH neutral.  Better still, they are 100% biodegradable.  From £1.79 for 24 Flat Panty Liners.

Simply the best Cotton Wool

Go organic with Simply Gentle’s 100% organic cotton wool and cotton buds.  Certified by the Soil Association, choose from cotton balls, pads or pleats, safe in the knowledge that this pure cotton is completely natural, is 100% biodegradable and will not harm the environment or the people in it.  From £1.29 for 200 Cotton Buds.

It’s Easy with Inlight

The balms and oils from Inlight organic skincare are the result of years of research by Dr Mariano Spiezia who is a medical doctor, homeopath and herbalist.  The result is a range of highly effective skincare products which use the very best organic ingredients, such as cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and delicately scented essential oils, chosen for their natural therapeutic and preservative qualities.

The high performance balms include Joint-Easy, Acn-Easy, Ecz-Easy and Nyp-Balm for dealing efficiently with specific skin/muscle complaints.  The range is completed with a collection of rich and nourishing body oils and creams, designed for everyday use, including an Organic Line Softener, for treating scars, burns and even laughter lines.  From £13.55 for Joint-Easy to £50.60 for the Organic Line Softener.

For more details, visit www.lucyrose.biz, where postage and packing is free on every UK order.  The extensive selection of organic beauty and skin care, has been meticulously hand-picked to provide top to toe beauty treatments for people who genuinely care about what they put on their skin. 

Lucy Rose is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Get you and your family involved with the cooking and give your lives an eco-overhaul. Watch those lbs drop off whilst reducing your carbon footprint – and having fun (what more could you want?!)

1.    Get your Five a Day – If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times, but getting your five a day is good for you (and the environment!). Filling up on un-processed fruit and veg helps your digestion, clears your skin, rids your body of toxins and keeps your blood-sugar level consistent – stopping you from snacking! The benefits of this are obvious. Un-processed food uses fewer chemicals, machinery, oil, energy and resources and the lbs will drop off if you fill up on healthy, natural produce.

2.    Grow Your Own -  If you don’t own a garden, look into getting a allotment. Gardening is something the whole family can enjoy and as the weather brightens up it’s worth teaching your kids about the benefits of growing your own fruit and veg. Teach your family by example and get your hands dirty – now summer is looming you have no excuse! Spring is the absolutely best time to plant some seeds and enjoy watching them flourish and there is nothing more satisfying than watching that plant go from seed, to seedling, to plant to plate.

3.    Cook from Scratch – Not only is cooking from scratch more likely to result in healthy food, but it can also help you cut down on your carbon footprint. Teaching kids from a young age the benefits of cooking from scratch sets them up for life, and if you have your own home-grown fruit and vegetables then all the better! It also means you will cut down on over-packaged, over-produced and (often) over-priced food and will naturally lower your calorie, salt and sugar intake as hidden additives are often found in processed food.

4.    Support your Community – Local butchers, grocers and bakeries are dying due to the rise of big supermarket chains. Support your local farmers market or local providers by buying your food stores from their shops and help keep your local community flourishing. The produce will also be local, meaning the carbon footprint of your dinner can be reduced dramatically.

5.    Get the Kids Involved – Starting on this journey from a young age, and understanding the importance of keeping our planet healthy, is the first step to ensuring a good future for your children, grand-children and future generations. Teach your children to eat healthily and educate them about where food comes from and watch the enjoyment that comes from their understanding of how to make healthy choices.

6.    Fill up the Dishwasher – It might be dull but cutting down on your energy consumption is the first step towards a greener future. Make sure you don’t run the dishwasher unless it’s full, that way you cut down on your energy bills and your water consumption – saving you money and lowering your carbon impact.

7.    Cut down the Meat – Cutting down on meat can help you shift those pesky lbs (if you keep your diet rich in protein from eggs and nuts) and the manufacturing process of producing and packaging meat products can be costly to the environment. Find some amazing vegetarian recipes and learn that you don’t need to have meat on the plate to have a delicious  meal.

8.    Be Colourful – Make your plates alive with colour! The more colourful the meal, the more likely it is to be full of natural goodness. Think of green and red vegetables, add some yellow pepper, add some natural fibres and protein and you’re away with a meal that looks as good as it tastes.

9.    Be Seasonal – Try to stick to seasonal produce. This way you’ll ensure that what’s on your plate hasn’t been flown in from other countries, cutting down on your personal carbon footprint dramatically.

10.    Try something New – Be adventurous! What’s the point in sticking to the same old food? Try something new and encourage your family to design and create new recipes you can all enjoy. Have fun with your cooking and reap the benefits as your bills, carbon footprint and clothing size decrease…

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Below we have listed 10 way to keep yourself Eco-Healthy these holidays.

1. Take Your Vitamins! Keeping healthy on the inside is one of the best ways to feel healthy on the outside. Make sure to get your supplements from eco-friendly stores such as Higher Nature or Holland and Barrett. Keeping your body healthy stops you from craving extra foods and therefore creating surplus waste!

2. Use Natural Skin Products There are plenty of eco-stores selling amazing green skin products that use only natural ingredients and haven’t been tested on animals. These products are kinder on your skin and produced more sustainably than other commercial cosmetic products. Once you’ve finished your current foundation or body lotion replace it with more natural products and reap the benefits.

3. Organic, Unbleached Clothing and Bedding Products Kinder on your skin and good for the environment try to buy un-dyed and un-bleached clothing and bedding wherever possible.

4. Exercise Outside Avoid the gym and exercise outside instead! Running, yoga, power-walking, swimming… a lot of these activities can be done outdoors saving you money and lowering your carbon footprint!

5. Eat ‘Green’ Foods Try to eat organic, fairtrade, natural, un-processed and local foods. Not only are these better for the environment but cutting out processed foods has been proven to be better for your health and your body! Drink plenty of water instead of carbonated drinks and try to snack on natural plants, seeds and products.

6. Turn It Off Turn off your electronic products. Try to avoid charging your phone or laptop unnecessarily and avoid some of the health risks that can come with using a computer or phone too much. Cut out those headaches, save on your energy bill and reduce your carbon footprint all in one!

7. Spend Time Outside Get some fresh air! Spending more time outdoors is better for your body and helps avoid spending hours in front of the Tv.

8. Go Vintage! Shopping at thrift stores saves you money and can revamp your wardrobe to bring you into the fashion-forward lane! Look amazing whilst recycling old clothes, what a great excuse to go shopping.

9. Plan Ahead! Sticking to your goals and plans without being distracted by the commercialisation of the world can help keep you focused and happy. You can save money simply by sticking to your shopping list and not being taken in by the fancy displays! Never get the post-shopping blues again!

10. Walk the Dog Walking the dog combines exercise, fresh air and bonding with your special pet! Getting outside of the house for a set amount of time each day can reduce stress and help keep you (and your pooch) trim… what an eco treat!

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Lessons on Health and Longevity from Pre-History to Modern Day

Natural healing methods from around the world promote health and wellbeing.

Are you sneezing from a cold or coughing from the flu? Do you have tummy aches or joint pains? If so, herbalist John E. Smith is coming to your rescue. Join John E. Smith as he shares the vast body of knowledge he has gathered from other cultures about food, herbs, health, and healing. Smith has traveled the world studying how other societies use food and herbs as medicine. In Food, Herbs, Health & Healing, he examines various natural healing systems and then distils his findings into a common sense approach to health and wellbeing. Smith offers a colorful cast of characters in this healthful, wholesome, and sensible book: foods, herbs, herbalists, and alchemists. He discusses the origins and healing properties of plants, and then shows us how to safely use ancient remedies to relieve dozens of common ailments. Food, Herbs, Health & Healing is a practice-proven method to achieve better health . . . naturally.

Publisher’s website: http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/FoodHerbsHealthandHealing.html

ISBN: 978-1-60860-653-5

Simply Soaps have re-packaged their successful Mood bath tea bags via their sister company, Hedgerow Herbals. The product, a jumbo tea bag filled with wild crafted herbs is now packed in a fun looking pillow pack and with 6 varieties including a new Mood blend-Phew! to help detox, the new designs will help generate sales towards Christmas.

As Laurence Campion Director for Simply Soaps says ‘we are really excited about the prospect of the new bold designs for the bath bags they will surely add a fun twist to an already successful product.’

Our new herbal bath bag…Phew to help detox! with juniper berries, ginger and peppermint to help with your cleanse. All bath bags are packaged in a display box of 6. Trade price £1.99 each unchanged price for over 12 months!

Visit the website for more products http://www.simplysoaps.com/

Up market and premium, Fushi’s ethical health and beauty brand strikes a chord with award-winning, independent online retailer Ocado. Ocado will launch Fushi in November as part of their ethical and organic product folio, available online. Ocado will stock over 40 of Fushi’s best selling products on their Ocado website for delivery throughout most parts of the UK.

Quality-conscious Ocado delivers over 20,000 food and non-food products including over 4,000 Waitrose own label lines. From November Fushi’s renowned herbal hair care, ethical nutriceuticals, natural herbal drinks, organic ointments and body care will join the quality Ocado line-up for home delivery.

This is a commendable milestone for Fushi, as the brand’s ethos has been to spread its reputation through word of mouth, with ‘no hype just honesty’ being the motto. Fushi’s ethical stance, company philosophy along with ‘quality at good value’ product range is a perfect fit for the Ocado’s target customer.

How to buy Fushi products?

• Via the website http://www.fushi.co.uk/


• Mail-order by calling 0845 330 1880

The Product Range

• Herbal Remedies and Teas


• Nutriceuticals


• Hair care,  Body and bath care


• Aromatherapy

Fushi believe that the body shouldn’t be overexposed to chemicals and unnatural elements and use natural and organic ingredients wherever possible.  Fushi are supporters of fair trade, only buying products from suppliers that do not exploit the indigenous populations. Fushi is a Member if the Ethical Company Organisation and the Good Shopping Guide

Having been tarnished with the title of “London’s unhealthiest borough” Croydon’s
campaigners and health professionals are joining forces to make Croydon an
easier place to live, work and be healthier in.

Leading UK Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life Consultancy
has a clinic at Oasis Natural Health Store in Croydon’s High Street. Yvonne 
says “We are hoping to build long lasting partnerships with organisations
such as Croydon Bid and The Croydon Food Group as well as other health
professionals and media organisations such as Passion for the Planet Radio,
Lifescape Magazine and Ethical Junction. The aim is to target the residents and
workers in Croydon and educate them about practical health choices and
providers of food so that there are more healthy choices on the menu for people
to choose.”

Foods for Life are working on a number of projects;

THE CHOP AWARDS – Croydon Healthier
Office Project – Foods for Life will make annual awards for the office team who
make the biggest measurable changes to their facilities and health of their
team. There will also be awards for the healthiest options on restaurant and
cafe menus to make it easier for people in Croydon to make healthier choices.

FOODS FOR LIFE / FAD FOR LIFE -A  five
a day promotion. A series of talks and workshops for parents and their children
to explain the importance of eating more fruit and vegetables and the impact on
their health.

CROYDON FOOD FESTIVAL  -
Foods for Life will be getting involved with The Croydon Food Festival working
with others to increase the emphasis on healthier vegetarian food choices.

CROYDON ECO VEGGIE FAYRE  -
Organised by Yaoh Foods, Veggievision and Off the Hoof magazine an ethical
festival of health and sustainability at Fairfield Halls will feature a
vegetarian cookery demo area presenting easy, practical healthy 5 a day
recipes, a talks area with a 5 a day workshop on healthy eating for kids. There
will be many opportunities to try new foods and products from over 80
exhibitors in Fairfields Arnhiem Hall

World Vegan Day at The Fairfield Cafe The Fairfield Cafe
will celebrate 65 years of Vegan Living on World Vegan Day 1st November with a
Vegan Sunday Lunch Menu and 65th Birthday Party food with a focus on 5 fruit
and vegetables a day.

Environmental Film Festival 
- Organisers of The Croydon Eco Veggie Fayre are looking for a partner
to sponsor
an afternoon of ethical film screenings at The Fairfield Halls such as
the
ground breaking, eye opening  ‘Age of Stupid’ that was premiered
in London’s Leicester
square earlier this year or ‘End of the Line’ the expose of what the
world’s governments have allowed to happen to our oceans. Food Matters
and A Delicate Balance that shine a light on the callous profit
motivated global health and industry and the effects on our planet.

“We can’t just sit back and watch our children follow our footsteps into
early graves or more likely long term debilitating chronic illnesses that lead
to slow and painfull death.We have to act now to create a brighter future for
them, their health and the health of the planet” warns Yvonne
Bishop-Weston

We
all know we need Omega 3, but what is it? Why do we need it? And
where can we get it from? Well if you are a Vegetarian or Vegan,
VeggieOmega3.co.uk has all the answers.

Developed
by the GOOD
OIL
Team, VeggieOmega3.co.uk is designed to explain all about Omega 3,
and includes delicious Omega 3 recipes designed especially for
Vegetarians and Vegans. The team at GOOD
OIL
will also regularly update their Veggie Blog, and plan to build a
network of handy and interesting links to other Veggie organisations,
groups, products and events.

Made
from 100% cold pressed hemp seed oil, GOOD
OIL
is a perfect example of a great Veggie source of Omega 3. It has the
highest Omega content amongst all everyday culinary oils (20 times as
much as Olive Oil!) and provides an easy, versatile and delicious way
to ensure the body is supplied with Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
everyday. It also contains Stearidonic acid (SDA) a more potent form
of Omega 3 than other seed oils contain, which the body can convert
into the very long EFAs more efficiently. The site also includes the
GOOD
OIL
story and information about hemp

Henry
Braham, founder of GOOD
OIL
says, “We decided to set up VeggieOmega3.co.uk because we felt that
there was not enough good information about EFAs for Veggies out
there. A few of the very informed understand about the different
types of Omega 3, but many are unaware, so we wanted to spread the
word. We included some recipes because we believe that getting your
Omega 3 doesn’t need to be a chore – we like to think that GOOD
OIL
tastes so good it should be really enjoyable and it doesn’t need to
cost the earth either – we use 100% of our sustainable hemp crop,
so it is very economical compared to many Omega supplements.”

If
you would like a link to your Veggie friendly website or blog added
to the site, please let GOOD
OIL
know via the VeggieOmega3.co.uk contact page.