Food in Season

WLR's Julie Howard highlights the health benefits of eating salmon, crab, potatoes and gooseberries with some healthy recipes to tempt your appetite.

Food in Season: July

 

By WLR's Julie Howard

 

Potatoes

If, like me, you’ve been growing potatoes on an allotment or in the garden, you’ll probably be looking forward to digging up the first good crop of this year’s potatoes, making potatoes my favourite of July’s Food in Season. Often thought of as a stodgy comfort food, potatoes are actually full of vitamins and minerals and can play a part in a healthy, balanced weight loss plan. Unlike their carb rivals rice and pasta, potatoes cooked with their skin on, will give you over 25% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. A baked potato in its skin contains more fibre than two slices of wholemeal bread! Potatoes also contain vitamin B, B6, folic acid, magnesium, copper, zinc and potassium. And although you can’t count them towards your 5-a-day, they are fat free, contain no cholesterol and research is being conducted into the claim that the fibre they contain may actually help reduce existing cholesterol levels. And this is all without mentioning how wonderfully versatile potatoes are, making them easy to fit into your diet and your busy schedule.

 

Storage

Potatoes are best stored in paper or cloth bags, or alternatively simply lose on your veg rack

Nutritional Information per 100g

Calories (kcal)               109.0
Carbohydrate (g)            50.5
Sugars (g)                        0.0
Protein (g)                        2.3
Fat (g)                             0.1
Saturates (g)                    0.0
Fibre (g)                           2.4
Sodium (g)                    0.008

Recipes

Baked Potatoes – Plain (204kcal)
Baked Potatoes with Tuna, Sweetcorn & Mayonnaise (368kcal)
Baked Potatoes with Baked Beans & Cheese (506kcal)
Baked Potatoes with Bacon, Chicken & Onion (568kcal)

Gooseberries

Gooseberries are only around in June and July but they freeze incredibly well so you can enjoy them for longer. Found to be the most abundant source of Vitamin C in the plant kingdom, Gooseberries contain as much as twenty times that of an orange. Unlike many other natural sources, the vitamin C content in this fruit does not reduce with cooking. Gooseberries are a good source of fibre, vitamin A, and potassium.

Gooseberry Recipes

Gooseberry Crumble
Crunchy Gooseberry Dessert
Gooseberry Fool

Salmon

Eating oily fish regularly can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and improve the chances of survival after a heart attack. Omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish may keep the heartbeat regular, reduce triglyceride levels (these are fatty substances found in the blood), and prevent blood clots from forming in the coronary arteries.

All fish is good, but some types are especially high in omega 3, salmon being one of them. Salmon is also packed with vitamins and minerals and tastes pretty good too!

Salmon Recipes:

Seasoned Salmon Steak
Spicy Salmon Rice

Crab

Crab is a good source of protein, low in fat and high in minerals - including selenium and magnesium. Selenium is thought to have cancer-fighting properties and magnesium is important for nerve and muscle function.

Crab Recipes:

Crab & Tomato Souffle Omelette

 

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