4 Underrated Foods to Supercharge Your Diet

It’s a new year and for a lot of us that means rolling out some New Year’s Resolutions to pledge to. Instead of grand statements of commitment that burn out around late January - we prefer to make small and specific (but not less meaningful) resolutions that can slip into to a lifestyle smoothly and without much fuss. One of the top resolutions for many people is to eat healthy or turn their diet around, which is great but it’s a little too vague and you might be setting yourself up for failure.

We think the key to resolutions being successful, and lasting, is specificity. Make it practical and something you can chip away at every day - for us that meant; add more healthy foods to our diet, and seeing as meat is our game, add more healthy animal products to our diet and reduce waste.

Our list of chosen foods is comprised of what one day might’ve been referred to as ‘by-product’ (or even discarded!) but have been given a new lease on life through special preparation and a little bit of science. You may not be aware of these, but maybe they could help kick start your year!

1. Collagen protein powder:

Collagen protein powder is a great alternative to conventional protein powders, such as whey, and is especially good for those on a low carb diet. Collagen hydrolysate (the water soluble) is low calorie, high in protein, low in fat and carbohydrates, and is also easier to digest than some other collagen supplements. Studies have shown that collagen supplementation may aid in joint health, gut health, as well as promoting skin elasticity and shiny hair! Collagen supplementation is beneficial at all stages of life, as our bodies naturally produce less collagen as we age, starting from as early as 20. You can either use a plain collagen hydrolysate powder and add your own flavours, or go for one of our flavoured ones.

2. Offal

We know what you’re thinking - offal is scary! But before you write it off completely, you should really give it a go as offal is incredibly nutrient dense and when prepared right, can be surprisingly tasty. We refined our palate to become Offal-lovers through gateway drugs like pâtés, parfaits and kidney pies. Once you get a handle on the earthy mineral-rich flavours you’ll become more and more adventurous. One benefit of Offal is its value, coming in at a fraction of the price of premium cuts but with greater density. A great one to try if you’re new to offal is chicken hearts, which are full of protein, and provide all of the essential amino acids. Sauté these babies in butter with some onion, garlic, red wine vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper and you’re good to go!

3. Gelatin - healthy jellies

Who doesn’t love a bit of jelly in hot summer weather! Sadly, traditional jelly is often packed with sugar (15% or more) - which unfortunately our bodies don’t always love it as much as our taste buds do! Here at Cannings we have the “solution” - make your own! We stock a great 100% grass fed gelatin powder which is perfect for making healthy jellies at home. Just add hot water and your choice of flavourings (fruit juice is great for this, or for our keto friends if you’re after a low-natural-sugar alternative you can use lime juice and natural erythritol sweetener). As a bonus, gelatin has all the health benefits of collagen, so it’s good for you too!

4. Tallow.

What is tallow? Tallow is the fat of an animal that has been rendered to remove impurities. It can be used as a substitute for butter or oil when cooking. It’s an amazing stand-in for butter if you’re steering clear of dairy, and it adds a beautiful depth of flavour to your cooking (especially with veggies!) and is actually favoured by many chefs. Tallow is the best of both worlds, extra delicious and good for you. Tallow is a great source of healthy saturated fats. Heat stable, and has a high smoking point - cooking oils that are less heat stable are more likely to oxidise and form free radicals, which are not great.

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/collagen-powder-benefits#top-benefits

http://samsinhachef.co.uk/5-reasons-we-should-be-eating-chicken-hearts/

https://theaussiegelatincompany.com

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-cooking-oils

https://www.nutritionadvance.com/what-is-beef-tallow/