Men\'s Health UK - 10.2019

Smoked

anchovies

An underappreciated protein

source (12g per half tin), these

are too often limited to the

odd Neapolitan pizza or

Caesar salad. This particular

variety is brined and cold-

smoked before tinning,

resulting in a delicate texture

and taste while preserving

the fish’s healthy fats and

micronutrients. “They’re rich

in iodine, zinc and calcium,

and are a good way to get

more oily fish into your diet,”

says Mackintosh. Nardin’s

beech-smoked are a favourite

with chefs. Enjoy with crusty

bread and butter.

Orange

juice

Few items flit so frequently

between the naughty-and-nice

lists as OJ. But Ward deems

it innocent. “Look for juice

fortified with vitamin D,” she

says. “Orange’s natural vitamin

C increases our absorption

of the nutrient. Plus, a bottle

is cheaper than squeezing

oranges yourself.” To further

pump up its benefits, keep

yours in the freezer and

defrost the night before. The

University of Seville found that

this makes its heart-protective

carotenoids easier to

absorb. An ice lolly

would work, too.

Kefir

Having migrated from health

food stores to the ready-to-

eat aisle at your local Tesco

Metro, kefir is set to replace

kombucha as the hipster drink

du jour. Fermenting your own

is a faff, but smoothies – such

as Biotiful’s Peruvian cacao

flavour – are an easy way to

get your fix. “Not only does

fermentation preserve the

product, it also increases

the antioxidant content and

generates probiotic bacteria,”

says Doyle. It packs a handy

8.5g of protein, too, should you

want to give your post-training

nutrition a shake-up.

Dried

apricots

If you’re prone to finding

punnets of furry fruit at the

back of your fridge, you’re not

the only one: more than a third

of Europe’s fruit and veg ends

up wasted. Fresh, it seems, isn’t

always best. Fortunately, the

heat-drying process results in

minimal nutrient loss. “Instead,

it simply concentrates the

fibre and polyphenols in

a denser, longer-lasting

package,” says Ward. Dark,

unsulphured apricots have

a natural caramel-like taste

• without the caramel-like
  sugar coma – and contain
  more heart-protective
  potassium than a banana.

Tempeh

Veganism is flourishing, but

most of the amusingly named

substitutes – mheat balls,

breaded chick*n, mock dogs

• are unidentifiable as any kind
  of plant. Tempeh is not in this
  pack. Originating in Indonesia
  (but now just as easily spotted
  in Sainsbury’s), it’s a dense,
  fermented bean cake. “It’s
  super rich in calcium, iron,
  manganese and vitamin K2,”
  says Mackintosh, while Ward
  adds that “research suggests
  high-protein soy foods can
  benefit mood.” It’ll certainly
  make you smile more than
  another “facon” rasher.

08

10

07

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GRAHAM WALSER AT LUCKY IF SHARP

MEN’S HEALTH 75

Eat Healthyish – CUPBOARD LOVE

Mugi

miso paste

Perfect for punchy stews or umami broths,

this soybean and barley paste is fermented

for longer than white miso, giving its healthy

digestive enzymes time to develop. It’s also

a good source of vitamin B6 and magnesium,

says Mackintosh – nutrients that support

healthy sleep (like Horlicks for grown-ups).

09

05

06

ENRICH YOUR BROTHS AND

SLEEP DEEPLY WITH DARK MISO