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Smoking, stress, poor diet, the sun’s rays and atmospheric pollution can all damage our skin, causing it to lose its elasticity, causing wrinkles. Skin can also be damaged by common conditions such as acne and rosacea. In the last few decades, a lot of buzz has emerged around collagen, which is structural protein found in connective tissues. The main claims for it centre around its ability to bring youth, glow and suppleness back to ageing skin.

Collagen is the most abundant tissue in our bodies, and can be found in our skin, tendons, muscles and ligaments. It’s often referred to as the body’s scaffolding. By the age of 50, though, it’s estimated that we’ve lost 50% of the collagen made by our bodies naturally.

The main sources of collagen for health products is currently fish, although it is sourced from animals used in the meat industry too. There are some ‘vegan collagen’ options being trialled too. Collagen used to be administered in injections, but is now mainly taken in supplement form as pills or a powder. But what are the health benefits of collagen, and how well does it work?

Tigernuts – how to include them as part of your daily diet!

Tigernuts are a tasty and exciting ingredient which can be eaten in a number of different ways and provide a challenge which pays handsome rewards to chefs and foodies with enquiring minds and the willingness to experiment.

Not really nuts at all but tubers, tigernuts have a taste that’s been likened to coconut, and are wonderful to cook with and incorporate into dishes. Here are some of our favourite uses for tigernuts:

Boost Your Immune System

Everyone wants to be healthy – sometimes though, it’s tricky to eat accordingly. How many of us have stuffed ourselves with processed foods full of empty calories and high in fat, salt and sugar, and then wondered why we’re feeling a bit ‘off’, or sluggish and prone to colds and infections?

People who have done their homework are aware that while most of us know people who torture themselves chugging pints of disturbingly-coloured, foul-tasting gloop every day, it’s actually perfectly possible to use food that actually looks and tastes fantastic to boost our immunity.

So what are the best ways to strengthen your immune system? Here are a few brilliant ideas that everyone should try…

How to Use Pecan Nuts

To many people, pecan nuts are the classier cousins of walnuts – more compact, crispier, and with what many feel is a superior flavour.

Pecans can be used in all the ways walnuts are used, and can add a great textural dimension to dishes, as well as increasing the nutrients and providing a wonderfully rich taste.

Pecans work brilliantly when paired with sweet flavours such as coconut sugar and honey, and they have a great natural affinity with bananas too.

Here are some other excellent ways to use pecan nuts:

PLANT-BASED PROTEIN

It’s the number one question that most people get asked when they swap to a plant-based diet: where do you get your protein? Protein isn’t just found in animal-based products – it can be found in a plethora of plant-based products too. Check out our most popular plant-based protein sources!

Why is Molasses good for you?

Molasses has grown in popularity in recent years as many health practitioners and nutritionists have latched on to the great nutrition it provides, and have started promoting the wonders of this lovely dark, sticky stuff.

Many cooks and foodies know molasses produces fantastic results in the kitchen, whether used in bread, cakes, biscuits or marinades and sauces – but what exactly are the health benefits of molasses?

All About Veganuary!

Veganuary is an annual event, and a well-established fixture on the healthy eating calendar. It is reported that 1.8 million people went vegan for the 2024 event – more than ever before!

Here at Healthy Supplies, we’re huge fans of the Veganuary movement, believing it can help people re-wire their bodies and minds towards a vegan diet and an overall healthier and more mindful way of thinking about, shopping for, and preparing food. Also it’s ideal for creating a kinder, greener planet by limiting animal cruelty and reducing carbon emissions.

So here are a few facts, figures and pointers for everyone interested in making the change towards a vegan lifestyle.

Ten reasons to eat more Amaranth!

Amaranth is a pseudocereal that has been grown for many thousands of years all over the world. It can be used in many different ways, and is commonly served as an alternative to rice.

Many cultures have considered amaranth an excellent crop because of its nutrition, its heavy yield and the energy it offers when eaten. It’s also a very hardy plant, and can survives changes in temperature, rainfall, and the acidity and salt content of the soil in which it grows.

Unlike some grains, it cannot be eaten raw, and must be cooked, which enables its manifold nutrients to be absorbed by the human body. Amaranth is an excellent choice for health-conscious foodie, and there are an array of reasons why you should eat more.

Here are ten of the best benefits of Amaranth:

Why are Chia Seeds so good for you?

Chia seeds aren’t called a ‘superfood’ for nothing – there’s so much immensely beneficial nutrition packed into these tiny seeds that they’ve risen to be one of the most popular seeds you can buy.

Not only that – they also have some very unusual properties which really make them stand out from the crowd, and consequently are very in demand by vegans and many cooks following a ‘free from’ diet.

If you haven’t tried Chia yet and wondered what all the fuss was about, have a read about the magical benefits of these wonder-seeds!

Five Ways to Use Molasses

Molasses is a fantastic ingredient. This dark, thick, sticky liquid has a deep, rich, mesmerising sweetness and is seen as a very ‘grown-up’ kind of ingredient. It also has some unique health benefits which make it a far superior source of sweetness to processed white sugar. But what is molasses?

Molasses is a by-product of the process of refining sugar from sugarcane or sugarbeet. After the juice is boiled and the sugar crystals that form are removed, this viscous dark liquid is what’s left.

So what can you do with this lovely ingredient? Here are 5 of our favourite ideas: