We regularly publish some great healthy living tips, new recipes and other Prune tidbits on our blog

Healthy Living

4 powerful tips to keep you motivated and meet your goals.

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

New regimes are often focused on exercise, weight and health. All good stuff. But how do you keep yourself motivated and ensure that you meet your very worthwhile goals?

1. Be clear, be realistic and be good to yourself

It’s important to be really clear about what you want to achieve. “Getting Healthy”, for example, is probably too vague to be meaningful. Think about what “healthy” actually means to you; is it about fitness, weight, energy, mood… Once you’ve decided on a long-term goal - a vision - it’s useful to set yourself a series of smaller milestones, too. These need to be actionable and achievable. And – when you’ve ticked them off – their accomplishment is a fabulous excuse for a mini celebration, along the way! If you haven’t exercised for years, for example, simply being active every day - for 30 days – is far more realistic than signing yourself up for a half-marathon. Check out this TED talk, for inspiration

2. Get support

When our resolve is flagging or when we face unforeseen hurdles in the meeting of our goals, it can be helpful to have somebody on our side, cheering us on from the side-lines. Identify other people who can help you to keep on track like a supportive friend or perhaps an online group.

3. Use your technology

Don’t forget that technology can be an ally, too. You could create a simple spread sheet that helps you to keep track of your training progress, for example. You could create some homemade posters – with inspirational quotations and images - that you can distribute throughout your home and office, to help to keep you motivated. And whether your aim is to have a change of career, to stop smoking (Cessation Nation) or to put an end to aimless net surfing (Self Control), as the saying goes, there’s an app for that!

4. Boost your energy

New regimes can be tiring, both emotionally and physically. Prunes are a source of vitamin B6, which can help you to feel less tired. And vitamin B6 – along with copper and manganese, of which prunes are also a source – supports the normal release of energy from foods. So grab yourself a handful of prunes. A sweet and tasty way to top up those energy levels!

50% of all New Year’s Resolutions Fail – Will yours?

Posted Thu, Jan 09, 20 by Sunsweet

This New Year, why not resolve to do something a little bit different? You could resolve to treat yourself well with delicious food that is super-nourishing, too. You could resolve to create a plan of activity for your family that is, primarily, fun. And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, this year's resolutions will be the ones that you'll actually keep!

How to move your New Year’s resolutions into the 50% that succeed!

How many times have we all proclaimed (almost brazenly!) – to ourselves and to friends - lists of positive, well intentioned New Year's Resolutions which we ‘resolve to include in our lives with energy, spirit, enthusiasm, passion and intent, and yet, statistically many resolutions are set to fail, before they’ve actually commenced! An American study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology estimated that, every New Year, some 50 percent of the population makes resolutions around things like weight loss, exercise, smoking and finances but 6-8 weeks later their promises are backsliding.

And yet, thankfully, Hope Springs Eternal.

So what can we do, to give ourselves a better chance of maintaining our resolve?

Create an ‘Area of Focus’

Peter Bregman, writing in the Harvard Business Review, has offered insights into why the setting of specific goals often fail; ‘we’re taught to make them very specific, very measurable and time-bound .... but it turns out that those very characteristics are precisely the reasons goals can backfire’. Indeed, 6-8 weeks on when we haven’t met those high achieving goals we confidently proclaimed at the start of the New Year, we frequently begin to cheat, bluff ourselves, and lose momentum!

Bergman proposes: ‘Instead of identifying goals, consider identifying Areas of Focus’.

• an Area of Focus establishes activities you want to spend your time doing; a goal defines an outcome you want to achieve.
• an Area of Focus is a path; a goal is a result.
• an Area of Focus settles you into the present; a goal points to a future you intend to reach.

And the beauty of the final outcome is that by narrowing the focus, our resolve becomes real and habit forming.

And we can certainly see the benefits of aiming to maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than introducing harsh exercise regimes and punitive crash diets. It makes sense for healthy habits to be an everyday part of life rather than things that are introduced in a panic on the first of January only to be abandoned a short time later. Having a buddy to support you  in your healthy endeavours is an excellent idea, too. You can share hints and tips. You can celebrate successes and learn from failures. You can cheer each other on, to keep focused and stay committed, when the going gets tough.

Five inspirational tips

If you're in need of a little inspiration, our Healthy Living Guide is an excellent place to start.
If you rely on your motivation alone, that life-affirming, energy-boosting, healthy-weight-maintaining exercise session may never happen! So here are 5 tips on creating a winter activity plan that will help you keep to your Area of Focus in check. 

1. Change your behaviour by changing your thinking – exercise isn't a chore, it's fun!
2. Dig out the high-vis, a brisk walk can be refreshing on a cold and crisp evening.
3. Discover your inner child. If we're lucky enough to have snow, get out there and play!
4. Sign up for a course. Something fun, like a jive class. Something soothing, like yoga. Whatever floats your boat.
5. And finally, if the weather really is too foul to leave the house, YouTube is chock-full of workout videos for all ages, tastes and fitness levels.

5 Steps to a Healthier Lunch

Posted Wed, Feb 18, 15 by Sunsweet

5 Steps to a Healthier Lunch

5 Top Tips on Comfort Eating ... without piling on the pounds!

Posted Thu, Jan 16, 20 by Sunsweet

So, what do you think…is it really possible to indulge yourself with tasty, comforting and warming food, without piling on the pounds? Or, come the summer, do you fully expect to be dieting? At Sunsweet, we believe that comfort does not necessarily have to mean calorific.

5 Top Tips on Comfort Eating...without piling on the pounds!

Gaining weight. It's something that most of us accept as “just one of those things”. The World Health Organisation reports that more than 1.4 billion adults are overweight, the findings of which could prove to be very significant.

Why do we crave Comfort Food in winter?

Comfort Foods tend to be high in carbohydrate and sugar, and there are lots of theories about why we crave these heavier foods more in the winter months. There's a school of thought that winter weight gain could be our survival instinct kicking in; that we're fattening ourselves up to get through the colder months and keep our mood buoyant. And there's another more practical thought: when the days get shorter and temperatures drop, our resolve for healthy living plummets and we descend into a circle of eating more, moving less and, ultimately, gaining weight.

So what can be done to counter the sluggishness caused by overindulging?

Our 5 top tips

Plan ahead to maximise meal-times and super-charge your snacks

1. Seize the opportunity to stock up the store cupboard with more nutritious snack alternatives. Dried fruit – like Sunsweet prunes – keep well, pack a nutritious punch and are surprisingly versatile adding a rich, fruity depth to both sweet and savoury dishes.
2. Plan meals ahead – and, where possible, prepare them in advance - so that “I’m starving” feeling doesn't automatically equate to grabbing something quick, calorie-laden and unhealthy. Soups and stews are nourishing and warming and if you choose your recipe wisely can be low in fat and calories, and high in taste and comfort, too. Our Minestrone with Prunes Soup is a lovely veggie option with less than 300 calories.
3. Drinks and snacks can be tasty, little pick-me-ups. But the ‘easy-to-reach’ sugar laden snacks and super-sized coffees can be a disaster, calorie-wise. High-fibre snacks served with a warm drink – herbal teas are perfect - can help to fuel the body and keep everything moving. And an attractively presented plate of fruit, fresh or dried, couldn't be simpler or quicker.

1. Life would feel pretty dull without the occasional treat. And from time to time, if you really fancy something chocolatey, there's nothing sinful about giving in to temptation. Do a bit of research though to come up with healthier alternatives. Our Paleo Chocolate Pudding is an excellent example of a treat that is flavourful, tempting, looks great, and under 410 calories, too!
2. Naturally sweet, prunes and prune juice have no added sugars, just naturally-occurring ones; a quick and easy way to keep sweet cravings at bay. Also did you know that a prune puree (blitzing the fruit with water) can be used to successfully replace fat in cakes and cookies? You can find out more, here. And, finally... A warm bath. Super-cosy PJs. Flickering candlelight. A roaring fire. And a good old-fashioned hug. Totally Comforting, Totally Indulgent. Totally Calorie Free!

Enjoy!

A Beginner's Guide to...Breakfast

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Skipping breakfast. It's the obvious way to cut back on calories, isn't it? Well, think again. Skipping a meal can lead to less energy, reduced levels of physical activity and – ultimately – weight gain. Read on and let our Beginner's Guide to Breakfast help you – and your family - to get every day off to a Sunsweet start!

Breakfast – what's the big deal?

America's National Weight Control Registry investigates weight loss programmes on a statistically significant scale. And registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick observed, from the Registry's findings, that “more than 70 percent of people who have lost weight and kept it off include eating breakfast among their daily habits”. Evidence published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that those who ate breakfast, in a clinical trial, used more energy through physical activity than those who skipped the meal.

But can skipping meals be a way to aid weight loss?

Skipping meals, any meal, is not a good idea because it can result in tiredness - making you less likely to have the energy for physical activity, feeling over-hungry and make you more likely to choose unhealthy snacks to fill up on. If we're honest with ourselves, we innately know that to maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the number of calories you consume through food, with the number of calories you burn off through exercise. It's pretty straightforward, really!

Prunes; a welcome boost towards your five-a-day

Our diet has an enormous impact on both our physical and our emotional wellbeing and a common-sense attitude towards healthy eating is crucial. Breakfast is an excellent opportunity to squeeze in a few extra portions of fruit and veg and this can give the boost towards five-a-day that many of us so desperately need!

Sweet and super-tasty, prunes are high in fibre, virtually fat-free, contain only naturally occurring sugars and are an excellent source of many nutrients making a valuable contribution towards a healthy, balanced diet. When time is short and you have no real choice but to eat your breakfast on the run, prunes – enjoyed straight from the pack – offer a convenient, and yet healthy, option. And, when time is on your side, prunes can really come into their own at breakfast-time.

Wow the family at breakfast-time – with prunes!

• A handful of prunes – roughly chopped – make a deliciously fruity addition to your family's favourite breakfast cereals. They'll help to up your nutrient quota, early doors, and be a great start towards your five-a-day goal.
• Pureeing the fruit and spreading it on warm toast makes for a simple, satisfying and super-tasty start to the day.
• Whizzed together with your choice from a selection of fresh fruits, yogurts, juices and dairy or non-dairy milks, prunes can bring a wonderful depth of flavour to smoothies.

You can find more delicious Breakfast recipe inspiration by searching under the Breakfast category on our recipe page.

Now doesn't that sound worth leaping out of bed for?

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

A side order of body confidence – just in time for summer!

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Poor body image; it can be a barrier to both happiness and health, so why not play to your strengths and bag yourself a whole load of body confidence .... just in time for summer. And we'll let you into a little secret: it's as much about your mind as it is about your body!

Embracing diversity – even in the toy world

After decades of criticism about promoting a body shape that is, without drastic surgery, unattainable to most, Mattel have finally given into pressure and released a range of Barbie dolls that more accurately represent the bodies of real women. The new range includes different body types - tall, curvy and petite – and a broader mix of skin tones, hair colours and textures. The changes are long overdue. An opinion piece in Time magazine commented that there have been times when the lack of body diversity in the Barbie range has seemed, at best, outdated and, at worst, downright offensive. And how people feel about their bodies matters.

Body image matters

The way that we feel about the size and shape and overall appearance of our bodies can have an impact, either positively or negatively, on our overall confidence levels. Low confidence, about any aspect of ourselves, can affect our self-esteem making it more difficult for us to try new things. Even if those new things could ultimately end up with us feeling better about our bodies! Things like trying out a selection of healthy, new recipes or giving a fun, high energy exercise class a go.

So poor body image can be a barrier to both happiness and health but, conversely, a report from gov.uk found that having a positive body image is associated with:

• Making healthy choices, eating and exercising well
• Treating your body with respect
• Being self-protective, e.g: avoiding websites/ magazines that promote idealised beauty

But how exactly can that be achieved?

The positive psychology movement

Martin Seligman is a mover and shaker in the field of positive psychology. He has an impressive body of work that focuses on the promotion of good mental health to live a life that is as meaningful as possible. By focusing on our personal strengths, according to Seligman, we can help to boost our esteem thus making it easier for us to make healthy lifestyle choices – including trying those all-important new things! He suggests thinking about what makes you feel excited, what makes you feel invigorated rather than exhausted, what makes you feel joyful and enthusiastic and focusing on those.

Playing to your strengths

So, with summer just around the corner, here are our top three tips for getting yourself a whole load of body confidence. And guess what? It's as much about your mind as it is about your body!

1. Ignore, if at all possible, societal pressure about body conformity: without personal stylists, flattering lighting and heavy-handed airbrushing, even the cover girls wouldn't look like cover girls!
2. Embrace your uniqueness, celebrate it, aim to be you at your very best and remember that if you feel good, you'll exude confidence and there's nothing more attractive than that!
3. Eat well so that you're bursting with energy and, that way, you'll feel more inclined to exercise. And do you know what? You'll glow!

Good luck!

PS: Don't forget to check out our fab healthy recipe collection. And be inspired to try something new.

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

BBQ like a pro - hints, tips and the ultimate Spicy Prune BBQ Sauce recipe.

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Summer is the perfect time for relaxed informal get-togethers’ with family and friends to enjoy each other's company and share some food. And the entertaining highlight of many a long and lazy summer's day? The good old BBQ grill! Read on for hints and tips and how to wow them all with the ultimate Spicy Prune BBQ Sauce recipe. 

King of the Grill!

What is it about this time of the year that sees so many men take up position as King of the Grill? Is it a throwback to the ancient days of the hunter-gatherer? Is it the ritual of lighting the fire, the thrill of an ever-so-slight risk of danger? The joy of being outdoors? Of hanging out with the rest of the menfolk? Of showcasing culinary prowess away from the limitations of the kitchen… and the obligations of the washing-up? Perhaps it’s destined to remain one of life’s unsolved little mysteries!

Whoever ends up doing the cooking, there’s so much more to BBQ food than processed burgers and well-sizzled sausages. This year, why not wow your friends and family with BBQ fare that’s tasty, easy-to-prepare and super-nutritious, too?

Keeping things healthy

BBQing is such a wonderful way to combine two of life's great pleasures: enjoying the great outdoors and eating good food with family and friends. And, with just a little bit of forward planning, healthy lifestyle choices and eating habits don't have to fall by the wayside the moment the grill is fired-up.

Choose:

• Leaner cuts of meat – chicken, steak, chops.
• Fish – salmon, monkfish, prawns, tuna, even a whole stuffed fish like mackerel.
• Colourful veggie kebabs – peppers, red and white onions, mushrooms, courgette, cherry tomatoes, tofu.
• Baked spuds – as long as you go easy on the butter! – are super-filling and low in fat.

Ditch the white bread-rolls and serve an appetising selection of fresh salads, instead. Chopped fresh and dried fruits, nuts and seeds are a great way to add texture and crunch. And when it comes to dressings, choose fruity chutneys and relishes rather than relying on those calorie-laden sour-cream and mayo options.

Our easy to prepare Spicy Prune Barbeque Sauce is the perfect accompaniment to meat, fish and veggie grills.

Ingredients

Ingredients for approx. 625 ml:

Prep time: approx. 30 min

150g Sunsweet prunes 

1 Onion (diced)

2 Garlic cloves (chopped)

1 tbsp. Oil

2 tbsp. Tomato paste

500 ml Ketchup

3 tbsp. Whiskey

5 tbsp. Worcester sauce

2 tbsp. Apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp. Brown sugar

1 tsp. Salt

½ - 1 tsp. Chili powder

1 tsp. Smoked paprika powder

Black pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the prunes into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion on medium heat until glassy.
2. Add garlic, prunes and tomato paste and sautée lightly. Add Ketchup, Whiskey, Worcester sauce and Apple Cider Vinegar. Stir in sugar, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika and pepper.
3. Bring sauce to a boil and let simmer for 15 min, stir occasionally. Pour into clean jars and seal when cooled. The sauce can be stored for 4 weeks.

*Sunsweet tips: Did you know that prune juice can be used to tenderise meat? The fruity flavour complements both poultry and red meats. Soak kebab skewers in water first, to stop them from spontaneously combusting.

Looking for desert and finger food recipe ideas? Check out our Free 16 page Recipe Booklet.

Keeping upset tums at bay

The very best BBQs are remembered for all the right reasons, so don’t let the fun and frivolity get in the way of food safety. According to the UK government's food safety agency, cases of food poisoning practically double during the summer months. And the main reasons for this rise are undercooked meat and bacterial cross-contamination amongst foodstuffs. Yeugh! So, this year, please make sure that you check out safefood.eu for some timely hints and tips on keeping things safe.

Have fun and eat (and stay) healthy!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Boost your happiness and wellbeing by spreading some Gratitude. It’s scientifically proven!

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Super simple ways to significantly – and sustainably - boost your happiness levels and enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing, in the process. Read on for research-based evidence about accentuating the positive and getting grateful. Start small and – before you know it – you'll have a whole heap of happy!

Start loving the Gratitude!

The Spring can be a great time for an overhaul. A chance to rid ourselves – once and for all - of the old habits that no longer serve us and to embrace some healthy, new ones. Habits like acknowledging events - like Mother's Day and Easter - and commemorating them, in a way that feels meaningful to you. Habits like celebrating successes large and small. Habits like noticing the positives, however tiny they may be, and expressing gratitude for them. And there's research-based evidence about the value – from both an emotional and a physical point of view – for making these super-simple step changes to your everyday habits.

The Science of Celebration

The Greater Good Science Center (GGSC), at the University of Berkeley, offers up some compelling reasons for all of us to get into the gratitude habit. Because according to Juliana Breines, writing on the organisation's website, happiness research – spanning some 20 years – has one key message for us all: give thanks.

After analysing the results of countless scientific studies, the GGSC found that developing an attitude of gratitude can, amongst other things:

• have a positive impact on our emotional wellbeing and on our relationships
• reduce our likelihood of becoming depressed
• increase our resilience when faced with life's many and inevitable challenges

Grumbling and thinking negatively can, all too easily, become a habit. If you look at the messages that we're bombarded with - from the myriad 24/7 news channels, for example - the vibe is predominantly downbeat. But there's no need to panic. The GGSC have come up with four simple tips that should help you to cultivate a healthy sense of gratitude, no matter what life throws at you!

Get Grateful: In 4 Simple Steps

1. Count your blessings

   Remember that even on the very worst of days, something positive will have happened. Spend a few minutes jotting down these good things, however small or insignificant they may seem. According to a study by the Positive Psychology Center, at the University of Pennsylvania, “completing this exercise every day for one week led to increases in happiness that persisted for six months”. Impressive stuff!

2. Mental subtraction

   Without stressing yourself out too much in the process … imagine that something you currently have is gone. Applied to possessions, to jobs and even to people, this simple trick alone might be just enough to make you appreciate those things and to stop taking them for granted!

3. Savour

   In their book, “Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience”, Fred B. Bryant and Joseph Veroff extol the virtues of a regular “Savoring Walk”. Walking for just 20 minutes, on your own, every week and paying hyper-close attention to the sights, smells and so on of your surroundings can – the authors found - have a positive effect on your happiness levels, a full week later.

4. Say “Thank You”

   Really, could it get much more simple than that? And just imagine the warm glow that the recipients of your gratitude will experience, too. Now, that's what we call a win-win.

Reasons to feel grateful – think prunes!

And while we're feeling celebratory and expressing gratitude for the small things, let's hear it for the prunes!

Prunes; A super-quick and fruity snack. A rich, indulgent note in an elaborate feast. And lots of things in-between. Convenient, natural and a wonderfully versatile addition to a range of dishes, both sweet and savoury - really do deserve a dollop of gratitude.

So, we've acknowledged that prunes are delicious but did you know that they're actually pretty good for you, too? Follow the link to discover even more reasons for you to be grateful for Sunsweet prunes!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Delicious Christmas gifts for the Foodie in your life

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

We hate to have to break it to you, but Christmas is just around the corner! So what do you reckon, could this be the year that – with a little forward planning - you manage to minimise the stress, maximise the joy and makes lots of happy, family memories along the way?

In the age of technology, the pressure to create a flawless and fashionable family Christmas can start to mount. Social media is awash with sumptuous and stylish images that are far beyond the reaches of most of us. But before you get swept away and dispirited by unattainable standards, why not take a little time to get to the bottom of what the spirit of Christmas actually means for your family? If you’re anything like us, family and friends, festive foods and fun will certainly come close to the top of the list!

So this year, why not get organised ahead of time and set aside a day or so to rustle up some delicious foodie gifts for your nearest and dearest? Get the whole family involved because kids of all ages really do have a part to play. Even the tiniest of tots can help to decorate the labels for bottles and jars, for example. And what a wonderfully creative way to spend a gloomy autumnal weekend; filling your own home with aromas that will conjure up the festive season while creating unique and scrumptious gifts that have a truly personal touch!

The positive psychology behind homemade gifts

According to Allison Pugh, a sociologist at the University of Virginia, gift-giving is “an expression of truly seeing the other person and knowing what they want." And who wouldn’t want a festive spiced Christmas cake, jewel-coloured jars of chutneys and preserves or – for the more decadent people on your gift list – bottles of alcohol-marinated fruits? Home-made foodie treats make for Christmas gifts that go on giving long into the New Year. A study published in the Journal of Marketing discovered that people felt that homemade items showed more love and that – generally speaking - love is the message that people wanted to express. The study’s authors found that handmade products were perceived to be, “literally imbued with love." And Allison Pugh is in agreement, “If gifts are about expressing and forging love, one of the best ways to do that is with your own time. That will always be a really powerful gift." We couldn’t agree more!

Delicious edible gifts

Our easy-to-make Prune and Orange Marmalade and fragrant Prune Chutney are excellent places to start. Why not make a double batch and pop a jar of each into everybody’s stocking? If you fancy trying your hand at something a little more challenging, our Prune Biscotti with White Chocolate and Prune Stollen are well worth the effort! Although biscotti are best eaten within 4 weeks, they can be stored in a sealed container for up to 8 weeks. And stollen will last for several weeks if covered and kept in a cool, dry place. In fact, the loaves actually become more moist and flavourful as they age. Decant your bakes into pretty bags or boxes just before gifting. Getting your little ones to create hand-written labels with serving suggestions is a lovely finishing touch. The Prune Stollen, for example, is delicious toasted and served warm with a generous dollop of our Prune and Orange Marmalade.

Enjoy!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Dietary Fibre 101

Posted Fri, Feb 21, 20 by Sunsweet

What exactly is fibre? Why does the body - every body - need it? What happens to our body if we don’t get enough of it? And how can we ensure that we keep getting plenty of it? Read on for everything you - and your family - need to know about dietary fibre.

Our Dietary Fibre 101

OK. We admit that as health topics go, dietary fibre - and the role that it can play in contributing towards a healthy and normally functioning body – is far from being a glamorous one. And yet, dietary fibre is an important health topic. With a seemingly endless increase of pressure on our time and the proliferation of quick, convenient and very nutrient-poor meals, many of us simply do not get enough fibre from the food we eat on a regular basis.

But what is dietary fibre?

In a nutshell, dietary fibre is the tiny parts of things like cereal, vegetables and fruit that cannot be digested in the small intestine. Instead, this dietary fibre passes further along in the digestive system before most of it gets broken down by bacterial action in the colon. Increasing dietary fibre – as part of a healthy and balanced diet - can help to soften stools, making them easier to pass and helping to keep the complex cogs of the digestive system moving!

If you would like a more detailed understanding of how the digestive system works then our 'whistle stop tour of the digestive system' will be of interest to you.

And it seems that fibre has an even more crucial role to play, too. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) reckon that dietary fibre is protective against bowel cancer. Around 12% of bowel cancers in the UK are linked to eating insufficient fibre, less than 23 grams a day.

Types of dietary fibre

Dietary fibre is typically divided into two groups:

1. Insoluble Fibre:

   This is made up of the skins of fruits, the stalks and leaves of vegetables and the husks and hard coats of seeds. Insoluble fibre is more slowly broken down and its bulk helps with the evacuation of stools.

2. Soluble Fibre:

   This is more completely fermented in the colon, it retains fluid, softening the stools and making them easier to pass.

Many plant components contain both soluble and insoluble components of dietary fibre. For example, the skins of prunes are composed of insoluble fibre and the pulp and juice are composed of soluble fibre

Dealing with constipation

If you do become constipated, it is even more important than ever to aim for at least 5 portions of fruit or vegetables a day. Fibre-packed dried fruits and natural, unsweetened juices can both count towards this target. Just three prunes a day count for one of your ‘5-a-day’ portions!

Highly processed foods are best avoided as these tend to be higher in fat, salt and sugar and are often lower in fibre. Get into the home-cooking habit. Our recipe pages are a great place to look, for healthy inspiration.

The role of fluids

To help to keep things moving, digestively-speaking, it’s important to make sure that you drink plenty of fluid. If you’re actively taking steps to increase the amount of fibre in your diet, be sure to increase the amount of fluid that you drink, too. The body is super-efficient at extracting fluid from the colon when it is needed for bodily functions. And even slight dehydration can lead to harder stools that are more difficult to pass. Six to eight glasses of fluid a day - water or diluted fruit juices are good choices – is a useful rule of thumb.

If you’d like to find out more about the role of dietary fibre – especially if you suffer from IBS with constipation – please do take a look at our booklet. It’s packed with expert hints and tips:

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Easy entertaining inspired by Sunsweet prunes

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

These days, life is busy! The weeks – and sometimes even the months – can slip by without us having had the opportunity to spend any quality time with our friends and family. However, the summer holidays – with their promise of longer, sunnier days - can be a wonderful chance for a catch up.

Brunch is a contemporary and informal way to get together with loved ones. Brunch parties usually start in the late morning but often continue long into the afternoon. Plan ahead and let the aroma of freshly baked brownies and muffins – packed with Sunsweet prunes for a tasty and nutritious twist – tempt your guests, as they arrive. Dress your table with a stylish tablecloth and napkins – paper ones are perfect and the ultimate in convenience – before piling it high with nibbles and drinks and letting the day unfold. It really couldn't be simpler!

Sunsweet prunes are the surprising inspiration behind a whole range of party dishes. They are perfect for every occasion, from a fun-filled family party to a more formal get-together. Whether the venue is the beach, the garden or the dining room - after a last minute, rain-drenched relocation - the pace for your summer party should be slow. It's your holiday, too, and - after the hustle and bustle of the rest of the year – it really is time to be taking things easy.

• Keep your party menu simple with just a handful of show-stopping dishes. Check out our deceptively easy recipe ideas in the next section
• Serve light and tasty food that is simple for you to make. Why not have a go at our refreshing sorbet and super-healthy sushi recipes?
• Select finger foods so that you can cut down on the washing up. Our Thai chicken skewers are a scrumptious example!
• Prepare as much as you possibly can, before your guests arrive
• Delegate. Rope in the kids to help make the party table look pretty; tea-lights in little glass jars and fresh flowers from the garden are very effective. Take up your guests' offers, to contribute – a freshly baked loaf, a home-grown salad, an interesting artisan cheese will complement most menus

And finally…

• Sit back, relax and enjoy the delicious fruits of your labour. Cheers!

Exercising your right to healthy digestion

Posted Tue, Jun 08, 21 by Sunsweet

Any exercise, as long as it is not to the extreme, will increase intestinal contractions and improve your digestive health. Getting your outside moving tends to get things moving inside too.

But not all exercises were created equal and some are better for your digestive health than others. Regular moderate intensity physical activity – such as walking, cycling or participating in sports – has significant benefits for health. It can, for instance reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. Even simple changes to the way you go about your daily life such as taking the stairs instead of the lift can help you and your digestive system to move more.

Exercises considered good for digestion

All exercise is good for your internal and external fitness, and according to the World Health Organisation, adults should get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise every week. Depending on an individual's relative level of fitness, examples of moderate physical activity could include: brisk walking, dancing or doing the housework. Some exercises in particular are considered more beneficial for your digestive health. So if you are trying to improve your inner as well as external fitness, make sure to include some of the following into your weekly regime:

Aerobic Activities

Post dinner walk

Yoga – standing and inverted poses

If you think of yoga like a massage for your insides you can imagine how good your body feels after you put it through some simple positions. Quite apart from its proven stress boosting benefits, certain standing poses and inverted yoga poses in particular are good for digestion. If you don't have a class near you or cannot commit time wise, buy a beginners DVD or download an app to get started.

Get Healthy. Get Motivated. Get Sociable.

Posted Thu, May 13, 21 by Sunsweet

It’s the perfect time of year to establish those healthy foundations that will help you to sail through the winter. But if you're concerned about your resolve and motivation for regular exercise slipping, why not get a group of friends and family together, with social distancing as is comfortable for all of you, and get moving?

Having the support of friends and family is a very strong motivator to lacing up those runners and to get going! Not only is being sociable written into our DNA but studies have found that exercising with a friend is more fun, helps you to stay in shape and gets you out of the house. A study of 1000 women found that 31 per cent consider their friends to be the motivation they need to stay in shape! And, what’s more, there can be a lot of truth in the cliché, “Friends and Families who play together, stay together”. So, when you consider the stats about how much more motivating it is to exercise with a buddy or two, it really does make sense to get a posse together. It’s all good - No excuse!

Four tips to getting a posse of friends together!

1. Get sociable and start to recruit your motivator posse

The school gates. The office. The gym. Your friends on Social media. These are all rich sources for members of your gang. In fact, anywhere is. Be inclusive. Ask people to invite a friend. And a friend of a friend. When it comes to your posse going, the more, the merrier!

2. Get creative and brainstorm ideas for trips out and activities

Perhaps there's a park near you, with a walking trail. (Tea room a bonus!). Zumba class, swimming, Yoga, boot camp, lunchtime or evening brisk walk, hiking, cycling, dance classes, Pilates. Or what about staging an old fashioned sports day in the local park? Rounders. Egg and spoon races. Tag. All excellent fun, whatever your age.

3. Get picnicking

There's something so scrumptious about food eaten out of doors, when you've done a bit of exercise to work up a healthy appetite! Check out our recipes pages for yummy and portable, prune-related ideas.

4. Get planning

When are you going to meet? Every month? Every fortnight? Every week? Get some dates in the diary. Make sure that you're all committed to sticking to those dates. After all, a few spots of rain never hurt anybody!

Carpe Diem

Autumn is the perfect time of the year to establish some solid foundations – around diet and exercise and all-round healthy living – that will help to see you glide, effortlessly and healthily, through the long, winter months ahead. What’s more, there are often a few quieter weeks to be savoured, in the Autumn - a welcome little breathing space between the stresses and strains of our summer travels and the coming chaos of all-things Christmas.

So, with a little help and motivation from our friends, the perfect time is right now to, Seize the Moment!

Harvest time with Sunsweet!

Posted Thu, Aug 31, 17 by Sunsweet

As summer begins to draw to a close, the thoughts of many of us will be turning towards the harvest, towards reaping the benefits of what we have sown. Whether that’s harvesting in a literal sense, like gathering the fruit and veg that we planted in the spring. Or harvesting in a more metaphorical sense, like benefiting from the healthy routines that we put in place earlier in the year.

Although the months when harvest-time takes place vary, depending on where you are in the world, the word itself comes from the Old English hærfest meaning the period between August and November, the autumn. In the USA, Thanksgiving is held on the fourth Thursday in November. But in Britain, Harvest Festivals are traditionally held on the Sunday closest to the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that falls closest to the autumnal equinox and it’s usually towards the end of September.

Whenever they take place, though, the festivals are the perfect time to express gratitude for the abundance of fresh and healthful foods that are available to us. They’re a wonderful reminder to get together with friends and family – whenever we have the opportunity - for feasting and for fun. But amid the celebrations, there’s a more serious side too. Many countries have a long-standing tradition of remembering those less fortunate, at harvest-time, of sharing the abundance that many of us are lucky enough to be able to take for granted.

At Sunsweet, we have a century-long heritage of planting, tending and harvesting and somewhere in the region of 300 farmer members share their knowledge about cultivation with their peers. By late summer, our orchards in California are ready for harvest. Finally! This follows:

• The 4 to 6 years that the growers must wait before their trees bear fruit.
• The spring, when the orchards become covered – so fleetingly - in a fragrant blanket of white blossom.
• The summer, when growers must irrigate the orchards – via an extensive network of reservoirs - using water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The plums that become prunes are tree-ripened. Experienced growers can determine the optimum time for harvesting by assessing the fruit’s firmness and sugar content. Harvesting, helped by a machine that gently shakes each tree trunk, ensures that the tree-ripened plums never touch the ground, and this marks the end of the crop cycle for our growers.

We’ve created a super-interesting video that shows the Sunsweet harvest. And our website is packed full of fascinating facts about all things prune-related. Why not check them out?

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Have a healthy, happy and home-made Christmas!

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Could this be the year that you make Christmas your own and make lots of magical family memories along the way? Try to remember that there’s no such thing as an identikit, one-size-fits-all Christmas. What's perfect for you and your family, is perfect for you and your family. Forget about trying to recreate the fashionable festive tableaux that are splashed across social media. Forget about blowing your budget on overly-commercial gifts with little meaning that will be discarded by Boxing Day. Forget everything you’ve ever told yourself about not being creative and get making!

The real meaning of Christmas

There’s something about a home-made gift, whatever the time of year, but particularly at Christmas. When all of our lives are so busy, a unique and personal gift that’s taken time and effort to make feels heartfelt. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about? So, set aside a weekend in December, decide who you’ll be making gifts for, search the internet for inspiration, get the whole family involved and have fun! Quick tips for fabulous home-made gifts.

Foodie treats are always a popular choice, at Christmastime. Make sure that you check the recipe, first, but many gifts can be enjoyed by the recipient long into January and beyond. For example, our Spicy Prune BBQ Sauce keeps for up to four weeks. And many preserves will last for up to a year. It’d be a nice touch to add an "enjoy before date" to your handwritten labels.

Take a look at our recipe pages for some scrummy sweet ideas. Who wouldn’t love a Dark Chocolate Bar with Prunes and Almonds or Chocolate Covered Nut-Stuffed Prunes? Pack the edible goodies into pretty gift bags or boxes and don’t forget the gift-tag! Personalised, hand-made labels make a lovely finishing touch.

Pinecones are the ultimate starting point for a whole host of Christmas crafting projects. Add googly eyes, brown felt triangles for ears and mini red pompoms to create – you guessed it – super-cute Rudolphs. Pop cones into mini plant-pots – fixing them securely with modelling clay – to create tiny trees, all ready for decorating. The possibilities are endless!

Maybe you have somebody on your list who is either short on time (a new mum, perhaps) or doesn’t get much company (an elderly neighbour, perhaps, who lives alone). A voucher for a home-made meal – to be redeemed in the New Year – can make a thoughtful gift. You could use our recipe pages as inspiration, to draw up a menu for the lucky recipient.

Enjoy your fabulously crafty weekend. But don’t forget to make an extra batch or two. It’s the chef’s privilege, after all.

With very best wishes – from all of us - for a very healthy, happy and home-made Christmas!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Have we forgotten the real meaning of Christmas?

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

This year, why not tune out of what the media – and everybody else - tells you about the perfect, family Christmas? You might just be able to conjure up a Christmas – with much less pressure, that suits your family down to the ground. Also, read our tips on keeping the whole family moving, even when the TV and choccies call!

Have we forgotten the real meaning of Christmas?

At Christmas, we can feel under more pressure than ever to be living the perfect life. Perfectly grateful children, patiently taking turns to open their perfectly chosen gifts. A perfect meal - home-cooked from scratch and festooned with everyone's favourite trimmings – being tucked into with gusto from a perfectly decorated table. A perfectly flambeed Christmas pudding... OK, you get the idea. And it's lovely, in theory. But the pressure – for the person who's expected to conjure up this vision of Christmas perfection, often single-handedly – can become too much.

Real Meaning

This Christmas, why not resolve to cut yourself some slack? Think about what Christmas means to you. Ask your family what Christmas means to them. Tailor-make a Christmas that's packed full of meaning for your family. And forget about everything else. There is no gold standard for the perfect Christmas. What's perfect for you, is perfect for you. (And there's a lot to be said for pre-peeled spuds!)

Keeping Active

We all know that physical activity – even if it's the last thing we feel like doing – can make us feel more energetic and generally improve our sense of wellbeing . So, even on the big day, make sure that you give your family plenty of opportunities to get moving.

• For older kids, turn clearing the table and washing the dishes into a race-against-the-clock.
• Younger kids can organise each person's present piles – into bags or boxes – so that you can at least see the living room floor or, better still, so that they can be transported to the respective rooms.
• Even the tiniest of tots can be put in charge of sorting wrapping paper and packaging for recycling.
• And if tempers and tears seem inevitable – and not just amongst the toddlers! - it's time for some fresh air and a change of scenery. Bundle everybody up. Set off for a brisk stroll around the block. You'll have rosy cheeks – and sweeter moods – in no time.

Healthier Snacking for Busy Families

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Time pressures, for many of us, seem to be rising both exponentially and relentlessly. Families with young children, in particular, seem to be constantly on the move with even the tiniest of tots having a packed schedule. Meals eaten together, up at the table, have become more of a special occasion thing than an everyday thing. And snacking has become just a regular part of our time-strapped, modern lives. Not all snacks are created equally, though!

With so much of the food that we consume being eaten “on the hoof”, it’s important to opt – wherever possible - for snacks that pack a nutritious punch without piling on the pounds.

The stats on obesity, from the World Health Organisation, are startling:

• Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.
• By 2014, almost 40% of the world’s adult population was deemed overweight.
• And obesity is preventable.

Planning Ahead

Used tactically, and as part of a generally healthy and balanced diet, snacks can help to manage hunger and reduce the likelihood of bingeing, at mealtimes. But it really does pay to plan ahead. Why not try pulling together a menu of easily-prepared snacks, that the whole family will love, and that can be enjoyed on a myriad of snacking occasions? Think lunchboxes, pre-exercise pick-me-ups, breakfast on-the-run...

Healthy Choices

Naturally, it makes nutritional sense – apart from when having a very occasional treat – to make healthy choices, to avoid snacks that are high in added sugar, fat and salt. We do understand, though, that it can be tricky to work out what is healthy and what isn’t when it comes to snacks. For example, processed fruit snacks – some of which actually have added sugar - are blurring the boundary between confectionery and traditional, unprocessed dried fruits. But the great news is that sweet and tasty treats are far from being an absolute no-no. “Traditional dried fruits have historically been considered a nutritious snack choice in parts of the world where abundant sunshine enabled drying fruits for preservation, such as the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. They all provide dietary fibre, are virtually fat and salt-free and each provide a range of essential micronutrients, such as potassium, copper, manganese, iron and vitamins A, E, K and niacin.”, says Jennette Higgs, Consultant Dietitian at the California Prune Board.

Recipe Ideas

And prunes are an excellent example of these traditional dried fruits. They can be enjoyed on their own, straight from the pack, but they’re also the basis for a whole host of super-satisfying goodies. Our website is a brilliant resource with countless healthy-snacking recipe ideas. Why not have a look and bookmark a few that take your fancy? And if you’re a YouTube kind of person, check out our video for a step-by-step guide to making Energy Balls. They’re perfectly portable, flavour-packed and sure to be a big hit with the whole family!

Mums-to-Be

And did you know that snacking is especially important for mums-to-be? It can:

• Boost those flagging energy levels
• Help to keep nausea at bay
• And, when high-fibre options are chosen, help to alleviate constipation

Why not take a look at our dedicated pregnancy website for lots more hints and tips?

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

Healthy treats for the kids, just perfect for the summer

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

“Mum, I’m hungry!” It’s a fairly constant chorus over the long, school holidays. And it can be tricky – with all that round-the-clock snacking - not to overload on the nasties with fat and sugar and artificial ingredients. Our Frozen Yoghurt with Raspberry Prune will be a welcome addition to your repertoire.

Ingredients

200 g natural yoghurt, mild (3.5 % fat)

100-125 g Sunsweet prunes

250 g frozen raspberries, not defrosted

Optional: 4 ice-cream cones

Instructions

1. First place the yoghurt and then the prunes and raspberries into a blender. Purée at slow speed, then at medium speed until smooth, repeatedly pushing the raspberries downwards with the pestle. If the ice cream is not firm enough, divide the mixture into portions in dessert glasses and leave to refreeze for 30 to 60 minutes in the freezer. Otherwise, immediately divide the mixture into portions in dessert glasses or, alternatively, divide into portions in ice-cream cones.

Vegan variation: soya yoghurt can be used instead of dairy yoghurt.

Tip: a powerful blender makes the ice cream particularly creamy. A hand-held blender is not recommended. However, if only a hand-held blender is available, first thaw the raspberries, then purée all ingredients together. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker (in accordance with operating instructions) or leave it to freeze in the freezer. To freeze, divide the mixture into portions in 4 silicone muffin moulds and place in the freezer for 1-3 hours (do not let the mixture get too hard). Remove the ice cream from the moulds and place on plates to serve.

Hygge: Taking home comforts to a whole new level!

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

Have you heard of Hygge? Pronounced hoo-guh, it is the Danish one word phenomenon that has taken the entire world by storm. Despite it having previously been deemed untranslatable, it was voted as one of 2016’s words of the year by both the Oxford Dictionary and the Collins Dictionary. But what exactly does it mean?

The definition of hygge

Well, descriptions of hygge vary. Some people would describe it as a feeling of comfort, indulgence, contentment and cosiness. Others would describe it as transforming those regular, everyday moments into something more meaningful; creating a sense of ceremony around your after-work cookie and cuppa, for example, by digging out your best china, lighting a pretty candle and getting your feet up. And still others would describe hygge as something close to a philosophy, a way of slowing things down and taking some time out of a relentlessly hectic schedule to unwind.

Susanne Nilsson, a Danish lecturer at London's Morley College, attempted to explain the etymology of hygge to the BBC, "We have long, cold winters in Denmark. That influences things. Hygge doesn't have to be a winter-only thing, but the weather isn't that good for much of the year. Hygge could be families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed, or it could be time spent on your own reading a good book. It works best when there's not too large an empty space around the person or people."

Making hygge your own

Danish winters may be long and dark and cold but that’s a reality that many of us can relate to! And part of the essence of hygge - creating a warm and inviting environment, gathering friends and family together and sharing food and drink with them, by candlelight – might just be the perfect antidote. So, this winter, why not try making hygge your own? Give yourself the time and the space to do… nothing! Stock up on the tealights, the comforting throws and the super-warm socks and revel in cosy.

But the really good news?  Hygge and a healthy balanced lifestyle don’t have to be contradictions in terms. Think gentle exercise routines at home – yoga, pilates and tai chi are all excellent options. Think comfort foods – like hearty soups and warming stews – that are nutritionally-balanced and nourishing. Think warming, fruit-based drinks with a mulled-wine vibe. Think deep and meaningful rather than fast and furious. We don’t know about you but we could really get used to this hyggelig way of life!

Recipes with added hygge

PS: Why not check out the following super-scrummy, super-comforting and yet super-healthy ideas from our recipe pages? A lovely – and tasty – way to get that hygge-feeling!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.

It’s never too late for a fresh start!

Posted Fri, Jun 11, 21 by Sunsweet

With spring time not a million miles away, February can actually be a great time of the year to breathe fresh, new and healthy life into those daily routines of ours. Check out our tips that’ll help you switch from a fixed to a growth mindset and give your wellbeing goals the very best chance of success!

So, February is here. And – for many of us – the resolutions with which we kicked-off the New Year will already be a hazy memory. Perhaps even a guilty one. Many of us have the desire to be fitter, healthier, happier. Many of us struggle to muster the motivation to achieve that. And many of us feel bad about that!

But the Christmas craziness has long gone. And Spring is just around the corner. This can actually be the perfect time of the year to clean up your act and kick-start some excellent lifestyle routines. So this month, why not be inspired by St Valentine? Ditch the negative self-talk, get into the health and fitness habit and show yourself some love!

Mindset Theory

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.” Henry Ford was, perhaps unwittingly, an early exponent of mindset theory. But modern psychologists, like Carol Dweck, are now proving the truth behind such sentiments: our beliefs have a strong influence on our behaviour and contribute to our success - or otherwise - in many aspects of our lives.

• “I’m not interested in cooking and, anyway, ready-meals are just so much more convenient.”
• “I don’t have the time to exercise, during the week. I guess it’ll just have to wait till the kids have grown up a bit.”
• “In the middle of a busy week, I just snack and run. Healthy food goes out of the window.”

We all have stories that we tell ourselves, that we use as excuses. But when eating healthily and taking regular exercise have proven health benefits, can we really afford not to make them a priority – no matter how busy our lives are?

Reserving the right to change our minds

Our beliefs and our behaviour can become ingrained over the years. But they don’t have to define us forever. According to writer and orator Dr. Tim Elmore by following just a handful of steps, significant changes can be made:

1. Believe that your brain works like a muscle: This can help us to stop making excuses and to get brutally honest with ourselves about the decisions that we’re making.
2. Use the word “yet.”: This can go a long way towards helping us to see life as a series of growth opportunities. “I haven’t run a marathon. Yet.”
3. Affirm variables that are in our control: “I worked really hard to run that 3K” rather than “I’m naturally athletic”.
4. Surround yourself with “growth mindset” people: We tend to become the people that we spend the most time with so choose wisely!

So now that you have the theory down, about switching to a growth mindset, it's time to arm yourself with some practical tips to achieve those goals. We've pulled together a 32-page Healthy Living Guide to help you do just that. Take the first step towards changing your mindset and download the guide, today!

Please Note: Prunes are good for digestion and help keep you regular, when 100g are eaten as part of a varied and balanced diet and an active lifestyle. Always consult a GP if you have any health concerns.