NEWS – Just Taste SHOP IRELAND https://justtaste.ie Vegetable Pasta Ireland Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:48:05 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://justtaste.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cropped-justtaste-ireland-32x32.jpg NEWS – Just Taste SHOP IRELAND https://justtaste.ie 32 32 (Silence) Combating inflammation with the right diet https://justtaste.ie/silence-combating-inflammation-with-the-right-diet/ https://justtaste.ie/silence-combating-inflammation-with-the-right-diet/#respond Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:43:19 +0000 https://justtaste.ie/?p=795
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(Silence) Combating inflammation with the right diet

First, a few introductory remarks: What exactly is inflammation?

The body is exposed to a stimulus. From the outside, for example, a splinter injures the tissue or a bruise occurs. From the inside, for example, an infection such as a cold. A natural and healthy reaction of the body is (temporary!) inflammation, which initiates the healing and repair processes. Temporary inflammation is therefore not the problem. On the contrary, if the body has to fight inflammation permanently or over a longer period of time, our immune system releases more free radicals. These free radicals fight pathogens, but they also attack the body’s own tissue. The body’s own structures (e.g. blood vessels) become negatively active when they are released permanently and on a large scale. Enzymes that are supposed to put an end to the ‘excessive activity’ of free radicals are not produced in the first place due to poor nutrition. So eat the right foods. It is particularly problematic if you do not recognise inflammation at all. Neither the external nor the internal irritation is recognisable or noticeable.

This is referred to as ‘silent inflammation’!
These are difficult to diagnose. They can cause considerable damage to the body. Diseases (diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases and many more) develop or worsen. The problem: if I am not in pain or feeling unwell, I do not recognise inflammation. Signs of ‘silent inflammation’ could include: depressive mood, as inflammation interferes with tryptophan metabolism, sleep disorders, frequent infections and illnesses, autoimmune diseases, unexplained pain, frequent fatigue, listlessness, constant tiredness or concentration problems.

How can I prevent ‘silent inflammation’ and how can my diet help to combat it? Here are a few key points:

Don’ts (promote inflammation):
Avoid highly processed ready-made products, as many of their ingredients (emulsifiers, sweeteners, preservatives, etc.) have been proven to damage the immune system. Avoid consuming too many simple carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour (type 405), and avoid too much fructose, which is even more harmful than table sugar, which consists of 50% fructose. Avoid being overweight, especially around the abdomen, as this fat has been shown to promote (silent) inflammation through the release of cytokines (pro-inflammatory hormones). Environmental toxins; lack of sleep; stress; lack of exercise and too much fat.

Do’s (prevent inflammation):
ensure an adequate supply of nutrients and vital substances (plenty of fibre, vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances); eat plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole foods, nuts or legumes; be sure to drink enough (30, preferably 40 ml per kg of body weight); generally prefer a plant-based diet; use mainly plant-based protein from various sources.

TConclusion: Diet plays a key role in terms of ‘silent inflammation’. Nobody has to live like an ascetic, but by following the guidelines outlined above, you will be able to better control inflammation and its consequences.

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The will is there, but the flesh is weak!

Practical psychological strategies to strengthen willpower and resist temptation – for example, through meal prepping, regular meals to stabilise blood sugar levels, more fibre for longer satiety, positive habit formation and consciously reducing temptations in everyday life.
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Protein – What medieval knights already knew

Proteins promote satiety, reduce muscle loss during weight loss and keep the metabolism active, as the utilisation of protein consumes more energy than fat or carbohydrates – good reasons to ensure you consume enough protein.

]]> https://justtaste.ie/silence-combating-inflammation-with-the-right-diet/feed/ 0 The will is there, but the flesh is weak! https://justtaste.ie/the-will-is-there-but-the-flesh-is-weak/ https://justtaste.ie/the-will-is-there-but-the-flesh-is-weak/#respond Fri, 02 Jan 2026 11:13:02 +0000 https://justtaste.ie/?p=788
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The will is there, but the flesh is weak!

Knowing how to eat healthily is one thing. Having the determination to follow through on eating more healthily is another. Do you sometimes find it difficult to eat healthily? Do you often give in to temptation and eat unhealthy food? How can I strengthen my willpower and resist temptation?

Here are nine very effective psychological tricks:

1. Plan your meals for the next day a little. For example, prepare a pasta dish (vegetable pasta from Just Taste!). If you wait until lunchtime to decide what to eat, you will probably not choose healthy foods because you are so hungry, but rather foods that are quick to prepare.

2. Don’t leave too long between meals. Otherwise, your blood sugar level will drop too low. This also minimises your desire to choose healthy foods. The pressure to eat increases. For healthy people, five hours between meals is a good guideline.

3. For the same reason, make sure you include fibre in your diet. It keeps you feeling full for longer, which reduces those unpleasant cravings.

4. Are you familiar with the ‘ten-minute rule’? If your planning and meal intervals aren’t working out so well and you’re craving chocolate, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. This helps to reduce stress, which is often the reason why we reach for chocolate and other sweet treats. Put the chocolate or other sweets aside for ten minutes. You’ll find that you’re able to resist more often than you expected. Courage can be trained!

5. Don’t fall into the ‘what’s the point’ trap! If you eat something sweet after ten minutes, accept it and enjoy it. Feeling guilty – the ‘what’s the point’ trap – will only lead to you eating uncontrollably and excessively.

6. Humans are creatures of habit! The more often you manage to enjoy healthy foods instead of sweets, the easier it will be to establish your new (healthy) habit.

7. Also important in terms of developing willpower: it is easier to avoid temptation than to resist it. Therefore, remove sweets (or other unhealthy foods) from your field of vision.

8. Not always easy or feasible: but if possible, avoid dinner invitations from people who are indifferent to nutrition. The plate may look delicious, but the food is unhealthy. I know this can be difficult!

9. Trick your willpower with the help of ‘habit coupling’: Couple any habit with another, positive habit. For example, couple your way to lunch break with your new habit of ‘always eating a piece of fruit first’.

]]> https://justtaste.ie/the-will-is-there-but-the-flesh-is-weak/feed/ 0 Protein – What medieval knights already knew https://justtaste.ie/protein-what-medieval-knights-already-knew/ https://justtaste.ie/protein-what-medieval-knights-already-knew/#respond Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:15:40 +0000 https://justtaste.ie/?p=759
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Fancy some healthy pasta?
Main course, side dish or creative pasta variations: our pasta made from sweet potatoes, edamame, chickpeas, black beans, soy or mungo edamame for a varied and healthy cuisine!

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Protein – What medieval knights already knew

We are certainly no longer in the Middle Ages, but in those days people had sufficient sources of protein. And to stay with the ‘wordplay’, I would like to take this opportunity to make a case for more protein in our diet.

Advantages of a protein-rich diet

A higher protein content in the diet causes the body to produce more satiating hormones. This means you eat less! A higher protein content also ensures that muscle loss is reduced during weight loss. In addition, muscle maintenance slows down the metabolism less. The basal metabolic rate does not drop as sharply. Calories are also burned during the absorption and subsequent utilisation of fat, carbohydrates and protein (thermogenesis). Overall, this accounts for about 10% of the basal metabolic rate in an average diet. Here, too, protein is advantageous because it is about eight to ten times more effective than fat and about four to five times more effective than carbohydrates.

Animal protein is, of course, very high quality. However, when consuming animal-based foods, you also consume many accompanying substances (cholesterol, purine, pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid and others). For example, TMAO, which is harmful to blood vessels and is produced from the bacterial metabolite TMA, causes inflammation, obesity, arteriosclerosis and, in a broader sense, cardiovascular disease. With a predominantly plant-based diet that was varied, the knights of the Middle Ages would also have fared well. It definitely produces enough protein. So what can we learn from the Middle Ages? Eat protein!

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