First a unexpected fact: tomato ketchup is healthier than a fresh tomato in some ways. Huh? Jaha, because during the production of ketchup tomato to be destroyed at the cellular level (what happens during cooking), you can record more of the healthy substance lycopene than a raw tomato. For you now going to eat anything with a tablespoon of ketchup: remember that ketchup contains a lot of sugar, almost a lump of sugar per tablespoon. Not only tomatoes belong on the FoodExplorer list of alternative superfoods, including kale, almonds and avocados are, in our superfoods. For our definition of superfoods click here.

What's in tomatoes? 

The most notable nutrients lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene. They all belong to the carotenoids and are powerful antioxidants. Lypoceen is the natural pigment in tomatoes that makes them red (so choose tomatoes that are as red as possible!). They are especially well absorbed when tomatoes heat and eat in combination with fats such as olive oil or oily fish. In addition, tomato also contains, inter alia, vitamin B1, B2, B6, vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, iron and calcium.

What's good about tomatoes? 

The antioxidants such as lycopene in tomatoes are good for your skin and eyes and protect against the sun. Antioxidants eliminate damage being caused by harmful influences, including by harmful influences of for example exhaust gases. The damage can cause in sunlight UV radiation in the skin cells can be reversed by an anti-oxidant as lycopene. You do have the appropriate food combined with fats (ie tomato sauce with a tablespoon of olive oil, tomato or in combination with oily fish) because the active substance otherwise not absorbed by your body. 

Vitamin B1, B2, B6 and Vitamin C, provide for the production of blood cells, which help blood cells to carry oxygen and CO2 and are involved in cell metabolism, thus have a positive influence on the cardiovascular system. The combination of lycopene, phytoene and phytofluene in tomato also seems to have influence on the formation of cancer, according to research. There are signs that especially phytofluene can help to prevent prostate cancer in men, which seems at least in experimental animals to be. The glycemic index (1 is lowest, 100 the highest) of tomatoes is 15, which means it is slowly broken down and your blood sugar levels do not skyrocket. 

No, kale really is not just good in a stew. You can handle it very well in a salad or in a blender with a smoothie! Kale belongs on the FoodExplorer of 'alternative superfoods', here you can read more about the what and why of this list. The products we are bombing to alternative superfoods from closer to home, are cheaper and usually just buy at the supermarket. At the same time they often contain at least the same beneficial nutrients as well known superfoods. For 'super' is often closer to home than you think! Today kicks off with kale and then follow include almonds, garlic, asparagus and avocado.

What's in kale?

Vitamin K, vitamin A and vitamin C, vitamin B11, B6, B3 and B2, vitamin E. These vitamins are also in nice quantities: 250 g kale contains 180% of the vitamin C you need daily! In terms of minerals, kale is also male: manganese and copper to calcium. But also potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus sit in it. In addition to vitamins and minerals are also glucosinolates in kale, as well as many anti-oxidants.

What's good in kale?

1. Anti-oxidants that we mentioned above include carotenoids and flavonoids that protect cells against free radicals that can cause damage to the DNA in the cells.

2. Vitamin K (of which 250 grams of kale contains a whopping 1300% of the RDA, and no, that's not a typo) helps prevent inflammation in the body. All vitamins in kale together include more good for your bones, teeth, resistance and immune system.

3. A trace elements such as iron kale is good for creating hemoglobin in your blood, but is also good for your liver.

4. The glycemic index (1 is lowest, 100 the highest) of kale is also 22-35, which means that it is broken down relatively slowly and your blood sugar levels do not shoot up.

Inspired? Then make this salad with kale, pumpkin and pomegranate seeds! We ourselves are also impressed by the power of the green sheet, so tomorrow is going Claartje make a smoothie with kale, kaki fruit and wheat grass powder. Do yourself a dish with the alternative superfood kale. Do you have any additional information on kale and what all there in it for good things? Please comment below. Thanks!

"Honey, what do you want for dinner tonight?" The answer: "Do whatever!" Fortunately, I'm always come up with something so I pull armed with my shopping bag towards the supermarket. Upon entry are the ready-to-eat products pontifical into my field of vision. Sometimes it's just nice to do something easy. Unfortunately, just as something easy for lactose intolerant not there, because almost all of these products contain lactose. Exceptions of course. And a half years ago, for example, I could buy a ready-made microwave dish nasi. Since the recipe has been updated (now even better 'is written on the packaging) I may not now. The addition of lactose makes the difference. Whether even better is I can not try, but it's for fabricating the manufacturer now cheaper, is to me like a sore thumb. Who needs less 'expensive' ingredients and adds to lactose to still get the right amounts. Fortunately, there are alternatives and I'm now completely own the rice.

Some supermarkets think with me and clearly on the packaging indicated the ingredients, sometimes even with an icon. At the beginning of my lactose intolerant there was still quite a hassle to find products that I could eat, but now I fly almost through the supermarket. But herein lies a small risk. Because I'm so used to buy certain products, I do not look at the packaging. It happens that I, as the tiles already on the fire, still just read what is in it, and then to come to the discovery that the product so beloved by me is not suitable for me. 

It also happens that when no lactose ingredients listed, but it is still hidden in an added 'e-nummertje. Sometimes it is really hard to believe what all is in such an E-number. All to the products just nice to show off, and as long as possible to make sustainable. The manufacturer forgets only that nowadays many people are intolerant or allergic to certain additives. It is time to show this in the manufacturers! Here I also am doing, among other things on my website Lactosevrijgenieten.nl but what I try; it is always spoke to two things: number one is money and number two is the fact that the manufacturers are of the opinion that it is not all that bad.

Luckily I have a very nice supermarket around the corner: Franchise Lodder Albert Heijn in Spijkenisse. If I need anything, skying trouble for example by trying to order a product. The owner has a wide range of lactose-free products only in my region. People from Utrecht Zealand or even coming this way to store these messages! Of course I am very happy with this (it does it all for me even easier), but might actually this country should be so I would say: come in large supermarkets, raise your necks out and make our lactose intolerant happy! A better win-win situation is not possible in my opinion.

Your mother has used itu probably been told you: "Spinach not heat up again though!". The opinion of the Nutrition Center had since 2002 namely to eat nitrate-rich vegetables up to two times per week. Spinach, beetroot and endive are vegetables that are high in nitrate. Nitrate is a non-hazardous substance, but can be converted in the body into harmful nitrosamines. This substance is possibly carcinogenic. Especially the (often) heating the vegetable can accelerate the conversion. would create more nitrosamines in combination with fish.

Last week, the Food Centre withdrew these opinions with regard to nitrate-rich vegetable. We can fully enjoy spinach again. The Nutrition Centre will encourage eating more vegetables outweigh the disadvantages of nitrate. In addition, the amount of nitrosamines that occur too small for health risks. There are two opinions regarding nitrate which are still valid, namely:

- Do not use water from private sources for bottle feeding. Namely ground water is also nitrate. 

- Be cautious with nitrate-rich sports supplements such as beet juice (concentrate). This is a precaution, because its effects are unclear in the long term.

The combination of apple and cinnamon remains a winning combination. This can be in a  low carb apple crumble, a bowl of  apple pie oatmeal  or, like today, in this delicious cheesecake from Fit with Marit. Believe me!  it's hard to resist a second point of this cheesecake. Admittedly, there is a decent mountain cream cheese processed, but this cheesecake is the worst yet. It's ie full of good fats by the notes hidden in the soil!

Preparation:

-Preheat the oven at 160 degrees in advance.

-Put the nut mix in a food processor and make sure you do not grind too fine notes.

-Add below the raisins and coconut oil to the mixture in the blender and turn the blender again. Grind a bit until you get an even grind mix.

-Lined a mold of about 24 centimeters in diameter with baking parchment and spread the mixture on bottom of the cake pan.

-Create a separate bowl the filling: Mix the cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs and egg whites, cinnamon and possibly some protein powder mix well with a fork or whisk.

-Pour  the filling over the bottom and turn the oven bake for 30 minutes.

-Cut an apple in some pieces to decorate the cake after cooling.

-Sprinkle some extra cinnamon on the cake to show that it is incorporated in the cheesecake.

Enjoy!