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Gill Swan Nutrition, New Milton (2026)

12/05/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Tomato

The Aztecs cultivated tomatoes from around 700 AD. Cortes brought them to Europe in 1519. Initially, they were grown ornamentally and were viewed suspiciously because of their resemblance to deadly nightshade. This wasn’t helped when aristocrats served them on pewter plates and became ill. The acid from the tomatoes had leached the lead in the pewter and it was the lead making people ill. Tomatoes got the blame and the name ‘poison apples.’

Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and vitamin K and copper. They are a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, E, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc and fibre. Their phytonutrients are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and support immunity, eye, skin and heart health.
They contain lycopene which has been found to lower risk of prostate cancer. The bioavailability of lycopene and beta-carotenes (vitamin A precursors) increases with cooking.

Tomatoes can be eaten raw or stuffed or in salads or sandwiches. They can be roasted or made into soup. They are a key ingredient in pasta sauces, on pizzas, in stews, curries, shakshuka, tagine, salsas, risottos, quiches and sauces. They can be made into chutney, jam or juice.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

05/05/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Fennel

The marathon gets its name from fennel. Marathon is the Greek word for fennel and the Battle of Marathon was fought in a field of fennel in 490 BC. The Romans and Anglo-Saxons believed fennel could ward off evil and medieval Europeans put fennel seeds in keyholes to prevent witches entering.

Fennel is high in vitamin K. It also contains vitamins A, C, E, B3, B5, B6, B9, potassium and fibre. Its phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It supports digestive and cardiovascular health and detoxification.

The fennel bulb can be braised, added to salads and slaws, added to roast vegetables, stir-fries and soups. The leaves can be used as a garnish or added to salads, soups, salsas or pasta. The seeds can be chewed whole as a breath freshener and digestive aid. They can also be added to curries, dressings, pickles, bread and sweet baked goods. Lightly toasting or grinding them increases the flavour.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

24/04/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Coffee

According to legend, Kaldi, a 9th century Ethiopian goat herder, discovered the energising effects of coffee after seeing his goats eat the red berries. 500 years later, coffee spread to Yemen and was used by Sufi mystics to keep them awake for long periods of prayer and meditation. The first coffee house opened in Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1475. Coffee was initially viewed suspiciously in Europe but Pope Clement VIII approved it around 1600. The first English coffee house opened in 1650 in Oxford.

Caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine receptors that regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It also stimulates the release of noradrenaline and adrenaline which make us more alert and focused. Coffee is also antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and may be cardio, hepato and neuroprotective.

However, coffee can cause anxiety, jitters and palpitations. If you have an ADORA2A gene variation, you are likely to be more sensitive to coffee. If you have a CYP1A2 gene variation, you are likely to break it down more slowly and be affected by it for longer.

Coffee increases stomach acid and can cause acid reflux and burping. It also increases gastric motility which can lead to diarrhoea.

Coffee contains diterpenes which inhibit the enzymes that break down LDL cholesterol. Thus, coffee consumption can lead to raised cholesterol levels. Filter coffee has less diterpenes than other forms of coffee.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans -

21/04/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Aubergine

The name aubergine evolved from a Sanskrit word that means ‘plant that cures the wind.’ Unlike other nightshades, the aubergine comes from India and not South America. The first variety cultivated in Europe was white and egg-shaped, hence the alternative name, eggplant.

Like all nightshade plants, aubergine contains ni****ne. However, you would have to eat 9-10 kg of aubergine to get the same amount of ni****ne as in 1 cigarette.

Aubergines are a good source of vitamins B1, B6 and K, potassium, phosphorous, copper and magnesium. They also contain calcium, iron, vitamin C, folate and fibre. Their phytonutrients are antioxidants, support digestion and are neuro and cardioprotective.

Aubergines are eaten in curries, stews, bakes, moussaka, lasagne, tabbouleh, miso aubergine and in the Middle Eastern dip, baba ghanoush.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

19/03/2026

SOURSOP

Soursop is native to the Caribbean and American tropics where is traditionally has the nicknames the healer tree, the protector against evil and the fruit of the soil. Like papaya, jackfruit and cacao it is a cauliflorous tree. This means its flowers and fruit grow on the trunk. This is thought to maximise opportunities for seed dispersal by bats, monkeys and insects in the lower canopy of the rainforest.

Soursop is a good source of vitamin C and has good levels of B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron and phosphorous. It also contains vitamin A, choline, calcium, selenium and zinc. It contains phytonutrients that are antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and support the immune system as well as healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Some social media reports have erroneously claimed that soursop is ‘10,000 stronger than chemotherapy’. However, these reports have some basis in truth. Acetogenins (found in soursop, pawpaw, custard apple and sugar apple) have been show to selectively starve cancer cells of energy and increase apoptosis (programmed cell death). So far, this has only been proven in lab tests.

Soursops are eaten fresh (minus the seeds which are toxic), made into smoothies, juices, ice cream, sorbet and yoghurt. The leaves can be steeped for soursop tea. Unripe, green soursop can be used like jackfruit in curries, bakes, stews and even on pizza.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

03/02/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Turmeric

In 1995, US scientists patented turmeric as a wound-healing agent. The patent was successfully challenged by India where turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, for thousands of years, for many things rincluding wound healing. It was/is also used as dye (for monks’ robes), as a cosmetic (face masks), in marriage ceremonies (purification ceremony) and as a spice.

The curcuma longa (turmeric) plant comes from the ginger family. Its leaves, stalks and flowers can all be used but it is the rhizomes that are cooked, dried and ground into turmeric powder.

Turmeric contains calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese and traces of phosphorous, potassium, zinc and copper. Its phytonutrients include curcuminoids but also terpenes, phenols and carotenoids. These are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. They support brain, heart and joint health.

Studies show that turmeric can slow the COMT enzyme which breaks down adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine. I already have a slow COMT gene so I no longer consume turmeric regularly, despite its other benefits.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

20/01/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Shiitake

Shiitake means mushroom of the castanopsis (shii) tree. Castanopsis is a kind of beech and shiitake was traditionally grown on its logs. In East Asian cultures, shiitake are connected with longevity and good health. Logs inoculated with shiitake spores would be placed next to newborns to symbolise their future growth and prosperity. Shiitake is also considered a tonic and an aphrodisiac.

Shiitake are a good source of B2, B3, B5 and B6. They contain vitamin D if they have been exposed to the sun. They are high in zinc and a good source of manganese, phosphorous, selenium, copper, potassium, magnesium and iron. They are high in fibre and beta-glucans which support digestive health. Their phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. They support the immune system and circulatory system. They support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Studies have shown that they can inhibit tumour growth.

They can be fried or roasted and eaten as a side-dish or added to stir-fries, stocks, soups, stews, rice, pies or pasta.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

08/01/2026

30+ Plant Foods – Leeks

Emperor Nero is said to have eaten leek soup to improve his singing voice. The Romans brought leeks to Britain where they thrived in the cooler, wetter climate.

There are many legends explaining why the leek is a symbol of Wales. The patron saint, David, is said to have consumed only leeks and water. Welsh soldiers were said to wear them in battle against the Saxons ‘to differentiate themselves.’ At the Battle of Crecy, Welsh archers fired at the French from a leek field. Whatever the truth of it, Wales is unique in having a vegetable as a national symbol.

Leeks are very high in vitamin K. They are also high in vitamins A and C, B6, folate, manganese, iron and fibre. They are a source of magnesium, molybdenum, copper, calcium and potassium. Their phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and antioxidant. They can protect eyes and the cardiovascular system.

Like onions, leeks are in the allium family and can be a base ingredient for pies, soups, stews, bakes and tarts. They can be added to pilaf, stir fries, spicy pastes and sauces, dahls, roasted, braised or served as side dishes.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice or plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

19/12/2025

30+ Plant Foods – the mandarin family

Mi gan is Mandarin for mandarin. For 2,500 years, China has had public officials called mandarins. Mandarin language is the name of the official language of the court and mandarin fruit is thought to have got its name from the bright orange robes worn by mandarins.

Mandarins were first cultivated in China’s Nanling mountains. Now, there are hundreds of varieties grown around the world. Satsumas are named after Satsuma province in Japan where they naturally hybridised from mandarin varieties. Clementines are an Algerian accidental hybrid from a mandarin and a sweet orange. Tangerines are a mandarin variety that got their name from the port of Tangiers, a staging post on their journey to Europe.

The tradition of an orange citrus fruit in the toe of a Christmas stocking comes from a tale about St. Nicholas. He is said to have dropped sacks of gold down a poor man’s chimney so that the man could provide dowries for his daughters. The satsuma and the chocolate gold coins found in Christmas stockings represent these dowries.

The mandarin family is high in vitamin C. It is also a source of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, potassium, copper, calcium, manganese and fibre. Their phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. They are neuroprotective and support eye, skin and heart health.

They can be eaten as a snack or in a fruit salad. They can be used as marinades and glazes, muffins, cakes, cookies, tarts, curds, jams, jellies, marmalades, popsicles, gremolatas and garnishes. They can be used in savoury dishes such as salsa, ceviche, salads, stir-fries and rice dishes. They can be made into juice or liqueurs such as Cointreau.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

09/12/2025

30+ Plant Foods – Hazelnut

Hazelnuts grew on the Laurasian supercontinent which divided more than 60 million years ago. Consequently, there are varieties of hazelnut indigenous to North America and Eurasia. Varieties include the American hazelnut, the Giresun Tombul (Turkey), the Tonda Romana, the Spanish filbert, and the Kentish cobnut.

In the UK, the 14th of September was traditionally ‘nutting day.’ In some parts of the county, children were given the day off school to gather hazelnuts and other nuts. It was considered unlucky to collect nuts on September 21st as that was when the devil was out collecting his nuts.

Hazelnuts contain all the essential amino acids but are not considered a complete protein because their levels of lysine are low. They are rich in monounsaturated fats like oleic acid (omega 3). They are high in manganese, copper, vitamin E and fibre. They are a good source of B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and selenium. They are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Their phytonutrients support heart and eye health.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

25/11/2025

30+ Plant Foods – Borlotti Beans

Cargamanto beans originated in the Andes where they were a staple food and were also used to make jewellery and rosary beads. They were brought to Europe in the 1500s. They have become a culinary staple in Italy as borlotti beans and in Portugal as catarino beans.

Although high in protein, they are not considered a complete protein because they only have low levels of methionine. Borlotti beans are high in B1, B2 and folate and also contain B3, B5 and B6. They are a good source of iron, copper, phosphorous, manganese, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and selenium. They are high in fibre. Their phytonutrients are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. They support heart and gut health.

Uncooked, borlotti beans are a beige colour with a spattering of reddish-pink markings. When cooked, they lose their colourful speckles. They are a key ingredient in Bandeja Paisa, a traditional Columbian dish. They can be served as a side dish or added to salads, soups, stews, casseroles, feijoadas and tacos.

For more information and in-depth, personalised nutritional advice and plans - www.gillswannutrition.co.uk

Gill Swan Nutrition

12/05/2026

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