Nutrition Seminar on Phytonutrients: Protectors of Health

The team at Momentum Training are always looking for ways to help people improve their health. Training is only one part of the bigger picture. Nutrition is critical and there are so many misconceptions about what “healthy nutrition” really is.  We have invited Glen Matten (self proclaimed nutrition nerd) to talk about the importance of phytonutrients in the diet.

Glens introduction to phytonutrients

Having spent years working in the field of nutrition, you come across loads of really interesting stuff, like the pivotal role of nutrients such as vitamin D, and selenium, for our health, or the big story around omega-3 fish oils, or the compelling research on whole dietary patterns, such as has emerged with the Mediterranean diet. But, given all that, what still interests me the most? Phytonutrients. For those not familiar with that term, we’re talking about the myriad of naturally occurring plant compounds that, whilst not ‘essential’ nutrients in the way vitamins and minerals are, may have a host of benefits to human health.

Where to begin? Just today, a type of broccoli specifically bred to have super high levels of a beneficial compound called glucoraphanin is in the news for its potential to protect our joints and lessen the risk of arthritis. Developed by scientists as a cross between standard broccoli and a wild relative from Sicily, the super high levels of glucoraphanin are transformed into another compound called sulforaphane when we ingest it, and it is this compound that researchers are finding could hold promise for protecting our joints.  And that really only adds to the list of health benefits of cruciferous vegetables, topped of course by a pretty substantial body of research testifying to their cancer-protective properties.

Of course, we know the drill, fruits and vegetables are good for us. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to phytonutrients. We’ve got the likes of coffee, abundant in phytonutrients such as chlorogenic acids, with increasingly compelling research showing that this may be the beverage of choice for reducing diabetes risk. Then there’s the wonderful world of flavonoids, a group of plant compounds found not only in fruits and vegetables, but abundantly in the likes of tea, red wine and cocoa. When it comes to the health benefits of green tea, it is the catechins that have garnered the interest of researchers, and when it comes to chocolate, it is the cocoa flavanols that are being extensively studied for their cardio-protective qualities.

Isn’t it kind of amazing to think that by knowledgeably constructing diets of let’s face it, really tasty foods, we could build a shield of protection against the major chronic diseases of the modern world, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and so on? Hey, and some of them will even keep your skin looking younger…but more of that later. And in a world that has become obsessed with popping supplement pills to supposedly promote health, isn’t it high time we put food centre stage?

In collaboration with CrossFit Hackney, Glen Matten will be hosting the Phytonutrients: Protectors of Health seminar

When: 1pm on Saturday 21st September

Where: Momentum Training.

Cost: Tickets are £5 for members and £10 for non-members.

Booking is essential, please e-mail [email protected]

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About Glen Matten

With a Masters Degree in Nutritional Medicine, and a predilection for good food, Glen is a nutrition nerd and full-on foodie in equal measures; an inimitable mash-up that saw him combining nuggets of nutritional knowledge with some stonking recipes in his first book The 100 Foods You Should be Eating.

But, there’s more to Glen’s repertoire than a few decent dishes, namely his conviction that our diet and lifestyle holds the true key to resolving the majority of our modern-day health woes. Frustrated by the mire of misinformation out there, and impassioned to bring rock-solid advice to the general public, Glen’s second book was conceived; The Health Delusion, the award-winning, myth-busting, no-holds barred account of what has gone wrong with our collective health and how we can put it right.

Glen’s fresh approach to nutrition has led to frequent forays into the media, and as well as being an award-winning writer, he has made numerous TV and radio appearances. He is the founder and co-director of the health-information website www.healthuncut.com and can be found airing his views as an expert blogger for the Huffington Post.

Glen holds nutrition clinics at KX and The Hale Clinic.