The vegan diet used to exclude treats such as cake, but with free from cakes and vegan cakesyou can now have your cake mix and eat it too. For special occasions there are also vegan birthday cakes and healthy cakes and healthy muffins.

The vegan diet used to be deemed as a newfangled diet followed by hippies and other alternative types. However, in the US the vegan diet is gaining popularity at an alarming speed. It’s believed that the main reasons for this are because more people are becoming increasingly aware of the damage a carnivore diet is having on the environment, to the animals, and our bodies.

Today, vegans – who do not eat any food product that has come from an animal-such as honey, mayonnaise and cheese as well as meat and eggs -come from all different ethnic and professional backgrounds.

The rise in the popularity of the vegan diet can also be attributed to the wider availability of food items which have been specially made to suit the needs of the vegan diet.  Years ago the staples of the vegan diet consisted of tofu, brown rice, lentils and steamed vegetables, creating a range of bland and unadventurous meals – treats like a cake were most definitely out of the question!

However, today it is much easier for a vegan to eat a diet not too dissimilar to a conventional diet, thanks to the production of various free from foods.

The Healthy Cake Company is a bakery dedicated to the production of free from cakes.  They not only produce healthy cakes which are suitable for vegans to eat, but can also make customised celebratory vegan cakes, such as vegan birthday cakes. Alternatively, if you want to brush up on your baking and make your own free from cakes they also supply cake mix, which is suitable for followers of vegan and vegetarian diets to eat.

The Healthy Cake Company makes each cake individually, allowing you can make special requests for any ingredients that you would like your cake to be made from. Don’t like soya milk? Simply make a request for your cake to contain rice milk instead.

The Healthy Cake Company’s production of vegan cakes means that no longer does the vegan diet need to be plain and boring. Bursting with organic, natural flavours their free from cakes and healthy muffins are moist, light and fluffy-yet most importantly won’t compromise a healthy diet!

Visit our website at http://www.healthycakecompany.co.uk/

Did you know that research collated by YorkTest Laboratories suggests that:

• 12 million people are living with a food intolerance, which equates to 45% of the UK population.
• Researchers have shown that subtle delayed reactions to the foods that we eat can have a direct affect on levels of inflammation within the body.
• It is estimated that people spend on average up to £350 on wasted remedies and pills trying to relieve the symptoms before they discover the cause.
• A survey of 441 YorkTest customers revealed that 70% had lived with their symptoms for three years or more before starting the elimination diet identified by YorkTest’s food intolerance service.

TV doctor, Dr Hilary Jones said:

“For years the orthodox medical profession has neglected the role of food intolerance in ill health, this includes a range of symptoms including eczema, IBS, bloating, fatigue, migraine and many others. Science has now moved on and laboratory tests such as those provided by YorkTest Laboratories can help identify foods to which people may be sensitive.”

FOOD INTOLERANCE OR FOOD ALLERGY – CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

Food intolerance:

Food intolerance is a delayed response to certain foods and can be IgG antibody-mediated. It is not usually life threatening although it can make the sufferer feel very unwell. It can be a debilitating condition that affects long term health and quality of life with symptoms such as IBS, bloating, tiredness, migraines and digestive complaints.

They have shown that antibodies raised to the foods that we eat can also act directly against organs in the body causing symptoms of inflammation – which may lead to health problems such as migraines, IBS, bloating, arthritis, etc.

Food intolerance is not to be confused with a full-blown allergy to a food, which will provoke a strong immediate reaction, and is commonly caused by foods such as nuts and shellfish.

Food allergy:

A food allergy is IgE antibody-mediated and is an inappropriate and harmful response of the immune system as it mistakes perfectly normal substances and treats them as invaders. Allergic symptoms can range from relatively minor rashes through to generalised swelling or collapse as a potentially fatal anaphylactic shock occurs. An allergic reaction can occur quite rapidly, often within minutes but generally within a maximum of two hours.

IDENTIFYING FOOD INTOLERANCE

It is very difficult to identify the food or foods that contribute to the problem of food intolerance as symptoms can appear up to 48 hours after the food is eaten. Measurement of food-specific IgG antibodies is used as a strategy to identify foods to which an individual may be sensitive. Validated tests, such as the YorkTest are not diagnostic of any condition, but are used by those with chronic conditions, and with Nutritionist support, as an ‘aid to management’ of dietary intake.

Sufferers often react to more than one food, which means it can be a timely process identifying which foods are causing the problems. Combating food intolerance is about identifying the foods that are making you ill and subsequently eliminating them from your diet. Currently the NHS advocates an arduous process in treating food intolerance involving an elimination diet and food diary which often proves an ineffective and lengthy process.

The YorkTest food intolerance test is a simple finger-prick home-to-lab service that identifies the trigger foods responsible for food intolerances and is the only food intolerance testing service to be endorsed by Allergy UK.

A SIMPLE SOLUTION

The YorkTest is a simple finger-prick home-to-lab service, which offers a simple solution to identifying up to 113 problem ‘trigger foods’. As part of the service, the YorkTest also includes two telephone consultations with a registered nutritionist from the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy who will offer specific individual advice and help on how to incorporate the recommended diet changes. A 12 week food diary with diet tips will also be provided to help sufferers keep track of the changes they are making to their diet.

The YorkTest food intolerance testing service is available as a two stage process. The First Step is currently available at the special price of £9.99 (RRP: £20.00). Following the First Step, if your result is positive you can then upgrade to the comprehensive laboratory analysis and aftercare for £245.

Available from www.yorktest.com or by calling 0800 074 6185.

Heather Mills Redwood Wholefood Company

The multi award winning Redwood Wholefood Company, which produces over 50 deliciously different ‘guilt-free’ foods from 100% natural plant-based ingredients, received the accolade in the latest edition of The Good Shopping Guide, the world’s best selling ethical reference book.

Published by the Ethical Company Organisation (ECO), the popular guide lists the level of social responsibility of the companies behind hundreds of everyday consumer brands.

After examining the environmental records of all the leading vegetarian foods suppliers, the ECO awarded Redwood an overall rating of 91% in its Ethical Company Index, the highest score.

Factors taken into consideration were Redwood’s progressive attitude towards the environment, human rights and animal welfare. Other vegetarian brands featured in the research were Cauldron Foods, Wicken Fen, Tivall, Realeat, Linda McCartney, Grassingtons and Quorn, who all received lower scores.

“The Good Shopping Guide encourages people to buy Redwood products as yet again this company scores fantastically on our overall ethical analysis,” said William Sankey, research and editorial director at the ECO.

“See the book or www.ethical-company-organisation.org for more details on the comparative ethicality of the vegetarian foods sector brands.”

Heather Mills said she was absolutely delighted that Redwood had once again been recognised by the ECO, which sets the benchmark for corporate social responsibility.

“Concern for the environment, human rights and animal welfare has always been at the heart of everything Redwood does,” Heather said. “We pride ourselves in offering the very best in ethical meat-free foods that help people adopt a kinder, more compassionate lifestyle.”

“I’d particularly like to thank the incredibly loyal and conscientious employees at Redwood, who believe passionately in all that they do, for their endless support and enthusiasm, because they have made the company what it is today.”

As well as being the leading supplier of vegan foods to the health food trade, Redwood also sells selected ranges under the Cheatin’, Vegideli and Cheezly brand names through supermarket chains, including Waitrose, Morrisons and Tesco.

Among the many innovative foods produced by the company are amazingly realistic Cheatin’ ‘meats’ in ‘bacon’, ‘chicken’ ‘ham’ and ‘beef’ varieties, meat-free turkey and beef style ‘roasts’, pâtés, gourmet burgers, ready-to-eat sausages, fish-style fingers and dairy-free ‘cheese’.

Heather Mills bought Redwood in July this year after revealing she had been a fan of the company and its ethical, compassionate foods for many years. She said buying Redwood had been “a dream come true.”

Redwood has won numerous awards from organisations such as Viva!, The Vegetarian Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and The Vegan Society.

Because everything in its range is free from animal ingredients and derivatives as well as cholesterol, lactose, hydrogenated fats and GMOs, Redwood foods are ideal for vegetarians, vegans, people suffering from lactose intolerance and anyone looking for a healthier and more ethical lifestyle.

For more information about Redwood please go to www.redwoodfoods.co.uk . For more information on Heather Mills, please visit www.heathermills.org .

Heather Mills Redwood Wholefood Company

Rod Garland, director of Redwood, a leading supplier of vegan foods to the health trade, said the acquisition would yield significant synergies for both parties, which he described as ‘completely compatible’.

“Heather shares the same values and aims as us, namely to spread compassion across the planet and promote a healthy and more ethical lifestyle,” he said. “Heather has always rated Redwood as the best producer of plant-based animal-free foods in terms of ethics, the integrity of the company and brand and the quality of its products.”

“The acquisition will enable us to accelerate growth of the Redwood brand around the world and allow Heather to promote veganism globally through her own restaurants and brands,” he added. “Being a primary manufacturer is important as it gives much greater control over ingredients and quality.”

Heather Mills said that she was absolutely delighted to have acquired the company. “I’ve been a fan of Redwood and its ethical, compassionate foods for many years,” she commented. “For me, buying the company is a dream come true.”

Recently ranked highest in the Ethical Company Organisation’s list of vegetarian foods suppliers for the third year running with an overall score of 95%, Redwood produces more than 50 different animal-free foods under the Cheatin’, VegiDeli and Cheezly brand names at its headquarters in Corby.

Among the many foods produced by the firm are Cheatin’ ‘meats’ in ‘bacon’, ‘chicken’ and ‘beef’ varieties, meat-free ‘roasts’, pâtés, gourmet burgers, ready-to-eat sausages, fish-style fingers and dairy-free ‘cheese’.

Because everything in its range is totally free from animal ingredients and derivatives as well as cholesterol, lactose, hydrogenated fats and GMOs, Redwood foods are ideal for vegetarians, vegans and anyone looking for a healthier and more ethical lifestyle.

Redwood director Keith Stott added that although the company had been approached by many potential suitors, Heather’s values most closely aligned with Redwood’s.

“We are delighted that the business has been acquired by someone with the dynamism and passion of Heather,” he said. “We’ve been approached by many large food manufacturers in the past but have never wanted to jeopardise the future of our employees – who we value so much – or our factory by selling the business to a large corporation. By selling to Heather we are protecting our loyal staff and also our base in Corby.”

Keith Stott added that although Redwood had the same beliefs and goals as Heather, they had different skills. “We are completely compatible,” he said. “We will make a dynamic team. Her efforts to promote health, compassion and to care for the planet though a vegan lifestyle are well known and fit exactly with the values held by Redwood.”

www.redwoodfoods.co.uk