Chilli

Ø Chilli belongs to the nightshade family – it’s not great for people with arthritis.

Ø Chillis contain capsaicin (the burny bit) which soothes the bronchial passages and lungs, easing asthma and bronchitis.

Ø Capsaicin is allegedly also a painkiller-when you have a toothache, rub a chilli on your tooth to reduce the pain!

Lemongrass

Ø Its flavours are best enjoyed as an infusion – bash the stalks to release the oil, and then add in chunks to curries or soup.

Ø A tea made from the fresh leaves is a stomach relaxant and eases stress.

Ø Grown widely in the Caribbean, it is called fever grass and is used in their treatment.

Ø The fragrant essential oil is antiseptic and eases pain and arthritis

Fig facts

Ø The mature fig is botanically not a single fruit but up to 1500 tiny single-seeded fruits inside a fleshy receptacle.

Ø Dried figs are higher in carbohydrates and kilojoules than their fresh counterparts.

Ø Fig juice helps fight intestinal bacteria.

Ø Figs aid digestion and are high in fibre.

Ø Dried figs should be soaked in boiling water to kill bacteria that forms during the drying process.

Oh, crumbs!

Ø Make a walnut and breadcrumb sauce for pasta (traditional in Liguria, Italy). Pound walnuts, garlic, white breadcrumbs and olive oil in a pestle and mortar. Add Parmesan, yoghurt, salt and milled pepper and stir into hot pasta.

Ø Cheats’ low-fat brown bread ice-cream: whiz a batch of low-GI bread to create crumbs, stir into reduced-fat vanilla ice-cream or vanilla or natural frozen yoghurt. Add a sprinkling of cinnamon and mix well.