8th Day News
Indian Street Food Night 30 April 2016 7pm
Valentine’s Meal 13th February 2016
Christmas Lunches. 16th & 17th of December 2015
The Wall of Beans Competition
We sell lots of tins of beans here at Eighth Day and not just the regular baked bean, we have Aduki, Butter, Mixed and Red Kidney beans as well, we also allow tinned Chick Peas and tinned tomatoes to inhabit the “Wall of Beans” (as we affectionately call it) as honorary beans! We love our beans (and honorary beans) so much that we keep a league table of their sales. See here for last year’s sales by clicking Wall of Beans.
So we thought what better than a competition, which allows our customers to guess how many of a particular bean we’ll sell in a given month. Of course it’s not just for fun, there’ll be a prize involved for the person whose prediction is the closest to the actual sales.
So at the start of every month we’ll announce which bean we have chosen for the month on Facebook & Twitter and you’ll have the chance to guess how many beans we’ll sell. To enter the competition simply Follow on Twitter/ Like on Facebook and let us know your answer by sending us a message on either Twitter or Facebook. At the end of the month we’ll tot up our sales totals and pick the nearest winner. The lucky winner will then get a tray (12 cans) of the beans/honorary beans of their choice.
Please note: you must be able to collect your tray of beans from the shop should you win a prize and we will not offer any alternative or cash prize.
Christmas Meal 12th December 2015
Join us for a Festive candlelit meal & choose from our luxurious Vegetarian and Vegan Christmas menu.
Cafe Christmas Lunches, 17th & 18th of December 2014
Christmas Meal
Yes, it’s that time again! We’re now taking bookings for our Christmas Meal on Saturday 13th December. If you’d like to celebrate with us at Eighth Day, our chefs have devised a delicious menu with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. We’d love you to join us. For more details, please download a menu.
Turmeric Gold from Pukka Herbs
This April we’ve launched the new Pukka Herbs Turmeric Gold Tea, here’s what Pukka Herbs had to say about their new tea. “Golden turmeric – the queen of protective herbs whose nourishing yellow sustains life’s majestic glow. This is a tea to celebrate life – lemon fruit, aromatic cardamom and whole leaf green tea expertly blended with one of nature’s most powerful herbs. The elegance will leave you feeling renewed as each cup lets you don turmeric’s shield.
Pukka’s turmeric is grown in Karnataka and Maharashtra, two neighbouring states in the West of India. Many of our turmeric farmers also grow ginger, and in some regions they grow it as an intercrop with tulsi, sugar cane and kapikacchu (Mucuna pruriens, a medicinal legume that climbs up the sugarcane). In India alone, approximately 140,000 hectares of land are used for growing turmeric (that’s an area just smaller than the whole of Greater London).”
Turmeric is one of Pukka’s herbal superheroes. The potential benefits of this vibrant root for our own wellbeing are vast and there have been countless pieces of research which demonstrate this.
Turmeric is well known as a spice used in Indian cuisine. In fact, its traditional Indian uses span far beyond this: it's been used for centuries to help keep the skin pure, the blood clean and the life long. In traditional Indian herbal medicine (known as Ayurveda), turmeric has been used to help maintain healthy blood, skin, circulation and as a nourishment to feed the whole body. Could the key to the population of India having one of the lowest rates of chronic degenerative diseases in the world be due to their huge consumption of this incredible spice?
So why's turmeric so special?
Part of the reason is down to the characteristically strong yellow colour of this incredible root. These yellow pigments are collectively known as curcuminoids. The root is also brimming with essential oils knowns as tumerones. The curcuminoids and the turmerones work together within the body as powerful antioxidants helping to attack nasty free radicals which can damage and age our bodies. They also stimulate a healthy inflammation response whilst enhancing circulation, protecting the brain, rejuvenating the liver and targeting pain.
What can turmeric do for me?
The benefits of turmeric are so many. Here's a few to consider:
- Turmeric actively inhibits inflammatory pathways within the body, making turmeric a first choice for inflammations of the musculoskeletal system and the digestive system.
- Research has shown that turmeric impacts upon certain pain receptors within the body; it has been demonstrated as being particularly effective for chest and abdominal pain, frozen shoulder and menstrual cramping.
- Turmeric contains some very potent polyphenols, also known as antioxidants, which have the ability to protect cellular DNA and repair any existing damage from environmental carcinogens, for example.
- Turmeric has a significant action upon the heart and the circulation. It will improve the flow of blood to the heart and encourage anti-platelet activity, reducing the risk of plaque build up in the arteries.
- Turmeric also improves blood flow through the liver, improving the efficacy of liver detoxification pathways but also stimulating cellular repair mechanisms in damaged liver cells. This improvement in blood flow and quality impacts significantly upon the quality of the skin, and turmeric can therefore be an excellent remedy for any afflictions of the skin.
- In the digestive system, turmeric helps balance levels of bacteria, supporting a healthy digestive environment.
So, hopefully now you’re thinking ‘why wouldn’t I try turmeric?'
Just Trade Kilombero Fair-trade Rice Challenge
This March we are taking part in the Just Trade Kilombero 90kg Rice Challenge, so just what is this rice challenge? 90kg of rice is the amount one Malawian farmer would need to sell in order to fund just one year of one of their children’s education in secondary school. Malawi, one of the world’s least developed countries, has low life expectancy, high infant mortality and has been significantly affected by AIDS/HIV. Primary education is free but secondary education isn’t and completing the 90kg Rice Challenge will enable a rice farmer to send one of his children to secondary school for a year.
We’re asking our customers to swap their regular rice and try the Kilombero rice this month, we’re hoping to help as many children access secondary school education as possible. So come on and take up the challenge and make a simple swap whilst improving the lives and prospects of children in Malawi!
Organic Your September
September is the month the Soil Association (the charity and organic certification body for the UK) are encouraging everyone to try and make the switch to organic in any way they can.
And going organic is easier than you’d think. Look for the Soil Association logo this Organic September and you’ll not only be helping to protect our vital wildlife and reducing your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides and chemicals - you'll also be helping to support the farmers who work hard to grow our food for generations to come.
Organic means higher levels of animal welfare, lower levels of pesticides, no manufactured herbicides or artificial fertilisers and more environmentally sustainable management of the land and natural environment - this means more wildlife, which can only be a good thing!
Here at 8th Day , all our fruit and veg is organic, dried fruits, nuts, grains, cereals, coffee, tea, chocolate and groceries are available organically grown as well as bodycare and a wealth of other products, so why not try switching a few products and supporting the organic growers around the world.
We’ll be doing organic sampling throughout September so don’t forget to pop in and try something different.
#Eighthdayeats
If you follow us on social media, you might have noticed the #eighthdayeats hashtag on both ours and our customers pictures of food they are enjoying in the Cafe. This November we’re running a month long picture competition for our customers. Take a picture of the food and drink you are enjoying in the Cafe, post it to your social media using the #eighthdayeats hashtag and we’ll pick the one we love best and the winner will receive a £10 voucher to enjoy another meal in the Cafe. So get snapping, because we want to see the food you love!
UK Fruit & Veg
We're starting to move in to the perfect time of year for UK grown organic fruit and veg from our supplier Organic North, we're already seeing lots of amazing fresh salad veggies such as lettuces, spring onions, mixed salad leaves, spinach and celery as well as courgettes, early season potatoes and the very popular kale.
Fruits such as gooseberries, strawberries and the very delicious UK cherries have also started arriving, so it's definitely time to get creative in the kitchen and start eating more fruit and veg! In addition by choosing UK produce you are helping to support the UK Organic farming industry and reducing food miles.
There is also definitely a pleasure in eating a little more seasonally, each season has something new to offer to the palate and new recipes to learn for the aspiring cook.
Focus on Protein
Focus on Protein during Veganuary.
Here at 8th Day we cater for a lot of people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet and one question we get asked a lot is? “How can I get enough protein in my diet?
Proteins are the building blocks of life and every cell in the body contains it. Protein is required within the diet to help your body repair existing cells and manufacture new ones. It can be confusing to know how much you need as protein requirements vary depending on the size and weight of a person as well as how much exercise and the type of exercise they engage in. However, the average person requires around 60 grams of protein per day and it really is easy to ensure you get your full requirement.
In store we have an extensive range of milk and meat substitutes that can really rack up your daily protein intake and taste great. For example one single Tofurky sausage contains a whopping 18 grams of plant based protein, so eating two of these as part of a balanced meal will provide almost 2/3rds of your daily protein requirements.
Protein powders are also a good way to boost your intake, these can be added to foods or made into a shake or smoothie and are really popular with our customers who do a lot of sport or physical activity. Here at Eighth Day we sell a great range of quality plant-based proteins including plain, unflavoured, Pea, Rice, Hemp & Soya from Pulsin’ which are great for adding to meals and smoothies due to their neutral taste. If you fancy a naturally flavoured protein, we have Sunwarrior protein blends or our latest addition which is from a UK based company called Vivo Life. Vivo use a Bio-fermented Yellow Pea Protein along with cold pressed hemp, yielding all the essential amino acids and omega oils that are required by the body. This protein formula also contains a superfood complex and vegan Branched Chain Amino Acids which help with recovery after physical exercise.
Of course, let’s not forget that you can also get plenty of protein from eating a varied diet which contains a wide variety of veggies, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes and pulses.
Here are a few examples of plant based protein sources:
Almonds - 21g per 100g
Flax Seeds – 18g per 100g
Chickpeas (cooked) - 9g per 100g
Lentils (Cooked) - 9g per 100g
Quinoa - 13g per 100g
Oats - 12g per 100g
Tahini – 22g per 100g
Peas (cooked) - 5g per 100g
Kidney Beans (Cooked) - 7g per 100g
Spinach - 3g per 100g
Brocolli - 3g per 100g
Please note: The content of this article is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition you may have and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Being Vegan, Being Healthy.
Being Vegan, Being Healthy.
If you’ve recently taken part in Veganuary and decided to carry on or simply want to include more vegan meals within your diet, you might be wondering if you are covering all your nutritional needs. It’s certainly one of the main concerns we hear when we meet customers who are looking to change their diet to a more plant based one. For those on or thinking of following a vegan diet, eating a wide range of the right foods will ensure you are meeting the majority of your bodies needs and not likely to become deficient of vital nutrients, that said there are a few supplements you may wish to investigate such as B12 and Vitamin D, as well as Iron for some women.
Having fewer options to cook will definitely call on your creative flair within the kitchen but having a little knowledge about the nutrients in your food and how a healthy diet can help to determine future health will help to spur you on to try or concoct new and exciting recipes.
So here are some tips to help you hit your nutritional targets.
Eat a rainbow.
Simply put, there are a wealth of vitamins and minerals in fruits, veggies, mushrooms and roots, so look to add plenty of different colours to your plate, the more varied your diet the more likely you are to cover your daily requirements of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
When you consider that Kale contains approximately 100% of your daily recommendation for Vitamin A and Vitamin C per 50g and Broccoli has 74% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C per 50g. Carrots for example, are high in Vitamin A, Beta Carotene and Lutein (an antioxidant that has been researched extensively with regard to eye health and macular degeneration). Mushrooms have fairly recently been discovered to have a source of Vitamin D, however you may wish to supplement your diet with additional Vitamin D to ensure you are getting enough particularly in the winter months. The humble Turmeric root which is classed as a functional food, contains Curcumin a potent anti-inflammatory which is well researched with regard to inflammation, add to juices or smoothies, soups, stews and curries. Dried Apricots, figs, raisins as well as legumes, seeds, green leafy veg and beetroot are good sources of iron, consume with Vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, sprouts, berries and kiwis to maximise absorption but away from regular tea and coffee as this can inhibit absorption.
Think of your daily diet in terms of colour, eat purple, red, green, yellow, brown and orange fruits, vegetables and roots and you’ll be getting a good range of vitamins and minerals.
Don’t be scared of fats.
Fat is an essential part of your diet, hence some fats are called Essential Fatty Acids because the body requires them for good health, so what are these? Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest through their diet as the body cannot synthesise them. Those not essential to the diet are called non-essential fatty acids. Only two fatty acids are currently classified as essential for humans, these are alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid). Some other fatty acids are sometimes classified as "conditionally essential”, however that is generally in relation to certain diseases or conditions and so would not be essential for most people.
Vegan sources of essential fatty acids can be found in: hemp, flax, chia, walnuts, almonds, safflower and olive oil as well as dark green leafy veg, whole grains, seaweeds and some blue green algaes and algae oil.
Eat good quality protein.
The average person requires around 60 gram of protein per day and it’s actually surprisingly easy to satisfy that requirement on a vegan diet. You can get a good range of protein from grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables and some of their derivatives such as plant alternatives to meat, milk and yogurt, tofu, seitan and protein isolates. An added bonus of these protein sources is that they also have good quantities of minerals such as magnesium calcium
Protein provides amino acids which are the building blocks of the body, and help to build muscles and bones. Amino acids are also utilised by the body within the immune system to help to fight infection as well as other processes within the body such as carrying oxygen, manufacturing hormones, growth and repair functions.
Take a B12 supplement or eat B12 supplemented foods.
B12 is involved in many processes within the body such as producing red blood cells, maintaining a healthy nervous system, converting food to energy, helping to regulate the immune system and mood, and homocysteine levels.
We believe it is essential that the vegan diet contains an absorbable and reliable source of vitamin B12. B12 is not manufactured by plants but micro-organisms and therefore in order to ensure falling deficient vegans can either take a supplement in the form of Cyanocobalamin or Methylcobalamin or eat a range of B12 fortified foods. B12 can be found added to breakfast cereals, nutritional yeast flakes, some plant based alternatives to dairy milk and yeast extract, just ensure you eat enough servings to cover your requirements, the Vegan Society recommends a daily intake of at least 3micrograms per day for fortified foods and 10micrograms per day for food supplements.
So what might a typical day’s diet look like?
Breakfast: Fortified Cereal with fortified plant milk, seeds and fruit.
Snack: Portion of mixed seeds/nuts with a few dried apricots/figs
Lunch: Lentil Dhal with rice and mixed salad.
Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus
Dinner: Seitan Steak/ Veggie Sausages with mushrooms, leafy green veg, roasted root veg, peppers and nutritional B12 Yeast flakes/or a gravy made with B12 fortified yeast extract.
This kind of daily menu would definitely cover the average persons protein requirements as the seitan, nuts, seed, rice and legumes all contain protein as well as some vitamins and minerals. The majority of the rest of the vitamin and mineral requirements would be covered by the fruits and vegetables and some essential fatty acids would be gained from the seeds and grains as well as any additional oils that might be used within the hummus and dhal.
As mentioned previously within this article, supplements can be used to boost the diet such as B12, Vitamin D and Iron (where appropriate for some women), so come and visit us if you have any concerns that your diet may be lacking in some of these nutrients, however if you feel that you are deficient we would always advise visiting your doctor for advice, testing and clarification.
Please note: The content of this article is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition you may have and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Christmas Raffle in aid of Manchester Mind
Eighth Day Christmas Raffle in aid of Manchester Mind.
This year we will be running a raffle over the run up to Christmas in aid of Manchester Mind, an independent, mental health charity based in the local area. Manchester Mind have been delivering mental health services within the city since 1989 (under the name HARP for some years) and became one of 137 Local Mind Associations affiliated to the national Charity Mind in 2011. Today they are still an independent charity, governed by their own board of trustees and deliver a wide range of services, such as training, peer support, advice, food projects as well as many other services to support the mental health and wellbeing of Manchester's population.
The raffle will be run from the 6th of December until the 17th of December and each ticket will cost £1, there is a grand prize of a Hamper full of goodies as well as a couple of runner up prizes. We'll pick our prize winners by close of business on Wednesday the 17th and notify the winners the same day.
You can mind out more about the invaluable work Manchester Mind do here: https://www.manchestermind.org
