Seville oranges are oranges that are in season around January and are a taste experience that has both sweet and bitter overtones. They are not oranges for eating but do make an excellent marmalade and this is what most people in the UK use them for. They are suitable for a low FODMAP diet. I purchased mine from a local farmers market, which meant that they were reasonably good value. I have made this marmalade a couple of times now and for both I have used jam sugar developed for high pectin containing fruits. The high pectin in these oranges comes from using the pith, pips and skin of the oranges during the marmalade production. Be aware that some sources of pectin can be apple based. Whether you tolerate apple pectin depends on how much was used to make the jam and how much you eat at the time. Remember the low FODMAP diet is just that – low – not fodmap free – fodmap free would be impossible to follow! I don’t like too much of the shredded peel in my marmalade but you could use more in yours if you wish. I needed two bags of jam sugar and twelve oranges, plus 50ml of lemon juice to make the marmalade and the result was four 500g jars. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get more but I suspected that I could have added more sugar and peel to make more jam. But less sugar and more fruit has to be better – right?
Using a jam pan, the first thing to do is to wash the fruit then boil them in a little water, just to cover the fruit, till they are soft. Remove the oranges and keep the water in the pan. Once cool, cut each orange in half and juice each one then save the pith and seeds. Boiling the fruit whole has the advantage of getting more juice from the fruit and allowing you to scrape some of the pith from the peel before you chop it and add it to the marmalade. Scrape the pith off the skin and slice and chop it to your desired shred size. Add an additional 500mls of water to the pan, the orange juice, shredded peel, jam sugar and lemon juice. Using a muslin bag add the remaining pith and pips to the bag and tie the top. Add the bag to the pan. Bring the marmalade to a boil and keep a rolling boil till the marmalade reaches it’s setting point. This is likely to be more than one hour but keep a check on it. Check it’s setting point by adding a small amount of marmalade to a cold plate and it should wrinkle when pushed with a spoon. Sterilize four to five jam jars, add the marmalade and seal the lids. If they are sealed correctly the marmalade will last sealed in the jar for at least a year. Serve a small amount on gluten free or sourdough spelt bread for a low fodmap breakfast treat.
The holiday season means many different things to different people, it is supposed to be a period of joy but often it really doesn’t live up to all those expectations that we often have. The media portray images of idealistic families around the Christmas tree having all their dreams come true. For some people the reality is somewhat different, Christmas can be a traumatic time and managing with all the family can be challenging, but it can also be a time when some people are alone too. Here are some tips to help you navigate your way through the period and avoid your gut spoiling the fun.
1. Tis the season to be jolly – really? You have my permission to be a Grinch too if you wish. You should not be expected to see people and be jolly, especially people who you never get along with during the rest of the year. If you don’t get on with someone then Christmas is not a time that somehow the ‘magic’ will make a difference, and likely if your inhibitions are lowered with the odd glass of Advocaat (add your choice of tipple here!) it will not end well! Suggest that you have other plans this year, make your apologies for not seeing them if you wish.
2. Scenes on TV cookery shows promote the domestic goddess, but don’t forget all those well choreographed scenes take time and lots of other people to help, likely months of planning too. Not so much of a goddess then! So don’t try to live up to this myth of being able to manage it all, you will only end up frazzled and this will likely make symptoms worse. You could have a Jacobs join – were everyone brings a different part of the dish. Or you could ask people to bring dishes from around the world, and think of others or you could go out to eat on Christmas day. Consider inviting someone who might be on their own on Christmas day. It really doesn’t have to be a traditional day – make new traditions!
Click on the image to see what Nigella really thinks.
3. Ensure you eat regularly on Christmas day – leaving hours between meals will not help, plan to have a light breakfast before your Christmas lunch – this doesn’t mean grazing all day either. Manage your portion sizes – use a smaller plate if you like your plate full and you will be just as satisfied and not over full and unable to move!
4. Don’t slouch on the sofa eating snacks whilst watching those Christmas movies, let gravity help you gut and try to sit up when eating – or don’t snack, you will eat more than you realise if you are not being mindful about what you are eating. Alternatively plan how much you are going to eat and put it in a bowl so you know when you have had enough. Your body will thank you for it.
Seriously – not a good idea!!
5. Include some light activity mid afternoon if you are able – a gentle walk in the park perhaps or some games to get you moving around.
6. Family dynamics can be a rich source of conflict during the season, this can lead to arguments in the period leading up to Christmas and especially on the day itself. Arguments at mealtimes are really not advisable, this will do nothing to help your digestion. Stress causes your body to produce adrenaline, the fight or flight hormone, this is a response to conflict or dangerous situations, originally utilised so you can escape from predators. Your body is therefore NOT concentrating on digesting lunch. In the distant past a dose of indigestion was a very small price to pay to avoiding being eaten. So you might need to be assertive and lay down some ground rules for everyone to follow so that the meal can be as calm as possible.
7. Budget as much as you can. Planning is the key here and Christmas is for thinking of others, but not at the expense of experiencing anxiety at not being able to live up to their expectations. Again tell people in advance what you are planning, say that you are only going to be able to afford to do certain things – you may find that people are relieved that they don’t have to meet these expectations either.
8. Stick rigidly to your Low Fodmap foods (or other tolerated foods) before the day, so if you eat something that you react to, you possibly won’t have as severe symptoms as you would have with eating as you please for the full season.
9. Drink plenty of fluids through the day – a least six to eight cups of non carbonated drinks and if you do drink alcohol, match every alcoholic drink with a non alcoholic one – this will mean you drink less and stay hydrated at the same time. Drinking whilst eating slows the absorption of alcohol into the body. Stay within the healthy drinking guidelines (no more than 2-3 units per day) and watch mixers for fodmaps and fizz. Make a glass of water the final drink before going to bed to counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Remember alcohol is a gut stimulant and hangovers won’t help your IBS symptoms although some people can tolerate small amounts. Try not to over indulge – intoxication can remove your resolve and you might be tempted to have more than you planned. Check out Drink Aware for details of how much alcohol is in your favourite tipple. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/understand-your-drinking/unit-calculator
The true toll of Christmas tipple how excess plays havoc with mind and body
10. The best tip is – remember to enjoy yourself – it is not money that makes the difference but being in the presence of friends, family and company on the day – spending time with others.
