Healthy eating the Black Country way

Mere months after we sang the praises of black pudding in these very pages, describing them as a 'culinary triumph over adversity', it seems like the rest of the world has caught up, as black pudding has been declared one of the superfoods of 2016.

And when we say 'superfoods' we don't mean food that is super, although black pudding definitely is that – we mean that the humble blood sausage that we like to call our own is stuffed full of positive nutrients, and is far from the greasy staple of a full English breakfast that it is often thought to be.

This got us wondering – if the black pudding can be rebranded as a health food, what of our other Black Country staples? How healthy is a faggot? Can a pint of Banks's be good for you? We enlisted the help of Wolverhampton nutrition and fitness expert Brendon Turner from Energize UK to help us out.

BLACK PUDDING

So it turns out that black pudding is quite the thing, being packed with protein and high in iron too, not to mention potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. That's practically half the periodic table right there, making it good for the blood and a deterrent of fatigue. Brendon is happy to confirm that there's some goodness in the pudness.

"It sounds like pretty solid sense to me," he says. "It's a good protein source, much as meat is. I'd suggest that you have to consume it in moderation but you are going to get the essential benefits."

PORK SCRATCHINGS

Could this classic pub snack possibly be healthy? Incredibly, the answer seems to be yes – the male model David Gandy (calm down, ladies) and sportspersons David Weir and Jade Jones swear by their high payload of pure protein, and a lot of the types of fats they contain are said to be the good, beneficial kind. The salt content could be an issue, however. Brendon is less convinced about scratchings though. He's not convinced at all, in fact.

"Fats are always going to be needed by the body, but I'd struggle to find too much else," he warns "They're processed snacks, so they're going to have been heavily treated with salt. But that said, you do need saturated fats in moderation."

FAGGOTS AND PEAS

To criticise faggots and peas would be an act of Black Country sacrilege, and the good news is, you'll find some serious goodness in them. Who knew that the national dish of the Black Country could give so much? Well, we did, actually. Something so delicious just has to be good for you.

"Peas are a very good source of energy, they're a pulse and pulses are a good long-lasting provider," says Brendon. "They have a different kind of protein to black pudding, but they still have protein. As for faggots, it very much depends on the quality of the offal that they're made from – but you'll get essential minerals like iron and zinc from them."

A PINT OF BANKS'S BITTER

Buoyed by the success of faggots and peas, wehad high hopes for a pint of Banks's – we're pretty sure that we read somewhere that beer is good for the bones. Or the heart. Or something. Look, we just like the taste of it, okay? And, even though it's not recommended that you start drinking it for breakfast (curses!) there are still good things to be found in a pint of the golden stuff. No, seriously.

"Well, you're getting calories!" laughs Brendon. "You'll get a short-term bit of energy from it, but other than that, the main benefit I can think of would be the feel-good factor! But then that's true of most of the other food we've talked about – it's all homely, stodgy, feel-good food."

GREY PEAS AND BACON

Sorry, that should say 'paes'. Now, this classic delicacy, we reckoned, had to be a winner. Having learned while we listened, we knew that the paes had to be a dead cert, grey or not. And bacon... Well, it's bacon, isn't it?

"Very similar to faggots and peas – again, carbs and protein from the peas, and protein from the bacon. A lot of the remaining nutritional value depends on how lean the bacon is. Again, you need to be thinking about saturated fats."

CHICKEN TIKKA BALTI

We all love a balti, but this one could be tricky – in the average restaurant curry you'll find 20-25 grams of saturated fat, which is more than the recommended daily allowance for women (it's 30g for us lucky men). Brendon's message is simple – make it yourself.

"This really depends on the quantity of fat that is being used in the process," he explains, "because they're going to be using ghee, butter that has been heavily processed, which is a danger. You can make fantastically healthy baltis at home, but it's unlikely you'd get one in a curry house. Restaurants need to use short cuts in the process."

And much though it pains us to admit it, naans aren't especially healthy either.

STAFFORDSHIRE OATCAKES

In any culinary contest, we guess there has to be one winner, and it's the one that only just scrapes into the 'Black Country food' catchment area by the skin of its teeth. When it comes to a healthy snack, it really is all about the oats.

"Oats give you a good, long-lasting energy source," Brendon said. "From a health point of view, these are probably the best source of fuel, it will keep your blood sugar level rather than providing the short-term spikes you get from things like white bread and white pasta."

GROATY DICK

Stop sniggering at the back there. Groaty Dick, also known as groaty pudding, is a traditional baked hotpot using grain kernels, beef and its stock, and leeks. Brendon had never even heard of it before today, but you get the impression that he was immediately sold on it.

"Obviously the grains are going to be a good source of energy," he said. "This sounds pretty good to me – there's protein to be found in the beef, and essential minerals and fats. Stews with grain and potatoes, good starchy carbs, that's going to be great for your energy levels."

So there you have it. There really is dietary gold in them there Black Country dishes.

It's a diet rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, occasionally a touch heavy on the fat at times, but sure to keep you full of energy. It's enough to make you want to wave your Groaty Dick in the air.

For more information on Energize UK, visit them online at www.energize-uk.co.uk