Frequently asked questions

Lesley

Our product adviser and nutritionists get hundreds of questions sent in their direction. Some of them are interesting reading with surprising answers, and others are asked over and over again. Here are some I have selected for interest value and information. Please feel free to comment or send in your own question at any time to info@goodnessdirect.co.uk.

Question: How are frozen items kept cold?

Answer:

To keep our frozen products frozen we use dry ice in a polystyrene box. This combination works really well and you will find your goods in perfect frozen condition when delivered. On our tests we found most goods stayed frozen using this method for up to 36 hours. However all frozen orders are delivered to your door the next working day after delivery, 24 hours out of the freezer at the very most. We are looking for a more environmentally friendly solution, but at the moment this works the best.

Question: Are your packaging chips biodegradable?

Answer:

Yes, our packing chips are fully biodegradable. They are made from corn starch, you could even eat them if you were desperate, but I don't recommend it! The chips are great to add to the compost, we have had suggestions of using them to line plant pots and hanging baskets, but the best suggestion ever is to let the children play with them. If you moisten any 2 surfaces you can stick them to each other forming the most wonderful sculptures. One nursery buys them specially for this.

Question: How do your delivery charges and post and packing charges work?

Answer:

Our charges are based on how much it costs to send your order to you, and as product weights are varied, so are the charges depending on what you are buying.

PILLS BY POST Any small items, pots of pills etc can be posted, so if you are just having those, we can pop them in a jiffy bag and postage is free.

GROCERIES Normal groceries (ie. not frozen or chilled or fresh foods) Free delivery if: You order online and order over Ł35 worth. Your order on the phone and order over Ł45 worth. If you order less than this there will be Ł6 charge which is roughly our costs.

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED If you order chilled, or frozen foods we chrge you for the box as they are expensive. Ł3 charge.

FRESH FOODS Always have a Ł3 charge

Question: Are yoghurt raisins vegetarian?

My local shop have told me they are no longer stocking them because they've got crushed beetles or something similar in them, my kids are horrified...can you help?

Answer: It's almost true - but not quite...

These products often contain the glazing agent shellac which is made from "lac" - a substance secreted by female Coccus lacca beetles to coat eggs after they are laid. When the newly hatched insects leave the cocoon, it is then harvested to produce shellac. Shellac is like honey, in that it is a by-product made by the insect then discarded. This is vegetarian ingredient approved by the vegetarian society.

Do Quorn sausages (or any other vegetarian sausages) contain mushrooms?

Answer: Quorn is derived from the fungus Fusarium venenatum, which is only distantly related to the mushroom.

This is formed into the Quorn mycoprotein by a process of fermentation.

The Quorn sausages therefore contain no mushrooms. Other vegetarian sausages may contain mushrooms, you would need to check the ingredients of the different brands.

Sausages on our site which do not contain mushrooms include these:

Cauldron Organic Glamorgan Leek & Cheese Veg Sausages 165g

Cauldron Succulent Lincolnshire Veggie Sausage 200g

Dragonfly Organic Soysage (4) 200g

Vegedeli Ready to Eat Meat Free Sausages 295g

Hope this will help.

Question: Can you tell me whether Lecithin Granules will aid weightloss?

I do not want to build muscle and as it says it breaks down fat do I assume it will help loose weight?

Answer: Lecithin is a fat emulsifier

Lecithin will help break down the fat into smaller particles but it will not reduce it's calorie content. As a result - it will make fats move around the body more easily but will not aid weight loss.

If you are eating a well balanced diet and taking regular exercise, a supplement like Zotrim 180 tablets may help you shed extra weight.

Question: I need a goat's milk live yoghurt preferably organic with no added sugar.

It needs to contain the cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus Streptococcus thermophilus and preferably Lactobacillus acidophilus but it must not contain any BIFIDO cultures.

Do any of the yogurts on the website fit the bill please?

Answer:We stock the Woodlands Live Goats Milk Yoghurt, Natural 500g - ingredients below.

Goats milk, Live yoghurt culture: S.Thermophilus, L Bulgaricus, L Acidophilus, Modified corn starch, Pectin.

This is not an organic yogurt but does not contain any Bifido culture or sugar. I think this is the best we can do for you. Out of interest - why would you need to avoid the bifido culture?

Q:Could you please explain the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre?

A: Soluble fibre slows the digestion of food, giving the body time to absorb nutrients. It prolongs the time food stays in the stomach, helping sugar to be released and absorbed more slowly into your system. Insoluble fibre passes through your body largely intact, increasing the speed at which food moves through the stomach and intestines.

Most of the foods people think of as high in fibre, such as whole wheat, bran products, and raw, leafy green vegetables, are actually high in insoluble fibre.

Soluble fibre foods are those more commonly thought of as starches, like oatmeal, barley, rice cereals, corn meal, and potatoes. But soluble fibre is also found in carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, squash, pumpkins, mushrooms, chestnuts, avocados, bananas, oranges, applesauce, and mangos.

Most doctors believe that eating foods rich in soluble fibre helps prevent symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and relieve them if they do occur. On the other hand, foods containing insoluble fibre seem to increase irritation in those with gastrointestinal problems.