A little bit of background on Kurami: Kurami are a food delivery company committed to delivering fresh, multi-cultural vibrant food all over London, from your home to your office! Working with nutritionists, they are able to provide balanced and delicious meals helping aid your health and lifestyle.
We spoke to Camilla Pigozzi Garofalo from Kurami, to give us a bit of background about her motivations in starting a food business and asked her for some top tips in foods that can aid better sleep and a healthier lifestyle - such as swapping to our Koisi bamboo bedding!
Please tell us a bit about yourself and what made you start working in nutrition?
My approach to eating is deeply influenced by my background. Needless to say, my Italian roots had a big impact on the role of food in my life. I have always been fascinated by it, but I have gone through an incredible food-journey in the last ten years or so. I became increasingly aware of the range of interconnected disciplines, people and efforts that go into bringing a dish to life. I am a social anthropologist by training, with a masters in anthropology of food. Hence, the rituals that surround food, the way, and how, we eat, are of great importance when crafting a new Kurami dish. I have worked hard to establish a brand that was deeply rooted in the transformational potential food can have in our lives, beyond the plate. At Kurami, we want to elevate the way we eat, and change the general discourse that surrounds food. We want food and eating to be a positive experience that feeds both the body and the mind.
What is a common theme that people hope to solve with their diet?
There are a couple of issues that make it more difficult for people to eat in a balanced manner. However, for the majority of Londoners, finding the time to meal plan, grocery shop, cook and clean can be quite challenging. There simply seem to not be enough hours in a day!
In addition to this, you may feel overwhelmed by all the information that is available out there. How do you know which sources are trustworthy? At Kurami, we work with registered Nutritionists to ensure that your meal path is balanced, and that you are receiving adequate and varied sources of nutrients, weekly.
How do your meals ensure a good, nutritious diet?
Our nutrition philosophy is rooted in a few core pillars. We focus on promoting a balanced way of eating, by nourishing the body with a diverse offering. Our meal paths contain 30+ varieties of fruit, vegetables and fresh herbs weekly, and always hit the recommended 30g fibre daily. We use fresh ingredients, and cut down the free sugars and salt. We only serve lean meats, and fatty fish, following the UK eat well guidelines. We source the best ingredients, and work hard to maintain our food quality. Did you know that we freshly make our own KuYo (coconut yoghurt), in house?
What is a recommended healthy diet for a good sleep routine?
No particular nutrients have been identified to aid sleep, but the way we eat might help us to sleep better. For instance, it would be quite uncomfortable to sleep on a full stomach or go to bed hungry. Caffeine is a stimulant, and it is generally advised to refrain from consuming caffeine-containing drinks or foods close to bedtime, depending on how sensitive you are.
What foods are best to start your day?
At Kurami we love breakfast! Here are a few suggestions to elevate your morning meal!
Protein: Loading your breakfast with options higher in protein supports our feelings of satiation and makes you less likely to snack before lunch. Eggs are an egg-cellent choice, at Kurami, our ancient grains porridge, teff pancakes and avocado on buckwheat toast all provide protein and are wonderfully free from gluten.
Carbohydrates: Slow releasing carbohydrates such as oats. If you anticipate a mad rush in the morning, try to set aside 10 minutes the evening prior to make some overnight oats. Load them up with fresh fruit, nuts & seeds and a sweetener of your choice such as agave, and simply grab it out of the fridge to enjoy on the way to work or at your desk.
Fibre: Very important to keep our gut moving and healthy, foods packed with dietary fibre also help contribute to our feelings of fullness, this can be different fruit (or veg) that you add to your breakfast, and from our signature breakfast items too.
Fruit: many options available, from fresh to frozen, and even dried! From apricots to sultanas, dried fruits are an easy addition to breakfast. They also serve as a source of iron and potassium. When fruits are dried, this also means that they contain a higher amount of concentrated sugar, therefore they are best eaten alongside other foods. Why not check out our Kurami breakfast pots and pancakes all include a seasonal fruit compote?
Nuts + Seeds: are very easy add-ons to boost your protein and dietary fibre intake at breakfast! From nut butters to a sprinkle of sunflower seeds, the list is endless! You can pre-mix your favourite nuts and seeds and keep it in a jar to keep it in plain sight so you will not miss it!
Do you keep a normal sleep routine?
I certainly try to maintain a normal sleep routine! However, it has never been easy for me to fall asleep, and some days are definitely harder than others.
What do you feel helps your sleep?
There are a few important things to help maintain good sleep! I am quite particular about my nighttime rituals. I like to light a candle, and put on some calming tunes while I do my face-routine. I also like to have a soothing Butterfly Blue Kuramylk, which is naturally caffeine free, before bed! Also, I have noticed a big improvement in my sleep when I switched to lighter fabrics, like the Bamboo Koisi Bedsheets, as they help regulate temperature and ensure sweeter dreams.
How can you aid a full tummy before bed so you can sleep comfortably?
Definitely do not skip dinner, and make sure you eat something nutritious before bed. This time of year, I like to have a warming dish for dinner. It could be a nice cauliflower rice stir-fry that celebrates plant diversity and the rainbow, or some teff and buckwheat pasta with a simple sugo.
If there are five foods to regularly have in your diet for a good sleep, what would they be?
Eating goes beyond its nutritional value. That is why I find it really important to emphasise the way we eat, as well as what we are eating. For me, I enjoy specific flavours before bedtime. I like to have a chocolate treat after dinner, (our signature truffles are my favourite!), and a calming kuramylk. I also like to make my own caffeine-free tea blends. My current favourite is rose buds with verbena; or if I feel my tummy needs an extra cuddle, I will have fennel herbal tea, and add a couple of fennel seeds to bite on once soft. You can also use any leftover fennel fronds for a zero-waste herbal infusion!
How sleep affects nutrition, what is it about digestion that affects your sleep?
Establishing a sleep routine is an important part of keeping our body functioning properly. For example, sleep and immunity are closely connected. A lack of quality sleep has also been found to affect the diversity of the gut microbiome.
The way we eat can help us to sleep better. Digestion continues throughout our sleep, but it slows down to make way for growth and repair. Sleeping on a full stomach might result in heartburn as the food is not digested completely, but going to bed hungry may also make it difficult to fall asleep. It is generally advised to have the final meal of the day at least 3 hours before bed.
Start your twenty twenty two on the right path and get ordering some delicious Kurami produce today. Healthy, convenient and delicious. www.kurami.co.uk
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