Nutritionist Jade finds the right mix for healthier snacking

Nutritional therapist Jade Bradley has created a new business venture that’s providing novel snacking products for people seeking healthier eating options.
By Sam Butler
Published 28th May 2022, 08:00 BST
Jade Barclay is an experienced and fully qualified nutritional therapist for corporate clients, community groups and individuals throughout IrelandJade Barclay is an experienced and fully qualified nutritional therapist for corporate clients, community groups and individuals throughout Ireland
Jade Barclay is an experienced and fully qualified nutritional therapist for corporate clients, community groups and individuals throughout Ireland

Jade (35), founder of Restore Nutrition in Londonderry, has been providing business, community and private clients with nutrition support covering a wide range of health conditions including weight management and improving overall health over the past three years. She’s just created Balance to Go, a new venture specialising in healthier snacks.

Jade was influenced by a personal health condition to start studying to become a naturopathic nutritional therapist, completing a Diploma at the College of Naturopathic Medicine London. She’s now a fully insured and registered consultant and a member of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).

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​“My passion is using nutrition to support brain and gut health. My mission is to shine a spotlight on positive nutritional changes that support mood management and mental health disorders as part of an integrated health plan,” explains Jade.

Jade Barclay, founder of Restore Nutrition has just launched a new health business, Balance to Go, specialising in seed mixesJade Barclay, founder of Restore Nutrition has just launched a new health business, Balance to Go, specialising in seed mixes
Jade Barclay, founder of Restore Nutrition has just launched a new health business, Balance to Go, specialising in seed mixes

​She continues that “a period of high anxiety and a diagnosis of gut inflammation led her to change my diet and lifestyle”. “This is where my passion for healing through diet began. After changing my own diet I automatically noticed the health benefits and made the decision to sign up for the course and then to launch Restore Nutrition to help others.”

She now delivers food and mood workshops across Ireland, “educating people on the gut brain connection and also giving helpful tips to incorporate dietary changes that support brain health”.

Jade continues: “This includes working individually with private clients to achieve their health and wellness goals.”

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Her expertise covers: nutrition for brain health; thyroid support; sports nutrition; food allergies and intolerance and healthy cooking/meal planning.

Jade has been delivering her expertise and knowledge to major corporate bodies and community groups, as well as individuals, on a consultancy basis over the last three years. She tailors workshops to suit the specific needs of clients.

She has just launched Balance to Go, a small business for healthy seed mixes she has developed for people with health issues especially gut conditions. She’s been assisted by the team at Foodovation, which is based at the North West Regional College (NWRC) in Londonderry, to develop the new products. The mixes, now available in four tasty flavours, can be used as simple ‘eat on the go’ snacks or added to meals such as breakfast as toppers for instance.

The novel seed mixes are an outcome of earlier work by Jade at Foodovation to develop a nutritionally balanced recipe dish as a basis to a new business venture.

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“During the tasting sessions for the initial project, I identified a seed mix as a gap in my business for a snack that could be offered as an ambient retail product within my own foodservice business venture as well as for stocking in farm shops and artisan food stores,” explains Jade.

To assist with the development of the new concept, Restore Nutrition was supported by NWRC Business Support Centre (BSC) through the InnovateUs programme, which is funded by the Department for the Economy, to explore the seed concept for retail.

NWRC Technical Consultant, Rita O’Kane provided 30 hours of upskilling support in moisture assessment of dried seed products and associated processing methods, as well functional ingredients associated within fats, shelf life, vegan and gluten free claims on a prepacked product for retail and information labelling including nutritional and allergens.

On completion of the project, the company developed a prepacked range of seed mixes under the new brand ‘Balance to Go’ retail brand of savoury, salty, smoky and spicy flavours.

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Jade says: “I have learned a lot from the InnovateUs programme which has enabled me to develop and launch a new side to my small business. 

“Encouraging good eating habits and educating my clients on tasty alternatives for snacking and meal times is really important to me.  The team at Foodovation really understood my vision and helped support me to make the products become a reality. 

“I would encourage anyone who is thinking of exploring new products within their business to get in touch with the team, they are extremely knowledgeable in their areas of expertise.”

​Opened in November 2016, Foodovation offers hands-on advice and support to new food and drink enterprises in the north west and from further afield. Companies can access a team of food development chefs and technologists in areas such as new product development. This includes support with recipe development, recipe engineering, new product testing, process improvement, food safety and shelf life, packaging, product labelling and nutrition information.

Related topics:Jade Bradley