Darlene takes healthy porridge to a new level

Darlene, the founder and managing director of That Protein, a developer of super protein powders made entirely of plant food, has just created a new organic porridge that’s already proving to be a runaway success.

Oats, of course, have long been regarded as the healthiest way to start the day and especially when outdoor temperatures plummet and the snow falls. Darlene’s innovative Blissful Double Choc Protein Porridge is the latest in a series of plant-based protein products that she’s developed over the past few years. And many of her original products have won influential Nourish Awards, the body that promotes and encourages plant-based nutrition throughout the United Kingdom.

Darlene, who has her offices in Belfast but lives on the North Coast, has won three Nourish awards in successive years for original products. The annual Nourish Awards are regarded as the UK’s toughest health food award and are judged rigorously by an expert panel of nutritionists, health and food industry experts.

The new double chip chocolate porridge is the first step into the breakfast meal market for the small Northern Ireland enterprise which has already developed an impressive reputation for quality superfood powders that can be used for power packed smoothies and also for baking.

The protein porridge, according to Darlene, who is also a clinical nutritionist, is suitable for vegans, is totally plant-based, rich in magnesium, high in plant protein, fibre and energising B vitamin.

“The main ingredients are organic oats, plant protein, raw cacao, cacao nibs and Palmyra nectar, which is dried sap from the Asian Palmyra Tree and is a natural sweetener from India and Vietnam,” Darlene explains.

The nectar is said to be rich in minerals such as iron, magnesium and potassium, is a natural food source and not a manufactured supplement. It is highly bioavailable and the body can absorb its health boosting nutrients quickly and easily, using the minimum amount of energy. It has been used for medicinal benefits in Ayurveda, the ancient science of life, for over 5,000 years and is known in its native India as the ‘sugar for diabetics’ due to its low glycaemic index.

Research has shown that eating porridge on a regular basis offers many health benefits. Oats are rich in fibre, may help with weight loss by helping consumers stay full longer, lower cholesterol and are heart friendly. Eating oat porridge on a daily basis may help maintain stable blood-sugar levels which may protect from Type 2 Diabetes.

A bowl of oat porridge contains soluble fibre, a type of fibre that absorbs water in the digestive system to form a gel which helps people who suffer from diabetes keep blood glucose in normal levels by slowing down the absorption of sugar. Stabilised blood glucose levels also reduce the chance of having kidney problems.

Porridge is also said to be a great source of zinc. Zinc helps in nourishing the immune system and helping fight off infection. In addition, studies have shown that whole grains can improve bone mineral density, thanks to iron content inside a bowl of porridge. Porridge provides recommended daily needs of iron for the production collagen, a protein essential to healthy cartilage and bone.

“The new protein porridge is a great way to start the day. It’s a healthy and completely natural product that can also be used in smoothies and for creative baking,” she adds.

That Protein, which Darlene established in 2014, is based on her long-time dedication to a vegetarian diet. She’s developed all the original products in That Protein’s expanding portfolio of plant-based super protein powders and porridge.

Darlene started her career in local TV and PR and was one of the youngest ever general managers of a global PR firm. She subsequently and successfully set up her own PR firm in Ireland. She subsequently sold the business and set about developing her own brand of high quality vegan nutrition products.

“I wanted to bring something totally unique to the protein market and to have delicious raw and organic proteins that had added superfoods for a deeply nourishing plant super protein,” she continues. “The products are now on sale all over the world including Spain, Scandinavia and the Middle East and in places like Holland and Barrett in the UK. It’s been a fantastic experience and we are only just beginning!”

For more information visit www.visitbelfast.com.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you