An Interview with Harry Noel-Smith, founder of Kinetic Kitchen

 

We can’t be the only ones whose willpower crumbles at the sight of a thickly glazed doughnut; its oily glow sparkling with crystals of sugar like an Aladdin’s cave. But our waistlines, energy levels, and skin certainly don’t thank us for giving into temptation.

So what if we told you that Barbury Hill features doughnuts that not only aren’t bad for you, they’re actually healthy? Yes, it sounds too good to be true, but this is one product that’s good for you, good for the environment and tastes incredible to boot.

We caught up with Harry Noel-Smith, founder of Kinetic Kitchen, to find out what led him to create a doughnut that is an all-round champion.

We’re big fans of KETOnuts. What inspired you to start Kinetic Kitchen?

Back in 2013, I made the (perhaps crazy) decision to cycle 2,400 miles from London to Africa and back in aid of the charity, StreetInvest. The fact that I didn’t own a bike and had never cycled more than 30 miles in one day before didn’t cross my mind. I set to, training my body to cope with the demands of a 2,400-mile ultra-endurance ride.

But no matter how hard I trained, something was holding me back. Within four weeks I’d realised that to succeed and prepare my body for what was to come, I had to reassess what I was using as fuel. Using my sports science background, I started researching the high GI diets that are often recommended to cyclists to maintain energy levels on longer rides. I discovered that the effect these diets had on blood glucose, insulin levels and endurance could actually be hindering my performance.

I read more, delving deeper into the benefits of a high-fat, low-carb diet. While I was aware of the importance of fat for nourishment, the idea of a diet that would train my body to become ‘fat-adapted’ was new to me. I decided to give a ‘ketogenic’ diet a go and I haven’t looked back since.

 

What is a Ketogenic-diet?

Simply put, a ketogenic diet is made up of roughly 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. The main aim is to guide your body towards a state of ‘ketosis’ - where you no longer rely on carbohydrates for energy, but ‘ketone bodies’, which are produced when fat is broken down. The aim is to become ‘keto-adapted’, where your body is using fat for fuel. And when this happens, there are four outcomes….

• Better body composition

The body starts to burn more fat, and allows lean tissue to be preserved. As a cyclist, this power-to-weight ratio is something I’m always trying to improve.

• Increased endurance

The fat stores offer a better fuel for endurance performance but are harder to access when following a high carb diet. By working towards ‘ketosis’, these fat stores are made accessible, giving you more energy and stamina.

• Faster recovery

The cleaner source of energy improves mitochondrial function and leads to less metabolic stress. This in turn leads to healthier cell membranes and a faster recovery from exercise. There’s less exercise-induced gastrointestinal distress, inflammation and muscle damage.

• Improved brain function

A keto-adapted body ensures a steady supply of fuel to the brain, so it doesn’t have to fight against muscles to get the small supply of glucose that is depleted during exercise. Cognitive ability is maintained during exercise and athletes avoid ‘hitting a wall’. 

Tell us more about the KETOnuts?

KETOnuts evolved from the snacks I made to keep myself going on that 2,400-mile cycle. Designed to be health and performance-enhancing, they’re made with 100% organic ingredients and no added sugar. We’ve stripped away all the nasties that are found in traditional doughnuts, meaning our KETOnuts are designed for athletes, low-carb fans, the health-conscious and those on a sugar-free diet. But not only that, they taste great so there’s no FOMO - you can literally have your cake and eat it!

    

And not only are your KETOnuts good for us, they’re good for the planet too?

I believe that a healthy body and a healthy planet are one and the same, because what’s good for the planet is often good for us too. To that achieve that:

• 100% of our fresh produce comes from organic farmers.
• We support local farmers to reduce our carbon emissions.
• We’re committed to reducing our environmental impact by using zero plastic and 100% recyclable packaging.
• This all started with a charity cycle, so we’re carrying on as we started - 1% of all sales go to Surfers Against Sewage.

 

Here at Barbury Hill, we’re big fans of Harry’s KETOnuts - they taste good, they do good, and they’re good for the planet. Few products are a win on so many levels, but this one really does tick all the boxes. So ‘doughnut’ delay (these may be serious snacks but there’s always room for a pun!), and order a box of six from Barbury Hill to test them for yourself. We can’t promise you’ll be cycling 2,400 miles immediately, but it’s a good start!

 

by Rebecca Lancaster, Copywriter

Rebecca, a talented writer, is a friend of Barbury Hill’s. When she’s not eating the best of British food and drink, she is writing about it. And when she’s not writing about it, she’s thinking about it.