10 healthy eating tips

1

As well as your meals and snacks, have an extra 300ml of semi-skimmed milk every day. Milk is packed with calcium, which helps to keep bones strong.

2

Don’t be scared to pile your plate with extra vegetables or salad in addition to those listed in the recipes. Try to have at least five servings of fruit and veg every day.

3

Liven up salads with this home-made, fat-free vinaigrette: blend 50ml water with 200ml balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp mustard, 50ml lemon juice, 2 tsp crushed garlic, 11/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp dried parsley and lots of black pepper. Chill before serving.

4

Choose high fibre starchy foods such as wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals, brown rice and wholewheat pasta. The extra fibre in them will help to fill you up, keep blood-sugar levels steady and prevent tummy troubles.

5

Don’t add salt to meals when you’re cooking or at the table. The easiest way around this is to throw out the salt pot!

6

Eat fewer processed foods and more fresh foods. Processed foods are often high in fat, saturates, added sugars, salt and/or additives, while at the same time containing little fibre and few vitamins and minerals.

7

Have at least two portions of fish each week, one of which should be oily such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines or fresh tuna. Oily fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which help to keep the heart healthy.

8

Never skip meals, especially breakfast. Research shows that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier than people who eat this meal, probably because skippers end up eating more during the day as a result of hunger cravings.

9

Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day to prevent dehydration and help fill you up. Our bodies often mistake thirst for hunger, with the result that we eat when all we really want is a drink.

10

Cut down on caffeine by drinking fewer cups of tea and coffee. If you drink large amounts, cutting down will make you feel less jittery and help you sleep better. Herbal, fruit and green teas are a much better alternative.