A Healthier Diet

Following a healthy balanced diet will not only reduce your risk of serious illness, it will also help you lose weight. And it doesn't mean you can't ever enjoy your favourite treats, it just means looking at your diet to see where you can replace certain foods with healthier alternatives. But don't worry it's not as difficult as it seems.

The 5 Types of Fat

• Saturated fat Found in meat, dairy products and manufactured foods such as cakes and pies. Our intake should be kept to a minimum as it increases 'bad' cholesterol in the blood - a risk factor for heart problems.
• Trans fat Found in hard margarine, cooking fats and processed baked goods like biscuits. It increases bad cholesterol and actually lowers the 'good' cholesterol that helps to unclog arteries.
• Monounsaturated fat Found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, nuts, meat and fish. This is good for the heart as it lowers bad cholesterol without affecting good.
• Polyunsaturated fat Found in safflower, sunflower and corn oils. It lowers both types of cholesterol.
• Essential fatty acids Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish such as tuna, sardines and salmon. They help prevent blood clots forming and protect the heart. Omega-6 fatty acids are in linseed oil and green leafy vegetables. These help boost the immune system and improve dry skin conditions such as eczema.

Easy ways to eat less Fat

• Choose semi-skimmed milk. It hardly tastes any different to full cream milk and is a rich source of the mineral calcium - essential for healthy teeth and bones.
• Buy margarine labelled 'high in polyunsaturates' and use in place of butter.
• Use low-fat yoghurt, low-fat fromage frais, or creme fraiche (all available in most supermarkets) instead of cream.
• Eat half-fat cheese, cottage cheese or have smaller portions of stronger-flavoured cheese.
• Snack on nuts or dried fruit rather than crisps, chocolates and biscuits.
• Have fresh or baked fruit for pudding in place of cakes or pies.
• Try microwaving, steaming, boiling or grilling rather than roasting or frying.
• Buy leaner cuts of meat and trim any visible fat off before cooking.
• Reduce the amount of fatty meats, like sausages and beef burgers, you eat.
• Eat pastry in moderation as it contains a lot of saturated fat.
• Measure oil for cooking using a spoon rather than pouring straight from the bottle. Alternatively use a spray oil.
• Cut down on chips. If you do cook them remember oven chips are lowest in fat.

The fat you can eat without feeling guilty

Take a leaf out of the Mediterranean cookbook and use olive oil. It's the healthiest oil you can cook with. Not only has it been found to offer protection against heart disease, scientists also believe it can help prevent bowel cancer. For maximum benefits buy 'extra virgin' olive oil.

Read the label

Shop-bought cakes, biscuits and pastries are hidden sources of saturated fat. Look out for 'hydrogenated oil' in the ingredients list and eat small amounts of these foods as treats rather than as a regular part of your everyday diet.

Take Heart

Oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and salmon contain omega 3 fatty acids which help prevent blood from clotting and therefore reduce the risk of heart disease. To benefit, aim to eat two portions a week.

Choose Wholegrains

Wholemeal or brown varieties of carbohydrates not only contain more fibre, but also more vitamins and minerals. So go for brown rice, wholemeal bread, pasta and cereals made with wholegrains such as shredded wheat or porridge.

The type of fibre found in oats and beans can reduce the amount of cholesterol in your blood.

Protein

Our bodies need protein for the nervous system to function properly. It also helps keep our hair and skin looking their best. Meat, fish, nuts and eggs are the main dietary sources of protein. Lack of protein in your diet can make you feel tired and run down. It's important however, to make sure we opt for low-fat protein wherever possible. This means reducing your intake of red meat and increasing the amount of fish, skinless chicken and turkey you eat. If you are vegetarian, you must make sure you get adequate protein from other sources such as beans, nuts and soya products.

Fruit & Vegetables

Although fruit and vegetables are great sources of health-protecting vitamins and minerals, most of us don't eat enough of them. We should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

But I Don't Like Fruit & Veg!

Think again! These days the range of fruit and vegetables available from the supermarket is huge. Choose from everyday varieties to the more exotic – there's bound to be something there you'll enjoy.

Getting The Most From Your Veggies

Don't overcook vegetables or you'll lose most of the vitamins and a lot of the taste! Use only a small amount of water or even better steam them using an electric steamer or one that can be put over a pan of boiling water. Alternatively microwave them on a high setting for a short time, again using only a little water.

Did you know!

Frozen fruit and vegetables often contain more vitamins than fresh. This is because they're frozen on the day they're picked, while fresh produce can take as much as two weeks to reach our supermarket shelves. After picking, the amount of vitamins will decrease each day. So stock-up your freezer.

Smoothies and soups: The Cheat's guide to eating more fruit and veg

If the thought of physically trying to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day fills you with horror, then don't despair, there are easier ways to do it.

Try starting the day with a smoothie. Using either a hand blender or liquidizer, mix a number of soft fruits together with half-fat milk. Try a banana, a handful of strawberries and a tin of pineapple chunks. That's three portions of fruit in one go and it tastes great! Similarly, you can either make or buy soup that contains a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, peas, onions and swede. Again, this means you get several of your daily vegetable quota in one easy meal.

Useful Tips

• Try and exercise daily
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
• Avoid foods that are high in fat or sugar
• Try not to skip meals