UK’s top chocolate taster forced to quit on doctors’ orders
Angus Kennedy says goodbye to his chocolate job 

Chief Chocolate Taster Angus Kennedy ballooned by two stone 

 and developed dangerously high cholesterol because of his dream job  

The UK’s most eminent chocolate taster has been forced to give up his sweet £30,000-a-year job because it’s playing havoc with his health.

Two slices of cheese a day could reduce risk of diabetes

Scientists find that fermentation of cheese could trigger a reaction that protects against diabetes

Health conscious eaters may cut cheese out of their diet to avoid a wider waistline but new research suggests it could actually ward off diabetes.

Scientists say the chances of developing type 2 diabetes could be reduced by around 12 per cent by eating just two slices of cheese a day.

The findings conflict with current NHS guidelines, which advise on reducing the intake of dairy, red meat and other high saturated fat foods
to help protect against the condition.

British and Dutch researchers found that those who ate at least 55 grams of cheese a day - equivalent to around two slices –
were 12 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

[Related article: Rapeseed oil - health hero or hazard?]

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, studied the diets of 16,800 healthy adults and 12,400 patients with type
2 diabetes from eight European countries, including the UK. 

Other dairy foods did not have the same beneficial effect as cheese, except for yoghurt. The probiotic bacteria found in cheese and yoghurt
helps lower cholesterol and produces vitamin D, calcium and magnesium, which may help to prevent diabetes.

Cheese lovers may be at less risk of diabetes because the cheese fermentation process triggers a reaction that protects against diabetes and
 heart problems, the scientists said.

 [Related article: Health symptoms women should never ignore]

Despite the new findings, the charity Diabetes UK warned against eating more cheese until the results were confirmed from other studies. 

“It is too simplistic to concentrate on individual foods”, said director of research Dr Iain Frame.

“We recommend a healthy balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and low in salt and fat. 

“This study gives us no reason to believe that people should change their dairy intake in an attempt to avoid the condition.”

Cranberry juice can help prevent urine infections

The folk remedy of drinking a glass of cranberry juice to help cure urine infections might be more fact than fiction after all,
according to researchers in Taiwan

Cranberry juice can help with urine infection, according to scientists 


University Hospital.

Researchers there conducted ten head-to-head trials of 1,500 volunteers between participants who had cranberry juice versus those who didn’t.
The research revealed that drinking cranberry juice over a sustained period helped with urinary infections.

[Related article: Five natural antibiotics to fight bad bacteria]

However, it’s not as simple as just having a glass with your salad at lunch. You’d have to drink a couple of glasses a day for months, or even years,
to see an effect.

It also works better in women who have a recurring urine or bladder infection.

The reason why cranberry juice is so effective is because it contains a substance that can prevent the bacteria E.coli from sticking
 to the walls of the bladder. This bacteria causes 80 per cent of urine infections.

[Related article: The health benefits of cranberries]

More research needs to be done to discover the optimum dose of cranberry juice, according to the study.
Though it’s thought that two or three glasses a day is ideal, as the effects of drinking it last for roughly eight hours after consumption.

"I'm not sure how many of us would want to be drinking this every day for an indeterminate amount of time. It can be costly and calorific
and some people just don't like the taste of it,” said Dr Ruth Jepson of the University of Stirling,
 who has been carrying out a similar study into cranberry juice.

[Related article: When urinary incontinence affects your sex life]

Doctors usually recommend drinking plenty of fluids if you have a urine infection – though a course of antibiotics may help the infection, too.

Could superfoods beat breast cancer? One survivor recommends
curry powder

Lifestyle and diet could be powerful enough to keep cancer in remission, thinks one breast cancer patient who refused Tamoxifen

A breast cancer patient, who refused the common cancer drug Tamoxifen generally given to patients following treatment,
has credited her superfood diet for keeping her cancer from returning.

 Vicky Stewart explained to the Telegraph that her strict superfood diet incorporates plenty of fruit and veg and foods such as berries,
 known for their health benefits. It also relies heavily on turmeric, which Vicky claims "makes cancer cells commit suicide".
 Vicky was treated for breast cancer in 2008 and has been in remission for four years. She initially avoided dairy and became a vegan for a while. 

She also tries to eat almost entirely organic."It's very unusual for breast cancer patients not to take the drug,” she said.
 "When I told the doctors I didn't want to take it,
 they just advised me to keep oestrogen out of my body, which is basically what the drug does.
"The doctors absolutely will not say that the diet is going to do anything
 to help the cancer in any way, other than to say a healthy diet is going to help in the fight against any disease. 
"This was four years ago and I think attitudes are
changing a bit now so that these ideas are running alongside the more usual treatments. 
"I believe absolutely enormously that my diet has assisted my recovery."Though experts are understandably wary
 about advocating cancer patients skip
recommended drug treatment, there have been some studies that back up the idea that food can be used as medicine.
 Arecent investigation found that curcumin
, found in turmeric, could kill bowel cancer tumours.Other lifestyle recommendations to prevent cancer returning include exercising
for 30 minutes three times a week,
not gaining any weight and reducing fat intake. And adding a little extra turmeric to your dinner might not be a bad idea either.

Call to ban cola ingredient linked to cancer

A colouring which has been linked to cancer and is found in soft drinks including Coca-Cola must be banned in Britain,
campaigners have said.

Campaigners want to ban an ingredient found in cola © Rex






















The chemical, which gives some cola-flavoured drinks their caramel colour, has been linked to causing cancer according to laboratory tests.

The levels of the additive, known as 4-methylimidazole (4-MI), have already been reduced in Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the United States,
after the state of California stipulated any food or drink containing it must be labelled with a cancer warning.

No such change has yet been adopted in Britain or the rest of the world.

Campaigners have now called on manufacturers to “respect the health of consumers”, and intend to write to health ministers calling for a ban
of the colouring,

Coca-Cola strenuously denies there is any human health risk from 4-MI, claiming no food safety watchdog in Britain and Europe has assessed
it as a concern. The drink complies fully with European laws.

According to research by American group Center for Science in the Public Interest, the amount of 4-MI found in British cans of
Coca-Cola is 135 micrograms – 34 times higher than that found in the US drinks.

Laboratory tests have shown that 4-MI can lead to increased tumours in animals, but no reports have been detected in humans.

[Related article: Coca-Cola's 'secret ingredient revealed']

Malcolm Clark, campaign co-ordinator at the Children’s Food Campaign, told the Daily Mail: “Coca-Cola seems to be treating its
UK consumers with disdain. The company should respect the health of all of its customers around the world, by using caramel colouring
 that is free of known cancer-causing chemicals.

“The UK Government must regulate to protect public health from companies that aggressively market sugar-laden drinks that lead to obesity,
diabetes and tooth decay.”

In March this year, Coca-Cola and Pepsi announced they would be changing their secret formulas in the United States
 to reduce the level of the chemical.

The state of California had stipulated any food or drink containing the additive 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) must be clearly
labelled with a cancer warning.

The law was passed following a campaign by consumer rights groups.

[Related article: Soft drinks targeted by anti-obesity campaigners]

A spokesman for the British Soft Drinks Association told the Daily Mail there was no need to ban caramel colours containing 4-MI and said:
“The 4-MI levels found in food and drink products pose no health or safety risks.

“Outside the state of California, no regulatory agency in the world considers the exposure of the public to 4-MI as present in caramels as an issue.”

Coca-Cola said it already planned to alter the use of the caramel colouring in Britain, but could not disclose a timescale for the change.

It said: “We intend to expand the use of the reduced 4-MI caramel globally as this will allow us to streamline and
simplify our supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution systems.”

[Related article: Experts call for 10% 'fat tax' on soft
drinks to prevent obesity]

A spokesman has said previously: “Caramel is a perfectly safe ingredient and this has been recognised by all European food safety authorities.

Top 5 vegan chocolates from the UK

Becoming a vegan is a process that doesn't happen overnight. Either you begin to realise that you just don't feel right eating the carcass
of an animal anymore or
you notice more and more that meat isn't as important a part of your diet as it once was. Then you begin to consume less and less animal based products
 over the coming days, weeks and months until you have fazed out this requirement completely.

However, despite your main meals now being entirely vegan friendly you can still find that there are odd moments in your day when you
 crave a certain snack,
 delicatessen or piece of binge food to truly satisfy your sweet tooth.

And, you guessed it, chocolate is normally a forbidden substance longed for by vegans. But fear not! There is now a wide variety of vegan
chocolates in the UK.
Here are five vegan chocolates that you can feed to people who haven't seen the vegan light yet that might just
convince them to join the healthy party.

Gourmet Raw

This delightful website that has a plethora of wonderfully yummy treats that are healthy, tasty and packed full of goodness,
 ranging from brownies to chocolate spread.
 You can even send them your own ideas if you have a clever vegan recipe up your sleeve.

Montezuma's

When a company calls themselves chocolate innovators they will have to produce pretty impressive pieces of candy to live up to their reputation.
And boy does Montezuma's deliver. Look out especially for their Dark 54% Giant Button Bag. They're addictive.

Goodness Direct

Despite appearing to look like a faceless global conglomerate Goodness Direct actually supplies a whole host of products that are key to a healthy,
 fresh and organic lifestyle.
 You even get free delivery when you spend over £35, which probably doesn't all have to be on chocolate.

Plamil

This is an exclusively Vegan company that have a wide range of chocolates available and their luxury mini chocolate bars are
just so moreish you can eat through
 them in minutes and not feel guilty in the slightest.

Viva

This ethical shop has Vegan chocolate in different shapes and sizes for children and adults of all ages. Whether you want a
 "Moo Free Milk Chocolate Bar"
to educate your youngsters or a "Mixed Truffle Bag" to devour yourself, Viva sells it all and with an affordable postal service to boot.

Becoming a vegan is a process that doesn't happen overnight. Either you begin to realise that you just don't feel right
 eating the carcass of an animal anymore
 or you notice more and more
that meat isn't as important a part of your diet as it once was. Then you begin to consume less and less animal based products
over the coming days, weeks and
 months until you have fazed out this requirement completely. However, despite your main meals now being entirely vegan friendly
you can still find that there are
 odd moments in your day when you crave a certain snack, delicatessen or piece of binge food to truly satisfy your sweet tooth. 
And, you guessed it, chocolate is normally
 a forbidden substance longed for by vegans. But fear not! There is now a wide variety of vegan chocolates in the UK.
Here are five vegan chocolates that you can feed
to people who haven't seen the vegan light yet that might just convince them to join the healthy party.

Gourmet Raw

This delightful website that has a plethora of wonderfully yummy treats that are healthy, tasty and packed full of goodness,
ranging from brownies to chocolate spread.
You can even send them your own ideas if you have a clever vegan recipe up your sleeve.

Montezuma's

When a company calls themselves chocolate innovators they will have to produce pretty impressive pieces of candy to live up to their reputation.
And boy does Montezuma's deliver. Look out especially for their Dark 54% Giant Button Bag. They're addictive.

Goodness Direct

Despite appearing to look like a faceless global conglomerate Goodness Direct actually supplies a whole host of products that are key to a healthy,
fresh and organic lifestyle.
 You even get free delivery when you spend over £35, which probably doesn't all have to be on chocolate.

Plamil

This is an exclusively Vegan company that have a wide range of chocolates available and their luxury mini chocolate bars are just so
 moreish you can eat through
 them in minutes and not feel guilty in the slightest.

Viva

This ethical shop has Vegan chocolate in different shapes and sizes for children and adults of all ages. Whether you want a
"Moo Free Milk Chocolate Bar"
to educate your youngsters or a "Mixed Truffle Bag" to devour yourself, Viva sells it all and with an affordable postal service to boot.

Whole foods and your health – why and how to eat them

Most food we eat is processed to make it taste better or last longer, but the way this food is processed often makes it less
 nutritious and adds chemicals, fats and sugars

t’s not always easy to make sure you’re eating whole foods. Even supermarket packets that claim to be ‘whole’ often only have a token amount
 of wholegrain and bulk up the rest with the refined sugars and wheat you’re trying to avoid.

Top 10 diet foods that can make you fat

Juices and smoothies

When totting up our daily intake of calories, many of us forget to take into account those that come in liquid form. However, the drinks you consume
 throughout the day can vastly contribute to weight gain. While smoothies and juices count towards your daily intake of fruit (and swapping fry-ups for a
morning smoothie would certainly do wonders for your waistline!) supplementing meals with these sugary fruit drinks could add hundreds of extra calories
on to your daily intake. Smoothies and juices contain more sugar but less fibre than whole fruit, making fresh fruit a much better snacking option.

Cereal bars

Many of us believe that cereal bars are the perfect healthy snack and breakfast-on-the-go. However, most breakfast bars are packed with cane sugar and corn syrup,
 not to mention high levels of fat. In fact, despite their healthy image, cereal bars can contain as much fat, sugar and calories as an average chocolate bar,
and can cause crashes in blood sugar levels which will leave you craving more food.

Dried fruit

As with smoothies and juices, dried fruit has many beneficial properties and counts towards your daily intake of fruit.
 However, due to the concentration of sugars
 that occurs when fruit is dehydrated, it is also very high in calories and sugar when compared to the same amount of fresh fruit,
and is much lower in fibre and nutrients.
 On top of this, many brands add sugar to dried fruit to improve the flavour, which boosts the calorie content even further.

Diet drinks

Many of us turn to sugar-free versions of our favourite drinks to help stay trim, yet diet drinks may actually be causing you to pile on the pounds.
 Research by the
Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio found that those who consumed diet drinks daily experienced a 70 per cent greater increase
in waist circumference than
 those who drank none, while a previous study showed that obesity risk increased by 41 per cent for each diet drink consumed.
A suggested reason for this is that
artificial sweeteners trigger appetite, and they may also inhibit the brain cells that make you feel full.

Salads

When eating out or buying food on the go, salads are generally presented as the “healthy option”. However, often this is not the case.
While salads contain vegetables
and other healthy ingredients, these are often buried under a layer of oily, sugary dressings which can be high in both fat and calories.
Many salads do contain good fats that
can help with weight loss (such as in the case of avocados and olive oil), yet this is not always so. Avoid those sneaky calories by drizzling
your salads with a light dressing
 such as balsamic vinegar, or skipping the dressing entirely.

Soup

While soup can be the perfect weight loss food when prepared correctly, not all soups fall into the diet food category.
In fact, many soups can rack up a significant amount
 of fat and calories, particularly those containing dairy products such as cream or cheese. On top of that, many soups are very high in salt,
which can lead to bloating.
To help stay trim and cut calories, try purchasing (or better yet, making your own) vegetable-based and cream-free soups.

Dips

Hummus is often perceived as the perfect diet-friendly dip. However, while the healthy snack is undoubtedly nutritious,
it is also packed with calories and fat from
 its principle ingredients of oil and tahini. Another dip for dieters to watch out for is guacamole which, while traditionally packed
with nutrients and good fats,
often contains calorie-laden double cream. While most dips can be eaten in moderation, if you want to splurge guilt-free go for a
homemade tomato salsa
 which is packed with nutritious ingredients and is almost fat-free.

[Related articles: The rules to dropping a dress size]

Vegetable crisps

Many people view vegetable crisps as the “healthy” alternative to the potato variety. However, while some vegetable crisps contain slightly
 more fibre and
vitamins than potato crisps, this is not always the case and the difference is generally very slight, with most of the vitamins derived from
fresh veggies being
 lost in the process of making them into crisps. On top of this, vegetable crisps are often just as high in fat and calories as potato ones and
 contain just as much salt.

Popcorn

Air-popped popcorn is a great nutritious, high-fibre and diet-friendly snack. However, when butter is added into the equation,
the tasty snack can quickly lose
 its healthy credentials. Store-bought and cinema popcorn can be extremely high in fat and calories due to its liberal coating of butter and/or sugar,
 and is often also served in large quantities. Furthermore, as the TV-friendly snack is often eaten in front of a screen,
we can easily consume far more than we intend
 to due to mindless snacking.

Granola

It’s marketed as a health food, is sold in health food stores and even looks remarkably healthy, so it must be a diet food, right?
 In the case of granola, sadly the answer is no.
While granola is undoubtedly nutritious and full of fibre, it also contains high quantities of sugar and oil, making it extremely
high in fat and calories.
To help save your waistline, try eating granola in small portions or, better yet, switch to a lower fat sugar-free muesli which will
deliver the same health
 benefits without the calories.

Read more on realbuzz.com...
Makeover your diet
Top 10 worst fat traps
Top 10 reasons why you’re not losing weight

All you need to know about oils

Gone are the days when all you had to do was choose between sunflower or olive oil.  Now it seems you can by the oil from just about every plant,
 nut or seed out there but should we be adding them to our stir fries or drizzling them over our salads?  Find out with our at a glance guide to 9 of the best.

Best oils to cook with

Top rated -  rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil contains omegas 3, 6 and 9, essential fatty acids so it's great for heart health, brain health and joint mobility. 
  It is also a rich, natural source of vitamin E — essential for healthy skin and a strong immune system.
High in mono-unsaturated fats and with less than half the cholesterol raising, saturated fats of olive oil it is one of the few natural
oils that can be heated to deep-frying temperature without its antioxidants, character, colour and flavour spoiling.
In short, one of the best oils there is and what's more — some of the very best rapeseed oils are produced right here in Britain.

Best all rounder - olive oil 
Olive oil is a great source of heart protecting, cholesterol lowering, monounsaturated fat as well as free radical fighting antioxidants
 known to protect the body against premature aging and cancer.  It can be used to cook with up to temperatures of
 180 degrees and is mild enough in flavour to be used with most dishes. 
 However, extra virgin olive oil (the oil that is extracted from the first press) is not quite so stable so it is best used cold.

Best for tight budgets - sunflower oil
Cheap, easy to find and a great source of the free radical fighting antioxidant  - vitamin E. 
In fact, just 1-2 tablespoons contains all your daily requirement. It is also a good source of cholesterol reducing omega 6 polyunsaturates.
However, it contains very few omega 3's so if you use sunflower oil regularly, you need to be sure you're getting enough omega 3s
 in your diet from other sources to balance things out. A chemically stable oil, it is suitable for deep-frying but don't
 be tempted to re-use the oil more than a couple of times as re-heating it to high temperatures can result in the formation
 of trans fatty acids known to raise cholesterol and increase the incidence of some cancers.

[See also: Six bad things which are actually good for you]

Best for high temperatures - groundnut oil
Ground nut oil — sometimes called peanut oil has a high smoking point making it ideal roasting, making Yorkshire puddings or frying. 
 It is an excellent all-rounder and has a very neutral, light flavour perfect for use in oriental dishes that often combine quite delicate flavours.
Do be careful though as this oil is made from peanuts so anyone with a nut allergy should steer well clear.

Best for adding flavour - sesame oil
Another great source of cholesterol lowering omega 6 fatty acids light sesame oil can be used for deep frying and
 the dark or heavy sesame oil (made from roasted sesame seeds) adds a delicious rich flavour to stir-fried meats or vegetables. 
  Used a lot in oriental dishes it's rich flavour works as a seasoning in itself.

Best for rice dishes - avocado oil
Avocado oil has very little if any omega three fatty acids but it is a great source of monounsaturated fats and is also rich in skin enhancing vitamin E.
  It has a slightly nutty flavour that is delicious drizzled over salads or rice dishes.  However, it can also be used to cook with as it has a higher smoking
point than many oils so it's fine to grill, sauté or stir-fry with it.

Best oils for dressings, drizzling and dipping

Top rated - walnut oil
A delicious, aromatic, nutty oil that is a good source of omega three fatty acids and tastes delicious (used as a dip along side a good balsamic vinegar)
as a dip for freshly torn,
warm breads  for warm breads.  It's also great for drizzling over salads and risottos and goes really well with white fish, meat, mozzarella and goat's cheese.
However, this oil tends to become bitter when cooked and can go off very quickly so buy in small quantities and store in a cool, dark place.

Best for vegetarians - linseed oil
Linseed oil is a much richer source of omega 3 than any other oil and a great choice for strict vegetarians who need to
get omega 3 fatty acids solely from plant foods.
 Omega three fatty acids help to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase concentration (particularly in children),
alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory
 conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and they may also help prevent Alzheimer's.  Linseed oil however, is not suitable for cooking
 as heat can make ittaste bitter and it can quickly become rancid if it is not stored correctly (in a cool dark place).  Studies show that if this happens the
benefits are negated and possibly reversed.

Best for drizzling - hazelnut oil
Hazelnut oil is a great source of Vitamin E which helps to maintain a heart health, good skin, a healthy reproductive system and a strong immune system.
  Fairly pricey and not so readily available as many other oils it is worth seeking out either from your local health food store
or on line to drizzle over salads, rice dishes or fresh pasta adding a delicious, subtle, nutty flavour.

Crème fraiche or single cream: which is healthier?

Top ten tips for being heartburn free forever

Battle of the bulge - are your genes to blame?

Rapeseed oil - health hero or hazard?

Y! Lifestyle nutritional expert, Rachael Anne Hill investigates some of the more common concerns.

British produced, cold pressed, rapeseed oil is all the rage with celebrity chefs and high end restaurants, not to mention many nutritionists,
doctors and dieticians.  

Grown on our own soils by hardworking, diversifying farmers, rich in all those health enhancing essential fatty acids and brimming with
 immune boosting vitamin E,
what’s not to like? Quite a lot it seems as the very same oil has allegedly been linked to a whole host of ills ranging from muscular sclerosis,
 mad cow disease, cancer, heart and lung disease and genetic engineering.

So what is the truth about cold pressed, British produced rapeseed oils? Are they really safe to use as an alternative to our trusty olive oil?

Rapeseed oil in jar with rape blossom © Rex

Rapeseed oil contains high levels of Erucic acid which is toxic to humans

However, these strains were banned for use in the human food chain several decades ago. New varieties of plants have now been bred (see below) that produce oil
 containing less than one per cent erucic acid.  In 1977 a law was also brought in limiting the erucic acid content of foods to no more than 5 per cent of the total fatty acid
content in products that contain more than 5 per cent fat.

In truth however, most British produced cold pressed rapeseed oils contain less than 0.5 per cent. An amount deemed to be a very safe level.

[Related feature: All you need to know about oils]

The plant breeding programs where simultaneously yet independently carried out in Europe and in Canada and in 1978 the Western Canadian Oilseed Crushers Association
 registered a product called ‘Canola’ which stands for Canadian Oil, Low Acid.

Today in several countries around the world rapeseed oil is known as canola oil, whereas here in the UK, we still call it ‘rapeseed oil’.  In the states however, up to 93 per cent
of canola oil has now been genetically modified to make it more resistant to pesticides but all British produced rapeseed oil is GM free.

Pour any culinary oil, including the very best olive oil over an insect and you’ll suffocate it. Vegetable oils in general are recommended
by many horticulturists as a non-chemical,
 more environmentally friendly insect control method. This however, does not mean that eating rapeseed oil is harmful to human health.

[Related article: Whole foods - what to eat for your health]

Any plant sourced oil can be used industrially to make lubricants, oils, fuel, soaps, paints, plastics, cosmetics or inks and many animal
derived foods also have non-food uses,
for example proteins in milk can be used to make glue.

Rapeseed, palm, sunflower, soya, olive oils can be used to make biodiesel (in fact Rudolf Diesel,
the inventor of the diesel engine powered it on peanut oil, as diesel fuel had
not been invented!). This however, does not mean that oils approved for human consumption are poisonous or harmful.

Over the previous two decades, numerous clinical studies involving thousands of healthy volunteers, have examined the role of rapeseed oil
 in lowering blood cholesterol
levels and reducing risk of coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The studies confirmed that when used as part of a balanced diet,
it has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke.

How to eat like an expert

Discover how nutritionists manage their diet by eating the right foods in the right portions at the right time.

Take up juggling
Increase your intake of vitamins, minerals, immune-boosting phytochemicals and age—defying antioxidants whilst significantly decreasing
 calories by 'ratio juggling'.
Simply switch from making carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, cereals, rice or potatoes the biggest ratio of food on your plate to fruit or
vegetables instead.
This way, you'll keep blood sugars stable, hunger and food cravings at bay and, because we naturally prefer to eat carbs with
 fats (think bread without the marg,
baked potatoes without the butter and crackers without the cheese), you'll automatically cut back on your fat intake too.

How?

• Swap your usual bowl of cereal for a bowl of chopped fruit with a spoon or two of cereal added.
• Swap your midday ham salad sandwich for a large ham salad.
• Swap a lunch time jacket potato for a bowl of vegetable soup.
• Swap your shepherd's pie made from mince and potatoes with a few carrots on the side for one made from a filling of lean mince, 
• carrots, peas, finely chopped onions and
• celery with a sweet potato and leek topping. Then fill up the rest of the plate with broccoli or spring cabbage lightly sautéed in a little garlic and olive oil.
• Swap the usual plate of spaghetti with two or three spoons of bolognese sauce on top for a plate of bolognese sauce made largely from tomatoes, 
• peppers, carrots, peas 
• and sweetcorn with a little extra lean meat added and one or two spoons of spaghetti added in.

Go low GI

Why?
Low GI carbs release their sugars at a much slower pace into the blood stream, helping to keep energy levels high, cravings for fatty/sugary foods
 at bay and
insulin production to a minimum - and because insulin helps the body to store fat, the less insulin you have the slimmer you're likely to be and
 the lower your risk
 of developing diabetes and heart disease will become.

How?

• Swap baguettes (GI 95) for wheat tortillas (GI 30).
• Swap rice cakes (GI 74) and bagels (GI 72) for a slice of whole meal rye bread (GI 58) or whole meal stone-ground, heavy grain breads (GI 47).
• Swap jacket potatoes (GI 101) for sweet potatoes (GI 46).
• Swap white rice (GI 87) for barley (25).
• Swap mashed potatoes (GI 101) for puy lentils (GI 26).

Go high 'SI'
'SI' stands for satiety index, a measure created by researchers at Sydney University. Foods that have a high 'SI' rating keep us feeling fuller for longer
and include oats, apples, whole-wheat pasta, oranges, popcorn, beans, grapes and wholemeal bread. However, the most satiating nutrient of all is protein,
so adding high quality, lean meat, fish, chicken, nuts and seeds to your food is a great way to control appetite which will naturally help to
reduce your calorie intake.

How?

• Try smoked kippers or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs for breakfast.
• Snack on a small handful of nuts and seeds, grapes, oranges, apples, low fat hummus and popcorn.
• Swap your usual lunchtime pasta salad for a mixed bean salad or a tuna nicoise instead.
• Swap your cheese sandwich for an open topped ham, chicken or beef one instead.
• Swap your usual bowl of evening pasta for a chargrilled tuna or sirloin steak on a bed of lightly steamed pak choi or shredded spring 
• cabbage sautéed in garlic
• and a little olive oil.
• Swap your usual mashed potato for lentils instead.
• Add strips of lean beef to your stir-fry, beans to your casseroles and pulses to your curry and soups.

Re-fuel — don't drool!
If you were to drive from London to Edinburgh with only a little petrol you wouldn't expect your car to keep going on the 'promise' you'd fill it up
 when you get there -so why is it that that's exactly what we expect our bodies to do when we race through the day on an empty stomach
drooling over all the fatty,
 sugary foods as we go? Instead, switch to eating the majority of your calories during the day when you need them most and watch the pounds drop off.

How?

• Make breakfast the largest meal of the day followed by a medium-sized lunch and a far smaller evening meal (try using a side plate in the
• evenings rather than a dinner plate).
• Always have a healthy, low GI snack such as a small handful of nuts, seeds or dried fruit, a low fat yogurt, some fruit or a wholegrain 
• cracker topped with cottage 
• cheese and grapes mid morning and mid afternoon.
• Swap calorie-packed evening desserts for a low-fat yogurt or fresh fruit.
• Don't have foods in the house that you know will tempt you into nibbling in the evenings.
• Brush your teeth straight after dinner. You'll be amazed how effective that can be at stopping you from heading back into the kitchen!