With Britain fast becoming one of the fattest nations in Europe, it could be time to make a few wise food swaps. With very little effort you can save fat, salt and sugar grams, as well as boosting your roughage, vitamin and mineral intake. Here’s how.
By Hilary Pereira
Fruit yoghurt
Ready-prepared fruit yoghurts may be described a ‘low fat’, but this often means they are high in sugar.
Swap for natural yoghurt and berries
Add a handful of raspberries, blueberries, chopped strawberries or defrosted frozen mixed berries to a small bowl of natural yoghurt.
White bread
White bread can be delicious, especially when sliced thickly from a freshly-baked bloomer and toasted, but because it’s made from refined wheat flour from which the bran a
Swap for wholemeal bread
Wholemeal bread can be just as delicious as white once you’ve got used to it, and it contains substantially more roughage, minerals and vitamins.
Fruit in syrup
Fruit in cans or jars makes a quick and tasty pud and can be counted as one of your ‘five a day’, but watch out for fruit canned in syrup, as the sugar content wi
Swap for fruit in natural juice
The same fruit in natural juice ,such as grape juice, will still contain sugar, but it will be natural fruit sugar, which is better for you as it’s bro
Pain au chocolat
If you’re a fan of the chocolate-filled croissant - which is admittedly meltingly delicious when warmed - it’s fine as an occasional treat, but not as an everyd
Swap for choc-chip brioche
It’s still a refined carbohydrate, being made with refined white flour, but there’s far less saturated fat than in a pain au chocolat.
Granola
Some shop-bought granolas and mueslis present themselves as wonderfully wholesome and healthy, but when you look at the listed ingredients you find there’s plenty of added sug
Swap for homemade muesli
You can make your own much healthier version without added sugar or salt, and still make it very tasty.
Roast chicken dinner
What could be better than the smell of a roasting chicken, served up and with roast potatoes and gravy?
Swap for chicken casserole
A hearty casserole make with skinless chicken breasts or thighs, baby new potatoes and selected root vegetables is satisfying and lower on the glycaemic index (GI
Whole milk
There are some treats that simply don’t work with anything less than full-fat milk – like cappuccinos, milkshakes and hot chocolate.
Swap for skimmed milk
Skimmed milk might not be to your taste on cereals, but using it in cooking – when you’re making sauces, puddings or porridge, for instance – can sav
Sponge pudding and cream
If you’re yearning for a filling, warming pud, it’s tempting to turn to sponge and cream or ice cream.
Swap for baked fruit and custard
Baking fruits like bananas, plums, figs, pears or nectarines in foil in a hot oven releases some of their natural sugar, creating a syrupy sauce.
Biscuits
If you’re used to dunking a biscuit or three in your tea or coffee, it can be hard to give them up.
Swap for rough oatcakes
Rough oatcakes are much lower on the glycaemic index (GI) than biscuits because of their high oatmeal content, and can be more filling and just as tasty.
Chips
When you get a craving for chips, it’s hard to resist – and, as with other less healthy choices, it’s fine to give in once in a while.
Swap for home-baked wedges
Home-made potato wedges are satisfying and delicious.