Tips for healthy eating

10. Hype your hummus
Add cooked beetroot – beetroot is rich in nitrates that can help to dilate the blood vessels and lower high blood pressure.

9. Go for meat-free Mondays
Lean meat can form part of a healthy balanced diet, but you don’t have to eat it every day. Experts agree that a meat-free Monday – or any other day of the week – is good for both you and the environment.

8. Batch cook
This gives you a stash of healthy home-cooked meals in your freezer for when you don’t have the time or energy to start from scratch.

7. Dish the fish
Dietitians recommend eating two portions of fish each week, one of which should be oil-rich such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and fresh tuna. Omega-3 oils in these fish help to make the blood less sticky, and so may help to prevent blood clots that have the potential to cause a stroke or heart attack.

6. Veg boost
Add more vitamins and fibre to dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese, shepherd’s pie and curries by incorporating plenty of veg. This is also a good way to get reluctant veg eaters to eat more.

5. Build a better salad
Adding nuts, avocado or an oil-based dressing to your salad will make it easier for your body to absorb any fat-soluble phytochemicals from the salad leaves.

4. Replace regular white rice with basmati rice
Basmati rice has a lower glycaemic index (GI) than other varieties, which means that it’s digested more slowly, helping you to feel full for longer and stopping blood sugar levels spiking.

3. Get organised
Spring clean your kitchen cupboards and freezer, and restock with healthy things that will help you make a quick and nutritious meal or snack at the end of a busy day.

2. Swap blanched almonds for the skin-on variety
The skin of almonds contains fibre and antioxidants called polyphenols that can help reduce the level of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease.

1. Choose Tenderstem broccoli
This vibrant veg might taste like regular broccoli but actually contains three times more glucosinolates, phytochemicals that are believed to help reduce the of risk heart disease and certain types of cancer.