Being healthier will be a New Year resolution for millions.
But despite being convinced that your shopping basket is full of nutritious food, it may actually be packed with junk, according to Dr Michael Mosley.
His new Channel 4 series, Undercover Doctor: The Secrets Of Your Big Shop, found that families are convinced their food shops are healthy when, in fact, there are crisps, biscuits and fizzy drinks lurking among their fruit, vegetables and grains.
Dr Mosley said the location of sweet treats at the end of aisles, as well as low prices and confusion about what is actually healthy, is leading Brits to put unhealthy treats in the trolley without thinking.
Here, he shares his top tips for a healthy food shop — from picking up cheese and nuts to add to soup to never entering a supermarket if your stomach is rumbling.
His new Channel 4 series, Undercover Doctor: The Secrets Of Your Big Shop, found that families are convinced their food shops are healthy when, in fact, there are crisps, biscuits and fizzy drinks lurking among their fruit, vegetables and grains
Aim to fill the main section of your shopping trolley with healthy foods (fruit, veg, pulses, proteins, wholegrains) and reserve the small front section for ‘treats’
Shop savvy
Never go to the supermarket when hungry as you’re likely to be tempted to buy junk food. Take a list and stick to it.
Take plenty time to check the labels
Check the calories; which foods have a long list of strange-sounding ingredients (this can be a sign they’re highly processed); or which score ‘red’ in the traffic light system.
Stick to the perimeter of the store
Where you’ll find fruit, veg, meat, fish and dairy products — and hurry past the glitzy central aisles where you will find those tempting treats.
Only buy a couple of treats
Aim to fill the main section of your shopping trolley with healthy foods (fruit, veg, pulses, proteins, wholegrains) and reserve the small front section for ‘treats’.
Pick up less pop
Cut back on fizzy drinks (whether they’re diet or full sugar). Drink a glass of water with every meal.
This will curb your appetite, keep you hydrated, boost energy levels and reduce cravings for unhealthy foods.
Cut back on fizzy drinks (whether they’re diet or full sugar). Drink a glass of water with every meal
Make tap water delicious by chilling it with lemon, orange or cucumber slices, mint sprigs or berries.
Upgrade your breakfast
Switch highly processed cereals for porridge oats you can cook or which can be soaked in milk overnight, adding seeds, berries and yoghurt in the morning.
Instead of jam/honey on white toast for breakfast, try fibre-rich rye bread spread with almond butter and thin slices of apple.
Top up on tins
Add tinned pulses to your trolley and tip half a tin of chickpeas into your lunchtime salad to boost fibre and protein.
This will then keep you feeling full throughout the afternoon.
Add nuts to soup
Bulk out tinned soup by adding nuts or seeds, and eat with oat cakes and a little cheese.
Bulk out tinned soup by adding nuts or seeds, and eat with oat cakes and a little cheese
Shake up your meal deal
If your normal workday lunch is a ‘meal deal’ (sandwich, snack and fizzy drink) opt for wholemeal bread with a lean protein filling (chicken or tuna), water instead of a sugary drink and popcorn or nuts in place of crisps or chocolate.
Give unhealthy meals a makeover
Make indulgent foods more healthy.
For instance, pizza can be layered with extra veg (pepper, red onion, courgette, broccoli) to provide fibre and nutrients, and add chicken or ham for more protein.
If making spaghetti Bolognese, add plenty of onions and grated carrot to your tomato mix.
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count
• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain
• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
