These healthy food swaps will overhaul your diet – Telegraph.co.uk

Healthy eating doesnt have to involve complicated diets or extreme approaches. By making some simple swaps to your regular choices, you can bag more beneficial nutrients, sustain energy levels, avoid too much snacking and feel better inside and out. Here are our suggestions for some smart switches you can build in this month for easy eats with serious benefits...

Why? It turns out Goldilocks had the right idea a bowl of porridge is one of the best ways you can start your day (though we dont suggest stealing it from a bear). Oats contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, found to lower bad cholesterol (note that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3g of oat beta-glucan). Oats are also a complex carbohydrate, and are full of fibre and nutrients, so they take longer to digest, helping you sustain energy levels through the morning. Just remember to opt for natural oats without flavourings or added sugar. Try topping your porridge with some sliced apple with a sprinkle of cinnamon, or banana and flaked almonds, to add a little natural sweetness.

Why? OK, were not trying to deprive you of your must-have morning java, but as the day wears on, try going green, and enjoy the zen vibes that follow. Green tea is loaded with powerful antioxidants and also contains an amino acid called L-theanine. That should make your to-do list that bit more doable.

Why? If lunch just isnt lunch without a sandwich, dont panic you can still have your carb hit: just switch it for a wholemeal version that will pack health-based benefits with every bite. Upping your intake of wholegrains can help boost the nutritional quality of your diet, due to increased intake of micronutrients. They may also help you feel fuller for longer, staving off those mid-afternoon hunger pangs.

Why? Theres a reason hipsters look healthy, and its not just down to fusion yoga and unicycling. Mashing an avocado and adding it to your sandwich filling gives you a great creamy taste, like mayo, but also allows you to squeeze in one of your five-a-day. Plus these delicious fruits (technically a single-seeded berry, for any fact enthusiasts) are nutritional powerhouses rich in fibre, full of healthy fats, and a great source of potassium. So get mashing.

Why? Because (a bit of some) chocolate is good for you. By switching to dark chocolate, youre getting higher levels of cocoa flavonoids, antioxidant molecules that are believed to be beneficial to brain function. Studies have also found dark chocolate to contribute to heart health via normal blood flow. Look for bars with 70 to 85 per cent cocoa to bag the benefits, and think a few squares rather than entire giant bar (sorry).

Why? Because they are an all-round healthier, hunger-satiating snack, with walnuts in particular singled out for their high levels of antioxidants. They are also high in protein and fibre, with studies showing nuts like almonds can help you to feel fuller for longer (and less likely to hit up the vending machine for another pack).

Why? Even if youre not veggie or vegan, health experts recommend we limit our intake of red meat. Beetroot burgers are on trend as a meat-free alternative, and available in many supermarkets.

Why? Though they might be tasty, the humble spud doesnt count as one of your five a day, but sweet potatoes do, making them an easy way to up your veg intake and feel instantly virtuous. Sweet potato is full of beta carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A. Its also a good source of potassium and fibre. Oven-bake wedges or try it mashed as a side or perhaps as a tasty alternative topping on a cottage pie.

Why? Because its just as (if not more) creamy, while serving up a delicious dollop of nutrients. High in protein and rich in calcium, Greek yoghurt makes a healthier accompaniment to desserts or a great one in its own right. Look out for an unsweetened version and add some fresh fruit, chopped nuts and cinnamon.

To help you support your health and well-being outside and in, Centrum has partnered with Telegraph Spark to help you make small yet effective changes*.

Centrum wants to motivate you to boost your health in a simple, enjoyable and sustainable way. Working with leading experts and nutritionists, exercise and wellness brands, we have curated a wealth of tip-packed, easy-to-follow content from healthy eating ideas to on-trend activities and ways to de-stress and relax. Centrums range of multivitamins is specially tailored to help support you every day based on your age, gender, lifestyle and nutritional needs.*

To find out more, and discover which Centrum is right for you, visit centrum.co.uk

*Multivitamins are intended to supplement your diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. Centrum contains vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system, and vitamin B12, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

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These healthy food swaps will overhaul your diet - Telegraph.co.uk

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