Healthy Eating & Diet

Vitamin supplements – good or bad? - Vitamins and minerals - Eating and Diet

In 2006 Britons spent £220 million on vitamin and mineral supplements, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). What's more, it found 43 per cent of UK adults had taken vitamin or mineral supplements in the past 12 months with usage highes...

The sunshine vitamin - Vitamins and minerals - Eating and Diet

Everyone needs vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth, but it's also known to have a protective role against a wide range of degenerative diseases. Known as the 'sunshine vitamin', 90 per cent of your body's supply come...

Sunshine and vitamin D - Vitamins and minerals - Eating and Diet

We have all been told to stay out of the sun because harmful UV rays can cause premature ageing and skin cancer. But are we missing a trick? Many experts now say that some sun exposure is necessary because the skin only makes vitamin D in the presenc...

Eat your way free of depression - Vitamins and minerals - Eating and Diet

Most people recognise that eating a balanced diet is important for physical health. But, what you eat can equally have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. A sustained poor diet can lead to depression, a leading cause of disability worldwi...

Now you're cooking: a guide to safer summer fare - Food safety - Eating and Diet

For most of us, cooking and eating outdoors is what summer is all about. But the mixture of raw and cooked foods can be a recipe for bugs and bacteria. To make your barbecue memorable for all the right reasons, use this guide to food safety. ...

Vegetarian super athletes - Food safety - Eating and Diet

The secret is to be careful and eat balanced meals, which contain the vitamins and nutrients the body needs. If you thought that all vegetarians were skinny and weak little things, think again. Some of the most famous athletes of all time have...

Turning vegetarian - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Whatever the reason you’ve decided to become a vegetarian, a diet without meat or fish can be healthy. Just make sure you get all your key nutrients and don’t fall into any vegetarian traps. Macronutrients Prote...

The water myth - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

In recent years, drinking large quantities of water has become one of the mantras for healthy living. Every magazine has had its version of 'drink water and be healthy' or 'drink water and lose weight'. But do we really need to drink the mythic...

The health risks of being five stone overweight - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Becoming this big might seem almost impossible, it's surprising how easily it happens. Picking up unhealthy habits can quickly turn into life-threatening health problems. At five stone overweight, your body mass index (BMI) is n...

The health risks of being three stone overweight - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

The other crucial factor is where your excess weight is. An extra three stone is likely to push your body mass index (BMI) above 30 and into the obese category. As a nation, we're becoming fatter. In 1993, 16 per cent of w...

The health risks of being one stone overweight - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

The other crucial factor is where your excess weight is. Many of us have been a stone or so over our healthy weight at some time particularly after having children. It feels unattractive and having to squeeze into clothes is horrid...

Ingredient labelling - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Understanding labelling on food packaging can be confusing. With all the labelling on food packaging, understanding what it all means can be confusing. But getting it right can mean you can make the healthiest decisions for yo...

How much sugar do we really eat? - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Sweet tooth? It could be far sweeter than you think, thanks to the increasing amount of sugar that manufacturers are quietly adding to our everyday foods. And tooth decay and weight gain aren't the only health problems we risk as a result. S...

Diet that boosts your love life - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Eat your way to a better sex life. The right food might not make you a red-hot lover – but it just might help. Low levels of vitamin C can also cause sperm to clump together which can lead to infertility, so make sure he has pl...

Bottled water – ﬁzzing with health? - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Does bottled water contain more bacteria than tap water? Bottled water is sold as a healthy and pure product, which is worth a premium price. Yet the latest research in Canada suggests that some brands contain more bacteria than t...

Summer dining with diabetes - Lifestyle management - Eating and Diet

Summer dining can be a challenge for people with diabetes. Summer is the time for alfresco dining, barbecues, ice creams and gastronomic feasts. But, for over 3 million people in the UK who suffer from diabetes, summer dining can be a challenge. ...

Diabetes treats - Diet and diabetes - Eating and Diet

Diabetes is a growing problem in the UK. Approximately 2.6 million people now have the disease, which is caused when the body is unable to regulate its own blood sugar levels. A diagnosis of diabetes isn't a life sentence of boring, tasteless food....

Weight loss plan: week 4 - Diet and diabetes - Eating and Diet

Week 4 basics Breakfast Choose one from the mix and match list every day. Morning snacks Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible. Pot of veggie sticks and two ta...

Weight loss plan: week 3 - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Week 3 basics Breakfast Choose one from the mix and match list every day. Morning snacks Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible. Two satsumas or other small citrus f...

Weight loss plan: week 2 - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Week 2 basics Breakfast Choose one from the mix and match list every day. Morning snacks Choose one each day. Try to have as much variety as possible. Piece of fruit, eg a kiwi fruit,...

Weight loss plan: week 1 - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Week 1 basics Breakfast Choose one from the mix and match list every day. Morning snacks Choose any one of the following each day for your morning snack. A piece of fruit such as a ban...

Weight loss plan - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Commit to our four-week plan of healthy eating with regular exercise and you can soon make a difference to your figure. Our plan, devised by a registered nutritionist, will help you lose weight at a steady rate of about 1lb to 2lb per week. The good ...

Top 10 dieting myths - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Need to lose weight? Before you give up the late night munching and go on a no-fat detox frenzy to kick your sluggish metabolism into shape, read what the experts have to say about these popular dieting myths. Myth 1 Myth ...

Staying trim at Christmas - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

According to research, the average person in the UK puts on 5 pounds (2 kg) over the Christmas season – with most of us able to consume up to 6000 kcal on Christmas day alone. But, indulging in the Christmas spirit doesn't have to mean going...

Shape up for summer - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Come summer, we'd all love to look this good on the beach. The chocolate-fest of Easter has passed, the sun is shining and it's time to start thinking about dusting off our summer wardrobe. One look at last year's strappy vests and shorts means ...

Reclaim your waistline - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Middle-age spread is not unavoidable – there’s plenty you can do to keep it under control. We asked the experts for an update on the proven ways to banish middle-aged spread – and here they are! Middle-aged ...

Beach body plan - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

For most of us, the sight of our summer swimwear is enough to fill us with dread and trepidation. But don't panic, help is at hand. Follow dietician Nigel Denby's beach body plan, and you could be beach buff within weeks. Find the right balance...

On test: snack salads - Weight loss - Eating and Diet

Want more than a few green leaves with your lunch? Check out these side salads. Waitrose Couscous and Roasted Vegetable Salad £1.79 for 220g Per salad: 345 cals, 11.1g fat, 0.87g salt A combination of couscous, roasted courgett...

On test: savoury snacks - On test - Eating and Diet

Not all crisps and savoury snacks are loaded with fat and salt. We tested ten to find the healthiest. Love Pretz Jalapeno Chilli Skinny Baked Pretzels 45p FOR 30g Per pack: 125 calories, 3.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0.6g ...

On test: sandwiches - On test - Eating and Diet

They're the ultimate convenience food, but can often be surprisingly high in calories, salt and fat. Here we find out how ten lunchtime favourites measure up. McDonald's Barbecue Pork Melt Toasted Deli Sandwich £2.99 ...