We are constantly being told to eat less meat, fear sugar, mind the ultra-processed food, but we need a variety of food so we can function and thrive. So how about, rather than focusing on what to avoid, we focus on WHAT TO EAT MORE OF. Here are 4 ideas to give your diet a boost in a positive way:

1 – Get protein from plant-based foods

The body needs protein as it provides the essential building blocks to repair, produce and grow all your body’s tissues, from skin to hormones. Good sources include pulses, for example chickpeas, beans and lentils. Think Puy lentils soup, refried black beans, teriyaki tofu, falafel, hummus, ribollita soup with cannellini beans. There are so many options!

Just one important point about plant-based protein foods: apart from soybean foods (e.g. tofu, tempeh, edamame beans), most pulses are considered to be ‘incomplete’ proteins – they have a great amount of protein, but they don’t contain all the amino acids (the basic compound that makes a protein) the body needs. Luckily, the missing amino acids can be found in other plant foods such as cereals. So as long as your diet includes some bread, pasta, oats or rice you should be all covered.

2 – Keep hydrated

Thirst is a funny thing – by the time you feel it, it is likely too late, you are already dehydrated. At that point you might find focussing difficult, have a headache, get muscle cramps, feel tired and irritable. These symptoms recede once we drink fluid but even better if you can prevent them by staying hydrated all day long!

First thing, drink a big glass of water (or any fluid) shortly after you wake up. This is because after a night sleep you will have lost a lot of fluid and need to replenish your stores. Then, throughout the day, keep drinking regularly. An average adult needs between 1.5L to 2L of fluid a day but that can vary depending on how much exercise or sweating you do. The best indicator of hydration is the colour of your urine: Pale straw? You are well hydrated. Darker yellow? You need to drink more.

3 – Go for plain food and decide how sweet you want it to be

If you have a sweet tooth and worry you eat too much sugar, rather than cutting all sugary items from your diet, try to be the one in control of how much sugar you eat. Buy plain yogurt or plain cereals (porridge oats, weetabix), and add the amount of sweetener (honey, table sugar, jam) you really need/enjoy… chances are, it will be much less than what would be in an already-sweetened product.

And how about swapping a tsp of sugar for a few berries into your bowl of porridge? This gives you full control and enables you to get a sense of how much sugar you are eating – it is also a great way to slowly re-train your palate for more subtle aromas.

4 – Choose wholegrain food

The gut LOVES fibre. It helps with digestion and it feeds the colonies of good bacteria that thrive in the large intestine, influencing immune function, appetite, metabolism, and even your mood.

A powerful way to increase your daily fibre intake is by opting for the whole-grain version of certain foods: brown instead of white rice, wholemeal instead of white bread, porridge oats instead of corn flakes. But you can be even more adventurous, try barley in soups, wild rice in salads, wholemeal couscous or bulgur to serve with a tajine.

Find out more about Roehampton’s MSc Clinical Nutrition programme here.