10 unhealthy foods to ditch and what to eat instead

You might be thinking about how to make changes to your diet to become healthier. Remember, you don’t need to ditch anything completely – all foods can be included in a healthy, balanced diet. But making changes to your everyday habits can be more powerful than you might think. Small changes to your diet can add up, and are often easier to stick to in the longer term than a huge overhaul.

Are ham sandwiches healthy?

Ditch: Ham sandwiches

Start: Chicken sandwiches

Processed meats, such as ham, contain saturated fat and salt, and have also been linked to bowel cancer.

Swapping to chicken or turkey (without the skin) is better for your heart and circulatory health. Government guidelines recommend eating 70g (2½ oz) or less of red and processed meat a day. A chicken sandwich is a healthier choice than a ham sandwich, but there are plenty of other good options, such as salmon, sardines, egg or hummus.

Is jam on toast healthy?

Ditch: Jam on toast

Start: Banana on toast

Jam on toast isn’t the healthiest choice as it doesn’t offer much in the way of nutrients. Swapping to a banana will give you more vitamins, minerals, fibre and help you towards your 5-a-day – and will keep you fuller for longer too.

Try to make all your meals contribute towards 5-a-day. Chop some fruit onto your cereal, have banana or avocado on toast instead of jam, put salad in your sandwiches and always have at least two types of vegetables or salad on the side with your evening meal.

Add a couple of pieces of fruit as pudding or snacks during the day and you’ll find it easy to achieve 5-a-day. Remember that 5-a-day is a recommended minimum, not a maximum, so think creatively about other ways you could add a bit more fruit and veg to your meals.

Is orange juice healthy?

Ditch: Orange juice

Start: Water

Orange juice is high in sugar – although it contains more vitamins than fizzy drinks, it’s still not a great choice. By juicing fruits rather than eating them whole, you get the sugar they contain but not the fibre. It also takes the juice of several oranges to fill a glass, meaning that the total amount of sugar will be greater than in the single orange you’d be more likely to have if eaten whole. Water is the best choice for your teeth – and if it’s tap water, best for your wallet too.

Are stock cubes healthy?

Ditch: Standard stock cubes and stock pots

Start: Low-salt stock

Stock cubes and stock pots are usually high in salt, but there are reduced-salt and – even better – low-salt options that you can switch to. It might take a while to get used to a lower-salt taste, so stick with it if you’re not sure at first, and you’ll get used to it.

Chilli, black pepper, lemon juice or zest, herbs and spices can all add flavour without salt – but watch out for fish sauce, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, which are also salty.

Is coconut oil good for you?

Ditch: Coconut oil

Start: Rapeseed oil

You may have been wondering if coconut oil is healthy for you. Although coconut oil has a healthy reputation, like palm oil, butter and ghee, it is high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat is linked to raised cholesterol levels, which increases your risk of heart and circulatory diseases. This is why we’re recommended to have mostly unsaturated rather than saturated fats. A neutral-flavoured oil like rapeseed (also sold as vegetable oil) or sunflower is a versatile and healthier substitute to coconut oil.

What’s an alternative snack to chocolate?

Ditch: A daily chocolate bar

Start: A handful of unsalted nuts

Chocolate is fine as a treat, but for an everyday snack, unsalted nuts or fresh fruit are better ways to fill the gaps. Nuts contain vitamins and minerals as well as protein and fibre and are lower in saturated fat than chocolate, making them a better choice for your cholesterol levels and therefore for your heart health. You could go for mixed nuts, or find your favourite, such as walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts. Nuts are high in calories, so stick to a small handful (about 30g/1oz).

Is wholemeal rice better than white rice?

Ditch: White pasta and rice

Start: Wholewheat pasta and rice

Yes, wholemeal rice contains more fibre than white rice. Eating more fibre can help our digestive health, and there’s increasing evidence that a healthy gut can benefit us in a huge range of ways, from a healthier immune system to a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease.

Most of us aren’t eating enough fibre. So swapping out white rice and pasta for wholewheat alternatives is an easy way to increase your fibre intake. If you’re not keen on the taste, try mixing them half and half with a white version until you get used to the taste (check the cooking times if you’re cooking them in the same pan, and add the white version later if needed). Or cover them in a well-flavoured sauce like tomato with herbs and garlic.

Is granary bread healthier than white bread?

Ditch: Granary bread

Start: Wholemeal or wholemeal granary bread

Granary bread may seem healthier than white, but unless it is specifically labelled as wholemeal granary (or granary wholemeal) it doesn’t have much more fibre than white bread.

Wholemeal granary bread has nearly twice as much fibre as standard granary bread and nearly three times as much as white bread. If you’re really not keen on the taste of wholemeal, try seeded breads, which are often based on a white bread, but at least higher in fibre from the seeds. They will vary in their fibre content, so compare the nutritional information on the back of the pack.

Can curry be healthy?

Ditch: Takeaway curry

Start: Home-made curry

Most takeaway curry is laden with fat and salt, while making your own meals means you can include more vegetables, and less salt and fat. Cooking from scratch can be a relaxing activity that gives you a sense of achievement.

If time is a problem, many curries work well for batch cooking when you have a bit more time, and can often be frozen.

Try one of our delicious, healthy curry options:

• Healthy turkey curry
• Chicken tikka masala
• Lentil dhal with roasted cauliflower and spinach
• Sweet potato curry with spinach and chick pea

Is granola good for you?

Granola may seem like a healthy choice, and it does contain fibre. However, most granolas come with added sugar – it doesn’t make much difference nutritionally whether that’s sugar, honey, syrups or concentrated fruit juice.

They also contain fat, sometimes in the form of palm oil which is a saturated fat. No-added-sugar muesli gives you the benefits of the oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit, without the added sugar and fat.

Ditch: Granola for breakfast

Start: No added sugar muesli

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