1. Top your summer salad with olive oil in place of your normal creamy salad dressing. You will not only save calories, you will be adding valuable monounsaturated fatty acids to your meal. Olive oil has been shown to reduce chronic and degenerative diseases in the Mediterranean areas where it is regularly eaten. So, mix your olive oil with lemon and fresh or dried herbs to create your own individual salad dressing.
2. Everyone knows that red wine has certain health benefits, but this generally comes with loss of willpower too! However, you can get the antioxidant benefit of red wine by eating red grapes instead. The antioxidant present in red grapes, resveratrol, is of particular benefit to the cardiovascular system, as it reduces the build up of plaque in arteries.
3. Sweet potatoes can be baked like an ordinary jacket potato and are delicious! Bake extra and when the second one has cooled, cut into cubes and mix with salad for lunch the next day. The beautiful colour of sweet potato is due to its carotene pigment, which is a powerful antioxidant. And despite its name and sweet flavour, studies have shown that these potatoes can actually help stabilise blood sugar levels, not disrupt them like other sweet foods.
4. We all know that skipping breakfast is bad for us, but what you eat at the start of the day is just as important. Sugary breakfast cereals and white toast cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which is generally followed by a crash that will have you reaching for another snack. Sugar-free and wholegrain cereals, and wholemeal toast, will provide you with longer-lasting energy to see you through the morning.
5. For a refreshing summery drink, swap your sugary fruit drink with fruit juice and sparkling mineral water mixed in the ratio 1:1. If you chose a 100% fruit juice, such as cranberry or pomegranate, you will give yourself a shot of powerful cancer-fighting anthocyanidins. So … mix, stick in a cocktail umbrella and enjoy as an end of summer cocktail in the garden!
