Celebrity Health - Dr Michael Mosley
Image of Dr Michael Mosley © Jody D’Arcy
Dr Michael Mosley’s Top Diet Swaps
Swap rice for cauliflower
Rice, mash, a pizza base or just straight up, the choice is yours! At home, we regularly use cauliflower as a great alternative to starchy carbs, such as rice or potatoes. Cauliflower is hydrating, packed with vitamin C, high in fibre and low in calories. By swapping rice with cauliflower rice, you’ll benefit from an 80 per cent decrease in carbohydrates, which lowers blood sugars and contributes to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Swap spaghetti for courgetti
Courgettes are rich in nutrients, antioxidants, high in both soluble and insoluble fibre and low in calories. Soluble fibre dissolves in water whereas insoluble fibre doesn’t, yet both have great benefits. Soluble fibre aids digestion and helps to reduce blood sugar levels, which can assist in reducing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Insoluble fibre also helps to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and promotes bowel regularity by adding water to stools, moreover preventing constipation.
Swap bread for portobello mushrooms
Mushrooms, specifically portobello, make fantastic burger buns, pizza bases and simple toast (just with extra nutrients than your typical bread). As far as nutritional benefits go, they are high in fibre, potassium and antioxidants. Although the amounts vary between the type of mushroom, all of them are incredibly good for you and your healthy lifestyle. Mushrooms can be a great source of vitamin D. For those who aren’t getting too much sunlight at the moment, it might be worth considering adding more to your diet.
Swap low fat (or skimmed) milk with full fat milk
One of the reasons we’ve been told to go for low-fat options, like skimmed milk, is because consuming saturated fats raises our levels in the blood of LDL, often thought of as ‘bad cholesterol’. High levels of LDL are associated with a greater chance of heart disease. It was also assumed that because skimmed milk has less than two-thirds of the amount of calories, per glass, of full-fat milk, it would be less fattening. To my great surprise, there have been a large number of recent studies demonstrating that full-fat milk drinkers not only tend to be slimmer than those on lower-fat varieties, but also have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome – or raised blood pressure, elevated blood sugars and raised levels of fats in the blood that can increase your risk of heart disease.
Swap prosecco for a non-alcoholic spritzer
Alcohol can cause unwanted weight gain and even chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. It’s not always the alcohol itself that can cause weight gain but the sugar, carbohydrates and calories that come with it. One drink can contribute an additional 200 calories of energy to your day, plus the food choices you make on top of that. Try a cleansing, refreshing and non-alcoholic idea to spruce up a celebratory drink. Alternatively, a red wine spritzer combines wine with sparkling water, lowering calories and alcohol content.
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