Looking to improve your diet and health in 2024? With so much nutrition advice to digest these days it’s difficult to know where to start. Sue Quinn talks to experts who offer practical suggestions, based on the latest science, to nourish mind and body
Nutrition is one of the fastest moving areas of science; every day new research emerges about how food affects physical and mental health. But many of the findings are complex, and headlines and social media don’t always present them accurately. What’s more, nutritionists themselves sometimes disagree when it comes to applying the science to our shopping baskets.
Experts are united, though, on key points that have emerged from recent research – and they’re worth bearing in mind when planning your meals this year.
1 CUT BACK ON ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD (UPF)
Ultra-processed food was rarely out of the headlines in 2023, with several studies showing it damages our health in many ways. It’s not just the obvious products like shop-bought ice cream, biscuits and confectionery that are problematic; more surprising foods like supermarket bread, ready-meals, breakfast cereals, flavoured yogurts and condiments are UPF too. (Check the label and if there’s an ingredient you don’t normally find in a standard kitchen cupboard, it’s probably UPF.)
“The rapidly growing body of research in this area clearly suggests that UPF can increase the risk of disease,” says Rob Hobson, registered nutritionist and author of a new cookbook, Unprocess Your Life (Thorsons £18.99). It’s not only because UPF often contains lots of refined carbohydrates (like sugar) and unhealthy fats, but also additives like flavourings and emulsifiers.
But it doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing; simply reducing your intake of UPF can reduce your risk of disease and ill-health. “Focus on small changes that become habitual, like making your own tomato ketchup each week or baking your own bread,” Hobson says. “If that’s all you did in the first instance, it would be a step in the right direction.”
2 FOCUS ON YOUR OVERALL DIET
Forget about dividing food into ‘bad’ and ‘good’, advises registered nutritionist Lucy Burney. “Research suggests focusing on removing ‘bad’ food results in increased cravings and poor adherence.” Think instead about ways to add healthier food to your diet. “Not only does this generate better results, but it also creates a positive approach to changes that are likely to help you feel better,” she says.
