It’s the time of year when most of us ditch the junk food and start eating clean as we embark on a New Year diet.
But while staple healthy meals such as porridge and avocado toast may be a lot healthier than a croissant or a tub of Quality Street, a nutritionist has revealed that these meals may not be the wonder foods we have been led to believe.
Harley Street’s Rhiannon Lambert has shared with FEMAIL the simple tweaks you can make to popular dishes that will make them even better for you, from her new book, Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well.
And she even has a way to make brownies a more nutritious treat.
Harley Street nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert says that while banana toast is a delicious breakfast, it won’t keep you full unless you add more healthy fats and protein. She recommends spreading nut butter onto the toast and adding a sprinkling of crushed seeds (pictured)
Rhiannon, a former professional soprano who retrained as a nutritionist, says that many dishes perceived to be super-healthy may be lacking in nutrition.
Avocado toast, for example, requires more protein to make it a nutritionally balanced dish, according to Rhiannon, whose clients include snooker player Ronnie Sullivan and Made In Chelsea’s Tiffany Watson.
Here, she explains the meals that should be pimped to make them even better for you.
From banana on toast to brownies, she recommends just a few simple tweaks to make your mealtimes as nutritious as possible.
AVOCADO TOAST
Rhiannon says that avocado toast doesn’t provide you with nearly enough protein, so she recommends adding an egg, smoked salmon, or edamame beans (pictured) if you are a vegetarian or vegan
While this is super tasty, it is not providing you with anywhere near enough protein.
Avocados contain around 2g of protein per 100g, which is not going to help you reach your requirements for the day.
HOW TO PIMP: Add a poached egg or two, some smoked salmon or, if you are vegetarian or vegan, try it topped with some edamame. These contain around 8g of protein per 100g – with the added bonus of 7g of dietary fibre.
BROWNIES
There isn’t really a way around this – brownies contain sugar. Even if they are made with perceived healthier ingredients, it doesn’t make them nutritious.
HOW TO PIMP: My tip is to embrace the treat but try making them with sweet potato for extra fibre and nutrients.
You are now choosing it to enjoy your chocolate fix with the added benefits of nourishing your body, not as a food item replacement alone.
BANANA TOAST
I see a lot of banana toast breakfasts and they do look delicious but they may not keep you full.
A breakfast of just a slice of toast and a banana (more often than not with added honey) is going to be lacking in that key macronutrient: protein.
HOW TO PIMP: Simply sprinkle your toast with seeds and crushed nuts, or spread a small amount of nut butter on the toast before placing the banana on top; that way you get a boost of healthy fats and protein.
PORRIDGE
Porridge is one of the healthiest breakfasts to have in the morning, but Rhiannon says it is lacking in protein and healthy fats that stop it from being a nutritionally perfect meal. She recommends adding seeds and nuts, or a dollop of Greek yoghurt to boost its protein levels
I love a tasty bowl of porridge with fruit and milk but again this is lacking in protein and healthy fats, especially if it’s eaten plain.
Although oats are a good source of protein, it is best to boost the levels further when adding fruit.
HOW TO PIMP: Add some seeds and nuts to your bowl. Seeds can contain up to 19g of protein per 100g and nuts have 20g per 100g (depending on the variety of seed and nut, of course). This will also give you a healthy boost of fatty acids.
If you have a nut allergy, or it’s just not your thing, then add a dollop of Greek yoghurt, which has roughly 10g of protein per 100g, again dependent upon the brand.
BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE OR JUICE
With lots of fruit and veg and even healthy fats, this can be a fab option but it may not be fulfilling your needs for the day. Gauge how active you are and think about the rest of the day ahead.
If you’re not blitzing in nuts or avocado, then it is unlikely this will be a balanced meal option for you and is better viewed as a side or snack.
Be mindful though that you don’t find yourself drinking lots of smoothies every day, as that’s far too much sugar.
HOW TO PIMP: Always add some carbohydrate, perhaps blend in some oats, and then add a scoop of protein powder to keep you fuller for longer and balance those blood sugar levels.
CORGETTI BOWLS
Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well is out now, published by Yellow Kite, for £18.99 RRP
These taste amazing and are fine for a light meal but are not very nutritionally balanced. They often lack sufficient protein, carbohydrate and fats.
HOW TO PIMP: Ensure you add a generous portion of protein and a drizzle of olive oil if you are missing some healthy fats. I often mix my pasta bowls with half spaghetti and half courgetti to create a base for my veggie chilli.
ACAI BOWL
This is now the trendy, healthy go-to when eating out for breakfast. It’s starting to catch on at home too, with more shops selling frozen acai blends.
The problem is that it’s a sugar fest, and this bowl is almost like ice cream, with tons of fruit and no protein or healthy fats.
HOW TO PIMP: Make sure you only have this bowl occasionally. It is unlikely to keep you full unless you generously apply more toppings such as nuts, nut butter and seeds, or even a scoop of protein powder, for added protein and fats.
Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well is out now, published by Yellow Kite, for £18.99 RRP.