How to lose weight by eating more: the science behind volume eating
Imagine a diet where you eat more but still lose weight. We explore how volume eating works, plus its benefits and downsides
An antidote to crash diets is not a pipe dream but a plan known as volume eating or the Volumetrics diet, created by Dr Barbara Rolls. It’s a simple concept where it doesn’t matter how much you eat as long as you choose from a pool of nutritious, high-fibre, low-calorie foods. What is volume eating? Volume eating works on the principle that calories aren’t created equal and that certain high-volume foods are lower in calories. What you need to know is that: The size of a food doesn’t determine its calorie content. For example, a single Ferrero Rocher chocolate has 72-75 calories, while a baked medium-sized sweet potato has 86 calories. Our bodies need three macronutrients to function: carbohydrates, protein and fat, but they vary in calorie content. A gram of protein has 4 calories, a gram of carbohydrate has 4 calories and a gram of fat has 9 calories. Put fat and sugar (carbs) together as is the case in many ultra-processed foods and snacks and the calories soon mount up. Volumetrics is an easy plan to follow as it divides foods into four main groups, relating to their volume and calories. You can eat abundantly from group 1, moderately from group 2 and 3 and mindfully from group 4. In this way, volumetrics frees you from calorie counting. Group 1: eat freely from the following high-fibre, high-water content, low-calorie foods. Greens such as cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower Salad vegetables such as lettuce, celery, lettuce and cucumbers Fruits such as berries and citrus including oranges, grapefruit, lemon Vegetable soups and stews Group 2: eat moderately from this list of medium- to high-fibre, high-water content and medium to higher sugar foods. Root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, beetroot and carrot Yogurt and milk Lean protein such as skinless chicken Wholegrains such as brown rice Lentils Group 3: eat these foods in smaller amounts as they’re higher in fat and calories. Cheese Oily fish such as salmon White bread and pasta Group 4: limit these foods because they’re high in fat, sugar and calories. Butter and oils Ultra-processed foods such as ready meals High-fat snacks such as crisps and carbs such as chips Sweets and desserts Fatty cuts of meats Honey, maple syrup, sugar Nuts and seeds that are high in oil and salt Is volume eating a calorie-controlled diet? Volumetrics is easy to follow as you base meals around plant-based foods so can eat more without having to worry about measuring portion sizes and counting calories. If this freer style of diet wouldn’t work for you, it’s best to use a comprehensive online calorie tracker instead such as Nutracheck. What are the benefits of volume eating? Volume eating works because of the very bulky nature of vegetables and fruits, which helps us feel fuller for longer, research has shown. Naturally, when you feel full, you’re less likely to give into cravings. High-fibre eating is currently trending as 'fibremaxxing' on TikTok as a healthy diet, especially among young people, an age bracket experiencing a rise in colon cancer. Consultant endocrinologist Professor Thomas Barber has researched dietary fibre and is happy to see it hitting the headlines for all the positive reasons. "Benefits include a healthy digestive system, which lowers the risk of cancers such as bowel cancer and heart disease. As well as helping with weight loss, high-fibre foods contain essential vitamins and minerals that improve general health and immunity," he says. If, like, me you’re prone to grabbing a meal deal – sandwich, crisps and a soft drink – on a busy day, it helps to have a plan B that is a healthy, filling recipe you can batch cook. I’ve been making the high-volume, high-fibre Jennifer Aniston salad that went viral on TikTok. Deliciously Ella makes a similar version, but includes a higher-calorie dressing. I base mine on Aniston’s original: roasted veg, fresh salad ingredients, chickpeas and higher-protein grains such as bulgur wheat and quinoa. Like her, I sprinkle over a few nuts, fresh herbs and add a drizzle of olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Dietitian Jennifer Low, who runs JL Nutrition Clinic, says this dish works because as well as being high in fibre, it’s a balanced meal and has all the major food groups. "Dietary fibre comes from plants and it’s great at keeping you feeling full as it’s digested slowly. It helps keep our gut and bowel healthy by feeding the good bacteria, and contributes to heart health,’ she says. ‘It also affects the hormones that control our hunger and fullness signals and helps us lose weight as trials have shown," says Low. Yet 90% of adults in the UK currently don’t meet the recommended 30g fibre a day. "Making simple swaps and additions can boost your fibre intake," says Low. ‘You can do this by adding more vegetables to your meals – fresh, frozen and tinned all count – and switching to wholegrain bread and grains and eating nuts.’ Read more about fibre here. Aiming to eat the recommended 30 types of plant foods a week is a great way to challenge yourself to increase the variety of fruit and veg in your diet. Plus, it’s important to factor in some protein, whether that’s lean chicken, fish, tofu or slice of feta, plus a serving of wholegrain carbs. "Having a balanced meal means you’re more likely to feel satisfied," says Low. What are the downsides to volume eating? High-volume eating puts some healthy ingredients into group 4. "Nuts are a great source of fibre, protein and micronutrients, and are certainly not something that we need to cut out of our diets," says Low. "Of course, watch the portion sizes, and choose unsalted versions most of the time," she says. Over focusing on plant-based foods means we could miss out on essential nutrients. "Fish and meat provide iron, healthy omega-3 fats, zinc and B12. Removing these completely from your diet means you need to get these vital micronutrients from other sources," says Low. "As with any diet, it is really small sustainable changes that make a difference over time. Keeping your diet balanced is the most important part. By all means add more nutrient-dense foods, but don’t do it at the expense of the other food groups," she says. Your volume eating takeaway Apart from the positive weight loss associated with eating healthy high-volume foods, following this way of eating helps us hit the daily 5-a-day fruit and vegetable 30g fibre targets. This helps our digestive and heart health, boosts immunity and lowers the risk of certain cancers. However, it’s essential to include healthy protein, some carbs and fat to meet our daily nutrient and energy needs. Over-focusing on certain foods can also lead to disordered eating, so it’s important to maintain a balanced diet with an adequate calorie intake. Now try... How to meet your five-a-day Check out the healthiest vegetables you need in your diet Your top 21 healthiest wholegrains, from amaranth to wild rice Salad recipes to help you get started Recipes to expand your vegetarian repertoire All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
Calling all serial dieters: the crash and crave cycle is probably stopping your weight loss
Find out why restrictive diets, like Atkins and keto, will only have you craving sugar, carbs and more. Plus, find out the best way to lose weight and keep it off
There’s no shortage of 'quick-fix’ or ‘miracle’ diets that claim to shift impressive amounts of weight in no time. Given that gwe’re facing a global obesity crisis – one in three of us are currently overweight – it’s easy to see why these short, sharp solutions are so appealing and that we keep falling for them, again and again. Over a lifetime, the average person in the UK will go on 126 diets, a poll has shown. That's a depressing thought! But it's no wonder, with the increasingly long list of fad diets to keep us hooked. Stretching right back to the SlimFast meal replacements of the 1970s. Later came the restrictive no-carb Atkins Diet and the high-protein, grains, nuts and seeds Paleo Diet. Note the capital D, which means these diets are licensed businesses. In 2024, the weight loss industry in the US was estimated to be worth around $72m, so there's certainly a money incentive for these companies. Coverage and ‘success’ stories in magazines and across social media leads us to believe these magic-bullet diets do actually work. Do fad diets work? Fad diets can deliver weight loss in the short term, but this is often down to losing lean muscle and fluid loss instead of body fat. It’s sustaining the loss which is the issue, says the British Dietetic Association (BDA). These diets can’t be followed long term as many people can’t stick with the rigid rules and limits. "Quick fix diets also tend to focus on appearance driven results, rather than your long-term health and wellbeing", says dietitian Jennifer Low, who specialises in disordered eating at her clinic. "They fail not because you lack willpower, but because they are set up to fail." What is the problem with dieting? Crash diets are the gateway to yo-yo dieting, says behavioural change expert Sandra Roycroft-Davis. ‘People restrict, lose weight quickly, then regain — often more than they lost. Each cycle chips away at self-esteem and contributes to mental fatigue.’ ‘Your mind sees restriction as a threat and retaliates with cravings, hunger, and emotional eating. It becomes a battle and one that willpower alone can’t win,’ she says. TV presenter and author Dr Dawn Harper is not against a restrictive to kick start weight loss, especially if you have a health issue. "Doctors often recommend a calorie restrictive diet for health reasons" she says. "If you have raised blood glucose and are prediabetic, for example, shifting weight can prevent you developing type 2 diabetes and its associated risks, such as heart disease and stroke. Following a lower calorie diet, such as The Fast 800 Programme by the late Dr Michael Mosley, or one of the other intermittent fasting diets, has been shown to put type 2 diabetes into remission." Under supervision, the ketogenic diet can help people with epilepsy who don’t respond to anti-seizure medication. It also has benefits such as lowering your heart disease risk. On the down side, there are side effects known as the ‘keto flu’ which can temporarily cause bad breath, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. "If you do follow a fad diet to kick start your health journey, it’s best to return to a balanced style of eating. That doesn’t mean bringing back every processed food or refined carbohydrate on a daily basis, but it’s important you include nourishing foods, like plants and wholegrains." Dr Harper highlights that modern eating predisposes us to weight gain, but "nothing beats sticking to a well balanced diet for a long, healthy life." In her book Live Well to 101, she provides plenty of practical lifestyle advice and achievable changes. ‘It can be as simple as structuring your plate so that the protein is the side dish and vegetables form the main part of the meal.’ What is the crash and crave cycle? By drastically cutting calories or food groups we start to crave the foods we’re missing. ‘When you cut out foods containing sugar for example, you will want it more," says Low. ‘And because you think it’s 'bad', once you give in to the craving you will end up eating lots of it." When people lose weight, they may attribute it to avoiding specific foods, like sugar or carbs. However, by focusing on including nutrient dense foods, you will live a healthy life that's free from the constraints of food rules and, no doubt, notice improved mental health. It's important to know that on an extreme diet your body thinks it’s being starved, so your metabolism slows down to redress the deficit, which in turn reduces the rate you burn calories and your weight loss stalls. "I’ve tried several fad diets over the years to shift holiday or Christmas weight. After two weeks on the South Beach Diet I nearly passed out with dizziness on the way to a meeting in Central London. I was forced to quit the diet and quickly craved the carbs I’d cut out. Of course, any weight lost went straight back on. Research shows all diets can help you lose weight, it’s finding the one that works for you. My experience following the 5:2 Diet was more successful, as eating less on two days a week is much less restrictive. I lost the weight gradually and kept it off, and began building healthier meals with vegetables, wholegrains, lean meat and plant-based proteins. The main downside was fantasising about what to have for breakfast at the end of a fasting day. So, what is the best way to lose weight? Health experts generally agree the best way to lose weight is gradually, by following a healthy eating plan combined with adequate exercise. This means cutting around 500 calories a day from the recommended calorie daily intake of around 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men. Factor in the government’s recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week, including cardio such as running, cycling or swimming for fat burning, and you could lose 1-2lb a week. You’ll find advice about healthy eating on the NHS website, including how to get started. ‘Successful weight loss is about making small lifestyle changes that you can see yourself sticking to next week, next month and next year,’ says Dr Harper. ‘I have often said that there is no such thing as a bad food, but there are plenty of bad diets. A small piece of chocolate, as an occasional treat, is not going to make you fat, but a whole bar every day probably will,’ she says. It’s important to remember that we’re all human, says Dr Harper. ‘We will have days when we break our healthy regime, but it’s important not to let that one day lead to throwing in the towel and undoing all the good you’ve achieved. ‘Just see it as a blip, pick yourself up and get back on the wagon,’ she says. Roycroft-Davis has seen the damaging effects of crash dieting. ‘The weight loss industry is full of promises, but many are built on quick fixes that leave people stuck in a cycle of self-blame, restriction and rebound,’ she says. So, she created Slimpod, a programme rooted in behavioural science, to help people change their habits around food. ‘Instead of relying on rules, willpower, or calorie counting, we help people create lasting change by changing habits from the inside out, which results in a natural shift without guilt or obsession." Now try... 50 ways to lose weight How to start a well-balanced healthy eating plan Read our round-up of popular diets, including the 5:2 and Atkins Find out more about healthy weight-loss Try our ketogenic recipes All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
Hidden salt: 10 foods sabotaging your sodium levels
Find out what makes salt so bad for you, how much you should eat every day and the foods which could be contributing to your intake
Cutting the salt in your diet could be a lifesaver. That may sound overdramatic, but too much salt leads to high blood pressure, which is the biggest cause of strokes and heart attacks. In fact, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for the highest numbers of deaths. The good news, according to Action of Salt, is that reducing salt in your diet is the fastest way to lower blood pressure. Taking your daily salt intake from 10g to 6g could prevent around 2.6 million stroke and heart attack deaths each year worldwide. Discover 10 signs you're eating too much salt, read up on ultra-processed foods and why they're bad for our health, plus get the lowdown on heart disease. Why is too much salt bad for our health? Our bodies need just 1g of salt a day to function, but we’re eating a lot more. Too much salt disrupts the natural sodium balance in our bodies and causes water retention, which raises blood pressure. Over time, this damages arteries and leads to CVDs. Taking your blood pressure is the only way to know your risk. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80mmHg or lower. Check yours with a home testing monitor or at the doctor’s surgery. Evidence linking salt and high blood pressure is so compelling that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK has made cutting salt the number one priority for preventing cardiovascular diseases. It has set a target of 6g salt daily and wants to cut it down to 3g to save more lives. High salt in the diet is also linked to stomach cancers, osteoporosis and kidney stones. Latest figures show the average salt intake is 8.1g in the UK and 8.25g in the US – that is eight times more than our bodies need. So, how did we get here? Well, it’s easy to underestimate how much salt we’re consuming as it's often hidden in ready meals and products such as breakfast cereals, sweet biscuits and cakes. Your salt strategy Around 75% of the salt we consume comes from the food we buy. To stay within recommended intakes, start by reading food labels for salt levels. You need to remember that salt is made up of sodium and chloride, so if a pack lists sodium only multiply this by 2.5 to get the true salt content. At home, start by cutting back how much salt you add when you’re cooking – 6g is one level teaspoon – and resist seasoning your meals at the dinner table. Think of takeaways as a treat rather than a weekly go-to. Together these changes will help reduce your daily salt tally in no time. Read more about which foods are high in salt and how to avoid them. Check your blood pressure is in the healthy range. High salt intake is the main cause of high blood pressure (hypertension), known as the silent killer because there are no noticeable symptoms. Salt is linked to gastric cancers, kidney stones and osteoporosis. Go easy on how much salt you add to your meals at home. Check salt levels on packaged foods. Takeaways are notoriously high in salt, so think of them as a treat. Stick to a maximum of 6g salt daily, less if you can. Cook from scratch so you’re in charge of seasoning. What are the signs you're eating too much salt? There are several telltale signs you may be overdoing the salt. Your stomach is bloated or feels swollen. A common side effect as fluid builds up as salt encourages your body to retain water. We retain around 1.5 litres of fluid in the body when we eat too much salt. Puffiness in your face, around your feet, ankles and fingers is another symptom of too much salt in your diet causing water retention. You may get headaches or feel dizzy, both are side effects of being dehydrated from consuming too much salt. Eating salty foods makes us thirsty, so we drink more water and need more visits to the bathroom. Putting on a few lbs or a kilo in a few days is another sign of too much salt. This is because you start to retain water. A salty takeaway or lots of salty foods such as bacon, ham or cheese are likely to contribute. 10 foods which are surprisingly high in salt 1. Takeaway pizza Around half of the takeaway pizzas in the UK contain as much or exceed the amount of salt we should be eating in a day, according to Action on Salt. It found Domino’s The Sizzler Standard Mozzarella Stuffed Crust Medium Pizza contains 21.38g of salt, which is more than three times the daily max and saltier even than sea water. 2. Soy sauce It may add incredible umami flavour to dishes but soy sauce clocks up a staggering 2.75g salt per tablespoon – almost half the daily recommended amount. 3 Marmite Like a smear of Marmite on your toast? Then go easy as a typical 8g serving contains 0.86g of salt, which is around 14% of an average adult’s daily reference intake. 4 Cheese It might be a staple but it's considered a high-salt product. Feta has 2.5g salt per 100g, stilton 2g salt per 100g and on average cheddar has 1.78g salt per 100g. Plant-based cheeses are higher at an average of 1.91g salt per 100g. 5 Bread While bread isn’t worryingly high in salt – one slice contains around 0.39g – we eat it so often that the salt count mounts up. Try swapping your breakfast toast for porridge and lunchtime sandwich for a jacket potato, suggests the British Heart Foundation. 6 Breakfast cereals An unexpected source of salt, it’s estimated that 60 per cent of cereals in the UK have medium to high salt levels. Check nutrition on your current cereal and swap to low-salt Weetabix or Shredded Wheat. 7 Processed meats This includes sausages, ham and bacon which are all high in salt. Eat occasionally and look to healthier alternatives such as poached egg on avocado toast for breakfast. 8 Pre-made soups Canned or carton soups are often high in salt. Each can is usually two servings, but most of us eat the whole can, giving us a double hit of salt. 9 Canned fish in brine Although a healthy ingredient to use at home, canned fish in brine contains high amounts of salt, so rinse in cold water before using or buy tuna in spring water. 10 Mediterranean-style tapas Sun-dried tomatoes, olives, marinated artichokes and anchovies might seem like healthy foods, but can be incredibly salty, so try to watch how much you eat. Easy ways to cut back on salt Step away from processed and ultra-processed foods as they contain most of the salt we consume. Culprits include ready meals, ready-made sauces, soups and stock cubes. Reduced salt products may not be low salt either as the term only means a product has 30% less salt than the standard. Go easy on gourmet salts. Smoked, truffle, Himalayan, flakes and crystals are all made from 100% sodium chloride. Big flakes and crystals make it easier to be over generous when sprinkling. Never pour salt from the container either, as using your fingers or a teaspoon gives you more control. Keep the salt pot off the table to resist seasoning at the table. Check salt in canned foods as they often have added salt and sugar. Give them a quick rinse if they do – the same goes for tuna in brine. When checking nutrition on packs, be aware that salt and sodium aren’t the same thing. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, so if a label only gives the figure for sodium remember to multiply this by 2.5 to get the true salt figure. Switch to lower salt alternatives. LoSalt contains potassium chloride and sodium chloride, which greatly reduces your salt intake. However, this won’t wean your tastebuds off salty foods. Less is more is the best long-term strategy. As they contain potassium, these substitutes may also be unsuitable for people with heart disease. Consult your doctor before using them if you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease. Cooking from scratch is the smartest way to keep tabs on your salt intake at home. Swap out salt for black pepper, spices, herbs, garlic and citrus juice and zest to boost recipe flavours. At first your palate may find no-salt recipes bland, but your tastebuds will adjust within three to four weeks and you’ll start to notice the flavours from other ingredients. Read up on the best spices and dried herbs to ramp up the flavour. What is the best way to slash your salt intake? Start by taking a blood pressure test to check if yours is in the healthy zone, as it could be the catalyst you need to change your diet. High numbers will need to be addressed straightaway by cutting salt, and perhaps through weight loss and exercise. Take a look at your diet to see where the salt is creeping in. Are you relying on too many takeaways or ready meals? Is that lunchtime meal deal adding to your count? Are you a serial snacker of biscuits, crackers and crisps? Next, make some healthy switches. Consider planning meals to put you back in control. Rethink your store cupboard by stocking up with low-salt alternatives and alternative flavourings such as herbs and spices. Get into the habit of batch-cooking recipes, so you’re not tempted by fast food when you’re hungry after work. Tackling your salt intake will bring other benefits to your health, such as less bloating, better sleep and more energy as dehydration from too much salt can make you feel tired. How do I know this? For eight years, I was the editor of a healthy food magazine that featured no-salt recipes. While I missed the salt at first, my palate got used to it and I started to taste the other flavours in a dish. I now only lightly season with salt and never add it when cooking rice or vegetables. I don’t miss that salty tang and I must admit that sometimes when eating out, I find chefs can be too heavy handed with the salt. Now try... Why is sugar bad for me? 10 things you should know before giving up sugar How much fibre should I eat a day? Gut health: what does it really mean? Is a low-fat diet healthy? Low-fat recipes All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
How to stock your kitchen to help ease menopause symptoms
Discover the best foods to help combat menopause symptoms, including hot flushes. Plus find out how to prevent menopause weight gain and which supplements to take
What happens to women during the menopause? Menopause marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years and for 80 per cent of women this life phase ushers in an emotional and physical rollercoaster of issues. For a minority of women, it is an eureka moment, a good riddance to monthly periods, but the majority experience unpleasant symptoms. Top of the list are hot flushes, followed by night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood disorders, weight gain and low libido. It will come as no surprise that studies show women are more prone to depression during this time, especially the 25% who suffer debilitating symptoms. Symptoms last for around two years, but can last for seven or more, according to the British Menopause Society. Symptoms start during the perimenopause – the run-up to menopause. Around the age of 46, a woman’s sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, start to decline. This makes periods less regular, followed by longer gaps in between until they stop completely as the ovaries no longer release eggs. When a woman reaches menopause – on average 51 in the UK and 52 in the US – it means she hasn’t had a period for 12 consecutive months. The drop in sex hormones has huge repercussions as women have oestrogen receptors all around the body. This can cause inflammation that impacts the gut, dryness and thinning of the skin, dry eyes and stiff joints. One other noticeable change is the way fat starts to accumulate around tums rather than on bums, hips and thighs. This belly fat includes a deeper layer of chemically active visceral fat, which puts menopausal women more at risk of serious health conditions such as certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Addressing this weight gain and eating healthily can lower these risks. Even if you are managing menopause symptoms using HRT, women should still follow a healthy diet, advises the British Dietetic Association (BDA). Read on to find out the clever food switches that can help to ease symptoms, trim your waistline and lower long-term health risks. How to eat for menopause Keep your weight in check Around 50% of women put on 10kg from perimenopause to the time they reach menopause, according to the SWAN Study (Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation) in the US. This is partly due to a 10% drop in metabolism, which is also linked to muscle loss. Excess weight not only makes hot flushes and night sweats worse but can cause joint pain and increase the risk of breast and colorectal cancer, says the BDA. What goes up, can come down. To address weight gain, start by keeping an honest food and activity diary for a week, says dietitian Jennifer Low. Evidence shows people who keep food diaries lose twice as much weight as those who don’t. A survey by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimated women miscalculate their calorie intake by 1,000 calories. “Working with a dietitian can help you uncover diet blackspots in an objective way,” says Jennifer. A dietitian can also help you pull together a realistic healthy eating plan. “Around the menopause, it’s best to accept our bodies as they are and acknowledge that they shouldn’t look like they did when we were 20”, says Jennifer. “To stay healthy through menopause, it can be helpful to embrace the change and stop fighting it. We also need to stop feeling guilty and labelling foods as good and bad,” she says. If this sounds like something you might need help with, Jennifer offers a free online masterclass that covers your relationship with food and your body. Follow the Mediterranean diet for healthy weight loss Fad diets promise fast results but they’re rarely nutritionally balanced, have minimal scientific backing and don’t work in the long term. Experts agree it’s better to follow a diet that focuses on fibre-rich wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein nuts and seeds, as well as eating to healthy portion sizes. The diet that ticks these boxes and is considered the gold standard by health experts is the Mediterranean diet. It can help with menopause health issues such as weight loss and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Jennifer says: “It provides you with all the nutrients you need and we know it is good for heart health, which becomes increasingly important as we age, as our risk of cardiovascular issues increases through the menopause.” The Mediterranean diet focuses on fresh vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, unsaturated fats such as olive oil, nuts and seeds. No food groups are cut out, but eating red meat, dairy, refined food and treats are limited. Check out these Mediterranean-style recipes to get started. Top up your Vitamin D “This vitamin is crucial for bone and muscle health as it helps the body absorb calcium,” says dietitian Gaynor Bussell, who writes for The Menopause Exchange. The decline of oestrogen during menopause reduces bone density and increases the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Our bodies make Vitamin D when sunlight hits our skin but this is a challenge from October to March in the UK. During this time the NHS recommends taking a vitamin D supplement (10mcg dose daily) that’s safe and inexpensive. Vitamin D is only found in a limited number of foods. Good sources are eggs, oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mushrooms and fortified breakfast cereals. Vitamin D can also help with boosting your mood and improving your sleep. Keep an eye on calcium “Calcium plays a big part in bone health. Women with good bone density need 700mg calcium per day, while women with osteopenia and osteoporosis need 1200mg”, says Gaynor. Dairy foods are good sources and two-three servings daily provide adequate levels. Single servings include 200ml milk, a small pot of plain yogurt, a matchbox size piece of cheese, a milk-based dessert or custard. Find more about calcium-rich foods. As well as your diet, weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, dancing and weight training, will help to offset osteoporosis during the menopause. Pick protein for energy Protein gives us energy and maintains muscle strength. It also keeps us feeling full for longer, so it stops us snacking and overeating. The recommended intake is 45g, which is easily achievable. Good sources include chicken breast, grilled salmon and boiled eggs. Good plant-based sources of protein include tofu, beans, lentils and chickpeas. Choose your carbs carefully “There’s no need to cut out carbs as they fuel our bodies and should make up a third of our daily diet,” says the British Nutrition Foundation. “They’re a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, and not a calorie disaster if you keep to healthy portion sizes – 45g for a portion of porridge oats and 75g for pasta and rice. Wholegrain versions of bread, pasta and rice have a lower glycaemic index (GI) than white starchy foods. This means they release energy slowly and keep blood sugar levels stable, which helps reduce food cravings.” Phytoestrogens to fight symptoms Naturally found in certain plants, phytoestrogens can have the same, if weaker, effect as oestrogen in your body. Good sources are soya, tempeh and miso. They can help with hot flushes and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In Asia, where soy products are a staple food, the average daily intake of phytoestrogens or isoflavones is between 15 and 50mg. In the West, the average amount is only around 2mg per day, which is not sufficient to be effective. Eating more tofu is a good place to start. Go nuts “As well as contributing protein to maintain muscle mass, nuts and seeds contain unsaturated good fats which support a healthy heart, as well as heart-friendly fibre,” says Jennifer. “Keep to 30g portions (175 calories) as the calories quickly mount up.” Research shows walnuts are a star choice for menopausal women as they help manage cholesterol, inflammation and blood pressure. Read more about their health benefits. Foods to avoid Ultra-processed foods are convenient but low in nutrition and fibre, as well as being high in saturated fat and calories. “They’re bad news for your waistline and for heart health,” says the British Heart Foundation. “Don’t overdo it on the ham, sausages, instant soups, crisps, biscuits and cakes. As well as most packaged foods with a long list of ingredients, including additives, emulsifiers, saturated fats and salt." Alcohol makes flushes and night sweats worse, so keep within healthy limits. In the UK that’s a maximum of 14 units a week for women. A typical 175ml glass of white wine is around 2.3 units and contains 131 empty calories. The online alcohol diary at Drink Aware is a good way to keep track. Caffeine in coffee, tea and hot chocolate narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure that can set off hot flushes, one study found. Switch to herbal, non-caffeinated drinks or water. Hot flushes are worse and become more frequent when you eat spicy foods, so avoid or choose lightly spiced dishes. Reduce calories by sticking to healthy portion sizes and cutting back on sugary foods such sweets and desserts, and foods with hidden sugars such as low-fat yogurts, sauces and ready meals. “Too much salt raises blood pressure, causes inflammation and increases calcium loss from bones,” says Blood Pressure UK. Go light when adding salt to your cooking and your plate to stay within the recommended 5g a day. Supplements to consider Evidence on whether herbal supplements can ease menopause symptoms is minimal. However, there are some vitamin and mineral supplements you may need if you don’t get enough of them in your diet. Vitamin D supplements during the autumn/winter months are recommended – the daily recommended amount is 10mcg. Calcium helps to maintain bone strength and vitamin D boosts calcium absorption which boosts bone health. Women aged 50+ should aim for 1,200mg of calcium daily and consider a supplement if their diet doesn’t cover this. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help with hot flushes and night sweats. It’s also a skin booster and skin health does decline at the menopause. The recommended daily intake is 15mg. Magnesium is linked to good mood and sleep, so you may consider a supplement if you struggle to get enough from eating nuts, seeds, wholegrains and leafy greens. The recommended intake for women during the menopause is 320mg. Herbal supplements, including black cohosh, evening primrose oil and lion’s mane are used for hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings and brain fog. Consult with your doctor before taking as some can interfere with prescription drugs. Read our review of the best menopause supplements to find out more. Top tips for coping with menopause symptoms Studies show that a healthy diet really does help you manage menopause symptoms. Start today and within weeks you could see a difference. Cooking healthy meals from scratch, ditching fad diets, eating healthy portion sizes and keeping a watchful eye on alcohol units and reaching vitamin and mineral daily recommendations are important. Here are the key steps to help you get started. Make an honest assessment of your eating habits with a food and activity diary to pinpoint where you may be overeating and eating unhealthily. Check if you’re a healthy weight by calculating your BMI and checking your waist to height ratio. Switch to the Mediterranean diet which is rich in plant-based foods, fibre-rich cereals, nuts, olive oil, lean protein fish and legumes – it’s the gold standard diet for your health and for maintaining a healthy weight. Check your portion sizes and start weighing foods such as pasta and potatoes to recalibrate your plate. Reduce caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods to manage hot flushes. Keep ultra-processed foods and fast food/takeaways to a minimum. Check your diet to make sure you are getting enough vitamin D and calcium for your bone health. Get advice from your dietitian, doctor or pharmacist about herbal supplements, especially if you are taking prescription medications. Now try... Best supplements for perimenopause What to eat during menopause Nutrients every woman needs Eat your way to fabulous skin Top mood-boosting recipes Healthy recipes for weight loss 50 easy ways to lose weight All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
Why eating slowly could help you lose weight
It's a simple but effective trick – experts agree that taking more time over your meals could help you avoid putting on weight. Here's why, and how to do it
It’s an unhealthy fact to digest, but the less time we spend cooking and eating, the more are waistlines are expanding. Worldwide 2.5 billion adults are now overweight and 890 million are obese, according to the World Health Organisation. It partly blames this weight gain on how our environment has developed to make it easier for us to eat more, and more unhealthily. That’s the easy access we have to fast food and ready meals on the high street and on delivery apps, fuelling our need for speed and replacing traditional cook-from-scratch meals. How did we get into such a rush? Our mealtimes are becoming less structured and fewer people are eating at the dinner table. Work pressure and longer hours are often to blame. A recent YouGov Poll found 42 per cent of Brits eat their meals on the sofa, followed by 30 per cent of Americans and Canadians, while only 17 per cent of French people and 3 per cent of Italians are stepping away from the dinner table. Some of us wolf down high-calorie breakfasts on the go or have a speedy meal deal lunch 'al desko', both of which can be ruinous for our waistlines and digestive health. Taking time out for meals is not only enjoyable and relaxing but can help us maintain a healthy weight. Distractions like watching TV and checking our smartphones speed up the rate at which we eat and studies show this leads to eating more. One study review concluded fast eaters are twice as likely to become obese compared to slow eaters. While the results of another study found that slow eaters do stay fuller for longer compared to fast eaters. Chewing it over (and over) It takes 15-20 minutes for our brains to clock that we’re full. The messages are controlled by our hormones, which send signals to our brains telling us when we’re satiated and switching off our hunger hormone, ghrelin. Eat too fast and there’s a delay in these messages reaching our brain. We’re then tempted by seconds or a pudding which we don’t really need. Taking more time to chew food is another way to eat less. Research suggests that people with weight problems chew their food less. It’s recommended we chew foods between 10 to 32 times, depending on the texture. Chewing food kickstarts the digestive process in your mouth as the smaller pieces mix with saliva. Experts found people who chewed almonds between 25 and 40 times absorbed more nutrients. Let’s slow things down Getting into the habit of making meals from scratch gives us control over what goes into them, says dietitian Jennifer Low. "We can have more vegetables and add pulses," she says. This adds texture and crunch, which can slow down our eating as well as adding interest and nutrition. "This doesn’t happen if someone eats a ready meal or instant noodles," says Low. "Softer foods, more processed meals, don’t make us feel full so quickly, as we don’t have to chew them in the same way, so it interrupts the satiety mechanisms," she says. If you are buying ready meals, it’s important to check the nutritional information on the pack as it can help you make better food decisions, says Low. "Even if something is red on the traffic lights for fats, it might have mainly healthy fats," she says. "Equally if it’s green, it might just not have the nutrients you need, or even the energy you need – often ready meals are very low in energy, as they are marketed for “diets" but can be unsatisfying and leave people reaching for snacks later." An occasional takeaway or ready meal is not going to affect your weight or health, says Low. "Everything in moderation really is key – eat a healthy, balanced, Mediterranean-style diet most of the time and have more processed foods sometimes (mindfully)." How the Med diet can help The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the best choices for maintaining a healthy weight and for longevity. "Some research has shown it helps fullness and reduce hunger," says Sara Stanner, science director of the British Nutrition Organisation. As well as vegetables, it includes fruits, wholegrains, pulses, oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil, along with some dairy products, poultry and eggs and limited amounts of red meat, butter, sugar and processed foods. ‘This type of diet may help weight loss. But to achieve this, it’s important to keep an eye on portion sizes and enjoy calorie-rich foods such as nuts, seeds and olive oil in small amounts,’ says Stanner. A 2024 study by Imperial College found high-fibre diets stimulate the release of a key appetite-reducing hormone, PYY. Another reason to eat like a Mediterranean. Oats and legumes have high amounts of fibre and are a good source of protein, which again helps us feel fuller for longer. The importance of enjoying eating Finding time to cook and eat together is easier if you’re organised. Nutritionist Madeleine Shaw says the key to relaxed mealtimes is all in the planning and batch-cooking. She says: "I sit down on a Saturday and plan out the week and do a weekly shop. I hate having the same conversation every night about what to eat. We have a list of family favourite meals for midweek that we repeat then get more adventurous on the weekend where we try something new," she says. Dietitian and life coach Tracy Kelly says it’s important to set time aside for meals. It gives your brain a rest: a mental break away from distractions when you eat. "Stepping away from your work desk helps reset and regulate your nervous system, particularly important for people with IBS or digestive problems," she says. "Just taking a deep breath before you eat gives you time to think, we’re fine. We can be here. It can be a sense of community, just sitting down with people and eating together, being grateful about where the food comes from, but also just thinking about what we enjoy about this dish," she says. If you are struggling with setting new habits, Kelly says to start small with one meal a week at the table. "Lay placemats, pull out nice plates, even if you’re pushed for time or on your own. Give yourself time without distractions and check in on how hungry you were before and afterwards." Start by moving the needle like this and you can create a new pattern and rewire pathways from repetition, she says. "One chocolate and one salad aren’t going to make a difference, but the thing we do on repeat will." Kelly sums up our current attitude to food perfectly. "We used to sit and eat and run around all day, now we sit all day and run around when we eat." Her advice is to ask yourself these questions: "How hungry am I, how full do I feel afterwards and how satisfied I am? Having more awareness of how much you’re eating and tuning into some of those physical sensations is a good start to resetting your hunger-mealtime clock." 5 tips for eating more slowly • Turn off the TV as studies show eating while watching TV encourages us to eat fast and eat more. • Use a knife, as well as a fork, to cut food into smaller bites, so you don’t eat too quickly and swallow large chunks. • Drink water with meals as it slows down how fast you eat and improves digestion. • Chew food between 10-32 times to give your brain a chance to catch up with what’s landed in your stomach. It also helps your body absorb more nutrients and improves immunity. • Avoid hunger pangs – you’ll eat faster if you’ve skipped a meal or left it too long between meals. Further reading How to eat mindfully Why mindful eating is important for families What is intuitive eating? Mediterranean diet recipes Why belly fat is so bad for you After studying politics at University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Melanie Leyshon trained as a journalist and has a post-graduate diploma from the University of Wales, Cardiff. She was born in Wales and now lives in south London. She has edited and written for several food and health magazines as well as websites. She was chief sub-editor and the consumer writer for Good Food magazine for several years and compiled and edited BBC cookery books. She is passionate about healthy eating and loves trying out new plant-based recipes. Melanie is currently a freelance journalist, focusing on travel, health and wine. She is studying her Wine Diploma at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, London. She is a Wine Scholar Guild Italian Wine Scholar. You can find her LadySips blog on Substack.com All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.