A healthy diet is not about Instagrammed asparagus, glowing skin or a feeling of wellbeing – it’s about eating foods that help you to avoid disease. That simple message has been muddied by pseudoscience nutritionists and celebrity health gurus, clambering over each other to persuade you to buy their products.
With a healthy diet you can avoid risk factors such as being overweight, having high blood pressure and developing diabetes, which lead to serious cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. It’s concerning, then, with the burden of obesity and disease falling on the poor, that health is being packaged and sold through a soft-focus lens as an aspirational product beyond many people’s means.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The much-vaunted Mediterranean diet, for instance, is one of peasants. Born of a needs-must school of eating, it emphasises varied, seasonal, humble and largely plant-based ingredients: fruit and veg, fibrous carbs, legumes, nuts, a bit of meat, and healthy fats such as olive oil. Doesn’t sound too expensive, does it?
Most nutritionists and health gurus agree with doctors and scientists on the fundamentals of a healthy diet – the idea is to eat more protective foods and fewer damaging ones. Anything else is a selling point people use to stand out in the marketplace.
Here we look at the basic pillars of a healthy diet with ingredients and recipes that follow three guiding principles: they are accessible, inexpensive and simple to cook.
Fruit and veg
Fruit and veg are good for you, but even this message has been spun to make money.
They’re not good for you because of magical detoxifying properties. Whether it’s goji or acai berries or concentrated vegetable gloop, these things often come with scientific-sounding words, such as flavonoids and antioxidants, attached, usually just to sell you something.
Catherine Collins, dietitian at St George’s hospital, London, says that pseudoscientists latch onto the fact that there are chemicals in all fruit and veg which affect our health. “But they cherrypick scientific concepts and make simplistic, unproven associations with human health and specific outcomes to justify their viewpoint,” she says.
What we do know is that by eating fruit and veg you can lower the risk of disease. Because they contain artery-relaxing nitrates, familiar vegetables such as spinach, lettuce and radishes, can lower blood pressure. The potassium in green leafy veg, squash and mushrooms does the same. These vegetables might not be glamorous, but given that high blood pressure has overtaken smoking as the leading risk for disease and death you’d be foolish to push them to the side of your plate.
Fats
That saturated fats aren’t as bad as once thought has led to PR spin that has only confused matters. A prime example is coconut oil. With no good evidence that eating coconut oil regularly will keep you healthy, inaccurate marketing has used interesting theoretical health properties to make it more desirable.
Saturated fats such as butter, if enjoyed sensibly, are neutral to your health: they are not protective like olive oil but are not damaging like trans fats or excess sugars. It’s unsaturated ones from whole food sources such as oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil that should be your fats of choice.
Where evidence is strongest is with boring olive oil. There’s no need to fork out for the expensive stuff, the economical extra-virgin type will do fine. Watch out for processed spreads and fats branded as omega-3 fortified and mayonnaise with 5% added olive oil. If you’re eating it in a bid to be extra healthy, you’re wasting your time.
Oily fish can be a little trickier – its shelf life can make it difficult to squeeze into a busy family’s schedule Its expense, too, can be prohibitive. Unless you’re Richard Branson or a grizzly bear with a fishing rod, you’re unlikely to be able to eat as much salmon as you’d like, but there are options that aren’t so hard on the wallet.
Grilled mackerel in the summer is always a winner. Cornish sardines are increasingly popular since their rebranding (they were once the more drab-sounding pilchards). Canned fish such as traditional sardines can be store-cupboard superstars but tuna, although classified as oily when fresh, loses much of its omega-3 when canned.
Avocados, nuts and seeds are another good supplementary source to top up your intake. Know where to buy them and they don’t have to be expensive. Ignore them altogether and they can cost you a healthy heart.
Carbs
It seems we have a limited capacity for understanding what bad foods are. As fats have benefited from a PR makeover, carbs have been put in the stocks. Restricting your carb intake is an effective way to lose weight, but to vilify a whole food group by banishing them forever would be to make the same mistakes all over again.
Good carbohydrate sources are unrefined, fibre-rich ones such as oats, wholegrains, quinoa, sweet potatoes, squash and legumes, all of which release their sugars slowly. Bad carbs are refined ones such as the white flour used to make white bread and pasta: the refining process takes out all the fibre and leaves you with easily digestible sugar.
There’s only one problem: refined carbohydrates are delicious. We’ve evolved to crave energy-dense foods so don’t deny yourself – just manage how much refined carbohydrate you eat. You can do this by eating a cauliflower crust pizza but, if you’re anything like us, you’ll end up wanting to throw that pizza in the bin after a few bites. If you want pizza eat a proper one, just don’t make it a habit.
Brown pasta, too, is about as fun as eating cardboard. Italians don’t eat it so why should you? You can have regular pasta, but limit it to about a quarter of your plate and balance it with other fibre-rich elements such as vegetables that will slow down your digestion and limit the spikes in sugar your liver turns into harmful fats.
An obvious way to avoid sugar spikes is to avoid sugar. But there’s no point splashing out on apparently healthy alternatives such as agave nectar, honey or date molasses. These alternatives, says Nita Forouhi, a diabetes clinician-scientist at the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, are marketed as “having antioxidants or a lower GI [glycemic index] value, but there’s no convincing evidence to support swapping table sugar for any of them for health benefits – they are all ‘free sugars’ which as a rule we should limit”.
Protein
The apparent health benefits of protein have been thrust into our faces one Instagrammed workout at a time. This link between protein and health, though, is the embodiment of the misunderstanding of what health is: it’s not about six packs and bubble butts, it’s about the avoidance of disease and premature death, admittedly unsexy but undeniably important factors that eating more protein will not improve.
That’s not to say proteins aren’t important. They’re the building blocks of what makes you (muscles and bones), what holds you together (skin and cartilage) and what keeps everything ticking along (enzymes and hormones).
Eating meat is an easy way to get your protein – the animal does all the hard work and concentrates the nutrients for you – but it can be expensive, you can’t eat it if you’re a vegetarian, and if you eat too much of it you won’t have space left for more protective foods.
Although meat is not essential for health, for many it’s a key part of any meal. The good news is that we can get those satisfying umami flavours we crave as often as we want without breaking the bank or eating too much. As with many peasant dishes of the Mediterranean diet, cooking techniques such as stewing and braising stretch the flavour to other ingredients, such as fibre-rich vegetables. You can also use cheaper cuts such as shin and skirt steak: just go for quality over quantity.
Vegetarians, fear not: fibre-rich beans and pulses (legumes), while being a great source of protein, are associated with long-term health protection and so should also be a go-to food for meat eaters. Nuts and seeds, too, can bulk out a salad and their protective fats will leave you fuller for longer.
Other than low-quality processed meats there are no bad proteins. Try to trade up excess meat for more protective foods whenever you can – a healthy diet will protect you from disease more than a six-pack ever will.
Green mango salad (som tum mamuang)
South-east Asian cooking transforms a salad from a side dish to the main event, giving a perfect opportunity to eat more fruit, veg, healthy proteins and nuts. These textures together with the taste explosion of sweet, savoury, spicy and sour dressing mean you won’t miss unrefined, fibreless carbs.
Mangoes are also rich in a protective, soluble fibre that will slow down the digestion of the entire meal. Add chicken left over from a roast for extra thrift.
Serves 2 as a main course
fine green beans a handful
peanuts a handful, toasted and crushed
red onion ½ (or whole shallot), finely sliced
cucumber a handful, finely sliced at an angle
red chilli 1, with seeds
tomatoes a handful, quartered
mint and coriander 1 tbsp of each, chopped, stalks included,
leftover roast chicken torn strips (other good options are prawns, griddled and sliced, or chicken breast)
mango 1 large, under-ripe
For the dressing (the important bit)
chilli 1-2
garlic 1 large clove
palm sugar 1 tbsp (you can substitute honey or normal sugar)
fish sauce 2 tbsp
lime 1, juiced
extra-virgin olive oil
This salad is easiest to make with a Japanese mandoline, but there are other options if you don’t have one: you could use a combination of a knife and a potato peeler or a cheap julienne peeler.
The beans will need blanching in salted boiling water for around 3-4 minutes until they are tender but retain a little bite. Drain and “refresh” by cooling with cold water – it’s nice if they are warm but not hot in the salad.
Toast the unsalted peanuts in a dry non-stick pan until they have a golden colour. Roughly crush – best done by bashing in a mortar and pestle.
Slice the onion, cucumber and chilli and quarter the tomatoes. Finely chop the herbs and include the fragrant coriander stalks as well as the leaves. Add the chicken (or prawns) and incorporate all together in a large bowl with the sliced mango, green beans and crushed, toasted peanuts.
The dressing is best made in a mortar and pestle, although you can pulse the ingredients in a blender.
Add together the dry ingredients and bash into a smooth paste – the sugar helps with abrasion. Now add the wet ingredients and stir them together.
Dress the salad and allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes for the flavours to marinate. Then pile high on a large serving plate and enjoy.
Mortar and pestle pesto pasta, courgette tagliatelle and baby spinach
Ready in 20 minutes. The simple, fresh flavours and textures complement each other perfectly: hot peppery notes (raw garlic and olive oil), mellow comforting richness (pasta, parmesan and pine nuts) and clean perfumed bite (basil, spinach and courgette). A mixture of pasta and courgette “tagliatelle” keeps the comfort and satisfaction of pasta but packs in more veg alongside other protective ingredients such as garlic, nuts, extra-virgin olive oil and dark green leafy spinach. With the fat from the cheese giving additional satiety, you won’t miss that extra pasta, especially if you pair with a simple sliced tomato and onion salad dressed with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Serves 2
courgettes 2, medium
linguine pasta 100g (50g per person)
baby spinach 2 large handfuls
garlic 1 large clove
basil leaves a big bunch
pine nuts 2 small handfuls (dry toasted)
fresh parmesan a handful, grated
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
Make the courgette tagliatelle by taking long length slices of the courgette with a mandoline (largest tooth setting) or a potato peeler until you get to the soft water centre. Keep the soft cores, you can finely chop and add them as they are with the tagliatelle.
Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water. Wash the spinach, drain and place in a large bowl.
Make the pesto while the pasta is cooking. We like to make the pesto in a mortar and pestle for that chunky, fresh-made texture but you can add all the ingredients straight into a blender or food processor.
Bash a whole peeled garlic clove with a pinch of salt for extra abrasion until a paste. Add the basil leaves and do the same. Add the toasted pine nuts and parmesan. Drizzle in olive oil to loosen the mixture. Bash and stir away until you have a chunky mixture that’s loose enough to stir into your pasta.
The pasta should nearly be ready. Throw in the courgette tagliatelle for the final 2 minutes or just enough to soften but retain a slight bite.
Drain and immediately add the hot pasta into the bowl with the spinach and stir. The heat of the pasta will wilt and soften the spinach. Now add your pesto and mix thoroughly. Season with black pepper and a final fresh sprinkle of parmesan. You don’t need to add any additional salt as the cheese and other elements have enough.
Stuffed coquina squash and sweet roasted beets
The soft coquina squash with chewy, candied edges, the concentrated sweetness of roasted beetroot, and the warming, meaty filling make this dish one of our favourites. The squash and legumes, being high in fibre, are the good type of carbs that prevent spikes in blood sugar and subsequent fat storage, the slow-cooked meat stretches that umami satisfaction through the filling, allowing you to use less meat and pack in more protective veg. The roasted beets, too, are rich in artery-relaxing nitrates that can lower blood pressure (it’s why athletes drink beetroot juice to improve their endurance).
Serves 4 (makes enough sauce for 8-10, freeze leftovers for another meal)
minced beef 500g
extra-virgin olive oil
onion 1 large
celery 2 sticks
carrot 2 large, skin on
courgette, sweet pepper, aubergine 1 each
garlic 4 large cloves
large chillies 2 (leave seeds in if you like it hot or add more)
salt and pepper
tomato puree 2 large tbsp
tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
bay leaves 3
ground cinnamon 1 tsp
green lentils 100g
chickpeas 1 tin
beetroot 12 small, uncooked
large coquina squash 1
Use a large heavy cast-iron casserole dish that can be placed in the oven. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3.
Over a moderate high heat brown the minced beef in a little splash of olive oil until the edges are crispy and golden brown. While the beef is cooking chop the onions, celery, carrot, and other vegetables along with the garlic and chilli – use a food processor if you have one.
Remove the browned beef with a slotted spoon and add the chopped vegetables to the pan to soften in the same oil. When the veg looks softened and the onions are translucent add back the beef.
Season the mix now with salt and black pepper. Add the tomato puree and cook out together for another 2 minutes
Now add the tinned tomatoes and equal amount of water (by rinsing out and filling the tomato tin). Add the bay leaves and bring back to simmer.
Transfer to the oven to slowly cook for 3 hours to develop a beautiful melting texture and deep umami flavours. Portion out around half to cool and freeze for an easy meal another day.
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and the green lentils (rinsed, boiled for 10 minutes, drained) and chickpeas (rinsed and crushed to a pulse) for the final 30 minutes of cooking.
Now to the squash and beetroot. Individually wrap in foil and bake the beetroots, leaving the skin on, for an hour at 180C/gas mark 4 or until a knife passes through the flesh easily. (It’s fine to turn up the heat on the base sauce for the last hour if you’re cooking both at the same time.) Cut and deseed the squash, leaving skin on, season and drizzle with olive oil and roast for an hour or until the flesh is deep orange and the edges are darkened. The tip of a knife should pass easily through the thickest bit of the squash. When cooked and cooled, the skin of the beet will slide off easily; dress with a splash of balsamic if you like. Scoop some flesh out of the squash, mix with the filling, pile high and enjoy.
Mediterranean fisherman’s stew: leek, courgette and cod with chilli and lemon seasoning
Humble and sweet courgette and leek, a rich tomato sofrito sauce and subtle white fish highlighted with lemon, parsley and chilli. The plentiful courgettes and leeks become the base of a genuinely healthy meal. The combination of olive oil, tomato, garlic and onion forms the base of the sofrito sauce, a mainstay of Mediterranean cooking. When combined, these ingredients might have a synergistic, protective effect but, most importantly, they give that delicious flavour that transports you to the Italian Riviera. We’ve gone for cod because it’s the nation’s favourite, but experiment with your choice of oily fish.
Serves 4
courgettes 4 large
leeks 2 large
garlic 4 chunky cloves
extra-virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper
tomato passata 500g
dried chilli flakes
cod loin skinned and filleted, three nice chunks each
parsley a handful, including stalks
lemon wedges
Cut the washed courgettes and leeks into rounds (approx 2cm thick). Slice the garlic.
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a non-stick pan and add the sliced veg. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn the temperature down so that the veg sweat without colouring. Make a cartouche with some greaseproof paper (YouTube it for a quick tutorial) and pop on top. This slow-cooking process accentuates the natural sweetness of the veg. Check on them in 10 minutes and add a splash of water if drying out.
After about 20 minutes when the veg have softened add the passata. Sprinkle a pinch of dry chilli. Re-cover and cook until meltingly soft (around 40 minutes).
Cut the chunky fish fillet across the length with a sharp knife into scallops. Taste the sauce – grind some extra pepper and if required add more salt. Pop the fish scallops around the dish on top of the sofrito sauce. Re-cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Finely chop the parsley and sprinkle over the dish with extra chilli and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
Enjoy scarpetta style with a sensible mop of crusty wholemeal bread, eat light with green side salad or throw in some borlotti beans and cook as a stew.
Aromatic braised chicken, hidden veg and quinoa hot pot
One pot and you’re good to go. The braised, browned and caramelised meat intensifies and spreads the meaty flavour allowing you to sneak in plenty of protective fibre and veg. Quinoa? Because it’s not that fancy any more and with its low glycaemic index it’s better than eating refined carbs.
Serves 4–6 (good to make a big batch, you’ll want the extra)
chicken 8 skinless, boneless thighs
extra-virgin olive oil
onions 2 large
leek 1 large (or add a third onion)
garlic 6 cloves
ginger a thumb-sized piece
chillies 4 red or green (seeds out for a milder version)
tomato puree 2 large tbsp
honey 1 tbsp
soy sauce 6 tbsp
star anise 1
chestnut mushrooms 2 handfuls
Chinese leaf cabbage ½ a head
quinoa 50g per person
spring onions 4, chopped
Use a heavy cast-iron dish in an oven (preheated to 160C/ gas mark 3) for the best, slow-cooked meltiness. You can also just simmer on the hob.
Roughly chop the chicken into large strips and brown over a high heat with a splash of olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan and if necessary brown the chicken in two batches. Stir occasionally but you are aiming to get some crispy caramelised bits on the edges and bottom of the pan to add umami intensity to the dish.
Peel, half and roughly chop the onions into large strips. Do the same with the leek and wash thoroughly to get rid of any muddy bits in the layers. Add to the pan with the browned chicken and start to soften.
Peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger together with the chillies. Leave the seeds in if you like spice or remove if you prefer perfumed warmth. Add to the pan with the tomato puree. Cook together for another couple of minutes.
Now add the honey, soy sauce, star anise and enough cold water to barely cover (around 2 glasses usually). Bring to a simmer and scrape around the bottom of the pan to dislodge any crispy bits. Place in your preheated oven to slow cook and braise for the next 2 hours.
After 2 hours remove, stir and check the hot pot. You should have a reduced, intensely umami-flavoured sauce. You want this to be strong because it will become diluted by the water in the additional veg. Now add your washed and sliced mushrooms and Chinese cabbage. Return to the oven for another hour.
Towards the end, boil the quinoa separately until the seeds open. Drain and then add straight into the hot pot and stir together. Fish out the star anise and taste for final seasoning – add a final splash of soy sauce if you like. Garnish with finely chopped spring onion for a fresh finish.
Ali Khavandi is a consultant cardiologist. alikhavandi.com; daramohammadi.com
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