The best way to eat yourself thin is to choose foods you enjoy and that fill you up, so you don’t feel hungry at the end of a meal. Low-fat, low-calorie vegetables and foods that you have to chew slowly are particularly effective. You can continue to eat most foods as part of a healthy weight-loss or maintenance regime but there are some that are so high in calories, sugar or fat that they are best avoided. Use this helpful ‘traffic lights’ guide for quick and easy reference.
Green foods – Go!
Eat these foods freely as part of your daily plan
Meat: lean beef, lamb, pork, veal (all visible fat removed), grilled or roasted with spray oil; liver, kidneys
Cooked meats: ham, gammon (all visible fat removed)
Poultry: chicken, turkey (skin removed), grilled, poached or roasted with spray oil
Fish and shellfish: all white fish, grilled, baked or steamed; fresh tuna or canned in spring water; squid (grilled, not fried), mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, prawns (shrimp), white crabmeat, lobster
Eggs: not fried
Dairy: skimmed (lowfat) milk (cow’s, goat’s or soy), 0% fat Greek yogurt, very low-fat plain yogurt
Cheese: low-fat cottage cheese, Quark, virtually fat-free fromage frais
Dressings and sauces: oil-free vinaigrette and dressings, extra-light mayonnaise, soy sauce, nam pla (Thai fish sauce), mustard, vinegars, low-fat stock cubes
Pasta and noodles: all plain varieties (not filled pasta) boiled, in small quantities
Rice: brown, basmati, Thai fragrant, boiled or steamed, in small quantities
Whole grains: bulgur wheat, quinoa, couscous (in small quantities)
Oats: oatmeal, porridge (rolled) oats, unsweetened muesli
Breakfast cereals: Weetabix, Shredded Wheat (not filled)
Nuts: chestnuts
Pulses: lentils (Puy, green, brown, red and yellow split); dried beans (black, borlotti, butter/lima, cannellini, chickpeas, haricot, kidney, soya/ edamame) or canned
Vegetarian foods: Quorn, tofu
Vegetables: green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, (bell) peppers, aubergine (eggplant), courgette (zucchini), pumpkin, onions, leeks, celery, fennel, carrots, swede (rutabaga), chillies
Salads: all salad leaves, cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, spring onions (scallions)
Herbs and spices: all dried and fresh herbs and spices
Fruit: apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, oranges, clementines, satsumas, lemons, limes, grapefruit, apricots, plums, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, redcurrants, kiwi fruit, papaya, melon, pomegranate
Bakery: high-fibre crispbreads and crackers with less than 5% fat; rice cakes
Snacks and sweets: no-sugar jelly (jello)
Spreads: Marmite, yeast extract
Drinks: Water, tea and coffee (with skimmed/lowfat milk), herbal tea, zero-calorie soft drinks
Go carefully and eat these foods in moderation
Meat: minced (ground) beef, lamb and pork (less than 5% fat), low-fat sausages, very lean back (Canadian) bacon (all visible fat removed); beef burgers
Cured meats: Parma (prosciutto) and Serrano ham (all visible fat removed)
Poultry: duck
Fish and shellfish: salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, grilled, baked or poached, no more than twice weekly; smoked salmon
Dairy: semi-skimmed (half fat) milk (cow’s, goat’s or soy); low-fat spread; low-fat ice cream
Cheese: reduced-fat Cheddar, low-fat mozzarella and feta; light soft cheese, grated Parmesan on pasta (no more than 1 teaspoon)
Dressings and sauces: sweet chilli sauce, light mayonnaise, reduced-fat tomato salsa, mango chutney, tomato ketchup, horseradish sauce, low-fat custard, miso
Pasta and noodles: gnocchi, filled pasta (tortelloni, ravioli, etc.)
Rice: risotto, paella, biryani
Oats: oatcakes, sweetened muesli
Breakfast cereals: granola, cereal bars with less than 5% fat and low sugar content
Nuts: peanuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts, coconut, reduced-fat coconut milk
Seeds: pumpkin, sesame, sunflower
Vegetables: starchy vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams, plantains, boiled, baked or dry-roasted; sweetcorn; peas (fresh or frozen); broad beans; olives
Salads: beetroot, low-fat coleslaw
Fruit: banana, mango, grapes, avocado, dried fruits
Pastry: filo (brushed with egg, not butter or oil)
Bakery: wholemeal and multigrain bread, tortillas, wraps, pittas, chapatis (check fat grams and calories)
Desserts and sweets: meringues, fruit salad in unsweetened natural juice, low-sugar jam (jelly), honey
Drinks: fruit juices – drink in moderation; many are high in sugar; fruit smoothies; fruit squash, cordials and flavoured drinks; alcohol (light beer, wine, spirits) – mix spirits with soda water, sparkling mineral water or low-calorie mixers
Low-fat pies and pastry
Filo pastry (dough) is a healthier alternative to shortcrust and puff pastry. The sheets are so thin and it doesn’t contain any fat – only flour and water. You can use it for topping pies as well as for wrapping savoury and fruit mixtures. When layering and assembling the sheets, brush them lightly with some beaten egg or just the egg white rather than oil or melted butter. When you take the sheets out of a packet, always cover them with a damp cloth to prevent them drying out.
Sugar by any other name
Sugar is often listed under other names on food packaging labels. Look for the following: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit sugar, glucose, lactose, maltose, molasses and sucrose.
Avoid the following or eat occasionally in very small quantities
Meat: sausages (with more than 5% fat), spare ribs, belly pork, fatty meat or meat roasted in fat, deep-fried meat
Cooked meats: salami, chorizo, pepperoni, pâté
Poultry: fried chicken
Fish and shellfish: fried fish, deep-fried scampi
Dairy: full-fat (whole) milk, cream, soured cream, crème fraîche, butter, ghee; full-fat ice cream; sweetened full-fat (whole) creamy yogurts
Cheese: full-fat (whole) and creamy cheeses, e.g. blue cheese, hard cheeses such as Cheddar, Brie, Camembert, cream cheese
Oils and fats: sunflower, rapeseed (canola), coconut, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, corn oils; lard (shortening), dripping; margarine
Dressings and sauces: creamy sauces, hollandaise, béarnaise, tartare, mayonnaise, salad cream, salad dressings, e.g. blue cheese, Thousand Island, vinaigrette made with oil, guacamole, full-fat hummus, taramasalata
Pasta and noodles: pasta in creamy sauces; fried noodles
Rice: fried rice and arancini (rice balls)
Oats: porridge (oatmeal) with cream or full-fat (whole) milk and sugar
Breakfast cereals: sweetened brands, cereal bars with a high-sugar content and more than 5% fat
Nuts: peanut butter and nut spreads; nut brittle; satay sauce; creamed coconut, full-fat (whole) coconut milk
Vegetables: fat-roasted, fried or battered vegetables, such as French fries and onion rings
Fruit: fruit canned in syrup Confectionery and spreads: chocolate bars, chocolate spreads, sweets (candy), candied popcorn
Bakery: white and brown bread, croissants, brioche, doughnuts, Danish pastries, cakes, muffins; pizza (especially deep pan)
Pastry: shortcrust, flaky, puff, hot water crust, choux; pork pies; quiches
Confectionery and spreads: potato crisps (chips), tortilla chips, biscuits (cookies), sugar, maple syrup, golden (corn) syrup, molasses, treacle, most desserts, especially cheesecake, pies, tarts
Drinks: fortified wines, liqueurs, beer and cider, cocktails, sweetened soft drinks, e.g. cola; latte and cappuccino made with full-fat (whole) milk