From The Straits Times    |

There is a lot of diet advice out there, like drinking a cup of hot water with lemon at the beginning of the day to kick start your metabolism. But one man has spent 15 years looking into different tips and facts on what to do to stay slim and healthy and has shared some of his findings.

Here’s just three of the things which Rodney Bilton, emeritus professor of biochemistry at Liverpool John Moores University, recommends.

3 food tips to stay slim and healthy DECORIt looks yummy but you should stay away from mashed potato says the expert if you want to stay slim and healthy. Image: Cover Media

SAY NO TO MASHED POTATO
Nothing goes better with a pie than mashed potato, and you can’t beat the creamy texture when there isn’t a single lump. However, the benefits of potatoes seep out extremely quickly when their consistency is changed.

When they’re boiled and mashed, 25 percent more sugar is released from the humble spud than when you simply cut them up and serve them as chips. As we all know, too much sugar doesn’t help our waistline or heart, and this way of eating potatoes can be just as bad as sugary drinks.

It’s the starch in potatoes which increase the sugar, so be wary of how often you mash them.

SAY YES TO UNRIPE BANANAS
They may not look appetising, but unripe bananas join the group of whole grains, fibre and vegetables because they have resistant starch in them. Resistant starch is a carbohydrate which stops your blood sugar level rising as well as maintaining it to cut out hunger.

On top of this, the soluble dietary fibre is absorbed further down in the body rather than in the small intestine like other nutrients to give you more energy for longer.

“In the Western world we eat on average between 3g and 7g a day of resistant starch. Expert bodies such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the official science body in Australia, recommend eating at least 20g a day,” Rodney explained to MailOnline.

SAY YES TO WATER; BUT NO TO OIL
You may go for the healthiest option of oil on the shelf, but it can still be bad for you. When you overheat oil toxic chemicals called lipid peroxides are released, which are linked to increasing the chance of heart disease and cancer.

Instead, swap the yellow liquid for a small amount of water in your frying pan. There’ll be less fat built up and you won’t feel as bad after eating your meal ‒ plus that greasy feeling will be nonexistent too!

These are just three ways in which you can improve your health and diet, so why not give them a go to see the difference.