15 easy-to-follow steps to better nutrition

Making changes to the way you eat is easier if you do it gradually, becoming comfortable with each step before moving onto the next. Every step will help to make healthy eating a regular part of your life. Here's some advice to help you.

1. Begin your day with a fibre-rich breakfast
   Try making porridge or natural muesli topped with fruit your first meal of the day. Eating breakfast helps keep you mentally and physically alert.
2. Keep caffeinated drinks to a minimum
   They give only a short burst of caffeine-fueled energy. Try one or two cups of black or green tea per day. Tea contains antioxidants associated with lower rates of cancer and heart disease. A cup of tea has about half the caffeine of a cup of coffee.
3. If you take sugar in your tea or coffee, slowly reduce the amount
   It's better to retrain your palate than to use artificial sweeteners.
4. When baking, substitute half whole wheat flour for white flour
   Gradually increase it as your taste changes. Eat wholegrain bread more than white – it has more B vitamins and twice as much fibre.
5. Buy brown rice and choose pasta made with whole wheat or spelt flour
   Compared to white flour, this will boost your fibre and B vitamin intake.
6. Gradually up the amount and variety of fruit and vegetables you eat to seven servings per day
   To do this, you could include a piece of fruit with your breakfast and have another as a snack; enjoy a salad with lunch and two servings of cooked vegetables for dinner.
7. Replace sugar and fat-filled snacks with fruit
   Mix things up with dried fruit or a tropical fruit salad.
8. Try to do without deep-fried foods to reduce your saturated fat intake
   Also, try to use just a scrape of butter or a small amount of polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated margarine. Experiment with a nut butter or mashed avocado on bread.
9. Drink enough water
   Moderately active adults need about one-and-a-half litres (quarts) per day. Check your hydration by looking at the colour of your urine. It should be pale yellow or clear.
10. Reduce your salt intake
    Excess salt over time can result in a rise in blood pressure. It's easy to avoid too much salt if you eat mainly fresh food because most of the salt in our diet comes from processed food. Instead of salt, use herbs, spices and other natural flavourings such as fresh lemon or lime juice.
11. Eat dairy products in moderation
    Switching to low-fat or no-fat milk and yogurt will help keep your saturated fat intake down.
12. Learn to love soy
    It's an excellent source of plant protein and appears to reduce the risk of heart disease by helping lower cholesterol levels. It has also been shown to protect against breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Aim for at least one serving a day of soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu or tempeh.
13. Choose lean cuts of red meat and minimize your intake of processed meats
    Salami, bacon and sausages are the worst culprits. Lean meat is a good source of iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and high-quality protein, whereas high intakes of processed meats have been associated with a greater risk of bowel cancer.
14. Eat more fish to increase your omega-3 essential fatty acids
    Aim for two to four servings per week and choose oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and mullet.
15. Prepare vegetarian meals occasionally
    Include legumes, such as kidney beans, soy beans, chick peas and lentils. These have a low glycemic index (GI), so you'll feel fuller for longer. Their high fibre content also helps prevent constipation.

Improving your nutrition is an excellent objective, but making drastic changes to your diet too quickly may reduce the likelihood that you'll stick with it. Instead, take your time and savour the journey of gradually discovering a healthier way to eat.