Nine slim-down food swaps

Raw cocoa

Cut out chocolate

Why?

It's the good stuff without the glycemic backlash. A 20g heap confers all the same fat-managing flavonoids as your block of Green & Blacks — but zero sugar.

Quinoa

Instead of rice

Why?

These seeds have a texture similar to couscous when cooked, but are higher in satiating protein.

Try

Cooking it with milk to make a muscle-fuelling porridge.

Yeast flakes

Why?

Not just for vegans: these cheesy-tasting flakes boast more protein (5g per 10g serving) and fibre than parmesan, without the fat. They're full of B vitamins, too.

Try

Sprinkling it on your pasta.

Cider vinegar

Why?

It raises your metabolism and slows the release of glucose when added to carb-rich dishes. And all without the 4g sugar you get per tablespoon of balsamic.

Try

Combining it with lemon and oil to make a light salad dressing.

Stevia

Drop sugar

Why?

Here's the sweetener: stevia has no calories and is made from a plant extract, so it's free from chemicals, too.

Try

Adding it to cereal or anything else that needs sweetness.

Ground almond

Farewell, flour

Why?

Popular with the low-carb lot, these pack in more craving-crushing monounsaturated fat and protein than any ground-up grain.

Try

Using it to bulk up your soups, stews and curries.

Soba noodles

Get rid of spaghetti

Why?

This buckwheat-based carb contains half the calories of your regular pack, along with plant compounds shown to balance blood-sugar levels.

Try

Adding miso for a filling soup.

Coconut oil

Throw out the butter

Why?

Like butter, this is high in sat fats. Unlike butter, those fats are metabolism-revving MCTs (the good kind). It tastes better than FryLight, too.

Try

Using it to fry your omelette – or melt it into your coffee.

Gram flour

One-up on wheat

Why?

A gluten-free fallback, this is made from chickpeas. It's a quarter protein, so it won't have an insulin-spiking effect either.

Try

Using it in the base of a healthy homemade pizza.