Let's talk fats! 

There are two types: saturated - which are usually sold at room temperature and mostly found in animals; and unsaturated - which are usually liquid at room temperature and mostly found in plant foods.

• Saturated fat  is the less healthy type of fat, and is found in: 

- butter, ghee and lard;  

- coconut and palm oil – although they're from plants, they're high in saturated fat;

- red and processed meat; 

- cakes, biscuits and pastries; 

-  high fat dairy foods (cheese, cream, ice cream, whole milk) .

• Unsaturated fats are the healthier fats, and are divided into 2 groups:

- Monounsaturated fat – found in vegetable (rapeseed, sunflower) and olive oils, avocado; 

- Polyunsaturated fat – found in walnuts, chia and flax seeds as well as in their oils, oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring). Oily fish is a great source of long chain omega-3 essential fats, which are great for a healthy heart and blood pressure.

Key Message: Limit your intake of saturated fat as it can increase the amount of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. Choose unsaturated fat instead of saturated as it is better and can reduce “bad” cholesterol and increase “good” cholesterol in the blood. 

While salt is important for maintaining general health, too much salt is not good for heart health and can lead to an increase in blood pressure, which in turn can increase the risk of heart disease.

 Adults are recommended to have no more than 5g of salt per day – this is equivalent to approximately 1 teaspoon. 

75% of the salt we consume is already found in pre-prepared foods, with 10% being added during cooking or at the table, and 15% occurring naturally within food.

Look out for “hidden salt”, which be found in condiments, sauces, processed meat (e.g. sausages, ham), some breakfast cereals, pastries and cakes. 

Foods with salt content of over 1.5g salt per 100g or more than 1.8g per serving are considered as high salt.  

Salt is sodium chloride and 1g of salt is equivalent to 400mg of sodium.  A food label showing the sodium value (mg) can be converted to salt (g) by dividing by 400. Alternatively, use this salt converter.

Vitamins and minerals are essential components of a healthy diet. So, we should ensure that we eat foods that contain minerals and compounds such as iron, potassium and nitrates. 

Iron: is an important mineral needed to create red blood cells. It helps to carry oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency (the most common nutrient deficiency) can result in anaemia. 

Animal-based sources of iron include: Red meat (beef, lamb and pork) & Liver (but avoid during pregnancy).  

Plant-based sources of iron include: Pulses and legumes (beans, peas and lentils) Nuts and seeds, Tofu, dark leafy green vegetables (broccoli and cabbage), dried fruit such as apricots, figs, dates and fortified breakfast cereals (check the label for salt/sodium content).

Interesting factoid - spinach is not richer in iron than other vegetables! The original researchers put the decimal point in the wrong place.

Plant-based sources of iron are less efficiently absorbed compared to animal-based, however combining plant-based sources of iron with sources of vitamin C can help to increase iron absorption. Drinking tea and coffee at mealtimes can also minimise iron absorption, so it’s best to have these between meals instead.

Potassium: Potassium helps the heart muscle to function. A diet high in potassium but low in sodium (salt) can help reduce blood pressure and decrease risk of heart disease. 

Foods rich in potassium are fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocado, broccoli, brussels sprouts, potatoes and sweet potatoes, legumes like soybeans, black beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, fish and poultry.

Nitrates: Many vegetables are also rich in nitrates. Nitrates from vegetables can help blood vessels to relax, improving blood flow and helping to reduce blood pressure. Vegetables naturally rich in nitrates include beetroot, green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, rocket, lettuce), celery and radishes.