Muesli can be a great healthy choice for breakfast- but be careful which brand you choose. Make sure you check the nutritional panel before you pick out your muesli, as some varieties may contain as much sugar so Coco Pops, or even more fat than a McDonalds Double Quarter Pounder.

Recent research by consumer organization Choice has revealed that many popular muesli products may actually be doing more harm to your healthy eating plan than good. After testing 159 different brands of muesli, Choice has released a report that warns consumers to take the fat and sugar content of products into consideration. (The full report is available here www.choice.com.au/muesli.)

New Australian research has suggested that just four weeks of consuming a diet high in fat can modify a person's palate, so that you are less able to taste fat properly- which means you may not be able to recognize when you are full and satisfied.

Response to fat helps the body to recognize fullness and satiety. Basically, the more fat you consume on a regular basis, the more likely you are to overeat at meals and feel urges to eat in between. The good news is, eating a diet low in fat can over time actually make you feel more full on fewer calories.

Nuts are a great addition to any healthy eating plan. Full of healthy fats, dietary fibre, amino acids, plant sterols and a range of essential vitamins and minerals, nuts are some of the most nutrient dense foods, and just a small handful can give you a great range of health benefits. In fact, recent studies have suggested that adding nuts into your diet can almost half your risk of heart disease.

Each nut tree has its own unique nutritional makeup, with a range of vitamins and minerals including folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper and vitamin E. Here are some of the health benefits of different nuts…

There’s no magic weight loss food- but there are foods you can add to your diet plan that will help give your metabolism a boost, allowing you to burn more fat, more quickly. Give some of these a try!

Berries

Fibre is an essential diet weapon- it keeps you feeling full and satisfied, helping you to eat less throughout the day without compromising on your energy levels. There are plenty of ways to get more fibre in your diet- but one of the best (and the most delicious!) are berries. One cup of raspberries gives you 8 grams of fibre; a cup of blackberries has 7.4 grams and blueberries have 3.5 grams. Whether you buy them fresh or frozen, add some berries into your diet plan and enjoy the sweet, delicious taste, while you beat hunger pangs.

These delicious vegetarian burgers have just 104 calories and 1.7 grams of fat each, fitting in perfectly with your diet plan! Serve them up on a whole-wheat bun with some salad for a yummy, healthy meal the whole family will love.

Beat off colds and flus this winter by keeping your immune system strong. Over the colder months, it’s easy to start feeling run down and lethargic, but if you keep your body supported with all the right vitamins and nutrients, you can keep your energy levels up and fight off illness. Here are some top tips for staying healthy in winter… 

Drink lots of water

Stay hydrated in winter by making an effort to get your two litres each day. A glass of water might be the last thing you feel like on an icy winter day, but it’s actually one of the best things for you! Even though you’re not sweating like in summer, your body needs plenty of fluids to keep your body hydrated. And when you have a cold or flu, increase your water intake to around 10 glasses a day to help make up for lost fluids, speeding up your recovery.