Health expert names three things that can help manage weight and fight disease

A doctor has named the three things he says you should do to try and beat weight gain and fight off diseases.

Former NHS GP Dr Rupy Aujla, who founded health brand the Doctor’s Kitchen, says that while many people have recently taken up “nutrient sequencing” - controlling the order in which you eat the food on your plate - there needs to be more examinations of the impact it has on people’s health. It comes as a recent study in people with type two diabetes showed eating carbohydrates last can reduce blood glucose spikes by up to 73 percent.

While it is also thought eating vegetables and then proteins can also have an impact on your blood glucose levels. Speaking on The Doctor’s Kitchen YouTube channel, Dr Aujla said: “There's a real trend of people eating foods and specific orders in order to lower their glucose spikes for improving metabolic control.

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“And there is evidence that it could potentially lower glucose spikes by 73 percent. That's actually quite an impressive number.

“But in reality, most of us enjoy our meals as part of this beautiful, delicious mixture of different macronutrients. Rather than separating them out into carbohydrates, fibre, proteins and then eating them in a specific order. So this is what I would suggest focusing on if you're looking to improve your blood sugar control and reduce weight.”

Dr Aujla says people should look at other ways they can control what they eat, including reducing portion sizes and cutting out ultra processed foods. He says adding more exercise will also help overall health.

He said: “So what I would actually recommend if I was to put nutrient sequencing to one side, is the subject of diet quality. Try to get three portions of fruit and veg per meal.

“That sounds like quite a lot, but it also includes things like onions, your beans, nuts, and seeds. These are things I would consider adding to your meal before changing the order in its entirety.”

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He added: "Think about adding, another, vegetable like roasted butternut squash. You will be effortlessly increasing the amount of fibre just by adding extra vegetables to that salad or whatever meal is.

"That's the way I rather you think about it rather than thinking I can only eat my vegetables at the start."

Dr Aujla also recommended adding more plant protein into your diet. Four in particular he would focus on are tofu, tempeh - a type of fermented soybean - hemp and peanut proteins.

He added: “These are all things with lots of protein in, we’re talking 20 to 25 percent protein. So 100g of tempeh will give you something similar to chicken.”

Finally, Dr Aujla says you should consider adding quality carbohydrates to your meals, including steel cut oats, sweet potato, buckwheat and quinoa. He says these have more fibre, which is good for cardiovascular health and reduces cholesterol.