Eat fibre first – and ditch the juice: five quick and easy tips for a much healthier meal

Instead of starting a meal with bread or crisps, why not try grilled vegetables instead? Photograph: Hihitetlin/Alamy

Whilst researching my latest book, Food for Life, I learnt that we’re very short of practical advice on food choices which are the most important things we can do for our health (humans and our gut microbes) and also to help the planet. I also learnt that how we eat can be as important as what we eat. Here are my top five, practical everyday tips to help you make small but sustainable changes across the year that will be far better for you than a few weeks of crash dieting or restrictive eating.

Start your meal with fibre and a simple vinegar and extra virgin olive oil dressing