© Getty / Eye Em
With so many healthy foods on the market and conflicting advice always being thrown at you from a million directions, you can get wrapped up for hours deliberating over nut butter or even, which plant-based milk to pop in your coffee.
Well, if you’re a regular reader of our mag you will know that once a year the WH Food Awards analyse the healthiest foods on the market. Why? So you don’t have to.
We round up a panel of leading health and wellness figures to scrutinise ingredients, taste products and select the actually healthy foods from the ones that just say they are. The over-use of ‘high protein’ on any healthy snack that contains a nut being case in point.
If you’re always on-the-go and barely have time to make a shopping list, let alone meal-prep (we feel you), our judges have picked out their top supermarket healthy foods to pop in your basket. Your weekly shop is basically done.
And with a panel of four nutrition experts plus one mega-foodie magazine editor, they definitely know how to filter out healthy snacks from the healthy crap.
Without further ado, let us present the WH Food Award winners and highly commended of 2017 (this year’s will be crowned in September).
The Judges
Claire Sanderson Editor, Women’s Health
Rob Hobson Nutritionist, food consultant and co-author of The Detox Kitchen Bible
Laura Tilt Nutritionist and Women’s Health columnist
Miguel Toribio-Mateas Nutritional therapist
Eve Kalinik Nutritional therapist, food consultant and author of Be Good To Your Gut
Healthiest foods: Breakfast
Alt/non-dairy milk: A2 Semi-Skimmed Milk
‘Research has shown, for some, that lactose intolerance may actually be an inability to digest A1, a protein found in cow’s milk. This could be the answer if you suffer from bloating and cramps after consuming cow’s milk. Genius!’ – LT
A2 Semi-Skimmed Milk, £1.35, Sainsbury’s
Alt/non-dairy milk: Rude Health Organic Cashew Drink
Rude Health Organic Cashew Drink, £3, Waitrose
Yoghurt: SKYR Simply Natural
‘As a great source of protein and low in fat, this is a great alternative to Greek yoghurt and with a slightly sweeter taste. Perfect to start the day.’ – RH
SKYR Simply Natural, £1.80, Waitrose
Yoghurt: Yeo Valley Natural
Yeo Valley Natural, £.55, Tesco
Non-dairy yoghurt: Sojade So Soya Natural Yoghurt
‘A source of highly bioavailable protein, containing all 12 essential amino acids, without the unnecessary additives found in many so-called ‘clean alternatives.’’ – MTM
Sojade So Soya Natural Yoghurt, £1.45, Planet Organic
Bread: Profusion Organic Protein Bread Rye and Flax
‘Just one slice of this dense rye bread provides a fifth of your recommended daily intake of fibre (30g). It’s also a good source of filling protein and contains as range of seeds that will offer the health benefits of healthy fats including omega 3.’ – RH
Profusion Organic Protein Bread Rye and Flax, £2.89, Ocado
Bread: Biona Organic Rye Amaranth/Quinoa Bread
Biona Organic Rye Amaranth/Quinoa Bread, £1.75, Tesco
Nut butter: Meridian Crunchy Almond Butter
‘I’m obsessed with this spread; it’s divine. Almonds are a source of pre-biotic fibre that helps keep your gut bacteria happy and nourished, plus they produce a number of natural chemicals that keep your brain happy too.’ – MTM
Meridian Crunchy Almond Butter, £3.95, Sainsbury’s
Nut butter: Raw Ecstasy Activated Almond Butter
Raw Ecstasy Activated Almond Butter, £6.49, Planet Organic
Cereal: Rude Health Organic Sprouted Porridge Oats
‘I can’t function without my morning oats. These are sprouted, making them easier to digest, naturally gluten-free and have a deliciously creamy flavour.’ – CS
Rude Health Organic Sprouted Porridge Oats, £4.99, Holland & Barrett
Healthiest foods: Protein rich foods
Protein Powder: Neat Nutrition Whey Protein
‘Not only does it taste good, each serving provides a generous dose of protein with very little sugar. Whey is faster acting than other sources so it’s great straight after exercise.’ – RH
Neat Nutrition Whey Protein, chocolate, £34, neat-nutrition.com
Protein Powder: Vega Clean Protein Vanilla
Vega Clean Protein Vanilla, £26.99, Holland & Barrett
Healthiest snacks
Protein ball/bar: Pulsin Protein Booster Vanilla Choc Chip
‘A great option for mid-afternoon munchies – with 13g of plant protein and a fifth of your daily fibre intake, it’ll keep you going until dinner’ – LT
Pulsin Protein Booster Vanilla Choc Chip, £1.89, Holland & Barrett
Protein ball/bar: Primal Pantry Protein Bar Cocoa Brownie
Primal Pantry Protein Bar Cocoa Brownie, £2.19, Holland & Barrett
Chocolate: Loving Earth Organic Dark Chocolate
‘So many chocolates contain emulsifiers that interfere with gut bacteria, but this has just two ingredients: cacao and coconut sugar. Plus the cacao is ethically sourced.’ MTM
Loving Earth Organic Dark Chocolate, £4.99, Holland & Barrett
Chocolate: IQ Superfood Chocolate Cacoa-Nib Crunch
IQ Superfood Chocolate Cacoa-Nib Crunch, £1.99, Holland & Barrett
Crisp/cracker: RW Garcia Black Bean and Quinoa Tortilla Chips
‘These are packed with flavour and easily-digestible ingredients but contain less salt than many other options on the market. They’re sturdy, too, so hold toppings well.’ – CS
RW Garcia Black Bean and Quinoa Tortilla Chips, £2.25, Dolphin Fitness
Crisp/cracker: Raw Health Organic Flax Pumpkin Crackers
Raw Health Organic Flax Pumpkin Crackers, £4.49, Ocado
Dip: Waitrose Duchy Organic Houmous
Waitrose Duchy Organic Houmous, £1.65, Waitrose
Snack pot: Tesco Egg and Spinach Protein Pot
‘A source of good quality protein from the free-range egg plus fibre and folate from the spinach. Dream team’ – MTM
Tesco Egg and Spinach Protein Pot, £1.50, Tesco
Snack pot: Jake’s Boost Tiger Boost Snack Pot
Jake’s Boost Tiger Boost Snack Pot, £2.20, jakesboost.com
Healthy foods for baking
Sweetener: Biona Organic Apple Juice Concentrate
‘Made from 100% apples, this is surprisingly sweet and a good natural alternative to processed table sugar.’ – LT
Biona Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, £4.19, Healthy Supplies
Sweetener: Truvia
Truvia, £5, Tesco
Flour: Doves Farm Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour
‘Buckwheat is a fab wheat-free option, and works brilliantly in pancakes and baking. A great choice for anyone following a FODMAP diet.’ – LT
Doves Farm Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour, £3, Sainsbury’s
Flour: Rude Health Organic Sprouted Whole Buckwheat Flour
Rude Health Organic Sprouted Whole Buckwheat Flour, £6.19, Holland & Barrett
Grains: Sowan’s Natural Buckwheat
‘A good source of magnesium (a 100g serving contains 21% of your daily intake), which is great for brain health. This nutty wheat-free grain can be added to everything from porridge to soups, sauces and salads.’ – CS
Sowan’s Natural Buckwheat, £2.59, Holland & Barrett
Grains: Organic Amaranth Grain
Organic Amaranth Grain, £3.41 for 1kg, buywholefoodsonline.co.uk
Superfood: Udo’s Choice Beyond Greens
‘This is one of my favourite shortcuts to a breakfast smoothie or bowl that’s high in fibre, polyphenols and essential vitamins for energy and cellular function. It also works well as a shot diluted in water.’ – MTM
Udo’s Choice Beyond Greens, £24.99, Planet Organic
Superfood powder: Aduna Super-Cacao Premium Blend Cacao Powder
Aduna Super-Cacao Premium Blend Cacao Powder, £7.99, Ocado
Healthiest condiments/sauces
Oil: Biona Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
‘A reasonably priced oil that is cold pressed, which means the anti-inflammatory benefits are preserved. Fantastic for dressings and salads.’ – LT
Biona Organic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, £13.99, Ocado
Dressing: Lucy’s Low Sugar Raspberry Dressing
‘A low salt and sugar solution to adding instant flavour to your salad leaves.’ – RH
Lucy’s Low Sugar Raspberry Dressing, £3.99, Ocado
Dressing: The Coconut Company Organic Coconut Vinegar
The Coconut Company Organic Coconut Vinegar, £4.99, Planet Organic
Sauce: Rubies in the Rubble Fiery Tomato Ketchup
‘Super tasty ketchup that contains lower levels of sugar and a spicy kick – plus it’s not high in salt. Also a huge thumbs up for fighting food waste!’ – LT
Rubies in the Rubble Fiery Tomato Ketchup, £2.99, Ocado
Sauce: Biona Hot Pepper Sauce
Biona Hot Pepper Sauce, £2.99, Planet Organic
Healthiest Drinks
Cold beverage: Sandows Cold Brew Coffee
‘This blew my mind. It’s smooth, with a smoky aftertaste. Coffee enhances the production of ketones, which fuel the brain and balance the body.’ MTM
Sandows Cold Brew Coffee, £2.99, Ocado
Juice/Smoothie: Plenish Fuel Organic Green Cold Pressed Juice
‘I love these juices because they’re organic so you can rest assured that the vitamins you’re getting – in this instance, a host of B vitamins, vitamin X and magnesium – are at their optimum to provide an on-the-go energy boost.’ – EK
Plenish Fuel Organic Green Cold Pressed Juice, £4.95, Waitrose
Juice/Smoothie: Moju Cold Pressed The Green Juice
Moju Cold Pressed The Green Juice, £2.95, mojudrinks.com
Healthiest Ready Meals
Tesco: Beautifully Balanced Red Thai Chicken Curry
‘A nutritious and delicious blend that delivers on protein and fibre, while staying low in salt.’ – RH
Beautifully Balanced Red Thai Chicken Curry, £3, Tesco
Asda: High in Protein Moroccan Chicken & Butternut Squash Falafels
‘With two of your five a day and 33g of protein, this meal wins nutritionally. Plus it tastes delicious.’ – CS
High in Protein Moroccan Chicken & Butternut Squash Falafels, £3.25, Asda
Waitrose: LoveLife Mushroom & Aubergine Ragu
‘This veggie meal clocks in less than 200 calories – but contains a third of your daily fibre intake from two (or even three) of your five-a-day.’ – LT
LoveLife Mushroom & Aubergine Ragu, £3.50, Waitrose
Independent brand: Bol Sri Lankan Lentil Sambar
‘Tasty, spicy and rich in vegetables. It also contains only 9g refined carbs per 100g, which makes it a good option for those watching their weight’ – MTM
Bol Sri Lankan Lentil Sambar, £3, Tesco
Need a dinner for when you’re in a hurry? Try these healthy ready meals or pop in the healthiest microwave ready meal.
