Photo: Felicity Tai

What is healthier than butter to put on toast?

1. Avocado. Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top toast or crumpets. This quick snack is rich in unsaturated, rather than saturated, fats.

bhf.org.uk - 5 healthy toast toppings - Heart Matters magazine - BHF

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5 healthy toast toppings

You can still enjoy a slice of toast without smothering it in butter. Try our five healthy toppings for toast, crumpets or scones, and enjoy a tasty snack without harming your heart.

1. Avocado

Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top toast or crumpets. This quick snack is rich in unsaturated, rather than saturated, fats. Try a sprinkle of seeds or chilli flakes for an extra kick.

2. Mashed or sliced banana

If you love sweet toppings or you’re very hungry, mashed or sliced banana is a delicious and filling addition to scones, crumpets or toast, without adding free sugars. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon or seeds for extra flavour.

3. Berries and low-fat Greek yoghurt

For a healthier twist on the traditional cream tea, try topping warm scones with strawberries, blackberries or blueberries and a dollop of low-fat Greek yoghurt. It’s great on toast, too!

Get our recipe for fresh strawberry scones.

4. Pure nut butters

Nut butters, such as almond or peanut, are a versatile topping and are good on their own or combined with fresh fruit. Check the ingredients and choose the ones made only from nuts, without added salt, sugar or palm oil. If you have a food processor, you can blend your favourite unsalted nuts until smooth. Decorate with your favourite fruit, or with grated carrot to keep it savoury.

Get our dietitian's view on nuts as a healthy snack.

5. Chia and berry ‘jam’

Simple to make: soak around 20g of chia seeds in four tablespoons of water, mix with 150g of your favourite berries or cherries, then blend. Decant into a jar or bowl, cover and refrigerate. The seeds provide protein without the added sugar that you usually get in jam.

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Can a keto diet cause diabetes?

The study, which was conducted on mice, evaluated the keto diet. The Journal of Psychiatry published the research, which said following the diet in its early phases could boost the risk for type 2 diabetes.

mountsinai.org - Researchers Find Evidence Keto Diet May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk

"Researchers Find Evidence Keto Diet May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk" - Kristen Fischer Though many people claim the keto diet to be a game changer or a lifesaver, a newly released study raises questions about its ability to cause type 2 diabetes. The study, which was conducted on mice, evaluated the keto diet. The Journal of Psychiatry published the research, which said following the diet in its early phases could boost the risk for type 2 diabetes. The study in mice is at odds with some previous research on the benefits of low-carb diets. Previous short-term studies have shown that low-carb diets — including the keto diet — can improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes and lower the amount of medications they need, noted Reshmi Srinath, MD, director of the weight and metabolism management program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. There isn’t much data on long-term effects of low-carb eating. “We also know that limiting carbohydrates to such a degree can be challenging for some patients and there can be a risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Srinath said. She recommends carbohydrate moderation, and provides instruction on how people can count and manage carb intake along with the addition of physical activity. - Reshmi Srinath, MD, Assistant Professor, Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Bone Disease, Director, Weight and Metabolism Management Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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