THE EXPERT

THE VERDICT Ashley’s diet is a great example of how to eat the rainbow. By including a variety of fruit and vegetables, she’ll be getting a good range of vitamins and minerals, such as folate, vitamin C and vitamin A. For example, a quarter of a pepper meets 100% of your daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C can also aid the absorption of iron from things like eggs and pumpkin seeds – the latter are a great source of healthy fats, which have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol. Focusing on high-quality protein sources, such as chicken, eggs and Greek yoghurt, provides all the building blocks (amino acids) for Ashley to grow and maintain muscle mass. One thing to flag is that, for an active person, Ashley’s diet does appear a little low in carbs. Incorporating additional sources, such as brown rice, oats or potatoes, alongside the bread and pasta she already eats, will not only help Ashley to fuel her active lifestyle, but will also increase the variety of dietary fibre – which helps maintain normal bowel function – she consumes.