Bring in the sun with the Mediterranean diet

When on holiday in Spain

Cooking traditions take their influences from their ancestors, so Spanish cooking is rich in Moorish and Jewish traditions as well as foods from the Americas. Modern day cooking uses potatoes, pepper, tomatoes and beans as well as the staple of olive oil.

Good things to pick

Rice and rice dishes such as paella - Rice is a good source of starchy carbohydrates and there are many different dishes that use rice so being bored will not be a problem.

Paella typically has meat or seafood in it as well as rice and vegetables so this is a good combination. You tend to see it offered in restaurants as a dish for two or more people so beware of portion sizes as you could end up eating much more than you would normally do.

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Fish and shellfish - Always a good choice of protein as it is both filling and low in fat. There are many different Spanish fish stew dishes to choose from or just enjoy it grilled or baked.

Tapas - This can be a good or a bad choice depending on the selection made. Be careful not to over order and then feel obliged to eat it all. Choose a mixture of vegetable, fish and meat dishes and try not to order too many things which are fried, such as calamares or patatas bravas as this will push up the calories.

Tortilla (egg and potato omelette) - also seen on the tapas menu, this is a filling meal. Enjoy it with a tomato salad.

Foods to watch out for

Chorizo - this is processed meat that is high in fat and salt and should only be eaten in moderation.

Churros - doughnuts which are often served with thick hot chocolate for breakfast in southern Spain.

Jamon Serrano (cured ham) - As this is cured it is classified as a processed meat, and therefore you should limit how much you eat. These type of meats also tend to be very salty and we should all limit our consumption to no more than 6g per day.

Prevent cancer by up to 40%

Find out more about cancer prevention foods at www.wcrf-uk.org.