step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food step one: free food

C

CC

A good or very good source of calcium,

F

FF

Are foods

high or extra-high in fibre.

H

HH

These foods are

particularly healthy

S

SS

Choose them regularly

or are

vital for good health.

and nutritious

to

speed or super-speed your weight loss.

symbol sense

f

Amla (Indian gooseberry)

s

Apples

s

Apricots

S

Babaco

Bananas

S

Bilberries

fS

Blackberries

fS

Blackcurrants

Blueberries

S

Boysenberries

s

Carambola (star fruit)

s

Cashew fruit (not cashew nut)

s

Cherries

s

Clementines

fS

Cranberries

Custard apple (cherimoya)

s

Damsons

s

Elderberries

s

Feijoa

s

Figs

S

Gooseberries

S

Grapefruit

Grapes

s

Greengages

fs

Grenadilla

fS

Guava

Jambu fruit

Jujube (Chinese date)

S

Kiwano (horned melon)

s

Kiwi fruit

fs

Kumquats

S

Lemons

S

Limes

S

Loganberries

S

Loquats

Lychees

Mammie apple

s

Mandarins

Mango

Mangosteen

Fs

Medlars

S

Melon, all varieties

except watermelon

s

Mulberries

s

Nectarines

s

Oranges

s

Ortaniques (honey tangerines)

s

Papaya (paw paw)

fs

Passion fruit

s

Peaches

s

Pears

Persimmon (sharon fruit)

Physalis

s

Pineapple

s

Plums

f

Pomegranates

S

Pomelo

s

Prickly pears

Rambutan

S

Raspberries

fS

Redcurrants

S

Rhubarb

F

Sapodilla

s

Satsumas

S

Strawberries

S

Tamarillos

s

Tangerines

f

S

Tayberries

s

Ugli fruit

s

Watermelon

fS

Whitecurrants

S

Yellow plums

fruit

HH

Nearly all fruits are

Superfree Foods! Have as much fresh

or frozen fruit as you like for breakfast, for dessert, as a

snack or just any time you feel peckish.

Note: Cooked, canned and dried fruit count as Healthy Extras or as

Syns: puréed fruit, fruit juice, nectars and smoothies always count

as Syns.

All these foods ar

e Free

on Extra Easy

, Green*

and Original*.

*For details of Green and

Original see the extra

downloads

Make Free Food power work for you!

Free Food is the masterstroke that makes Food

Optimising so effective and so very easy.

•

Free Food is how you

satisfy your

appetite even on the hungriest of days.

•

Free Food is how you learn to

lose weight

and keep it off for good.

Hundreds of healthy, delicious, everyday Free

Foods are yours to enjoy with absolutely

no limits:

no weighing, no calculating, no estimating,

no counting, no kidding!

On the following pages you’ll find lists of

Superfree Foods

– super-satisfying for your

appetite and the

very lowest in calories

– tuck in anytime, anywhere! These include:

• Fresh and frozen fruit

• Vegetables

Plus all the fabulous

Free

Foods

you can enjoy

any time to satisfy your appetite, also with no

limits. They include:

• Lean meat and poultry

• Fish and seafood

• Potatoes, pulses and starchy vegetables

• Rice, pasta and grains

• Eggs

• Fat free dairy products

• Vegetable proteins, eg Quorn and tofu

Superfree Foods are super-satisfying

for the appetite and

very, very low

in calories.

Fill of your plate with Superfree

Foods and make them your first

choice between meals. You’ll naturally
limit your energy intake without
counting a single calorie, and you’ll be
enjoying a really healthy diet, making
your weight loss success

extra easy!

1 3

healthwise...

The Department of Health recommends that

we eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a

day – we recommend that you eat

at least

that amount: more if you like!

anytime,

anywhere!

any choice,

enjoy

superfree

foods

Free Foods

Superfree &

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C

CC

A good or very good source of calcium,

F

FF

Are foods

high or extra-high in fibre.

H

HH

These foods are

particularly healthy

S

SS

Choose them regularly

or are

vital for good health.

and nutritious

to

speed or super-speed your weight loss.

symbol sense

All these foods ar

e Fr

ee

on Extra Easy

, Gr

een*

and Original*.

*For details of Green and

Original see the extra

downloads

s

Acorn squash

s

Alfalfa sprouts

f

Artichokes

s

Asparagus

s

Aubergine

s

Baby whole sweetcorn

fs

Balor beans

s

Bamboo shoots

s

Bean sprouts

s

Beetroot

s

Broccoli

f

Brussels sprouts

s

Butternut squash

s

Cabbage (all types)

fs

Capers

s

Carrots

s

Cauliflower

fs

Celeriac

s

Celery

s

Chicory

s

Chillies

C s

Chinese leaves (amaranth)

s

Chioca

s

Choko (custard marrow)

cfs

Cluster beans

s

Courgettes

s

Cucumber

cfs

Curly kale

s

Endive

s

Fennel

s

French beans

f

Garlic

s

Gherkins

s

Green beans

s

Karela

s

Kohlrabi (cabbage turnip)

s

Leeks

s

Lettuce

s

Mangetout

s

Marrow

s

Mushrooms

s

Mustard & cress

cfs

Okra

s

Onions

fs

Papri beans

s

Passata (sieved tomatoes)

s

Peppers/Pimentos

s

Pumpkin

s

Radicchio

s

Radishes

s

Runner beans

fs

Salsify

s

Seakale

F

s

Seaweed

s

Shallots

s

Spaghetti squash

c s

Spinach

cfs

Spring greens

s

Spring onions

s

Sugar snap peas

s

Swede

s

Tomatoes

s

Turnips

Cfs

Vine leaves

f

Water chestnuts

c s

Watercress

vegetables

HH

Nearly all vegetables are

Superfree Foods! Enjoy them fresh, frozen, canned or

pickled in vinegar. Cook them in any way you like; without fat to keep

them Superfree!

superfree

foods

Fill of your plate with Superfree

Foods and make them your first

choice between meals. You’ll naturally
limit your energy intake without
counting a single calorie, and you’ll be
enjoying a really healthy diet, making
your weight loss success

extra easy!

1 3

golden rules...

The two

golden rules for a healthy diet are:

1

a wide variety of foods

2

everything in moderation

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C

CC

A good or very good source of calcium,

F

FF

Are foods

high or extra-high in fibre.

H

HH

These foods are

particularly healthy

S

SS

Choose them regularly

or are

vital for good health.

and nutritious

to

speed or super-speed your weight loss.

symbol sense

All these foods ar

e

Free on Extra Easy

and Gr

een*!

*For details of the Green

choice see the extra

downloads

starchy

vegetables & pulses

Beans, peas and lentils are known

as pulses. They’re all super-healthy,

super-filling and super-tasty. Choose

fresh, frozen or canned varieties.

If you add fat during cooking, count

it as Syns.

h f

Aduki beans

hSf

Baked beans in

tomato sauce

hsF

Black beans

h f

Black eye beans

hSf

Black gram beans

hsf

Borlotti beans

hSf

Broad beans

hSf

Butter beans

hSF

Cannellini beans

h f

Chickpeas

H

Corn on the cob

hsf

Dried peas

hs

f

Flageolet beans

hSf

Garden peas

hsF

Haricot beans

hsf

Lentils, all varieties

hsf

Marrowfat peas

hsf

Mung beans

hS

Mushy peas

H f

Parsnips

hSf

Petits pois

h F

Pigeon peas

h F

Pinto beans

H

Plantain

H

Potatoes

hsf

Processed peas

hsF

Red kidney beans

h F

Soya beans

h

Split peas

H

Sweetcorn

H

Sweet potatoes

hS

Sword beans

H

Taro

H

Yams

rice, pasta & grains

H

Rice, pasta and grains are staples

that you can make into hundreds

of delicious meals. They are

nutritious and cooked without fat,

they’re

Free Food.

Buckwheat*

Bulgur wheat*

Couscous*

Dried pasta (all types,

eg tagliatelle, spaghetti,

lasagne and cannelloni tubes)

Millet*

Noodles, plain, dried

Pearl barley*

Quinoa*

Rice*

* If ground, or used as a flour substitute,
these foods have a Syn value.

healthwise...

healthwise...

healthwise...

Potatoes don’t count towards your

‘five a day’ – but they are filling and

a good source of vitamin C and fibre.

Choose wholegrain or brown rice, and

wholemeal or wholewheat pasta, for

extra fibre.

Pregnant women, the

elderly and babies are

advised not to eat raw

or soft-boiled eggs.

healthwise...

If you have diabetes, let us know by

updating your profile. We’ll send you a copy

of our diabetes information factsheet. We

recommend that you talk to your diabetes

care team about Food Optimising.

As well as all that fabulous Superfree Food, you can eat as much as
you like of all this

wonderfully satisfying Free Food. Remember to

fill of your plate with Superfree Foods!

free

foods

eggs

Enjoy eggs boiled, coddled, poached,
scrambled or fried using low calorie
cooking spray.

dairy products

hc

Quark – skimmed milk soft

cheese

hc

Fat free natural

cottage cheese*

hc

Fat free natural fromage frais*

hc

Fat free natural yogurt*

* Some flavoured varieties have Syns.

vegetable proteins/

meat replacement

hsf

Quorn mince and pieces

Use this to replace meat in pies,

pasta dishes, chilli and curries.

C

Tofu, naturally smoked

and plain

Textured vegetable protein

(tvp)/soya protein

Made with defatted soya

1 3

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Meat products such as

burgers and sausages

generally have a Syn value,

see the Syns download or

use Syns Online.

tip!

hot

All these foods are

Free on Extra Easy

and Original*!

*For details of the Original

choice see the extra

download.

meat & poultry

Very lean cuts of meat and poultry are

Free Food so enjoy your favourites!

Remove all skin and fat from poultry and

trim all visible fat from meat before eating,

to ensure it's Free. If you add fat, count the

fat as Syns.

meat

Bacon (back/lean)

Beef

Gammon

Ham

Lamb

Pork

s

Veal

poultry

hs

Chicken

Duck

hs

Turkey

game & offal

Brains

Brawn

Grouse / Guinea fowl

s

Heart

s

Kidney

Liver, all types

Oxtail

Partridge / Quail

Pheasant

Pigeon

Rabbit / Hare

Sweetbreads

S

Tripe

s

Venison

fish

H

Most fish is

Free Food (on the

Extra Easy and Original choices)

and can be cooked in any way you like.

If you add fat, count the fat as Syns.

Fish canned in brine, tomato sauce or

spring water is also Free Food. For fish

canned in oil, see the Syns section. All

fish is good for your health, and many are

Speed or Super Speed foods, so they

can help boost your weight loss.

white fish

s

Bream

S

Cod, plain or smoked

S

Coley

Dogfish

S

Dover sole

S

Haddock, plain or smoked

s

Hake

s

Halibut

S

John Dory

S

Lemon sole

S

Monkfish

Mullet

S

Plaice

s

c

Sea bass

S

Skate

s

Turbot

S

Whiting

oily fish

Carp

s

Eel, jellied

Eel, plain

Herring

s

Jackfish

Kippers

Mackerel (not smoked)

C

Pilchards

Rollmop herring

Salmon, plain or smoked

C

Sardines

Sprats

s

Swordfish

Trout

s

Tuna, canned

Tuna, fresh

Whitebait

shellfish

Abalone

S

Clams

S

Cockles

Sc

Crab, canned

s

Crab, fresh

S

Crayfish

S

Cuttlefish

s

Lobster

s

Mussels

S

Octopus

Sc

Oysters

s

Prawns

Scallops

s

Scampi (not in breadcrumbs)

C

Shrimps

S

Squid

S

Whelks

S

c

Winkles

fish products

s

Caviare

s

Cod roe

s

Herring roe

Seafood or crab sticks

fish counter treats

Look out for these more unusual

fish when you’re shopping: they’re

all

Free Foods!

s

Catfish

Conger eel

S

Dab

S

Flounder

S

Flying fish

S

Hoki

S

Ling

S

Parrot fish

S

Pollack

s

Pomfret

S

Red snapper

s

Redfish

s

Shark

Sc

Tilapia

free

foods

healthwise...

For good health, aim to eat at least

two portions of fish a week, of which

one should be oily fish.*

*Mums-to-be, breastfeeding mums and teens are advised to limit
consumption of fish and shellfish.

C

CC

A good or very good source of calcium,

F

FF

Are foods

high or extra-high in fibre.

H

HH

These foods are

particularly healthy

S

SS

Choose them regularly

or are

vital for good health.

and nutritious

to

speed or super-speed your weight loss.

symbol sense

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drinks

Aim for 6-8 mugs or glasses of any type

of fluid per day (alcohol doesn't count!).

Bovril
Coffee*
Low calorie fizzy drinks
Low calorie squashes
Mineral water
Tea (including herbal teas)*

* Use milk from your Healthy Extras
in tea and coffee, or count
half a Syn for each dash you use.

flavourings

Experiment with herbs, spices and

seasonings to add zest and flavour to

your food, and as an alternative to salt

(see healthwise point, left).

sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners in tablet or

drop form are

Free; so are granular

sweeteners with less than

2 calories per teaspoonful, eg Canderel,

Hermesetas, Splenda, Sweet ‘n’ Low

low calorie

cooking spray

Fry Light and any other brand which

contains 2 calories or less per spray is

Free.

dressings &

accompaniments

Agar agar
Bovril
Fat free French style salad dressing*
Fat free vinaigrette style salad dressing*
Gelatine
Marmite
Mint sauce (no sugar added)
Nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
Soy sauce
Tabasco
Vecon
Vegemite
Vinegar, all varieties
Worcestershire sauce

* Must be less than 40kcals per 100ml.
For all other types of ‘fat free’ salad dressings
see the Syns pages or Syns Online

stocks

Bouillon powder
Cubes
Liquid stock concentrate
Ready to use liquid stock

For gravy powder
and granules,
see the Syns pages

simply

enjoy!

there’s no need to

count or calculate

weigh, measure,

healthwise...

Pregnant women, the elderly and

babies are advised not to eat raw or

soft-boiled eggs.

eggs

Enjoy eggs boiled, coddled, poached,
scrambled or fried using low calorie
cooking spray.

dairy products

hc

Quark – skimmed milk soft

cheese

hc

Fat free natural

cottage cheese*

hc

Fat free natural fromage frais*

hc

Fat free natural yogurt*

* Some flavoured and low fat varieties have
Syns.

vegetable proteins/

meat replacement

hsf

Quorn mince and pieces

C

Tofu, naturally smoked

and plain

Textured vegetable protein

(tvp)/soya protein

Made with defatted soya

Even more

Free Foods to choose from each day, including drinks,

dressings and spices.

storecupboard

staples

healthwise...

For health reasons aim to

limit your salt intake to no

more than 6g (1 level tsp) per

day. Add less salt to food at

the table and watch out for

salt added to manufactured

foods and sauces.

free

foods

All these foods ar

e

Free on Extra Easy

,

Green and

Original!

C

CC

A good or very good source of calcium,

F

FF

Are foods

high or extra-high in fibre.

H

HH

These foods are

particularly healthy

S

SS

Choose them regularly

or are

vital for good health.

and nutritious

to

speed or super-speed your weight loss.

symbol sense