Byline: Lynne Michelle
Top of the class
MICHELOB ULTRA LOW CARBOHYDRATE LAGER
pounds 4.49 for 4
Product claims: A 5% strength premium lager with less than a third of the carbs of normal beer.
M Celebs taste test: Surprisingly smooth and quaffable.
Expert verdict: A healthier lager. You're less likely to get a beer gut from this because it won't raise blood sugar levels as much as normal beer and boost production of fat-storing insulin. It's cashing in on the Atkins Diet, but followers can't drink endless quantities - three bottles (3g carbs each) provides almost half your daily carb limit during the diet's induction phase.
FRUISANA FRUIT SUGAR
89p for 250g, www.fruisana.com
Product claims: A healthier alternative to sugar. It's low on the glycaemic index (GI) at 22 compared to sucrose (64) and glucose (100). This keeps blood sugar levels stable and curbs production of insulin.
M Celebs taste test: A tiny sprinkling was lovely in our cuppa.
Expert verdict: Pricey, but healthier than normal sugar. Clinical studies back up the benefits of fructose over sugar, and a low GI diet is good for your weight and general health.
NATURALLY BUFFALO BUFFALO MILK
pounds 1.60 a litre from selected Waitrose. For mail order, call 01525 220256
Product claims: Creamier than cow's milk, but with a fraction of the cholesterol and higher in vitamins. Anecdotal evidence suggests it can clear up eczema within a fortnight. Buffalos have excellent self-healing abilities and pass on these protective properties in their milk.
M Celebs taste test: Creamy and rich - nicer than goat/sheep milk.
Expert verdict: A great alternative if you're intolerant to the protein in cow's milk. It's a natural product with no side-effects, so it's worth trying if you suffer from eczema.
STONEGATE INTELLIGENT EATING EGGS
pounds 1.39 for 6 at Waitrose
Product claims: All the benefits of essential fatty acids without eating oily fish. Each egg contains half the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of omega-3 in its optimum form, DHA. The average Brit only gets 50% of their RDA, yet DHA deficiency can affect brain development in children, and memory and mental sharpness in adults. Eggs are enriched by including tuna oil to the hens' diet.
M Celebs taste test: Same as normal eggs, although the shells cracked more during boiling.
Expert verdict: Worth it - DHA is good for your skin, hair, brain and heart. For optimum health benefits, you need more than the RDA, so we recommend adding these to your diet along with other good omega-3 sources such as raw nuts, seeds and oily fish. Also take an A-Z supplement so your body can metabolise the DHA properly.
Shows promise
BENECOL LIGHT SPREAD
pounds 2.49
Product claims: Proven to reduce cholesterol by up to 14% as part of a healthy lifestyle. Plant stanol ester blocks absorption of bad cholesterol.
M Celebs taste test: Fine in sarnies.
Expert verdict: Lots of studies to prove it works. However, only useful as part of a healthy diet - it isn't a licence to eat fatty foods. It's quite processed, and stanol ester occurs naturally in corn, wheat, rye and oats - you'd be better off eating more of these in their unprocessed form.
ORGANIC SLUMBER
BEDTIME MILK
79p per bottle at Waitrose
Product claims: Helps you sleep because it contains higher levels of melatonin, which regulates the body clock. These are achieved naturally by using milk produced by cows at night.
M Celebs taste test: Same as ordinary whole milk.
Expert verdict: Possibly helpful, but we don't know how much melatonin it contains. Melatonin supplements (not licensed here, but available in the US) aren't advised for children, or women who are pregnant/trying to conceive as they can affect hormones. It's doubtful this milk has high melatonin levels, but we wouldn't advise it for these groups.
HOVIS BEST OF HEALTH LOAF
from 85p
Product claims: A soft, wholemeal bread that helps maintain heart health. Has 25% less salt than standard wholemeal and added cholesterol-busting soluble fibre.
M Celebs taste test: Same as ordinary wholemeal.
Expert verdict: Healthier than Hovis's normal bread, but still quite processed. More natural loaves, like Cranks' organic wholemeal, have more fibre and less fat. Rye is also a good alternative. These are both dense breads though, so this is a good buy if you only like soft bread.
PJ DAILY DETOX
from pounds 1.29 per bottle
Product claims: Detox your system with an additive-free smoothie made with liver-cleansing milk thistle and antioxidant vitamin C.
M Celebs taste test: Quite sweet, but pleasant.
Expert verdict: It's a very pure product which will give you some fruit goodness, but it's made from concentrate which will destroy lots of enzymes and nutrients. And each bottle contains just 61g of milk thistle - you'd need to be taking about 400g every day during a detox.
Must try harder
MLLER VITALITY PROBIOTIC YOGURT DRINK
pounds 1.50 for 6
Product claims: Contains `friendly bacteria' L.acidophilus and Bifidobacteria sp, which help counter overgrowth of `bad bacteria' in the gut and improve your digestive health.
M Celebs taste test: A delicious, quick addition to breakfast.
Expert verdict: It has the right cultures, but it's hard for them to survive the journey to your gut and you'd need to consume vast quantities to make a difference. It's also packed with sugar which feeds good and bad bacteria. If you need to top up good bacteria levels (eg after taking antibiotics), opt for a probiotic supplement from a firm like Biocare (0121 433 3727).
LUCOZADE HYDRO ACTIVE FITNESS WATER
pounds 1.05 per bottle
Product claims: Provides better hydration during exercise than water because its fruity taste encourages you to drink more. Contains energy-releasing B vitamins and 23% of the RDA of calcium.
M Celebs taste test: Hovers between sharp and sickly.
Expert verdict: The reasoning behind the `better hydration' claim is dubious, and the calcium is actually calcium carbonate, a form that's hard to absorb. Sports drinks are only useful for endurance athletes - non-pros are far better off with water.
SLIMAVITE CHROMIUM DIET GUM
pounds 8.95 for tub of 72 (0870 240 4858, www.biovite.co.uk)
Product claims: A sugar-free chewing gum with chromium, believed to inhibit hunger.
M Celebs taste test: Minty fresh.
Expert verdict: To help control hunger you'd have to be eating at least 200 micrograms of chromium, which you won't get from this - the daily limit is eight pieces as it can have laxative effects. Consult a nutritionist if you suffer from cravings - they suggest a nutritional imbalance.
BOOTS CEREAL BAR WITH CALCIUM
69p per bar
Product claims: Helps keep bones healthy. Aimed at menopausal women who are particularly vulnerable to osteoporosis, but good for anyone deficient in calcium. Each bar provides 31% RDA.
M Celebs taste test: A good combo of chewiness and chocolate.
Expert verdict: It's a quarter sugar and contains hydrogenated fat, linked to heart disease and cancer. It doesn't say what form the calcium is in either, so you can't tell how easy it is for the body to utilise. A healthier way to get calcium would be to eat raw nuts and seeds, tinned salmon, low-fat yogurt and green leafy veg. Or take a calcium citrate (not calcium carbonate) supplement, plus an A-Z supplement to help your body absorb it.
