I had a heart attack last year. At a recent check-up I was told that my blood sugar levels are quite high and that I should improve my diet as I could be at risk of diabetes. I cut out most sugary foods after my heart attack. What else can I do?

Sugar doesn’t directly cause type 2 diabetes, but too much sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity. When it comes to lowering your risk of diabetes, it’s important to consider your whole diet and your lifestyle. You mention that you changed your diet following your heart attack, but you don’t mention if your weight is within the normal range. Being overweight or obese puts you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Even if your diet is healthy, eating too much will lead to weight gain. Keep a detailed food diary (type of food, quantities, how it was cooked). You can do this with some paper and a pen or using an app. Do it for at least three days. It can help you pay more attention to what you consume and spot areas for improvement.

I always thought that pure fruit juices and smoothies were a healthy drinks choice but I noticed that they are high in sugar. Are they any better than fizzy drinks?

Drinks such as fruit juice and smoothies that contain naturally occurring sugars have the advantage that they tend to contain additional nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. They can also help you towards your five-a-day. Drinks with added sugar, on the other hand, tend to only provide us with energy (calories) and few other nutrients, if any. Juices and smoothies are fine as a once-a-day addition to your diet, but it’s better to drink water and other sugar-free drinks on a more frequent basis. As well as naturally occurring sugars, watch out for added sugars too. Fruit nectars and juice drinks often contain added sugars, especially the more exotic fruit juices such as peach, mango or lychee juice. Smoothies also often come with additional sweetness in the form of honey, syrups or nectars – whichever name is used, it is still added sugar. So if the choice is between a sugary fizzy drink and a fruit juice/smoothie, then pure fruit juices and smoothies can be a more nutritious choice.