It’s not just devout Christians who swear off certain pleasures for Lent, which begins this Wednesday. Chocolate, sweets and booze are obvious things to give up, but what if you’re eating healthily already? Here, six nutritionists reveal the habits they’ll be kicking.

Constant caffeine

While drinking caffeine does have benefits such as boosting mood and alertness, it’s easy to overdo it. For Rob Hobson, the nutritionist and author of The Low Appetite Cookbook, it has become a crutch in meetings. He noticed his caffeine top-ups throughout the day were impacting his stress levels and sleep. “I’m not giving up coffee completely, but I’ll stick to a single coffee before the gym then I’m going caffeine-free for the rest of the day,” he says. Rather than relying on decaf, he’s going to switch to ginger and lemon tea during the day for something zingy and refreshing. “Then I’ll move towards more calming herbal teas in the late afternoon to help bring stress levels down.”

Endless crisps

We all know how easy it is to gobble an entire bag of crisps without noticing. It’s something Emma Bardwell, a menopause nutritionist, is pushing pause on this Lent. “Crisps can fit into a balanced diet but it’s very easy to overeat them,” she says. “I don’t miss them when I eat protein and fibre-rich meals: it’s usually hunger while cooking that sends me to the crisp drawer. And Netflix and crisps — Bacon Fries are my favourites — go hand in hand.” She’ll be swapping them for fibre-rich, nutrient-dense and lower-calorie seaweed crisps for a healthier crunchy, salty fix.

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On-the-go snacking

Sometimes it’s not the food you’re eating so much as the way you’re eating it that can be detrimental to your health. “I realised I’ve been mindlessly eating while on the go with my toddler,” the Harley Street nutritionist Lily Soutter says. “I want to cultivate a better habit of taking more time to sit down and eat meals, chew thoroughly and be present during the experience.” Benefits of doing so include feeling more satisfied with meals, so you’re less inclined to snack, and improved digestive comfort. “I’m also aware of the powerful benefits of eating as a family,” she says. “I want to model healthy eating habits for my child.”

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Ready-made soups

Lent doesn’t have to be about giving up something you love — it could also be about making a good habit better. “Soup is something I genuinely love and often rely on as a quick, comforting meal during the colder months,” says Rhiannon Lambert, a nutritionist and the author of The Fibre Formula. “But many shop-bought soups contain preservatives and rely on artificial flavourings and high levels of salt for their flavour.”

Instead, Lambert will get out the handheld blender and whizz up her own varieties loaded with veg, herbs, spices and pulses. “From a health perspective, homemade soups offer an excellent opportunity to increase our fibre intake,” Lambert says. According to a report from M&S last month, 96 per cent of us in the UK fall short on the recommended intake of 30g per day.

“Ingredients such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, root vegetables and wholegrains are great sources of fibre, which can help support your gut health, improve your diet and leave you feeling fuller for longer,” Lambert says.

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Refined sugar

OK, it’s hardly surprising that this one gets the nutritionist seal of disapproval. We’ve long been warned off eating refined sugar — the kind that isn’t found naturally in fruit, dairy products and honey — and for good reason. The nutritional therapist Le’Nise Brothers has given it up for Lent before and will do so again this year. “Research has shown that high refined sugar consumption — that’s more than 30g a day, or one Mars Bar — is associated with high cholesterol levels, chronic inflammation and increased risk of type 2 diabetes,” she says. What to have instead? “Try chopped apples with nut butter, or crisp green apples or dates.” She also counsels making sure your meals include plenty of protein, fibre and healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer and ward off the sugar cravings.

Repetition

It’s easy to get stuck in a pattern of having the same fruit and veg, but variety is key — that’s why the advice has moved on from five a day to thirty different plant types a week. “It’s important because the gut loves variety: different foods feed different gut bacteria, which supports digestion, immunity and even mood,” says Manisha Morgan, a nutritionist and personal trainer. Instead of her usual courgettes and peppers she will cook more Indian veg, such as okra or bitter gourd, in soups and curries. “And I’ll eat oranges sprinkled with the Mexican seasoning Tajin — herbs and spices count towards your tally.” She also suggests thinking about colour rather than completely new foods — black grapes instead of green, for example. “Different colours mean different plant compounds, which your gut loves.” Variety can encourage virtue too, she adds. “If you’re bored with the same meals, that can make it harder to stick with healthy habits.”