Health benefits: The Mediterranean diet is one of the most nourishing cuisines in the world, but it's easy to get it wrong with an ingredient list that largely consists of starch and oils. One of the most common mistakes is overcooking pasta. For the healthiest and tastiest pasta cook it 'al dente', which means “to the tooth” or “to the bite.” If overcooked, the lower glycemic (GI) index in pasta will rise, making it harder for the body to digest and absorbed the starch.

Italian celebrity chef, Gino D'Acampo, also suggests you shouldn't allocate more than 120g of dried pasta per person. Often people make the mistake of throwing the whole bag of pasta in the pot and end up cooking and eating far too much, which can make it a healthy bloat-inducing meal.

How to: Fill a large, tall pot with water and place over high heat. When the water begins to boil, add salt to taste. Once the salt dissolves and the water is fully boiling, add pasta to the water and stir frequently the first two minutes. Al dente pasta is ready when there is a thin white vein at the centre and you can feel a slight resistance when you bite into it or cut it with a fork.

From adding sage to embracing al dente, small tweaks that will make your eating habits healthier