Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt shares health update after emergency surgery sparked change

Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt has become more mindful about his health, following an emergency appendix operation.

The 50-year-old chef was taken to hospital for an appendectomy in 2022, which sparked a wave of support from his fans at the time.

Just two weeks after the operation, the chef was welcomed back to Saturday Kitchen, attributing his quick return to the pressures of being self-employed.

Now fully recovered, Matt acknowledges a heightened awareness for his health and dietary habits and has decided to make some changes.

"I wanted to get a better understanding of how I'm ticking along and, yeah, I recently had one of those full body MOTs and, thankfully, that all came out well," he shared in a health update. "I'm good, I'm OK and going to keep doing what I'm doing.

"You just sort of take stock of where you're at, how much you're eating, how much you're drinking, late nights, going out, stuff like that.

"It did have a big effect actually so yeah, I came out of the other side thinking, OK let's just pace this a little bit better."

In partnership with Lingo, Matt is tracking which foods cause his glucose levels to spike and has shared the healthier alternatives he's discovered.

After sampling sushi, he noted: "It turns out it's not hugely healthy, in terms of glucose spikes, because obviously sushi's white rice is often soaked in sugar, so that was a big thing for me, a big reveal."

Matt additionally suggests swapping crisps for nuts and adding healthier options like celery sticks to your cheeseboards instead of crackers.

Other tips include making your own sauces instead of buying them, switching high-sugar chocolate for dark chocolate, and starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast.

"It keeps that level of energy up throughout the day," Matt said about maintaining balanced glucose levels.

"The mood is better, you sleep better, you don't have those 5pm [slumps] in the day where you're just tired and sluggish, all that seems to go out of the window."

Healthline suggests that your glucose levels should generally be 140 to 180 mg/dL after eating. However, these can rise depending on various factors, including age and diet.

Matt has been working with Lingo to create a series of tips to assist individuals during the festive period.

Lingo is designed to help individuals monitor and understand their glucose levels, promoting a healthier lifestyle as well as providing empowerment to people to make informed dietary choices, especially during the festive season.

For more information, visit here.

Saturday Kitchen: Countdown to Christmas airs today at 9.30am on BBC One.

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