Amanda Holden has claimed her one major diet choice, followed by millions around the world, has given her great health for the last 40 years. Adopting this popular diet may have slashed the star's risk of serious chronic conditions and kept her looking and feeling younger as a result.

As reported in Women's Health, Amanda has previously said that she believes her vegetarian diet has kept her ‘healthy by default’. The star has been following the lifestyle since she was 13 years old.

Now, at 54, the mum-of-two has committed to the way of life for over four decades. Her mostly plant-based approach includes some firm favourites like "avocado, chickpeas and quinoa salads". Amanda's choice to turn vegetarian was down to her concerns about animal welfare, having previously said: "The best thing you can do for animals is to just leave them off your plate".

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Women's Health added to its report that, on social media, Amanda has shared that she enjoys hard-boiled eggs with a drizzle of Marmite. She urged fans to try the odd combo, and said: "I don't understand why everyone thinks this is a gross thing to do. This is my favourite thing to do."

The Britain's Got Talent judge and Heart radio presenter has claimed in the past that she does occasionally eat fish, technically making her pescatarian rather than a full vegetarian. However, the rich volume of healthy fruits, vegetables and other plant-based ingredients leads to an overall healthy approach to nutrition, although the busy mum does claim that she won’t restrict anything that gives her pleasure.

A vegetarian is a person who will not eat any form of meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish. Their diet typically consists of a variety of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

Depending on personal beliefs or preferences, some people (lacto-vegetarians) might include dairy products in their diet. Others might choose to relax their approach to vegetarianism even further, such as pescatarians who still incorporate fish into their diet and flexitarians, who mainly eat plant-based foods but occasionally include meat or fish.

Alternatively, people may adopt a much stricter form of vegetarianism - known as veganism. This ban includes all animal products and may also extend to other aspects of daily life, such as avoiding certain cosmetics, household items or clothing materials.

Cutting fish and meat from your diet may unlock a range of health benefits when done in a safe and consistent way. Studies suggest that adopting a predominantly plant-based diet may be a healthier way to eat, with fewer reported cases of obesity.

Aside from how you look, it can help change the way you feel on the inside as well. Research has found that people following a vegetarian way of life have a lower risk of developing heart disease of type 2 diabetes.

Studies have linked higher intakes of vegetarian foods with positive skin health. These foods are rich in plant defence chemicals called polyphenols, as well as skin-supportive nutrients like vitamins C and E may offer further benefits for certain skin conditions like acne, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

The NHS has lots of information about vegetarianism and how people can make sure they are getting the needed nutrients for a healthy life. If people want to explore this type of diet, it may be best to speak with their doctor first to check that the restrictions won't interfere with any pre-existing health conditions or current medications.