Healthy Eating
Probably one of the most successful ways we can
improve our health is through nutrition; a healthy,
balanced diet involves eating foods that provide all the
nutritional goodness our bodies need to stay in shape
and be active. This includes fighting off harmful
bacterias, balancing fluid levels and growing and
repairing bodily tissue. Eating a healthy diet doesn't
mean adopting every new fad that comes along. What we
all need is variety and, in today’s society, food is so
easily accessible that we should take advantage of the
many types of fruit and vegetables available through the
year. It’s true that some foods have more nutritional
value than others, but we don’t have to stop indulging
in the foods we enjoy most , as long as we eat
everything in proportion.
For the conventional nutritionist, food intake is
broken down into carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins
and minerals. Most of us, however, don’t think about
what we eat in this way, but it is helpful for us to
have a basic understanding of which foods contain which
of the above elements and how much of each we should
consume. Once we’ve grasped a basic understanding of
this concept, it’s much easier to create a fun, healthy
diet and, without putting too much effort into it,
maintain an energetic lifestyle.
Carbohydrates, Protein and
Fat
Each of these nutrients is broken down
within the body and either stored for future use or used
for rebuilding body tissue.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
are our main source of energy; stored mainly as glycogen
in the muscles and liver, they are used for short-term
energy supplies. The World Health Organisation
recommends that 50-70% of energy should come from
complex carbohydrates. The exact amount of carbohydrate
that you need depends upon your appetite as well as your
level of activity. A diet high in carbohydrate ensures
the body’s instant energy supplies are plentiful both
for everyday activities and for sport and exercise. A
diet too low in carbohydrate will lead to early fatigue,
particularly in active people. If carbohydrate is
excluded as part of a weight-loss programme, mainly
those following a low-calorie or crash dieting, the
result will be a loss of muscle tissue rather than fat
as the body turns to muscle for its emergency energy
stores.
Carbohydrates are split into three groups: complex
carbohydrates (starchy foods), simple carbohydrates
(sugary foods) and dietary fibre. In a healthy diet,
it’s the complex carbohydrates that we need most,
especially unrefined carbohydrates like wholemeal bread
and brown rice since these offer greater fibre content.
Other complex foods can be found in cereals/grains
(bread, rice, pasta, oats, barley, rye) and potatoes.
The simple, sugary types of carbohydrate do offer some
nutritional value, especially from natural food products
such as fruit, milk or natural yogurt.
Sources of Carbohydrates
| Simple
Carbohydrates |
Complex
Carbohydrates |
| Fruit |
Flour,
oats, millet |
| Fruit Juice |
Breakfast
cereals |
| Milk |
Bread* |
| Yogurt |
Potatoes |
| |
Pulses (legumes) |
| |
Parsnips |
| |
Pasta* |
| |
Brown
Rice |
| |
Couscous,
grains |
* The wholegrain varieties offer greater fibre
benefits and are considered more beneficial
generally.
Proteins
Protein is
normally used for rebuilding muscle and body tissue, but
can also be used for emergency supplies of energy when
carbohydrate stores are depleted. Protein is vital for
the structure and repair of cells, and to form hormones
and enzymes.
Our bodies make proteins by combining the basic
components of about 20 amino acids. Adults must obtain 8
of these amino acids from food and children 9; it is
from these essential amino acids that our bodies are
able produce the remainder.
Foods rich in protein include meat, fish, poultry,
eggs, milk and other dairy products, nuts and seeds,
beans, lentils and grains (bread has a little under 10%
protein). Animal foods do contain the right amounts of
these amino acids, but also contain relatively high
levels of fat. A key step towards a healthy balance is
to choose animal protein foods that are low in saturated
fat and to eat them in moderation. Proteins which come
from plant foods often need to be eaten in combination
with each other. This is because, singularly, they don’t
contain the full range of essential amino acids required
by the body. When plant foods are mixed together,
however, any deficiency in one is cancelled out by any
excess in the other, e.g. beans on toast or spicy bean
dishes with rice.
Fats
Fat is
essential in helping to form part of the body’s cell
structure and maintaining our inner organs and nerves.
Almost all of the fat in food consists of fatty acids,
which are saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.
Although fatty foods contain fatty acids from all 3
groups, saturated fats predominate in farmed meat and
dairy foods, while plants contain mainly unsaturated
fats, and fish and shellfish contain almost only
polyunsaturated fats. However, a certain amount of fat
is important in the diet as it is the valuable
combination of essential fatty acids and fat that is
needed to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, Fat also
assists in providing insulation, temperature regulation
and the manufactures hormones.
A HEALTHY BALANCE OF FATS
|
Eat less
|
Alternatives
|
| Butter,
margarine |
Spread
butter thinly or replace it with a low-fat
spread |
| Fatty meats |
Buy lean
cuts or skinless chicken or turkey. Eat fish more
often, especially oily fish e.g. salmon, mackerel,
sardines, whitebait, herrings and kippers |
| Full-fat
dairy products like cream, butter, hard margarine,
milk and hard cheeses |
Choose
skimmed or semi-skimmed milk or try alternatives
like rice or soya milk; low-fat yoghurt, low-fat
fromage frais, or reduced fat cheese. |
| Cheese
sauces |
Use low-fat
cheese or limit the portion |
| Creamy
pasta sauces |
Tomato or
vegetable sauces |
| Crisps,
cheesy-type snacks, salted peanuts |
Dried or
fresh fruit, raw vegetables |
| Garlic
bread |
Make your
own with low-fat spread and fresh garlic |
| Chocolate,
cakes |
Fresh fruit
or make your own low-fat cakes |
| Sweet pies
and pastries |
Fresh fruit
desserts |
| Processed
meats |
Low-fat
versions or limit the portion |
| Ready-made
meals |
Low-fat
versions |
| Rich salad
dressings like mayonnaise or salad
cream |
Make salad
dressings with low-fat yoghurt or fromage frais or
use a healthy oil such as olive oil |
| Fried
foods |
Steam,
grill or bake wherever possible. Choose jacket or
boiled potatoes and not
chips |
Vitamins & Minerals
Our
body needs vitamins and minerals, as they contribute to
the proper functioning of growth and development. They
also control the absorption of other nutrients, and a
lack of them will cause illness; either directly, or by
allowing the body to become susceptible viruses. There
are about 15 different vitamins that our body requires
in small amounts, with the exception of vitamins D and K
which are only found in the food we eat. It's important
to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible to
obtain the maximum level of vitamins possible. Needless
to say, buy small quantities of fresh food and eat it as
soon as possible. Also remember that food loses its
vitamins through cooking, exposure to light, cold or
storage.
How much to
eat
When you next go shopping, think carefully
about what you are putting in your trolley. Remember
that every time you eat, you are refueling your body and
so it’s important to pick your food sensibly. Although
the total amount eaten will vary depending on your
energy needs, a balance of food from the food group
below is desirable for almost everyone.
- Starchy Foods
Eat starchy foods such as
sweet potatoes, grains, cereals, bread, pasta and
oats, as the foundation of your balanced diet. The
World Health Organisation recommends that 50-70% of
energy should come from these foods, especially
unrefined versions, which provide more fibre, vitamins
and minerals.
- High-Fat and Sugary Foods
Most foods in
this category have little nutritional goodness
compared with calorific value and, therefore, should
be eaten sparingly. This includes cheese, cream, fried
food, spreading fats, oils, biscuits, chocolate,
pastry, and buns. It’s advisable to eat less of these
foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Fruit and Vegetables
Official
organisations have recently recommended that you
should aim to eat at least five portions of fruit and
vegetables a day, preferably fresh or frozen.
- Meat, Fish and Protein Alternatives
Fish
is one of the best sources of protein due to its high
content of vitamins and minerals, and it is greatly
recommended by nutritionists. Eat fish at least once
or twice a week, including one serving of oily fish,
e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, whitebait etc.
Alternative sources of protein can be found in pulses,
unsalted nuts or seeds, meat, poultry and eggs when in
moderate consumption.
- Dairy Foods
Enjoy dairy produce such as
milk, butter and cheese in moderate amounts, as they
contain not only protein, but fat too. Choose
semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, low-fat varieties of
yoghurt, fromage frais, Greek-style yoghurt and
cottage cheese. There are plenty of reduced-fat dairy
products available that can help in controlling your
fat intake.
Healthy eating tips
- Never skip breakfast – it’s the most important
meal of the day and provides essential energy.
- It’s far better to eat less, more often than
starve yourself all day and end up having a large meal
at night.
- Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables which contain
high levels of vitamins and minerals and are low in
fat, instead of high-fat or sugary snacks.
- Steadily increase the amount of fibre-rich foods
in your diet, such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains,
beans and lentils.
- Eat fish and poultry and, as far as possible,
avoid frying them. Cut down on red meat products such
as pies, sausages and so on, which generally have
higher levels of fat.
- Eat less dairy produce and use low-fat versions
of, say, yoghurt or milk.
- Keep pastries, cakes, biscuits and chocolates for
special occasions.
- Drink plenty of water; many of us get dehydrated.
Water cleanses the system and is wonderful for the
skin.
- Ease up on stimulants such as coffee and tea, and
of course alcohol. Try herbal tea as an
alternative.
- Try to use less salt – this also means reducing
intake of processed foods since they often contain
high levels of salt.
- Finally, enjoy your food! There’s a lot of
pleasure to be gained from the taste and aroma of a
varied diet.
|
