These practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating to assist us in making better choices.
The key to a healthy diet is to balance the number of calories we consume and the calories our bodies burn based on our daily activity.
In simplicity, if we consume more calories than our bodies need, we’ll be gaining weight, and if we consume less calories than our bodies need, we’ll be losing weight as our body then burns its stored fats for energy.
We should also be consuming a wide variety of foods to ensure we’re getting a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients our bodies need.
It is recommended that the average woman consumes between 1600 and 2400 calories (6694.4 and 10041.6 kilojoules) a day with the average man consuming between 2000 and 3000 calories (8368 and 12552 kilojoules) a day. This is specified in a range, as factors like age, sex, height, metabolism and levels of physical activity change the exact value required by each individual person, among other things.
Structure our meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates
These should makeup just over a third of the food we consume and include things like potatoes, breads, rice, pastas and cereals. Choose unrefined, high-fibre wholegrain varieties like wholewheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes, with their skins on as they contain more fibre, rather than white or refined starchy carbohydrates, as they help keep us feeling fuller for longer.
Try including at least one starchy food with every meal. Some people think that starchy foods are more fattening, but gram for gram the contained carbohydrates in them, provide fewer than half the calories of fat. Be aware of the fats you add to this food when you are cooking or serving them as that increases the calories, for example oil on chips, butter on bread and creamy sauces on pastas.
Make sure we’re getting lots of fruit and vegetables
Recommendations are that we consume at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables a day. These can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. Getting our five a day is easier than it sounds as we can chop a banana over our breakfast, or swap our mid-morning snack for a piece of fresh fruit.
A portion of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables is 80 grams. A portion of dried fruit, which should be kept to meal time, is 30 grams. 150ml of fruit juice, vegetable juice or a smoothie counts as one portion, but let’s limit these to no more than one a day as they are sugary and can damage our teeth.
Try more fish and include one portion of oily fish
Fish, a good source of protein containing numerous vitamins and minerals. Try to eat at least two portions of fish a week of which one should be an oily type of fish, as oily fishes are high in omega-3 fats which helps us prevent heart disease.
Oily type fishes include salmon, trout, herring, sardines, pilchards and mackerel, non-oily type fishes include haddock, plaice, coley, cod, tuna, skate and hake.
We can choose between fresh, frozen and canned fish, however canned fish could be high in salts. Most people should be consuming more fish than the recommendations.
Reduce the saturated fats and sugars
Saturated fats
Some fat in our diet is healthy, but it’s important to pay attention to the type and amount we’re consuming. There are two main types of fat, saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the risk of us developing heart disease.
The average man should have no more than 30 grams of saturated fat a day and the average women should have no more than 20 grams of saturated fat a day. Children under the age of 11 years should have less saturated fat than adults, but a low-fat diet is not suitable for children under the age of 5 years.
Saturated fats can be found in foods like fatty cuts of meat, sausages, butter, hard cheeses, cream, cakes, biscuits, lard and pies. Try consuming less saturated fats and choose foods containing unsaturated fats instead such as vegetable oils and spreads, fish and avocados.
For healthier alternatives, try to use small amounts of vegetable or olive oil or reduced-fat spread instead of butter, lard or ghee.
When having meats, choose lean cuts and cut off any visible fat.
All types of fats are high in cholesterol and should thus be consumed in small quantities.
Sugars
Consuming foods and drinks high in sugars increases our risks of obesity and tooth decay. Sugary food and drinks are often high in energy, measured in kilojoules and calories, and if consumed too frequently, contributes to weight gain and causes tooth decay, especially if consumed between meals.
Free sugars are sugars added to food or drinks or found naturally in honey, syrups, sweetened fruit juices and smoothies. These types of sugars should be cut down on rather than the sugars found in fruits and milk. Many packaged foods and drinks contain high amounts of free sugars.
Free sugars are found in things like sugary fizzy drinks, sugary breakfast cereals, cakes, biscuits, pastries and puddings, sweets and chocolates and alcoholic drinks. Food labels can help us check how much of these free sugars foods or drinks contain.
In excess of 22,5 grams of sugar per 100 grams means that the food is high in sugar, while 5 grams or less of sugar per 100 grams means that the food is low in sugar.
Less salt
Too much salt raises our blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Even if we do not add salt to our food, we may still be having too much.
About three quarters of the salt we consume is already contained in the foods we purchase, like breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. We can use food labels to help us cut down on our salt intake. More than 1,5 grams of salt per 100 grams means that the food is high in salt.
Adults and children aged 11 and older should consume no more than 6 grams (about a teaspoon) a day. Younger children should have even less.
Maintain a healthy weight by being active
While eating healthy, regular exercise is also important for our overall health and well-being, as being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and stroke. Being underweight could also affect our health negatively.
If we’re planning to lose weight, we need to try and eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy balanced diet will help us maintain a healthy weight.
To find out if you are a healthy weight, you can use the Health Project’s BMI calculator to find out your BMI (Body Mass Index).
If you are concerned about your weight, consult with your GP or a dietitian for advice.
Consume enough fluids
To prevent dehydration, we should drink plenty of fluids. It is recommended to drink 6 to 8 glasses a day. This being in addition to the fluid we get from the foods we’re consuming.
All non-alcoholic drinks such as water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee count and are the healthier choices. Try and avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks as they are high in calories and bad for our teeth. Even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies are high in free sugars.
Our combined total of fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies should be no more than 150 grams a day (a small glass). When its warmer and when we’re exercising, remember to have more fluids.
Remember breakfast
People skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight, but a healthy breakfast high in fibre and low in fat, salt and sugar can form part of a balanced diet and help us get the nutrients we need for good health.
Wholegrain lower sugar cereal with semi-skimmed or low-fat milk with some fruit sliced over the top is after all a tasty, healthy breakfast.
Munchies4U does not provide professional dietary advice. If you or someone you care for has special dietary requirements, medical needs or an eating disorder, please seek advice from a registered healthcare professional.
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