Healthy Diet
What is a healthy balanced diet?
Healthy eating means having a variety of food, basing meals on starchy foods and eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. This also means:
Having a moderate amount of meat and fish,
Moderate amounts of milk and dairy food,
Having small or occasional amounts of food high in fat, especially saturated fat,
Or food and drinks high in sugar, or food high in salt.
- increase in intake of dietary fibre and liquid.
Starchy foods contain carbohydrate mainly in the form of starch which provides energy, and also some protein, minerals, vitamins and fibre.
Fibre helps the digestive system to function properly and it helps to prevent constipation. On average, we only eat two thirds of the fibre we should eat every day.
Examples of starchy foods consist of bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and potatoes.
The healthiest choice is wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread or brown rice, as these help to protect us against the risk of heart diseases and strokes.
Fruits and vegetables
provide our body with vitamins, minerals, fibre and carbohydrate, mainly in the form of sugars.
It is essential to have a high intake of fruits and vegetables as they can lower risks of heart diseases, some cancers and other health problems.
We should be eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. But do you know something?
Fresh, frozen, juiced, canned and dried fruit or vegetables can all be taken into consideration.
A portion of fruit or vegetables is about 80g. So we should be having at least 400g of fruits and vegetables everyday.
Juice is counted as one portion no matter how much you drink.
- Beans and pulses are counted as a maximum of one portion a day.
- Potatoes are not included as they belong in the starchy food group.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and pulses
are all rich in protein. Our body needs it for the growth and repair of body tissues.
This group of food also provides vitamin B which helps to release the energy from food so it is available for usage by the body. Vitamin B12 which is contained in meat, fish and eggs, greatly aids in the production of red blood cells and in keeping our nervous system healthy.
Liver is the richest source of Vitamin B12 and Vitamin A. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid eating liver because of the excessively rich source of Vitamin A.
Protein-rich foods
do contain minerals too including:
Iron which helps to build healthy blood and prevent anemia.
Zinc which helps with wound healing.
Magnesium which helps the body utilize energy.
We should be eating at least 2 portions of fish each week as part of our balanced diet. One of these portions should consist of oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon and trout (canned or fresh). Eating healthy fish can help to protect us against coronary heart disease because they are good sources of a special type of fat that is beneficial to health. On top of that, they are good sources of Vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. However,although canned tuna is still a good source of protein, it is not counted as an oily fish as the canning process removes the beneficial oils.
Recommendation for the maximum number of portions of oily fish we should be eating each week.
2 Portions of Oily Fish | 4 Portions of Oily Fish |
| Girls and women who might have a baby soon | Other women |
| Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding | Men and boys |
Milk and dairy foods
are also vital components of a balanced diet. They provide protein and:
are rich in calcium which is needed for healthy bones and teeth.
Provide vitamins, especially Vitamin B also known as riboflavin, which consists of several important functions including helping the body turn the food we eat into energy.
Vitamin A, found only in foods of animal origin. Carotene which can be used by the body to convert into Vitamin A is found in fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and apricots.
The secret to a healthy diet and a healthy life is living food –
fresh vegetables, fruit, juices and green leafy salads. The answer to a healthier you is summed up in three words, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Living a healthy life and having a healthy family is all about eating a healthy diet, every day!
If you always remember to "eat the most nutrient dense foods possible" you will never go wrong.
We hope you and your family enjoy these raw or near raw delicious recipes.
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