 |
 |
8 tips for healthy eating
Share8 tips for healthy eating
These eight tips will help you make healthier food choices.
The key to a healthy diet is to:
- Eat the right number of calories for how active you are. This way you balance your energy input with your energy expenditure.
- It is important to make sure you are getting a balanced diet by eating a wide range of foods.
Base your meals on starchy carbohydrates
Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over one third of the food you eat. They include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals. Always make sure these foods are wholegrain rather than white. This will increase your nutrient and fibre intake and help you feel fuller for longer.
Eat lots of fruit and veg
It's recommended that we eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. 2-3 serves of fruit per day and 5 serves of vegetables per day.
Eat more fish 2-3 servings per week
Fish (especially cold water fish) omega 3 fatty acids which is important for brain and heart health. Fish is also good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals.
Cold water fish include:
- salmon
- mackerel
- trout
- herring
- fresh tuna
- sardines
- pilchards.
Saturated fat in our diet
Not all fats are created equal and it’s important to pay attention to the type of fat you are eating. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. If you consume an excessive amount of saturated fat, you can be at risk of an increased amount of cholesterol in your blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.
Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as:
- hard cheese
- cakes
- biscuits
- sausages
- cream
- butter
- lard
- pies.
Try and decrease the amount of saturated foods in your diet and choose foods that contain unsaturated fats instead, this includes nuts and seeds, avocadoes, oily fish and olive oil .
Sugar in your diet
Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity, tooth decay and other health conditions.
Most packaged foods contain high amounts of sugar. These include
- sugary fizzy drinks or soft drinks
- alcoholic drinks
- sugary breakfast cereals
- cakes
- biscuits
- pastries
Eat less salt
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure and those with high blood pressure have an increased risk of developing heart disease or a stroke.
Get active and be a healthy weight
It is important to consume a healthy, balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight. Physical activity can also help you to maintain weight loss or be a healthy weight.
Don't get thirsty
You need to drink plenty of fluids to stop you getting dehydrated. The best choice is water.
Printer Friendly Version
References
Related Modalities
Nutrition
