2. E xe rcise and d ie t
A good diet is
central to overall
good health, but do
you know the bes t
foods to include in
your meals , and
thos e bes t
avoided?
3. The food groups
The major food groups that they should be
eating every day are:
S tarch y food : C arbohydrates
F ats and s u gars
F ru it and ve ge tab le s
P rote in
M ilk and d airy p rod u cts
S alt and F lu id s
4. S tarch y food : C arbohydrates
This food group is your body's main s ourc e
of energy and c ontains bread, pas ta, ric e,
potatoes , noodles , c hapatti, c ereals and
other s tarc hy c arbohydrates .
They s hould be a part of all meals , filling
about a third of your plate.
A high-fibre diet may reduce the risk of
developing Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer
E vidence for health benefits of fibre High-fibre foods take longer to
diges t, s o keep you feeling fuller for longer. The s low and s teady
diges tion of food through the gut helps c ontrol blood s ugar and as s is ts
with weight maintenanc e
Fibre helps in the diges tive proc es s and c an help lower blood choles terol
Fibre promotes bowel regularity and keeping the gas trointes tinal tract
c lean to help reduc e the ris k of developing divertic ular dis eas e and
c ons tipation
5. Fats and sugars
Thes e foods , although an important energy s ourc e,
often c ontain few other nutrients , s o it's healthier to
limit their c ons umption.
Fats are lard, butter, hard margarine, cheese, whole milk and anything that contains
these ingredients, oils, etc. The sugar group, which includes foods such as cakes,
biscuits, sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks and crisps, makes up the smallest section
of the 'eatwell plate'.
Fat facts
•F at trans p orts th e fat-s olu b le vitam ins A, D , E and K arou nd th e b od y
•It can ofte n im p rove th e flavou r and p e rce p tion of food s , incre as ing th e ir
p alatab ility
•E F As m u s t b e s u p p lie d from th e d ie t, and are th ou gh t to h ave a p os itive
e ffe ct on h e art h e alth and th e im m u ne s ys te m
•It h as a ke y role in m e m b rane s tru ctu re
•F at is a conce ntrate d s ou rce of e ne rgy. Ju s t 1 g p rovid e s nine calorie s - m ore
th an d ou b le th e calorie s in 1 g of p rote in or carb oh yd rate .
6. The two types of Fats
Fat can be divided into two main groups - saturated and
unsaturated.
Saturated fat is generally solid at room temperature
and is usually from animal sources like butter or hard
margarine.
Eating too much saturated fat is associated with
increased blood cholesterol concentrations and an
increased risk of heart disease
Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature
and generally comes from vegetable sources. Monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated fats are both included in this group.
Unsaturated vegetable oils are generally a healthier alternative to
saturated fat and can be found in sesame, sunflower, soya, olive
and rapeseed oil, soft margarine and in foods such as oily fish,
including mackerel, sardines, pilchards and salmon.
Polyunsaturated fats contain inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids
and it’s the balance of these with omega-3s which is important.
7. A jam doughnut contains 10.9g fat
A slice of malt loaf contains 0.7g fat
A teaspoon of peanut butter contains
5.4g fat
A pint of whole milk contains 22.8 g
fat
A handful of mixed nuts contains
21.6g fat
8. It's vital our diets contain protein, either from
animal or plant sources.
Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and
eggs, pulses, nuts and seeds, soya
products and vegetable protein
foods
9. From hair to fingernails, protein is a major functional and
structural component of all our cells. Protein provides the
body with roughly 10 to 15 per cent of its dietary energy,
and is needed for growth and repair.
Proteins are large molecules made up of long chains of amino
acid subunits. Some of these amino acids are nutritionally
essential as they cannot be made or stored within the body
and so must come from foods in our daily diet.
Although all animal and plant
cells contain some protein, the
amount and quality of this
protein can vary widely.
10. Protein from animal sources contains the full range of
essential amino acids needed from an adult's diet. But red
meat, in particular, should be eaten in limited amounts due
to the high level of saturated fat it contains, which may
raise blood levels of 'unhealthy' LDL cholesterol.
11. A high intake of saturated fat can
lead to an increased risk of
cardiovascular disease and other
related disorders.
12. As an alternative source of animal protein,
choose poultry, fish and shellfish
Fish is a good source of animal protein. Oil-rich fish such
as salmon, mackerel, herring, tuna, trout and sardines are
all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce the
risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Shellfish is also a good
source of protein and is
low in fat.
Aim to eat a couple of
portions of fish every
week, with at least one
portion being an oily
fish.
13. Eggs contain all eight essential amino acids, making
them a perfect source of protein. However, you'd
have to eat at least eight eggs a day to get all the
protein you need. Be sensible!!; include them as
part of a balanced and varied diet.
14. Vegetarians rely on plant sources for their daily protein. Plants don’t
contain the full range of essential amino acids and so are not as high in
nutritional value as animal protein. But by eating a well-balanced diet
that contains a variety of different foods, it's possible to consume the
required amino acids, regardless of the time of day they’re eaten or in
what combinations within a meal.
Foods such as nuts, seeds, beans,
pulses, vegetable protein foods
and soya products all contain
protein. There are also small
amounts in grains and dairy
products. Due to this variety of
protein-rich foods available in the
UK, protein deficiency is rare.
15. H e alth p rofe s s ionals s u gge s t m e n s h ou ld e at 55.5g p rote in a
d ay and wom e n 45g. In p ractical te rm s , e ating a m od e rate
am ou nt of p rote in - in one or two m e als e ve ry d ay – s h ou ld
give you all th e p rote in you ne e d . Mos t p e op le in th e U K e at
far m ore p rote in th an th e y actu ally ne e d .
You s h ou ld e at two to th re e s e rvings of p rote in e ve ry d ay from
b oth p lant and anim al s ou rce s . H e re are s om e e xam p le s of
one s e rving (ab ou t th e s ize of a s tand ard p ack of p laying
card s ):
1 00g b one le s s m e at (e g le an b e e f, lam b or p ork)
1 00g b one le s s p ou ltry (e g ch icke n or tu rke y b re as t)
1 00g fis h (e g s alm on, s ard ine s or tu na)
2 m e d iu m e ggs
3 tab le s p oons of s e e d s (e g s u nflowe r or p u m p kin s e e d s )
3 tab le s p oons of nu ts (e g alm ond s or walnu ts )
16. If you can, choose to eat low-fat protein
foods as these will help to:
Keep your heart healthy
Keep cholesterol low
Minimise the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease and other related
disorders
17. Fruit and vegetables are low in energy and packed with
vitamins, minerals, protective plant compounds and fibre,
so they're a great source of nutrients and vital for a
healthy diet.
18. D u e to th e ir nu tritional and h e alth b e ne fits , it's re com m e nd e d
th at fru it and ve ge tab le s form th e b as is of you r d ie t, with a
m inim u m intake of five p ortions e ach d ay - ab ou t a th ird of
you r d aily food cons u m p tion. C u rre ntly th e U K ave rage s two to
th re e p ortions a d ay, s o we 're falling we ll s h ort of th e b e ne fits
th e y can p rovid e .
F ru it and ve ge tab le s s h ou ld b e incorp orate d into e ve ry m e al,
as we ll as b e ing th e firs t ch oice for a s nack. P op u lation s tu d ie s
h ave s h own th at p e op le wh o e at a lot of fru it and ve ge tab le s
m ay h ave a lowe r ris k of ch ronic d is e as e , s u ch as heart
dis eas eand s om e cancers . H e alth b e ne fits can b e gaine d
from fre s h , canne d (in natu ral j ice ), froze n, cooke d , j ice d or
u u
d rie d ve rs ions . P otatoe s d on't cou nt th ou gh , as th e y're a
s tarc hy food.
19. Why are they important?
Fruit and vegetables of differing colours contain diverse mixtures of
phytonutrients (protective plant compounds). These can act as
powerful antioxidants, protecting the body from harmful free radicals
and helping to protect against certain chronic diseases such as cancer.
Some fruit and vegetables are labelled as 'superfoods' because they
contain high concentrations of some phytonutrients, particularly
antioxidants, which appear to be beneficial to health.
Blueberries - contain flavonoids that can improve circulation and help defend
against infection
Broccoli - rich in the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene, as well as folate,
all of which can protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer
Tomatoes - rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that can protect against
harmful free radicals
But variety is the key. In addition to these phytonutrients, each variety of fruit
and vegetables contains its own combination ofvitamins, minerals and fibre.
Choosing a variety throughout the day will provide a diverse package of
essential nutrients.
20. Water makes up 50 to 70 per cent of an adult's
total body weight and, without regular top-ups,
our body's survival time is limited to a matter of
days.
Water's essential for the body's growth and
maintenance, as it's involved in a number of
processes. For example, it helps get rid of waste
and regulates temperature, and it provides a
medium for biological reactions to occur in the
body.
Water's lost from the body through urine and
sweat, and must be replaced through the diet. If
you don't consume enough you can become
dehydrated, causing symptoms such as
headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration.
Chronic dehydration can contribute to a
number of health problems such as constipation
and kidney stones.
21. Give out statins with junk food
A jun
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cons e lthy
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s tero
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Pr fesso
Wissbe
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gBrtish
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Founda rt
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