Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health.....
Eating
a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health,
and can help you feel your best.
A diet based on starchy foods such
as potatoes, bread, rice and pasta; with plenty of fruit and vegetables;
some protein-rich foods such as beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other
proteins; some milk and dairy foods or dairy alternatives; and not too
much fat, salt or sugar, will give you all the nutrients you need.
When it comes to a healthy diet, balance
is the key to getting it right. This means eating a wide variety of
foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and
drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Food groups in our diet
- Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
- Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates. Choose wholegrain where possible
- Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks). Choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options
- Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein. Aim for two portions of fish every week – one of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel
- Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts
- Drink plenty of fluids – the doctor recommends 6-8 glasses a day
If you're having foods and drinks that
are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.
Try to choose a variety of different
foods from the five main food groups. Most people in the INDIA eat
and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough
fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibre.
Fruit and vegetables are a vital
source of vitamins and minerals and should make up just over a third of the
food we eat each day. It's advised that we eat at least five portions of a
variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
There's evidence that people
who eat at least five portions a day have a lower risk of heart
disease, stroke and some cancers.
Eating five
portions is not as hard as it sounds. Just one apple, banana, pear or similar-sized
fruit is one portion (80g). A slice of pineapple or melon is one portion. Three
heaped tablespoons of vegetables is another portion.
Having a sliced banana with your
morning cereal is a quick way to get one portion. Swap your mid-morning
biscuit for a tangerine, and add a side salad to your lunch. Have a
portion of vegetables with dinner, and snack on fresh fruit with
natural plain yoghurt in the evening to reach your five a day.
Starchy foods
in your diet
Starchy foods should make up just
over one third of everything we eat. This means we should base our meals
on these foods.
Potatoes with the skins
on are a great source of fibre and vitamins. For example, when having
boiled potatoes or a jacket potato, eat the skin too.
Try to choose wholegrain or wholemeal
varieties of starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta and brown,
wholemeal or higher fibre white bread. They contain more fibre, and
usually more vitamins and minerals than white varieties.
Milk and dairy
foods: go for lower-fat varieties
Milk and dairy foods such as cheese and
yoghurt are good sources of protein. They also contain calcium, which
helps keep your bones healthy.
Beans, pulses, fish,
eggs, meat and other proteins
These foods are all good sources of
protein, which is essential for the body to grow and repair itself. They are
also good sources of a range of vitamins and minerals.
Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and
minerals, including iron, zinc and B vitamins. It is also one of the main
sources of vitamin B12. Try to eat lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry
whenever possible to cut down on fat. Always cook meat thoroughly.
Fish is another important source of
protein, and contains many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is particularly
rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Aim for at least two portions of fish a
week, including one portion of oily fish. You can choose from fresh,
frozen or canned, but remember that canned and smoked fish can
often be high in salt.
Eggs and pulses (including beans,
nuts and seeds) are also great sources of protein. Nuts are high in fibre and
a good alternative to snacks high in saturated fat, but they do still
contain high levels of fat, so eat them in moderation. Learn more from our
pages on eggs
and pulses and beans.
Oils and
spreads
Some fat in the diet is essential, but
should be limited to small amounts. It's important to get most of our fat from
unsaturated oils and spreads. Swapping to unsaturated fats can help to lower
cholesterol.
Eat less saturated
fat and sugar
Too much saturated fat can increase the
amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing
heart disease, while regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar
increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay.
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