Healthy eating for you

Portion Distortion

People today eat far more than they used to, and far more than they need. Unfortunately, lots of us don't realise that we're eating too much because we've become so used to seeing (and eating!) larger portions.

How much food should I eat?

The recommended daily calorie intake varies depending on how old you are. For the average adult, it’s about 2,000 per day for women and 2,500 per day for men. These calories should be made up of a variety of food. The eat well plate shows how much of what you eat should come from each food group.

The eat well plate »

Food Groups

To keep healthy, it is important that we consume a balanced diet – which simply means getting sufficient quantities from each of the different food groups every day.

The six fundamental food groups or foundation foods that compose a healthy balanced diet are:

  • Protein
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fat
  • Water
  • Vitamins
  • Minerals

Everyone has different requirements, depending on their gender, age and activity levels, but the key point to remember is that your diet should be balanced, and meals should contain foods from each group.

Protein

Protein is essential for growth, repair and overall body function. Our age, gender and activity levels determine our body’s daily protein requirements.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are our primary fuel. The human body stores carbohydrates to provide energy for activity and to maintain life. Carbohydrates are generally classified as ‘simple’ or ‘complex’.

Simple carbohydrates. Provide a quick energy ‘hit’ when you are hungry. Healthy sources include fresh, dried and canned fruit. Biscuits, sweets, cakes are less healthy choices.

Complex carbohydrates. Provide ‘slow release’ energy, avoiding the peaks and troughs of eating simple carbohydrates. Good sources include wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice and fresh vegetables.

Fats and oils

Contrary to popular belief, fat is not always bad! Fat in your diet is essential for neural (nerve) function and serves many additional functions including:

  • Providing insulation
  • Protecting the body’s organs
  • Protecting the brain
  • Transporting certain vitamins

However, it is important to eat the right sort of fat, which means knowing the difference between good fats and bad fats.

Good fats: Unsaturated fats, which are characterised as usually being liquid at room temperature. Examples include fish oils from fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc, together with unrefined vegetable oils like sunflower or extra virgin olive oil.

Bad fats: Saturated fats, which are characterised as usually being solid at room temperature. Examples include animal fats, butter etc.

Water

Our bodies contain a very high percentage of water, anything from 45-73% dependant upon age. This water is evenly distributed throughout the body, so for optimum health, keeping well hydrated is very important. Maintaining hydration is something that you need to work at throughout the day, so if you struggle to keep hydrated, try some of the following strategies:

  • Start the day with a glass of water with your breakfast

  • Keep a bottle of water in your bag

  • Substitute water for some of your usual cups of tea and coffee

  • Limit your intake of caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee and cola)

  • Limit your alcohol intake (alcohol will dehydrate you)

  • If your work is office based, keep a water bottle on your desk

  • Carry a bottle of water with you at the gym or when training outdoors

Healthy eating

Vitamins and minerals

These are categorised as ‘micronutrients’ and are vital to maintaining health; and eating a varied and balanced diet, containing plenty of fresh produce is the best way to ensure that you are getting sufficient quantities.

How to get the right amounts

Not only is a balanced diet about eating a variety of foods, eating the right food in the right quantities is fundamental to a successful healthy eating plan. As we are bombarded constantly with new diet approaches, fads and advice on when, what and how much we should be eating – it can sometimes be a little confusing to know what exactly we should be putting on our plate.

Top Healthy Eating Tips

Eat more fish

Fish is an excellent source of protein and contains lots of vitamins and minerals. Aim for two portions of fish a week, including a portion of oily fish. You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned - but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt.  Oily fish are rich in certain types of fats - omega 3 fatty acids - which can help keep our hearts healthy. Examples of oily fish are salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines, pilchards and eels.

Eat lots of fruit and veg

Try to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. You can choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced, but avoid added sugar in any fruit juice that is not fresh.

Sugar

Eat less foods containing added sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, and sugary soft drinks. Many foods that contain added sugar can also be high in calories, so cutting down could help you control your weight.

Eat less salt - 6g a day maximum

Lots of people think they don't eat much salt.  However three quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups and ready meals.

Drink plenty of water and less alcohol

You should drink about 6 to 8 glasses (1.5 litres) of water, or other fluids, every day to stop you getting dehydrated.

Drinking too much alcohol can cause problems. Alcohol is also high in calories, so cutting down could help you control your weight.

Don't skip breakfast

Research shows that eating breakfast can actually help people control their weight. This is probably because when we don't have breakfast we're more likely to snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar, such as biscuits, doughnuts or pastries.

For tips on how to spot foods that are healthier choices check out our jargon buster » in the foodhall »

Want to start eating more healthily, but not sure where to start? Visit our recipes sections in the foodhall for some inspiration.