Throughout our lives, it is important to eat a healthy,
balanced diet to provide our bodies with the range of nutrients that it needs to
function well.
Eating a variety of healthy foods will also help to
support the immune system; therefore, it is especially important that we try to
eat as healthily as possible during this period.
Consuming a well-balanced diet can also help us to
achieve and maintain a healthy body weight by helping to control our appetite
and maintain our energy levels, meaning that we can be physically active.
A healthy, well balanced diet should consist of the
following food groups:
Starchy carbohydrates:
Starchy carbohydrates provide us with energy, enabling us
to perform our daily activities.
- Base meals on starchy carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta, noodles, potatoes and cereals.
- Wholegrain carbohydrates are less refined and contain higher amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals - so choose wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta/rice/noodles and wholegrain cereals.
- Fibre is beneficial for gut health and an increased intake of fibre can help us feel fuller, aids digestion and prevents constipation, as well as reduces the risk of bowel cancer.
- Keep the skins on potatoes for extra fibre.
- There is a lot of “nutri-nonsense” out there saying that starchy carbohydrates are bad for us or lead to weight gain – this is not correct. Wholegrain carbohydrates are nutritious and they can actually assist weight loss, as fibre helps us to feel fuller for longer.
Fat:
Fat
provides us with essential
fatty acids, which cannot be made by the body itself. We therefore do need to
include some fat in our diet.
Additionally, “fat-soluble” vitamins A, D and E
can only be absorbed from our food if there is fat present.
- When it comes to fats, we should mainly opt for unsaturated fats, as unsaturated fat can help to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Choose plant-based spreads and oils, such as olive oil and rapeseed oil.
- Avocadoes, nuts, seeds and oily fish are excellent sources of unsaturated fats.
- Fat (including unsaturated fat) contains a lot of calories. Therefore, we should be mindful to consume the correct portion size (see portion size guide link further down).
- Lower fat products can sometimes be lower in calories; however, some lower fat products can have more sugar added to them instead, so remember to check the food label before you buy (see food labelling link further down).
Protein:
Protein has
multiple functions within the body; including cell maintenance, growth and
repair and regulation of the immune system. Protein is also an additional
source of energy.
- Good protein sources include meat, fish, beans, pulses, eggs and nuts. These foods also provide us with a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
- Aim to eat 2 portions of fish per week, 1 of which should be oily, as this provides us with heart-healthy omega-3. This can be fresh, frozen or canned.
- Choose white meat such as chicken and turkey more frequently than red and processed meat which contain more fat; high intakes can increase the risk of bowel cancer.
- Vegetarian meat alternatives (e.g. sausages) are a great addition to the diet and there are loads to choose from. As well as being a great source of protein, these often contain a good amount of fibre too.
- Protein can help us to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, as it helps to keep us fuller for longer. Beans and pulses are particularly filling, as they contain both protein and fibre. These are also really cheap and add bulk to soups or stews.
Dairy and dairy alternatives:
Dairy products provide protein and fat in the diet.
- Dairy products are a great source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium. Calcium helps to maintain bone health.
- Choose lower fat and sugar dairy products such as cottage cheese, reduced fat hard cheese, lower fat/sugar natural or Greek yoghurt and skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.
- Dairy alternatives, such as soya milk or almond milk, are usually fortified with calcium and vitamins – check the label to make sure this is the case.
- Look for unsweetened versions with less sugar.
- Soy yoghurt is a great vegan yoghurt alternative; it is high in protein and low in calories. However, flavoured soy yoghurts often contain a lot of sugar, so choose the plain versions where possible.
Fruit & vegetables:
Fruit
& vegetables are
packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre.
- Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg each day to support the immune system and lower the risk of various diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
- Most of us are now familiar with the 5-a-day recommendation, however, it is important that this is made up of five different types of fruit and vegetables – variety is key!
- Remember – frozen and canned fruit and veg counts as well and these are great to have in, as they last for ages. Beans and pulses also count towards your 5-a-day.
- Fruit and vegetables contain lots of fibre and water, so they are great at filling us up. Don’t be afraid to pile the veg on your plate at mealtimes – this helps to bulk out meals and keeps you satisfied.
- Fruit and vegetables are also very low in calories, therefore make an excellent snack choice between meals. Keep some chopped up veggies such as cucumber, celery and carrot sticks in the fridge, so there’s always something to grab when you’re feeling peckish.
Check out the
links below to see the 5-a-day portion sizes and see what counts towards your
5-a-day:
Portion sizes:
Pre-packaged
snacks and drinks:
During lockdown, many people have
found themselves snacking more on biscuits, cakes and crisps.
Whilst these foods are fine to include in moderation, they are often high in saturated fat, sugar and salt and aren’t very nutritious.
Whilst these foods are fine to include in moderation, they are often high in saturated fat, sugar and salt and aren’t very nutritious.
- These foods are often high in calories - try to limit the portion size and have them less often - swap these for more nutritious snacks instead, such as fruit, yoghurt or a portion of unsalted nuts.
- Sugary drinks are high in calories and can damage teeth; opt for sugar-free or diet versions.
- Choose lower calorie snacks and check food labels to see how these snacks contribute to your diet (see food labelling link below).
Food labelling information:
Portion
sizes:
Portion sizes should be taken into
consideration to enable us to balance our diet appropriately and ensure that we
are getting all the nutrients we need in the correct amounts.
For more information, see the British Dietetic Association’s portion size guide below:
Rachel Cox
Active Lifestyles Support Officer
AfN Accredited Nutritionist
Great info.
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