News: Get Your Balance Right!

Lifestyle

08 November 2006

With the popularity of celebrity diets, diet books, diet videos, diet clubs - how do you know what's right and what's not when it comes to food and drink? Well, this article aims to set you straight and give you the low down to show how you can achieve a good, healthy, balanced diet which is the cornerstone to your health and well-being.

First, let's face facts, most people in the UK could probably benefit from making some surprisingly simple changes to their diet such as these:

1. Enjoy eating - you have to do it so you may as well enjoy it!

2. Eat a wide variety of different foods every day - variety is the spice of life after all!

3. Remember, there are no good or bad foods - simply good and bad diets!

4. Eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day

5. Eat plenty of fibre rich foods within your diet

6. Drink 8 glasses of non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluid every day

7. Eat the right amount to maintain a healthy weight

8. Do not eat too much fat especially saturated fat

9. Do not consume sugary food or drinks too often

10. Keep added salt to the minimum level possible - there is plenty in your food already!

Balance Your Intake  A healthy diet is a balanced diet - it's that simple! It will contain foods from all the five major groups:

1. Fruit and vegetables

2. Breads, cereals, rice, potatoes and pasta

3. Dairy products - milk, yoghurt and cheese

4. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts and meat alternatives

5. Fats, oils and sweets

Foods from group 1 should be eaten most often and those from group 5 least often.  The good news is that there is no need to give up any foods, especially not those you enjoy, as long as you eat them in the right quantities! The reason we need a variety of foods is because no single food contains all the nutrients the body needs to be healthy.

Applying Balance  You don't need to achieve balance at every single meal but it should be applied over a day or a week. Meals can be balanced very easily - especially ones such as casseroles, lasagne and sandwiches as they are made with a variety of foods.  Other examples include:

A bacon sandwich:                                            

• two slices of thick cut wholemeal bread (bread group)

• low fat spread put sparingly on the bread (fats group)

• lean, grilled bacon (meat group)

• plenty of salad (fruit and veg group)                  

A pizza:

• Thick dough base (bread group)

• Tomoato puree and veg (fruit & veg group)

• Low fat cheese (airy group)

• Lean ham or tuna (meat group)

Here are a few more tips to help you achieve balance:

• Include extra vegetables in casseroles

• Add dried fruit to breakfast cereals

• Try different types of bread e.g. wholemeal, granary, seeded

• Use smaller amounts of stronger tasting cheese

• Use more pasta than sauce in pasta dishes

• Try using low fat fromage frais instead of cream

• Use pulses to replace meat in some dishes e.g. kidney beans in chill

• Have fruit instead of puddings

• Have salad with main meals

• Use lower fat dairy products and switch to skimmed milk

• Grill, casserole or bake foods instead of frying them

• Regularly include fish in your diet, both oily and white

• Chose lean meat, remove any visible fat or skin

• Use fats and oils sparingly, try an oil replacement spray

• Grate cheese for use in salads and baked potatoes so less is used

• Use meat alternatives such as Quorn or tofu to increase variety

• Serve salad dressings separately

• Ensure temperature is correct when frying - foods absorb less fat

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