Healthy Eating: A Balanced Diet
So what makes a healthy diet? A healthy diet is about balance between foods that contain all the different nutrients you need. There's no one right answer, and it's not as simple as "eat more greens". You need to find your own balance. Here are 5 tips on how you can start to do exactly that:
1. Plenty of Fruit and Veg
Five a day is the target to aim for! Drink a couple of glasses of orange juice a day, eat an apple or banana and make sure you get a couple of portions of salad or vegetables a day. Simple and tasty.
2. Eat Fibre, Grains and Carbs
Dr Atkins might not agree but he's in the minority here. At least 30% of your daily diet should be starchy foods like potatoes, cereals, rice or bread. These give you sustained energy through the day and fibre for a healthy digestive system. Try to go for wholegrains, whole meal and unprocessed versions wherever possible, and avoid adding lots of fat to them by smearing with butter etc.
3. Go Easy on Sugar and Saturated Fat
OK, we may sound like your mum, but you know those fizzy drinks, cakes, chips and choccies are only good for you in moderation.
4. Swim with the Fishes
Fish is low in fat, high in protein, full of vitamins and minerals and oily fish like salmon or sardines can even help reduce heart disease risk.
5. Cook Healthy
Fresh, home prepared food is usually healthier than processed, prepared or take out, and it's also cheaper. When cooking, avoid frying in lots of fat (eg fish and chips - grilling is better) and keep down the amount of salt you put in or on your food.
Other relevant pages on Fit and Trim:
Healthy Eating: A Balanced Diet
