Healthy Balanced Diet

What is a healthy balanced diet?

This section contains details on what a healthy diet should consist of and why each vitamin and
mineral is an essential part of staying healthy.
The majority of people in this country eat too much fat and not enough fibre and for most people
a healthy diet is simple and easy to do. The move towards a healthy diet may just mean eating
more fruit, vegetables, bread, cereals, potatoes, and pasta.
People in the UK have a 1 in 3 chance of developing cancer at some time in their lives, eating a
healthy diet, which includes portions of different fruit and vegetables a day can help reduce the
ris! of developing heart disease or cancer.
There are basic food groups and a healthy diet consists of eating a variety of foods from all of
the groups but in the correct proportions.
1. Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, noodles and breakfast cereals.
These foods mostly contain starch and should be the main part of all your meals. "f possible try
to choose high fibre varieties. This group of foods are an e#cellent source of fibre and are rich in
vitamins from the $ comple#.
2. Fruit and vegetables.
This includes all fro%en, fresh and canned fruit&vegetables as well as salad vegetables. These are
all e#cellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre and are naturally low in fat and calories. 'ou
should try to eat at least portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
The following is a guide as to how much e(uals 1 portion)
* serving spoons of small vegetables, e.g. sweetcorn, peas or mi#ed fro%en vegetables.
1 whole fruit, e.g. li!e an apple or banana.
1 medium slice of large fruits e.g. melon or pineapple.
* medium fruits e.g. satsuma+s, plums or !iwi fruit.
1 small bowl of small fruits e.g. strawberries or grapes.
1 medium bowl of salad
* tomatoes
,alf a cucumber
* serving spoons of green and root vegetables e.g. cabbage, broccoli, carrots or parsnip.
1 glass of fruit juice.
. !ilk and dairy foods.
-il! and dairy products include cheese, yoghurt, mil! and fromage.frais. They are rich in
protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. /at or drin! a moderate amount of these foods . about *
to 3 servings per day. These foods contain a good source of calcium, which is essential to our
diet, but as these foods can also be high in saturated fats try to choose reduced fat versions when
possible.
". !eat, fish, poultry and pulses.
/ating fish 1.* times a wee! is good for you, especially if you eat oily fish 0sardines, mac!erel
and salmon1. 2ll types of meats are included in this category and red meat is an e#cellent source
of iron and vitamin $1*, but try to choose the leaner cuts and trim off all visible fat before
coo!ing. 3entils, nuts, peas and beans are also in this food group. Try to use lower fat versions of
all these foods whenever possible. 'ou should eat appro#imately * servings from this category
each day.
#. Foods containing fats and sugars.
This last group contains butter, margarine, cream, ice.cream, low fat spreads, coo!ing oils,
mayonnaise, salad dressings, ca!es, biscuits, chocolate, sugary drin!s, sweets, pastry foods and
crisps. 2ll of these foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Try not to eat these foods too often
and when you do only have them in small amounts. "f possible try to go for the healthier varieties
for e#ample sugar free sweets and low fat crisps.
Here are a fe$ %ore pointers to guide you on a healthy balanced diet.
The best way to get all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients we need is to eat a variation of foods,
no one food can provide us with all we need to !eep our bodies healthy.
&lcohol
"f you drin! alcohol, !eep within the limits. Too much alcohol may lead to high blood pressure,
cirrhosis of the liver and heart disease. Try to spread your alcohol limits throughout the wee! and
not have them all on one night. 4or more information on alcohol clic! here.
'arbohydrates
There are * main groups of carbohydrates)
Starch
5tarchy foods include breads, potatoes0especially if you eat the s!in1, rice, cereals and pasta.
5tarchy foods give us energy and are not high in calories as long as you avoid adding e#tra fat or
sugar to them. 4or e#ample adding butter to a ba!ed potato, sugar to cereals, or coo!ing them in
fat 0e.g.chips1.
Sugar
5ugar is not essential in our diet. "t just provides us with calories and contains no other nutrients.
Too much sugar can rot teeth and lead to e#cess weight. 6utting sugar out of your diet is one of
the easiest ways to cut down calories without losing any nutrients. Try choosing low calorie
drin!s, cutting sugar out of tea and coffee and avoid eating ca!es and sweets.
Fats
2 small amount of fat is essential in our diets as it gives us energy but the majority of us eat far
too much and should try to cut down.
There are * main types of fat.
1. Unsaturated fats (which includes polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats). "n moderation
these can help lower cholesterol and help maintain a healthy heart. 7ood sources of these fats are
found in vegetable oils li!e sunflower, soya or corn, oily fish li!e mac!erel, sardines and
pilchards, olive oils, margarines 0labelled high in polyunsaturates1and avocado pears.
*. Saturated fats . 2 diet high in these types of fat will increase your cholesterol levels and also
increase the ris! of heart disease. These fats are found in high (uantities in meat, dairy products
li!e full.fat mil!, cheese, and butter, pies, ca!es, chocolate and biscuits.
2s well as cutting down on fat inta!e you should try to eat foods containing unsaturated fats
instead of saturated fats. 'ou can cut down on your fat inta!e by reducing the amount of butter
and margarine that you use and by avoiding biscuits, ca!es and sweets. Try not to fry food,
instead ba!e, grill, poach or microwave. 6ut any visible fats off meats before coo!ing, and
remove the s!in from chic!en and other poultry before coo!ing.
Fibre
4ibre helps to !eep our bowels wor!ing regularly and !eeps the large intestine healthy. "t also
provides us with some nutrients too.
4ibre can be found in brea!fast cereals, wholemeal or granary bread, fruit and vegetables,
wholegrain rice, pasta, potatoes 0especially if you eat the s!ins1, beans, pulses and lentils
(rotein
Protein is essential for growth, repair and the healing of the body. Protein may be found in meats
and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and lentils.
)alt
Too, much salt causes high blood pressure, can aggravate asthma, lead to stomach cancer or can
even lead to !idney failure.
-ost of us eat more salt that we need and we should try to cut down. Try to avoid salty snac!s
li!e crisps and nuts, do not add salt at the table. Try to add herbs and spices to food instead of
salt and cut down on salty foods li!e ham and bacon. 2lso beware of ready meals which all
contain lots of salt.
*ita%ins and !inerals
8itamins and minerals are essential for good health. The majority of us who maintain a healthy
diet will have all the vitamins and minerals we re(uire. "f you are eating a varied diet, vitamin
and mineral supplements are probably not necessary. "f you feel you may have a vitamin or
mineral deficiency and you suffer from any illnesses you should always consult your doctor
before ta!ing any supplements.
*ita%ins
Vitamin A helps cells reproduce normally, it also helps us !eep our s!in and hair healthy.
8itamin 2 can be found in leafy green vegetables, liver, dairy products, prunes and apricots.
/#cess levels of vitamin 2 can be dangerous during pregnancy.
Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and assists in the formation of genetic material. 8itamin
$9 can be found in poultry, bananas, !idney beans, liver, bread, spinach and brea!fast cereals
Vitamin B9 is also !nown as folate or folic acid. 8itamin $: wor!s with vitamin $1* in the
formation of red blood cells. 4oods high in vitamin $: include green leafy vegetables, !idney
beans, liver, chic!en and whole grain breads and cereals. 4or more information on folic acid
clic! here.
Vitamin. B1 is essential for the proper formation of blood cells and nerve fibres. ;ich sources of
vitamin $1* include meat, liver, fish, eggs, mil! and oysters.
Vitamin ! helps absorb iron, protects against infection and !eeps blood vessels healthy. 8itamin
6 can be found in citrus fruits and juices, green vegetables, potatoes, fro%en peas and tomatoes.
"f you over coo! vegetables or boil them in lots of water you will lose the vitamin 6.
Vitamin " wor!s with calcium to help prevent bones from thinning. 7ood sources of vitamin <
include oily fish 0herrings, mac!erel, tinned sardines and pilchards1egg yol!s, some margarine
and fortified brea!fast cereals.
Vitamin # is a fat.soluble nutrient with powerful antio#idant properties. 8itamin / reduces the
ris! of health problems from cancer to heart disease. 8itamin / also plays a crucial role in
promoting overall health and immunity by protecting cell membranes. 8itamin / may be found
in green leafy vegetables, wheat germ 0bread and cereals1, nuts, egg yol!s and vegetable oils.
!inerals
-inerals are substances re(uired by the body for a variety of functions. =e need some minerals
in larger amounts than others. These include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and
phosphorus. >thers minerals such as iron, %inc, iodine, fluoride and selenium are also re(uired
but only in small amounts.
!alcium is the main mineral needed for the growth, protection and strength of bones and teeth.
6alcium is found in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, canned salmon and brown bread.
$agnesium is present in all tissues including bone tissue. -agnesium is needed for bone, protein
and fatty acid formation, ma!ing new cells, activating $ vitamins, rela#ing muscles and clotting
blood. -agnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, wholegrain cereals, brown rice and nuts.
%otassium is a major mineral and is essential for the function of cells, including nerve cells.
Potassium also helps with the proper function of the heart and !idneys. Potassium is present in
bananas, grapes, beans, prunes, raisins, mil! and vegetables.
%hosphorus is an essential component of all cells and is present in bones and teeth. Phosphorus
can be found in dairy products, meat and fish.
&ron is part of haemoglobin, the o#ygen carrying component of the blood. People who have an
iron deficiency tire easily, this is because their body is starved of o#ygen. "ron can be found in
red meats, offal, fortified brea!fast cereals, oysters and fish. "f you drin! a glass of orange juice
with meals it will help you absorb more iron.
'inc is essential for growth and to maintain fertility. ?inc may be found in dairy products, meat,
fish, wholegrain cereals and pulses. ?inc can be supportive in the treatment of acne, athlete+s
foot, brittle nails, the common cold and minor injuries.
&odine helps with the formation, protection and function of the thyroid hormones. "odine can be
found in mil!, table salt and seafood.
(luoride helps prevent tooth decay and can help in the prevention of osteoporosis. 4louride can
be found in canned fish, tea, coo!ed spinach and toothpaste.
Selenium promotes normal growth and development and is needed for proper immune function.
5elenium can be found in cereals, bra%il nuts, fish, red meats, eggs and cheese.
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