Introduction To Healthy Eating

Fruit & Vegetables

Research tells us that fruit & vegetables protect against heart disease & some cancers, help to reduce high blood pressure & help to control weight. Aim to eat 5 or more portions of fruit & vegetables a day. Eating a total of “five a day” is easier than you might think. Use any kind of fruit & vegetables, including fresh, frozen, tinned & dried, & a daily glass of fruit juice.

Bread, cereals & potatoes

These should make up the main part of each meal & include all kinds of bread (wholemeal, white, brown, multi-grain, rolls, pita-bread& chapattis made without fat), rice, pasta, breakfast cereals & potatoes. Whole grain varieties of bread & cereals contain more fibre & are more filling & there are now low-salt varieties of bread available. These foods are not fattening in themselves but spreads & fillings often are. This is important to remember if you are trying to control a weight problem.

Meat, fish & alternatives

Chicken, fish, meat, eggs, beans, lentils & nuts give you a balance of the nutrients you require and add texture & flavour to meals. Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, one of which should be oil rich ( e.g. mackerel, sardines, salmon, herring). Fish may be fresh, tinned or frozen.

Milk & milk products

Eat these foods in moderate amounts every day, & where possible choose lower fat types. Avoid hard margarine & use low-fat spreads. Using about half-a-pint of skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurt or fromage frais, or about 30gms, of reduced fat cheese such as cheddar is good for you, and is particularly important for children and teenagers whose growing bones need calcium. Children up to two years should use full-fat varieties. This group does not include butter or cream.

Sweets, snacks, fats & sugar

Sweets, snacks & some processed foods often contain large quantities of fat & sugar, & can contribute to being overweight & more serious health problems. So avoid eating foods such as biscuits, cakes, chocolate, crisps & chips every day. Fat used in cooking & spreads should be used sparingly.

Tips For Healthy Eating

1. Eat 5 portions of fruit & vegetables every day (one portion can be fruit juice).
   
2. Serve bread with your meals as well as using it for sandwiches. Eat more bread, not less, using mainly wholemeal bread.
   
3. Eat a large bowl of breakfast cereal every day.
   
4. Rice, pasta or potatoes should take up about a third of your plate for main meals. Eat more rice pasta & potatoes.
   
5. Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, 1 portion of which should be oil rich (e.g., mackerel, sardines, salmon, herring). Use these (fresh or tinned) on sandwiches.
   
   

Eating the right food helps you stay healthy.

What is a Healthy Diet?

You may feel that there's lots of conflicting advice about what you should be eating from newspapers, magazines, adverts on television, lessons at school, friends and of course your parents!

The fact is we need to eat more fruit, vegetables, cereals, bread, fish and lean meat, and we need to eat less fat, sugar and salt.

Healthy eating is particularly important for young people, because it's at your age that you'll be forming the eating habits you'll follow for the rest of your life. Your diet will not only influence your weight and dental health, but also the likelihood of developing heart disease, digestive problems and even some types of cancer.

Try something new and have fun with food!

If you decide that you want to give yourself the healthiest start in life, just think of all the different areas that you can have an impact on -

• SCHOOL Does your school have a healthy eating policy? Pupil Power can help to make changes to school canteens, tuck-shops and vending machines!
  
• FRIENDS Set a good example to your friends and show them that not only is healthy eating tasty, but it also gives you lots of energy and can improve your hair, skin, teeth and nails. Why not start a healthy eating group or club with friends and help each other to make the right choices!
  
• HOME Pass on the things you've learned about healthy eating to the person in charge of doing the shopping and preparing the meals. Try preparing a few healthy meals and snacks yourself.
  

Did You Know...

The average British person eats more than 15 pounds of beans each year!

Further help and information

Three Towns Healthy Living - 01294 466901
Healthy Eating Advice - 0845 2 78 88 78

Eat well - Stay Well - Eat to Live

Eating a healthy, well, balanced diet can help you feel better and live longer.

For information and advice on how to eat healthily, phone us for information about our Community Food Worker classes or alternatively visit our
web-site for top tips.

Eating healthily needn’t mean spending a fortune or giving up any of your favourite foods. It is the overall balance that counts.

You don’t need to pay more for eating healthily, healthy food is often cheaper than unhealthy food, especially if you are buying for a family. For instance, you can prepare a healthy meal for a family of four with ingredients bought in a supermarket for about £5, in a fast food outlet/takeaway/fish and chips shop, this would cost you between £12 and £15.

Food can be split into five basic groups, plus drinks. The key is balancing the amount of each in your diet to leave you feeling healthy and full of energy.
It’s easy to enjoy eating healthily once you know how.
At Three Towns Healthy Living we run regular sessions in healthy eating from our “Hubs” Why don’t you contact us for more information, or if you would like more help in planning a well balanced diet for you or your family.

Try and eat at least five helpings of fruit or vegetables every day.

A helping is a medium-sized piece of fruit, a dessert bowlful of salad, two tablespoonfuls of vegetables or a glass of fruit juice. These foods provide vitamins, minerals and fibre, and can protect against some kinds of cancer. Aim to eat fresh produce wherever you can, but frozen or tinned varieties can be nutritious, convenient and good value.

Further help and information

Three Towns Healthy Living - 01294 466901 (ask about Community Food Workers sessions)
Healthy Living - 0845 278 88 78 (for packs on healthy eating)
NHS 24 – 0845 4 24 24 24 (24hr nurse consultation and health information)

Healthy Eating Keeps You Young

We don’t want to teach you how to suck eggs, but at any age it is important to eat a balanced diet. As you grow older, a good diet decreases the risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, obesity and arthritis.

Being aware of how to eat healthily will help maintain and improve your overall health and well-being.

A normal, balanced and healthy diet will provide you with all the nutrients your body needs.

Carbohydrates and protein are needed in large amounts as they provide the body with energy. They are also essential for growth and repair. Vitamins and minerals are needed in small amounts as they help strengthen the bones and maintain healthy eyesight and body tissues. Minerals are part of the bones and teeth. They are important for blood clotting and also assist in tissue repair. Fibre helps prevent constipation and keeps the digestive system healthy.

In order to stay fit and healthy and to avoid deficiency syndromes like anaemia, muscle stiffness, fatigue, etc, you must consume these nutrients on a regular basis.

Poor appetite and lack of mobility may make it difficult for older people to eat a balanced diet. Three Towns Healthy Living can help you with access to healthy food.

How can I find out more about eating the right food?

At the Three Towns Healthy Living we have Community Food Workers who have regular demonstrations in healthy eating, cooking on a budget and tasting sessions in our hubs, just phone for further information.

Further help and information

Three Towns Healthy Living - 01294 466901 (ask about the Community Food Workers sessions)
Healthy Living - 0845 278 88 78 (Healthy eating info)
NHS 24 – 0845 4 24 24 24 (24hr nurse consultation and health information)

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