You are what you eat

Many of us know the benefits of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals in the diet, but we are now discovering that there are other important substances in foods.

Plant chemicals found in food, called phytonutrients may be important to keep us healthy. This is why dieticians seldom recommend supplements, as we learn more about the food matrix it has become apparent that the vitamins and minerals that foods supply are only part of the equation for the promotion of optimal health.

So, if you would like to learn more about how you can improve your health through the food you eat, keep on reading!

‘You are what you eat’ Have you heard that before? Is it something your Mum used to say to you?

Well it is true! From conception to old age, the food that we eat can impact on our disease risk, ability to conceive and even intelligence.

A balanced diet is made up from five different food groups; use the diagram below to see the different proportions of each food group that should make up your diet.

As you can see, we should be eating more fruit, vegetables and starchy foods and less from the other three food groups. If we eat these proportions of foods we will supply our bodies with the correct balance of essential fats, protein, carbohydrate, fibre, vitamins and minerals.

• Fruits and vegetables

It is hard to eat too many of these! Make them the main part of every meal and snack on them between meals if you are hungry. Choose a wide selection from this group. Aim for ‘the rainbow effect’ i.e. different colours of fruit and vegetables each day, this helps to provide the body with different nutrients. Try to have at least five portions each day.

• Bread, other cereals and potatoes

Base each meal on these foods  – contrary to popular belief, they are not fattening.

Here’s the science bit:

· Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram
· Protein has 4 calories per gram
· Alcohol has 7 calories per gram
· Fat has 9 calories per gram

Putting this into perspective, bread, other cereals and potatoes have fewer calories (gram for gram) than fat. So it’s not the bread you have, but watch the butter that you spread on!

• Meat, fish and alternatives

Choose two to three portions of these foods each day and go for the low-fat options e.g. lean meat.

• Dairy foods

Choose two to three portions of these foods each day and go for the low-fat options e.g. cottage cheese, semi skimmed milk.

• Fatty and sugary foods

Keep these to a minimum, try to save them for treats.

A sample meal plan to help you eat healthily:

Breakfast
High-fibre breakfast cereal (for example: porridge, Weetabix, Shredded wheat, muesli, fruit and fibre or branflakes) with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Try adding fruit to the cereal such as raisins or a chopped banana.

Snack
A piece of fruit.

Lunch
Lean meat (ham, beef, turkey, chicken) sandwich on granary bread with a low-fat or diet yogurt (Shape, Mullerlight or Weight Watchers) and a piece of fruit.

Snack
Piece of toast, fruit teacake or malt loaf.

Evening meal
Lasagne with a baked potato and a large salad or roasted vegetables. Fruit crumble and low-fat custard.

Research has shown that the slimmest people eat ‘little and often’, so it is a good idea to have healthy snacks to hand for when you get peckish.