| Eating is an important part of everyone's lives and food should be enjoyable. When it comes to healthy eating is almost easier to say 'what healthy eating is not. A plate of uneaten food will do no one any good, however healthy and nutritious it may be. It is the overall balance of the food choice that counts and eating a healthy diet doesn't mean giving up all your favorite foods. How much and how often you are eating certain foods are the questions we need to ask ourselves. Here are seven healthy eating questions to ask yourself.
1. Do you eat a variety of different foods? There is not a single food that provides all the nutrients needed for your body to stay healthy and work properly. But by eating a variety of different foods throughout the day you will get the nutrients you need. To accomplish this we need to eat fruit, vegetables, proteins, and starchy foods like bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes. You can also use snacks throughout the day to help get the balance right. How many varieties of different foods did you eat yesterday?
2. Do you eat the right amount to be a healthy weight? Food provides the energy that keeps your body functioning properly, allowing you to grow and to be physically active. If the foods we eat provide more energy (calories) than we use up, then we will put on weight. Each person needs a different amount of energy, and therefore a different amount of food.
3. Do you eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fiber? Foods like bread, other cereals and potatoes are rich in starch and can be good sources of fiber. Most people do not eat enough of the starchy, fiber-rich foods like bread, breakfast cereals, potatoes, rice and pasta and need to increase the amount they eat by half as much. Starchy foods are versatile, nutritious, and relatively cheap and should form the main part of meals and snacks. Many people still mistakenly believe that starchy foods such as bread and potatoes are particularly fattening. However, it is the addition of fats and oils to starchy foods that greatly increases their calorie content.
4. Do you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables? Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables can help to reduce the likelihood of developing serious diseases such as coronary heart disease and some cancers. Most people need to double their intake of fruit and vegetables and we should aim to eat at least five portions of them every day. Whether they are fresh, frozen, or canned, they all count. Also 100% fruit juice and dried fruits, beans and pulses can be included once a day, but these are best eaten with, rather than in between meals
5. Do you eat too many foods that contain a lot of fat? A small amount of unsaturated fat in the diet is essential for health and to make foods more pleasant to eat. Eating too much fat, especially saturated fat, is linked with a higher risk of heart disease as it can lead to an increase in blood cholesterol levels. Eating too much fat might also lead to becoming overweight. Try to cut down on the total amount of fat that you eat, especially saturated fat by choosing lean and low fat alternatives from the food groups. Beware of hide and seek in fat. Some fat in foods is obvious and easy to spot such as cream or fat on meat. But beware because there is a lot of fat that is hidden in many foods. Pies, cakes, biscuits, ice cream, cheese, chocolate, sausages, burgers, are just a few. It is helpful to look at food labels as most show the fat content. There are many lower fat versions of foods available.
6. Do you have sugary foods and drinks too often? How often you eat sugary foods has more effect on whether or not your teeth decay than how many calories you are intaking. Try to only drink acidic drinks such as fruit juices and sodas, during mealtimes. So instead of always reaching for a soda, try reaching for water.
7. Do you eat too much salt? Some salt is needed in the diet, and this can be obtained from the salt that is already present in foods like milk, cheese, unprocessed meat and bread. Eating too much sodium, most of which comes from salt, can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure or hypertension can have a role to play in developing heart disease, kidney disease and strokes. Try to lose the habit of adding salt to food at the table. Try to cut down on salty snacks like chips and salted nuts.
What you eat and drink can have a big influence on your health now and in the future.
A healthy balanced diet can help you to grow and develop properly, keep a healthy weight, reduce the risk of anemia, which can cause tiredness, protect your bones and skeleton through life, and prevent ill health in general.
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