The foundation of a healthy diet lies in consuming the appropriate amount of calories relative to your activity level. This ensures a balance between the energy you take in through food and the energy you expend.
Consuming more calories than your body requires leads to weight gain, as the excess energy is stored as fat. Conversely, insufficient calorie intake results in weight loss. It’s also crucial to consume a diverse range of foods to ensure a balanced diet and provide your body with all the necessary nutrients.
Generally, it’s recommended that men consume around 2,500 calories daily (10,500 kilojoules), while women should aim for approximately 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules). However, many adults are consuming more calories than needed and could benefit from reducing their intake.
1. Build Your Meals Around High-Fiber Starchy Carbohydrates
Starchy carbohydrates should constitute slightly over a third of your daily food intake. This category includes foods like potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and cereals. Prioritize higher fiber or wholegrain options such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice, or potatoes with their skins. These choices offer more fiber compared to white or refined starchy carbohydrates, contributing to a feeling of fullness for longer durations.
Include at least one starchy food in each main meal. Despite some misconceptions, starchy foods are not inherently fattening. Gram for gram, the carbohydrates they contain provide less than half the calories of fat. Be mindful of added fats during cooking or serving, as these significantly increase the calorie content. Examples include oil on fries, butter on bread, and creamy pasta sauces.
2. Increase Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables
It is recommended to consume at least 5 portions of diverse fruits and vegetables daily. These can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced. Reaching your “5 A Day” is more achievable than it may seem. Consider adding a banana to your breakfast cereal or substituting your usual mid-morning snack with a piece of fresh fruit.
A portion of fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and vegetables is 80g. For dried fruit, a portion is 30g and should ideally be consumed during mealtimes. A 150ml glass of fruit juice, vegetable juice, or smoothie can also count as one portion. However, limit juice intake to no more than one glass a day due to its sugar content, which can be detrimental to your teeth.
3. Eat More Fish, Including Oily Fish Regularly
Fish is an excellent protein source and is rich in various vitamins and minerals. Aim to consume at least 2 portions of fish weekly, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish are abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and may help prevent heart disease.
Examples of oily fish include salmon, trout, herring, sardines, pilchards, and mackerel. Non-oily fish options are haddock, plaice, coley, cod, tuna, skate, and hake. You can choose from fresh, frozen, or canned fish, but remember that canned and smoked varieties can be high in salt. While most people should increase their fish consumption, there are recommended limits for certain types of fish.
4. Reduce Your Consumption of Saturated Fat and Sugar
While some fat is necessary in your diet, it’s crucial to monitor both the amount and type of fat you consume. There are two primary types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Excessive saturated fat intake can elevate blood cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.
On average, men should limit saturated fat intake to 30g per day, and women to 20g per day. Children under 11 should consume even less saturated fat than adults, although a low-fat diet is not suitable for children under 5. Full-fat dairy products like cheese, fromage frais, and yogurt are recommended for children up to 2 years old. Saturated fat is prevalent in foods like fatty meats, sausages, butter, hard cheese, cream, cakes, biscuits, lard, and pies. Opt for unsaturated fats instead, found in vegetable oils and spreads, oily fish, and avocados. Use small amounts of vegetable or olive oil or reduced-fat spread instead of butter, lard, or ghee. When consuming meat, choose lean cuts and trim any visible fat. Remember that all types of fat are high in calories and should be consumed in moderation.
Regular consumption of sugary foods and drinks elevates the risk of obesity and tooth decay. Sugary items are often high in calories and contribute to weight gain if consumed excessively. They also promote tooth decay, especially when eaten between meals. Free sugars, which include sugars added to foods and drinks, as well as those naturally present in honey, syrups, unsweetened fruit juices, and smoothies, are the type you should reduce. This is different from sugars found in whole fruits and milk.
Many packaged foods and drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of free sugars, found in sugary fizzy drinks, sugary breakfast cereals, cakes, biscuits, pastries, puddings, sweets, chocolate, and alcoholic beverages. Utilize food labels to check sugar content. More than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g indicates high sugar content, while 5g of total sugars or less per 100g is considered low sugar.
5. Lower Your Salt Intake: Aim for No More Than 6g Daily for Adults
Excessive salt consumption can raise blood pressure. Individuals with high blood pressure are at increased risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may still be consuming too much. Approximately three-quarters of the salt we eat is already present in processed foods like breakfast cereals, soups, breads, and sauces.
Use food labels to help reduce salt intake. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g signifies high salt content. Adults and children aged 11 and over should consume no more than 6g of salt (about a teaspoonful) daily. Younger children require even less.
6. Be Physically Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Alongside healthy eating, regular exercise helps reduce the risk of serious health conditions and is essential for overall health and well-being. Being overweight or obese can lead to health problems like type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke. Being underweight can also negatively impact health.
Most adults needing to lose weight should reduce their calorie intake. If weight loss is your goal, eat less and increase physical activity. A healthy, balanced diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight. Check if you are at a healthy weight using a BMI calculator.
7. Stay Hydrated – Don’t Get Thirsty
Adequate fluid intake is essential to prevent dehydration. It’s recommended to drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluids daily, in addition to the fluid obtained from food. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, lower-fat milk, and lower-sugar drinks like tea and coffee are healthier choices.
Avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks due to their high calorie content and negative impact on teeth. Even unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies are high in free sugars. Limit your combined intake of fruit juice, vegetable juice, and smoothies to a maximum of 150ml per day, which is a small glass. Remember to increase fluid intake during hot weather or when exercising.
8. Never Skip Breakfast
Some individuals skip breakfast in an attempt to lose weight. However, a healthy breakfast that is high in fiber and low in fat, sugar, and salt can be part of a balanced diet and helps provide essential nutrients for good health.
A wholegrain, lower-sugar cereal with semi-skimmed milk and fruit is a delicious and healthier breakfast option.
