Brenda Khan
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health and well-being. A healthy diet can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for your activity levels, ensuring you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars, and saturated and industrially-produced trans fats are also essential for a healthy diet.
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What You'll Learn
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a cornerstone of a healthy diet. They provide a wide variety of health benefits, including weight management and reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that support good health. Aim for a variety of colours to get the full range of benefits.
Fruits and vegetables can be easily incorporated into your daily meals and snacks. Try adding fruit to your breakfast cereal or oatmeal, or having a piece of whole fruit as a snack. You can also include vegetables in your meals by making salads, soups, or stir-fries, or simply eating them raw with a healthy dip. Canned, frozen, and dried options are also nutritious and convenient choices.
When choosing canned, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables, pay attention to the Nutrition Facts labels and opt for products with lower sodium and added sugar content. While fruit juice can be a good source of nutrients, limit your intake to 100% fruit juice and keep your serving size to 1/2 cup.
The recommended amount of fruit and vegetables is 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit every day. This may seem like a lot, but remember that all produce counts towards this goal, including canned, fresh, and frozen options. To make it easier to reach your daily goal, keep a variety of ready-to-eat washed fruits and chopped vegetables in your refrigerator, so you always have something nutritious to grab when you're hungry.
In addition to their health benefits, fruits and vegetables are also typically low in fat, sodium, and calories, making them a great choice for those watching their weight. They are also excellent sources of dietary fibre, which helps maintain digestive health, control blood sugar, and lower cholesterol levels. So, by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, you'll not only be getting a range of important nutrients, but you'll also be supporting your overall health and well-being.
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Plan meals ahead
Planning meals ahead is a great way to ensure you stick to a healthy diet. It can help you to make healthier choices and avoid making poor food decisions when you're hungry or in a rush. Planning meals ahead can also help you to save money on your food shop and reduce food waste.
A good place to start is to decide on a few meals that you want to eat for the week ahead. You can then make a shopping list of all the ingredients you will need. Try to choose recipes with plenty of vegetables and fruits, aiming to fill half your plate with these at every meal. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are a perfect alternative to fresh produce and can often be cheaper.
When planning meals, it's important to consider the nutritional content of what you're eating. A healthy diet includes a variety of different foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. Aim to eat at least two portions of fish per week, including one portion of oily fish, which is high in omega-3 fats and can help prevent heart disease. Pulses, such as beans, peas, and lentils, are also a great addition to your diet as they are naturally low in fat and high in fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
It's also important to stay hydrated, so remember to drink plenty of fluids. Water is the best option, as it supports health and hydration without adding extra calories to your diet. Avoid sugary drinks, including fruit juices and soft drinks, as these can be high in calories and sugar, contributing to weight gain.
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Try new recipes
Trying new recipes is a great way to add diversity to your diet and ensure you're getting a range of nutrients. It can be easy to get stuck in a rut, cooking the same meals week after week, but this can lead to boredom and cravings for less healthy foods.
To keep things interesting, aim to try a new recipe at least once a week. This could be a healthier version of an old favourite or something completely new. For example, if you usually make turkey burgers, try experimenting with different ingredients, herbs and spices, or opt for a new type of burger, like an avocado or scallion option.
There are plenty of resources to help you find new recipes, from cookbooks to online blogs and videos. You can also try upgrading your favourite fast-food restaurant to one with healthier options. Many fast-food restaurants and fusion kitchens now offer nutritious meals.
When trying new recipes, you may need to source some unusual ingredients. Don't be put off by this—most larger grocery stores or online delivery services will stock a wide range of products.
- Chicken marsala
- Healthy tuna grain bowl with turmeric
- Lemony pound cake made with olive oil and Greek yoghurt
- Kale and radicchio salad with lemon miso dressing
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Eat less saturated fat
Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight. The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are, balancing the energy you consume with the energy you use. Eating lots of saturated fat can raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. It is recommended that people should reduce their overall fat intake and replace saturated fat with some unsaturated fat, including omega-3 fats.
There are several ways to reduce your saturated fat intake. Firstly, compare food labels when shopping and choose foods that are lower in fat. Look out for "saturates" or "sat fat" on the label, and aim for products with green or amber labels for saturated fat. Serving sizes can vary, so make sure you are comparing like for like by looking at the nutritional content per 100g.
Secondly, opt for lower-fat or reduced-fat dairy products or dairy alternatives. For example, use skimmed milk on your cereal and in hot drinks, as it has about half the saturated fat of semi-skimmed milk. Choose low-fat yoghurt and check the nutrition labels, as there can be a big difference between products. When using cheese to flavour a dish, try a strong-tasting cheese, such as reduced-fat mature cheddar, as you will need less.
Thirdly, grill, bake, poach or steam food instead of frying or roasting. Cooking methods like grilling keep the flavour without the extra fat. Measure oil with a teaspoon to control the amount you use, or use an oil spray.
Finally, choose leaner cuts of meat that are lower in fat, such as chicken or turkey breast, and trim visible fat and take the skin off meat and poultry before cooking it. When preparing eggs, cook them without oil or butter by poaching, boiling or dry frying.
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Drink more water
Drinking water is an essential part of a healthy diet and staying hydrated has many benefits for your body and brain. Water is crucial for bodily functions such as lubricating joints, aiding digestion, flushing out waste, and delivering oxygen throughout the body. It can also help with weight loss and prevent kidney damage.
The amount of water needed each day varies from person to person, depending on factors such as age, sex, and activity levels. As a general guideline, it is recommended that women drink around 2.7 litres of water per day, while men should aim for 3.6 litres. Children should have a minimum of 1 litre of water daily. However, it is important to note that these are general recommendations, and individual needs may vary.
Drinking enough water can help prevent dehydration, which can have negative consequences for your health. Dehydration can impact your physical performance, especially during intense exercise or in hot weather. It can also lead to headaches, constipation, and increased fatigue. Staying hydrated can help mitigate these issues and support your overall health.
Water is the best source of fluid for the body, and it is recommended to choose water over sugary drinks or beverages containing caffeine or alcohol, which can provide empty calories. However, it is important to note that other fluids, such as milk and juices, can also contribute to your daily fluid intake, in addition to the fluids you get from food.
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Frequently asked questions
A healthy diet includes a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy, protein, and foods from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs, and milk).
The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are, balancing the energy you consume with the energy you use. It is recommended that men have around 2,500 calories a day and women should have around 2,000 calories a day. Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over a third of the food you eat.
It is recommended to limit your intake of saturated fat, sugar, and salt. Ultra-processed foods should be avoided, as they can make up a large part of people's diets and have little nutritional value.
