Healthy eating
It seems like everyone is always talking about diets, and
what you should eat and what you shouldn't eat - about 'junk' food
and 'healthy' food. What does it all mean? Is it really important?
Yes!! Eating healthily can make you look different
and feel different. This topic will tell you about the various food groups, why
they are important, and how to put all the information together so your eating
can be healthy. And don't worry, even small changes in the way you eat can make
a difference.
Benefits
of healthy eating
Healthy eating can cause some effects that you will notice
pretty quickly. For example, a healthy diet can help you:
- Control your body weight so that you can make
sure you are not underweight or overweight
- Have more energy to enjoy all kinds of
exciting physical activity, like surfing, football, netball or dancing
- Support your body while you are growing and
developing so that you reach your full physical potential.
- Some studies suggest that what you eat affects
your mood. A good balanced diet will make sure you have all the essential
nutrients needed for your brain to function well.
There are also some benefits that you may not notice
straight away, but are worth thinking about. Scientific evidence and research
show that a healthy diet can help you avoid diet-related diseases.
These are diseases that usually develop when people are
over the age of 40. For example:
- heart disease
- high cholesterol
- high blood pressure
- strokes (brain damage due to blood supply
problems)
- adult-onset diabetes (the most common form of
diabetes)
- some cancers
- osteoporosis (thinning of the bones).
Think of your parents or grandparents – do they have any
of these diseases? Wouldn’t it be good if you could avoid having the same
problems they do? By healthy eating now you can reduce the risks of developing
these diseases later on. The risk of developing some cancers can also be reduced
by eating fruits and vegetables and cereals, because they contain anti-oxidants
and fibre.
Why is it called 'junk food'?
Eating patterns are linked to the development of health
problems. The foods that are more likely to lead to health problems are often
called 'junk foods'. Foods that contain lots of fat, salt and sugar
are the villains! Also, foods that do not have enough fibre are also a
problem. Here's why:
- Diets high in fat (especially saturated
fat) have been linked to increased risk of heart disease - like heart attacks.
Part of the reason is because fatty plaques can develop in blood vessels so
not enough blood can get to your heart, or brain or other important organs.
These changes to blood vessels have been found in young people (although
usually heart attacks don't happen until people get older.)
- Salt plays a very important and
complicated role in the body. But diets that are high in salt can put
you at risk of high blood pressure, which in turn can affect your brain… your
eyes… your heart…
- Foods that contain a lot of fat and
sugar are high in kilojoules. That is, they provide the body with lots
of energy. If you are not using much energy - ie. not exercising much - then
you are likely to put on weight.
- Too much sugar (especially when you
don't brush!) contributes to tooth decay.
- Not having enough fibre makes you more
likely to suffer from constipation, and you may be more likely to develop
cancer of the colon or bowel.
Modern life is fast! There is a lot to do and not much
time. So many people rely on ready-to-eat foods and 'fast foods'.
Because fat and salt and sugar make foods taste good,
'fast food' tends to have a high level of all these ingredients, to make people
buy more. That is OK for once in a while, but not for every day.
If you can buy your own ingredients and make meals
yourself, you will be able to eat healthily. You can make your own healthy fast
food.
Healthy
food - what to buy
We have talked about junk food. So what's left? You may
have heard about the basic food groups. If you go shopping and make sure you
have a few food items from each group in your basket, you are likely to be
eating healthily.
- Cereals - bread, pasta and rice all
provide carbohydrates which are important sources of energy
- Meat and fish - chicken, red meat, fish
and seafood all provide protein, which is very necessary. Be sure that fat and
skin is trimmed off, and that the food is cooked by a low-fat method. If you
are a vegetarian, there are non-meat sources of protein available. See the
topic Vegetarian eating.
- Fruit and vegetables - contain LOTS of
different important nutrients.
- Dairy - milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice
cream all contain calcium, which is important for the development and
maintenance of bones and teeth and nerves. There are varying levels of fat in
these products, but almost everything can now be bought in a low-fat version.
- Avoid sweets - with lots of fats and
sugars - see the 'junk food' section above.
- Water - everyone forgets about water,
but it is important and the best drink for you. Try to drink several glasses a
day. (One or two glasses of cordial or fruit juice are fine too, but try not
to drink too much soft drink.)
Choosing
to change & making healthy choices
If you have read all this and decided that your eating
isn't as healthy as you'd like, you can make changes. The best way to do this is
to make gradual changes and give yourself time to develop new habits.
For example:
- Make one small change each week.
- Add one piece of fruit a day to your eating.
- Start to drink two more glasses of water a
day.
- Try a new low fat recipe or snack food each
week.
- Choose wholemeal or whole grain bread instead
of white.
- Trim the visible fat from raw meat, and grill
meat rather than frying it.
- Try spreading less butter on your bread, only
buttering one piece of bread in a sandwich, or leaving off butter altogether
if you are having mayonnaise.
- If you like hot chips, did you know that the
thicker the chip, the less fat it absorbs? So, if you can't resist chips,
choose thick chips rather than thin french fries or 'shoe-string' chips.
- You could choose to eat a smaller portion than
you used to, or eat more slowly and give your body a chance to tell you when
you are full.
- Many energy drinks and bars contain lots of
sugar and caffeine/guarana. These ingredients can give you a short brief
feeling of energy, but they are not very good for you. You can end up putting
on weight, feeling anxious, finding it hard to sleep, and maybe getting
addicted. Try dried or fresh fruit and water as an alternative - they will
give you a natural energy boost.
If you decide to make a huge change overnight – eg. "No
more chocolate! I swear I'm going to live on nuts, lentils and raw fruit
and vegetables"- you're being way too hard on yourself and what's worse, you're
setting yourself up for likely failure.
Also remember that starving yourself will make you more
likely to binge eat. It is not a good idea to choose to starve yourself for
any reason.
Related Links:
Paths to better health
Super Foods: The Top 10 Healthiest Foods
10 Tips to Healthy Eating
Food Pyramid -
Healthy
Eating for Lifetime
Complete Guide to HEALTH ==>>
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