Mastering Healthy Eating: Tips for Balanced Nutrition and Optimal Wellness

No single food or food group can provide everything we need to be healthy. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet means eating food from a variety of food groups to get the energy and nutrients that your body needs. Whether you're looking to manage a health condition or simply enhance your overall wellbeing, improving your diet is a crucial step towards achieving your goals.

Why Healthy Eating Matters 

Healthy eating is important to:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Keep your energy levels up
• Reduce health risks such as stroke, diabetes and some type of cancer
• Look after your heart health 
• Look after your mental wellbeing
• Boosting your immune system

Practical Tips for Healthy Eating

Adopting a healthy diet isn't about imposing strict rules or depriving yourself of eating your favourite food. 

One crucial aspect of a balanced diet is consuming at least five portions of fruits and vegetables daily. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals vital for maintaining overall health.

Another thing you should do is incorporate wholegrain starchy foods into every meal to provide carbohydrates, a primary source of energy. Additionally, moderation is key when it comes to protein intake. Aim to include two portions of fish per week, along with other sources like meat, beans, pulses, eggs, and nuts. Proteins are crucial for tissue repair and growth, as well as energy production.

Beans, peas, and lentils are excellent meat alternatives, offering high fibre content along with essential nutrients. Red and processed meats, such as sausages and burgers, should be avoided due to their high fat and salt content.

Including calcium-rich dairy foods or alternatives to your diet supports bone and teeth health. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yoghurt provide not only calcium but also protein and vitamins necessary for overall wellbeing. Adults should aim for a daily calcium intake of 700mg.

Fats are concentrated sources of energy and aid in vitamin transportation therefore it is advised to choose unsaturated fats over saturated ones. While fats are essential, they should be consumed in moderation.

Reducing the intake of foods high in salt and sugar is important for maintaining good health. Many processed foods contain added sugars, while excessive salt consumption is linked to high blood pressure. Monitoring food labels can help manage salt intake, with the recommended daily limit being less than 6g.

Lastly, staying hydrated is crucial. Consuming around 8-10 glasses of fluids daily supports bodily functions and overall wellbeing. Incorporating these guidelines into your diet fosters a healthy lifestyle and promotes long-term health.

Developing Healthy Eating Habits

Establishing a healthy diet is not something that happens overnight. Rather start by making a few small changes at a time such as avoiding snacking on less healthy food. Try stocking up on healthy snacks such as fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, rice cakes and yoghurt. 

‍

There is a simple checklist to make sure you are eating enough of the necessary food groups:

• Eat a good source of protein (e.g. fish, meat, eggs, beans, tofu).
• Consume 2 or 3 portions of dairy every day (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt or dairy alternative such as soya milk).
• Include starchy foods at every meal (e.g. bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals).
• Eat a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
• If you eat fish, aim for two portions a week and try to include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or herring.
• Drink 8 (women) to 10 (men) glasses of fluid every day.
• Adults are recommended to have around 30g of dietary fibre each day.

Did You Know?

Here are some fascinating nutritional facts to consider:

• An avocado has more than twice as much potassium as a banana.  Potassium-rich foods can help counter the damaging effects of too much salt, lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes
• Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange and almost as much calcium as whole milk and the calcium is better absorbed. 
• One lemon contains your daily dose of vitamin C. It also cleanses the liver, boosts your immunity and aids in weight loss. Try adding it to a mug of warm water to kick-start your day.
• Eggs contain the highest quality food protein known. All parts of an egg are edible including the shell which has a high calcium content.
• The mushroom is the only non-animal natural source of vitamin D. 

‍

Learn how our 360 Approach to Wellbeing can help you make adjustments to your diet and fitness routine here.