The Balance of Good Health

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main principles of a healthy balanced diet are to:

• Eat more regular meals and include a starchy food at each meal
• Try to eat more high fibre foods, including fruit and vegetables
• Try to cut down on fried and fatty foods
• Try to reduce your sugar intake
• Try to reach a weight that is healthy for you
• Try not to add salt to your food

Read on to find out how you can achieve each of these healthy eating principles.

 

Starchy foods (Breads, other cereals and potatoes)

Starchy foods are an important source of energy for your body. It is important to eat regular meals and include one of the following starchy foods at each meal. It should be the main part of that meal.

• Bread
• Noodles                       
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Chapattis
• Cereals
• Pasta
• Plantain
• Yam
• Green banana
• Sweet potato
• Couscous

Starchy foods can be a good source of fibre. The following are examples of high fibre starchy foods:

• Wholemeal bread
• Potatoes in their skins
• Wholemeal pasta
• Brown rice
• Chapattis made with wholemeal flour
• High fibre breakfast cereals

Pasta on the menu at the Colts Nutrition Fortnight

Fibre helps prevent constipation and other bowel problems. It also helps to fill you up if you are trying to lose weight. It is important to have plenty to drink if you have a high fibre diet. Try to have 6-8 cups/mugs/glasses of fluid each day.

There is a particular type of fibre called soluble fibre that is very good at lowering cholesterol levels.

The following foods are high in soluble fibre:

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Pulses such as beans, lentils, chick peas
• Porridge oats