Download What is a healthy diet? - Stafford Borough Council

What is a
healthy diet?
A healthy diet is one that provides everything you
need to stay fit and healthy and to grow properly.
A balanced and healthy diet contains all the essential items
that you need: nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibres.
Environmental and Health | www.staffordhealth.co.uk
Food Safety
Food safety means preparing, storing and cooking food to keep it free from
harmful bacteria or toxins that could make you, or other people ill.
Physical Hazards
Chemical Hazards
Biological Hazards
Broken glass or
packaging
Pieces of shell or bone
Parts of machinery
Jewellery, hair,
finger nails
Industrial or
agricultural products
Cleaning chemicals
Dissolved metals
Pest bait/poison
Bacteria
Viruses
Natural poisons such as those found in fish and mushrooms
Parasites
Understanding Labels
Use-by dates - never eat products after this date unless they have been frozen.
Usually on chilled products ie cooked meats, soft cheese and dairy-based desserts.
Best before dates - usually on longer shelf life foods such as frozen, tinned or
dried goods and refer to quality rather than safety. It should be safe to eat food
after the ‘best before’ date, but food may no longer be at its best. One exception
is eggs - never eat eggs after the best before date.
Temperatures
Food between 5oc and 63oc is in the danger zone!
Keep your fridge temperature below 5oc
Freeze at minus 18oc
Cook at over 70oc to kill bacteria
Keep food above 63oc when heated
Food Storage
Check dates and throw away spoiled food
Use food in rotation
Keep storage areas clean
Clean fridge regularly
Place raw food on bottom shelf of fridge
Check for spillages regularly
Cover and seal foods carefully
A Healthy Diet
The main point of eating is to supply the body with energy. Usually energy is obtained
from the three main nutrients in food. Each nutrient supplies a specific amount of
energy. The energy in food is measured in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcals).
Carbohydrate1g of carbohydrate supplies 4 kcal
Protein 1g of protein supplies 4 kcal
Fat 1g of fat supplies 9 kcal [fat provides more than twice the energy
of carbohydrates or protein]
The Energy You Need
If the amount of energy you put in to your body is the same you use, you will stay
the same weight. But if you put more in that you need you will gain weight, and if
you don’t put enough in you will lose weight.
You need a certain amount of energy to keep your body working, this is called
your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR will depend on your body weight,
your age and your gender. Energy demand is called your Physical Activity Level
(PAL). The greater your PAL the more energy you will need to get from your diet.
This means you need more kilocalories in your food.
Energy Needed [kcals per hour]
Activity EnergyActivity Energy
Walking 210
Tennis 432
Cycling 372
Dancing270
Swimming450
Jogging390
Housework198
Football 420
Energy Estimates [daily]
Individual
Male
Female
8 year old child
15 year old
Adult office worker
Adult labourer
Retired adult
1,400
2,200 2,400
3,000
2,000
1,200
1,800
2,000
2,400
1,600
NUTRIENTS
Food supplies the body with nutrients. Nutrients are the different chemical substances
that keep the body working properly. The amount of each nutrient that a person needs
in their diet depends on their age, gender, activity level and medical history.
The different nutrients needed by the body are substances called
Carbohydrate
Protein
Fat
Fibre
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
Carbohydrates
When they are taken into your body, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose.
This is your main source of energy. Eating carbohydrates regularly helps to build
up your reserves of energy and to replace them when they have been partly used
up. Carbohydrates are found in foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta and sweet
foods. There are two main types of carbohydrates: sugars and starches.
Food that is high in sugar
Food that is high in starch
Fruits (such as apples, pears,
grapes and bananas)
Vegetables (such as carrots,
onions and sweetcorn)
Honey
Sugar
Porridge, muesli and oats
Beans and pulses
Potatoes
Bread
Pasta
Rice
Wholegrain foods are naturally much
higher in fibre and many vitamins and
minerals than their ‘white’ counterparts.
White varieties (white bread, pasta and
crackers) are made from flours and
cereal grains which have had the outer
part of the grain removed.
Proteins
Proteins supply energy when your body has used up its store of carbohydrates
and fats. Proteins are made from amino acids, your body cannot make these, so
you have to take them in through the food you eat. Your body uses amino acids
to build cells, make blood, and replace and repair body tissue.
Fish, eggs, pulses and meat are all rich in proteins.
Fats
Fats provide a source of energy when you are resting, sleeping or gently exercising, unlike carbohydrates, which supply energy immediately, fats supply energy
for endurance activates. They also provide a layer beneath your skin to protect
your vital organs and keep you warm.
Type of fat
Lots found in
Role in body
Saturated fats
Fatty meat, meat products, butter, cheese,
cream, biscuits, cakes,
crisps, chocolate
Used to make fatty
substance cholesterol
Monounsaturated fats
Fatty fish, olives,
olive oil, rapeseed oil,
avocado, nuts
Appear to protect
against heart disease
- need to be in dietary
balance with polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats
Fatty fish, fish oils,
sunflower oil, soya oil,
nuts and seeds.
Supply essential fatty
acids including omega
3 (in fish oils, flax oil,
walnuts, eggs) omega
6 (in eggs, nuts, seeds,
oils, cereals)
Fibre
Fibre is not directly used by the body so it cannot be called a nutrient in the
same way as the others, however everyone does need a supply of it in the diet.
It is needed for the gut to function properly and to keep your digestive system
working smoothly. Without fibre, food can stay in the gut too long and cause
illness. Fibre can also make you feel full for longer and therefore reduce your
appetite. It can be found in wholegrain cereals, bread, fruit and vegetables.
Vitamins
Vitamins are tiny substances in food. You need them to help your body function
properly they:
Work on the food you eat in order to release its energy
Help with the growth and repair of tissues
Help us to resist infections and disease
Regulate the chemical reactions that are going on in your body all the time
Foods that are high in essential vitamins include; cheese, eggs, milk, citrus fruits,
green vegetables
Minerals
Minerals are basic elements found in the soil and in the air. You need them in your
diet to carry out particular jobs to keep you healthy. They include:
Calcium
keeps teeth and bones strong
Iron
helps produce oxygen carrying compartments in the blood
Iodinehelps maintain the thyroid gland, which regulates and controls
body functions
Potassiummakes muscles work and prevent cramps
Sodium (salt) makes muscles work
A high salt intake can cause an increase in
blood pressure in some people. High blood
pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart
disease. Unfortunately it is difficult to achieve
a low salt intake because many ‘basic’ foods
such as bread, breakfast cereal and crackers
all contain a lot of salt.
Recommendations of salt intake
1 - 3 years
4 - 6 years
7 - 10 years
11+ years Less than 2g per day
Less than 3g per day
Less than 5g per day
Less than 6g per day
Nutrient
Needed for
Good sources
Vitamin A
Good eye health
Oily fish, dairy products,
green leafy vegetables,
red and yellow
vegetables.
Vitamin B
there are several kinds
Many roles
e.g. extraction of energy
from foods, keeping
blood cells healthy
Wholegrain cereals,
and meats
Vitamin C
Wound healing,
efficient absorption
of iron from blood
Fruit and vegetables
Vitamin D
Building strong bones.
Allows correct use of
calcium by body
Eggs, oily fish,
margarine, sunlight
Mineral Calcium
Bone strength
Milk, dairy foods, flour,
nuts, seeds, pulses
Mineral Iron
Healthy red blood cells,
healthy immune system
Red meat, green leafy
vegetables, pulses,
breakfast cereals.
Fruit and vegetables play a critical part in keeping the body healthy. The vitamins
and minerals they supply help to maintain the body’s immune system, heal injury
and fight disease.
The importance of vitamin C was realised more than 200
years ago when fruit and vegetables rich in Vitamin C were
found to cure the symptoms of the disease scurvy. Scurvy
causes bleeding gums and failure of wounds to heal.
Eating no red meat or green leafy vegetables can lead to
poor iron stores, which may result in anaemia, which causes
loss of concentration, fainting, loss of energy and slow development in children.
Eating no dairy products risks poor calcium levels in the
body, which can result in brittle bones.
Personal Hygiene
Get Cooking
Easy Chicken Nuggets
• Wash hands before you start
• Tie up long hair
• Take off nail varnish
• Remove jewellery
• Wash hands regularly
• Disinfect surfaces
Ingredients
1 egg
1 chicken breast [vegetarians can use 100g Quorn or tofu chicken style pieces]
100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
Flavourings [add different flavours to the bread crumbs, try a tablespoon of
parmesan or cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of paprika, a teaspoon of rosemary or
oregano, or 1 finely chopped de-seeded chilli]
Tools
Jug, fork, chopping board, sharp knife, bowl, baking tray, oven
Instructions
1] Beat the egg in a bowl
2] Chop the chicken breast into bite sized pieces (keep them the same size so
they cook at the same rate)
3] Dip the chicken [or Quorn] pieces into the egg then coat in breadcrumbs
4] Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake in an oven for 20 minutes at 180oc
Fast food contains a lot a saturated fat, a lot of sugar and a lot of salt, it is high in
calories and can make you unhealthy if you eat a lot.
This is the difference between home made and bought nuggets:
McDonalds KFC
Our
Chicken McNuggets Popcorn chicken
Easy Nuggets
Calories 375 kcals
494 kcals
Fat 31.4g (5.3g saturated) 15g (0.5g saturated)
21g (3g saturated)
Salt0.9g
3.1g
258 kcals
0.2g
Carrot Couscous Salad
Ingredients
100g cous cous
1 vegetable stock cube
100ml water
2 carrots
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds [if you suffer from nut allergies leave these out]
2 tablespoons of raisins
1 small orange
A handful of fresh coriander
Tools
Kettle, jug, teaspoon, tablespoon, fork, sharp knife, grater, chopping board
Instructions
1] Put the water in a kettle and boil
2] Put your stock cube into a jug and pour the 100ml of boiling water in. Stir until
the cube has dissolved
3] Put the cous cous in a bowl and pour over the water, stir and leave to soak
4] Wash the carrots, cut off both ends and grate
5] Add the grated carrot, sesame seeds and raisins to the bowl of cous cous
6] Halve the orange and squeeze the juice into the cous cous mixture and stir
7] Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge, add the coriander just before serving
Cous Cous is a grain along with: corn, cornmeal, popcorn, brown and coloured
rice, oatmeal and whole oats, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, and bulgur wheat.
Whole grains, or foods made
from them, contain all the essential parts and naturally occurring
nutrients of the entire grain seed
such as; vitamin B, essential fatty
acid omega 6, protein, and carbohydrate. They also contain fibre,
which helps keep your digestion
system healthy and lowers cholesterol levels.
If you don’t eat foods with enough
fibre, toxins can increase and stay
in the body and make us unwell.
Bortlotti Bean Burger
Ingredients
1 small red onion
1 egg
1 can borlotti beans
50g pine nuts
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon of wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of thyme
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Tools
1 large bowl, 1 small bowl, a fork, 1 plate, 1 mixing spoon, 1 frying pan
1 spatula, 1 sharp knife, 1 chopping board, scales
Instructions
1] Chop the onion finely
2] Beat the egg in a bowl
3] Empty the borlotti beans into a bowl, add the pine nuts, onion, half of the bread
crumbs, tomato paste, thyme and egg. Mix together
4] Take a handful of the mixture and shape into burgers then coat in the remaining half of the bread crumbs
5] Put the oil in a pan and fry the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes on each side
Healthy Wedges
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
Tools
1 bowl, 1 sharp knife, 1 chopping board, 1 baking tray, oven
Instructions
1] Preheat the oven to 200oc
2] Wash and chop the sweet potato into wedges leaving the skin on (try to keep
them the same size so they cook at the same speed)
3] In a large bowl pour in the oil and paprika, stir and add the potatoes, place the
potatoes on a baking tray and cook for 40 minutes.
Oat Cookies
Ingredients
100g olive oil spread
50g brown sugar
2 tablespoons clear honey
100g self raising flour
100g oats
50g raisins
a pinch of mixed spice
Tools
1 saucepan, 1 tablespoon, 1 baking tray, scales, oven
Instructions
1] Turn oven to 170oc and grease a baking tray
3] Put the olive oil spread in a saucepan over a low
heat, add the sugar and honey and stir until melted.
4] Stir in the flour, oats, raisins and spice then mix
5] Use a tablespoon to spoon the mixture onto the
baking tray and flatten with a fork into biscuit shapes
6] Bake for 15 minutes
Fruit Kebabs
Instructions
1] Pick a selection of fruit eg. banana, melon, kiwi, orange, strawberries
2] Wash the fruit, peel, de-core, take leaves off
3] Chop the fruit into chunks
4] Thread the fruit onto skewers
Fruit Smoothies
Instructions
1] Pick a selection of fruit eg. banana, apple, pear, mango,
strawberries,blueberries, grapes, carrots
2] Wash the fruit, de-core, take leaves off, and cut into a few pieces
3] Add liquid eg ice cubes, milk, fruit juice or yoghurt
4] Blend together in a blender or smoothie maker
Why should I eat a healthy diet?
A healthy diet greatly reduces the chance of developing so called ‘lifestyle
diseases’ such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain types of
cancer, and it will also help you maintain a healthy weight. So try to:
Eat a wide variety of different foods
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Limit fatty foods - and change the type of fat eaten
Eat less salt
Eat more starchy foods, especially wholemeal varieties
Eat less sugary foods
It’s not easy to relate nutrients in food to real foods. The government developed
the eatwell plate which allows you to plan healthy meals around food choices.
For more details and to leave comments and suggestions about
Healthy eating in Stafford Borough, please go to our website
www.staffordhealth.co.uk
Health and Wellbeing Services, Stafford Borough Council,
Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ tel 01785 619 402