Nutrition
Nutrition
A healthy balanced diet is one of several factors that can help to reduce an individual's risk of coronary heart disease. The recommended dietary guidlines are now well established but, as with recommendations regarding exercise, there are lots of reasons why many people find it hard to adhere to them. The number of overweight people in the world is increasing and, for most people, the reasons are a combination of a poor diet and lack of activity.
We aim to make individual's more aware of a balanced diet, and help make the world more active and nutritional.
Nutrients
Foods are made up of nutrients. Most foods are a combination of several nutrients in various amounts, even if only a trace is present.
There are 6 nutrient groups:
2. Fats
3. Proteins
4. Vitamins
5. Minerals
6. Water
Dietary Guidlines
Over the past years there have been several studies into the eating habits of the public. There findings can be summarised as follows:
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Maintain a healthy weight by balancing calorie input to body requirements.
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Reduce fat consumption to 30% to total energy (approximately 90 grams per day).
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Reduce fat consumption of saturated fats.
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Reduce sugar consumption, especially sugar-rich snacks between meals.
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Reduce salt intake to 6g per day.
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Increase complex carbohydrates to 55% or more of total daily intake.
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Reduce alchoholand fizzy drinks (high in sugar).
The food standards agency model for healthy eating:
Healthy eating advice - Eat:
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Predominantly complex carbohydrates.
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5-7 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
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Moderate amounts of protein: less protein from animal sources.
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Restrict intakes of food containing high saturated fats and sugar.
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Eat less saturated fat and replace with mono-unsaturated and ploy-unsaturated fats.
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Drink at least 2-3 litres of water a day.
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Reduce salt intake.
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Reduce alcohol and intake of fizzy drinks as these are high in empty calories.