Why is eating well important ?
Isabel Zibaia Rafael�INETE / December 3rd, 2019
I am a
food blogger
( for more than 13 years )
www.cincoquartosdelaranja.com
6 cookbooks published
30 cooking
workshops
per year
in Lisbon
and in
Oporto
Recipe developer
Why is eating well important?
Eating well is important to good health and well-being
Healthy eating has these benefits:
- when we eat well, we sleep better, we have more energy and better concentration – and this all adds up to healthier, happier lives!
- healthy eating should be an enjoyable social experience
- when children and young people eat and drink well they get all the essential nutrients they need for proper growth and development, and develop a good relationship with food and other social skills
What is healthy eating?
Healthy eating isn’t about cutting out foods
It is about eating a wide variety of foods in the right amounts to give your body what it needs
There are no single foods you must eat or menus you need to follow to eat healthily
You just need to make sure you get the right balance of different foods
Healthy eating
Should always include a range of interesting and tasty food that can make up a healthy, varied and balanced diet, rather than denying certain foods and drinks
All foods can be included in a healthy diet, this will not be true for people on special/medical diets
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What counts as one portion?
A portion is 80 g or the equivalent of:
- 1 tomato, carrot, apple, banana, orange or other similar-sized vegetable/fruit
- 1 bowl of salad
- 30g of dried fruit (counts as a maximum of one portion a day)
- 150ml glass of fruit juice or smoothie (counts as a maximum of one portion a day). Only natural unsweetened 100% fruit juice counts, with no added sugar!
Most of us probably don't think about portion size when we eat. Typically it depends on what we would usually have, how hungry we feel and how much is in a pack or on our plate
What counts as one portion?
A serving of fish or meat (140g) should be about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand.
Fruit and vegetables
Eat fruit and veggies every day:
Just over a third of the food we eat should be made up of fruit and vegetables – and you should try to eat at least five portions every day.�
It is important to eat fruit and vegetables because:
�- fruit and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins and minerals which our body needs to keep healthy
�- they are great sources of essential nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc, which are essential for children and young people for their rapid growth and development
Fruit and vegetables
- they are also a good source of fiber, which makes them filling to eat, and keeps the digestive system healthy.��- try to choose a variety of fruit and vegetables over the day so that you can benefit from all the different nutrients they provide
- one portion of fruit or vegetable is the same as the amount that you can fit in the palm of your hand
�For adults this would be approximately 80g of fruits/vegetables.
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Carbs (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates)
Just over a third of your plate should be starchy foods – this food group is your body’s main source of energy and should be part of all meals. ��
Choose:
- a variety of different foods from this group, rather than eating the same ones all the time
- choose wholegrain versions of these starchy foods (bread, pastas, couscous) whenever you can as they will contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals
Dairy
Try to have some milk and dairy food – such as cheese, yogurt, ...
�These are good sources of protein and vitamins (like vitamins A and B12), and they’re also an important source of calcium, which helps to keep our bones strong
��When buying dairy alternatives (e.g. almond/soy milk/yogurt etc.), go for unsweetened versions
Proteins (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins)
It is important to eat foods from this group
Pulses (also called legumes) are edible seeds that grow in pods and include foods like beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas�
Other vegetable-based sources of protein include tofu, for example
All types of pulses are good alternatives to meat because they’re naturally very low in fat, and high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals
Eat for at least two portions (2 x 140g) of fish a week
Proteins (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins)
Try to grill meat and fish instead of frying;
Have a boiled or poached egg instead of fried;
Eat more often white meat than red meat;��Eat less processed meat.
Remember:
�Having a healthy, balanced diet is about getting the right types of foods and drinks in the right amounts
Fats (oils, butter, ...)
Fat in the diet is essential, generally we are eating too much saturated fat and need to reduce its consumption
Unsaturated fats are healthier
Choose for example, vegetable oil, rapeseed oil and olive oil. Swapping to unsaturated fats will help to reduce cholesterol in the blood, therefore it is important to get most of our fat from unsaturated oils
Fats (oils, butter, ...)
Choosing olive oils, avocado or lower fat spreads, as opposed to butter or lard, is a good way to reduce your saturated fat intake
Processed foods, including some of the fat spreads, contain trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oils - oils which have been processed to make them hard - which are as bad for your body as saturated fats�
�Remember:
All types of fat are high in energy and should be limited
Breakfast Healthy Tips
Eat regular meals and foods every day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner )
Begin your day with a good breakfast before school or work
What we can eat at breakfast?
Bread, yogurt, oats – overnight oats or oatmeal, eggs,fruit, milk
�Eat more veggies and fruit. Select a rainbow of colors for a variety of vitamins and minerals
�
Snacks Healthy Tips�
Snacks can:
- keep you energized;
- be an important part of daily eating habits;
- help satisfy your hunger between mealtimes;
- choose snacks low in fat and high in energy.�� �Snacks ideas:
- fruit (apples, grapes, …);
- oatmeal;
- nut butter;�- hard boiled eggs,;�- carrots or other veggies;
- canned tuna;
- plain popcorn;
- whole grain crackers seeds;
- yogurts;�- veggies sticks with hummus dip.
Remember:
Limit highly processed snacks
Lunch and Dinner Healthy Tips
Begin your meal with a soup�
Benefits of eating soup:
- low calories;
- veggie rich;
- water rich;
- lots of fiber;
- easy to digest;
- quick to be satiated.
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Encouraging to eat well
Eat a variety of healthy foods each day
How to create a healthy plate
Video: https://youtu.be/Gmh_xMMJ2Pw
Drinking Healthy Tips
Make water your drink of choice� �
Drinking water is:
- important for your health;
- a great way to quench your thirst;
- a way to stay hydrated without calories.
Foods that we should eat less often�
Video: https://youtu.be/vADtodHhfKU
Foods that we should eat less often
Foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fat such as chocolate, cakes, biscuits, full-sugar soft drinks, butter, ice-cream and ready meals (processed foods are generally higher in these type of ingredients)
These foods can provide unnecessary additional calories and are not needed for good health and so, if included, should only be eaten occasionally and in small amounts
If you consume these foods and drinks often, try to limit their consumption and portion size
Food and drinks high in fat and sugar contain lots of calories (energy), and many have limited or no nutritional value
�Remember
Eat well
and ...
�Remember
Exercise, be active
and ...
�Remember
Be happy!
Thank you!