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How To Get A Healthy Balanced Diet

A HEALTHY BALANCED DIET

What makes up a healthy diet?

A healthy diet is made up of balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

The recommendation is that around 30-35% of our calories should come from fat, around 15% from protein and 50-55% from carbohydrate. Vitamins and minerals come from a range of foods within the three different food groups.

Protein

Protein aids your body's growth and repair, and it's essential if you exercise a lot because it helps muscle development. Good sources of protein are meat, fish and eggs. Don't despair if you're a veggie or vegan though - nuts, seeds, beans and pulses are all also high in protein.

Carbohydrates

The perils of eating too many carbs have been well documented, but carbs are really important for providing energy. There are two types of carbohydrates - sugars and starches:

• Sugars are simple refined carbs found in white bread, chocolate and biscuits. These type of carbs are less filling and have a higher calorie count.
• Starches are unrefined complex carbs that that the body takes longer to break down. As a result they fill you up for longer, provide more long-term energy, and contain more vitamins and minerals. Good sources of complex carbohydrates include wholewheat bread and pasta, potatoes and brown rice.

Fats

Fat gets a bad press but certain types are essential for the healthy functioning of your body.

• Good fats are found in vegetable sources such as nuts and seeds.
• Avoid unhealthy saturated fats - these tend to be found in higher fat dairy products, the visible fat on meat and processed meat products such as sausages, pies and pates.
• Steer clear of unhealthy trans fats which are found in many processed products and take away foods.

Vitamins

The most important vitamins are vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, K and folic acid. A healthy balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables should provide you with most of these. If you think you're not getting enough vitamins, try taking a daily multi-vitamin supplement.

Minerals

Essential minerals include calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, potassium, sodium and zinc. As well as fruit and vegetables, fish and dairy sources provide a lot of minerals, so if you're a vegan you may have to keep a special eye on your mineral intake.