By Alice M

STAYING HEALTHYHow to have a balanced and healthy diet

What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is needed to stay healthy. A balanced diet is a diet with a combination of the right amount of different types of food we eat with the right amount of exercise.

For a balanced diet, you need the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

CARBOHYDRATES

An introduction to carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important nutrients for us because they are most important source of energy for your body.

Between 45% and 65% of your diet should be carbohydrates.

The 2 Types of Carbohydrate

There are two types of carbohydrates: simple sugars and complex carbohydrates. They are different because have different chemical structures.

Simple sugars

Simple sugars are found naturally in fruits, milk and dairy foods. The simple sugar in fruit is called fructose and the simple sugar in milk and dairy products is called lactose.

Simple sugars can also be processed and these processed simple sugars are found in foods such as biscuits, chocolate and jelly. Too much of these can cause tooth decay.

Foods with Natural Simple Sugars

Milk - contains lactose

Fruits - contain fructose

Dairy foods

Foods with Processed Simple Sugars

Biscuits

Chocolate

Jelly

Complex carbohyrates

Complex carbohydrates are starchy foods which can also be found naturally and after being processed. Naturally they are found many foods such as bananas, beans, root vegetables, nuts, oats, and wholemeal breads, cereals, flour and pasta. When processed they are found in biscuits, cakes, pizza and white breads, flour, pasta and rice. Complex carbohydrates also tend to contain much fibre.

Foods with Natural Complex Carbohydrates

Bananas

Root vegetables

Wholemeal

breads, flour,

pasta and

cereals

Foods with Processed Complex Carbohydrates

White breads,

flour, pasta and

rice

Cakes and biscuits

Pizza

The differences between simple sugars and complex

carbohydratesThe main difference between the two carbohydrate types is that simple sugars have simple chemical structures while complex carbohydrates have complex chemical structures. Simple sugars are either made up of one or two sugars while complex carbohydrates.

For example, glucose is just one sugar while another sugar called sucrose is made up of only two sugars (fructose and glucose). Complex carbohydrates are made up of 3 or more sugars so have more complex structures. Because they are made up of more sugars, they take longer to digest.

Why are carbohydrates

important?All carbohydrates form a sugar called glucose when broken down by the digestive system. The glucose is transported throughout the body via blood and taken in by cells for energy. This energy is used for essential functions such as respiration, the heart beating, digesting of food and moving around.

How much carbohydrate should

be eaten?As said before, 45-65% of your diet should be carbohydrates.

So, for a person a that is meant to eat around 2000 calories a day (calories are in food and each calorie is a unit of energy at around 4 joules) around 900-1300 of these calories should be carbohydrates.

PROTEINS

An introduction to proteins

Proteins are very important for the body and every single cell contains protein. Skin, organs, muscles and glands all contain lots of protein. It is found in all bodily fluids except bile and urine.

Proteins are important because they give the body 10-15% of its dietary energy. Proteins are also used by the body for growth and repair.

The two types of protein

There are two types of protein: animal proteins and plant proteins. Animal proteins are also called first-class proteins while plant proteins are also called second-class proteins.

When proteins are digested, organic compounds called amino acids are left. Amino acids can be found in the animals and plants we eat. Sources of animal proteins include meats, fish, milk and eggs. Sources of plant proteins include soy, beans, legumes, and some grains (such as wheat germ).

The difference between animal proteins and plant proteins is that plant proteins contain amino acids that can be produced by the body while animal proteins contain amino acids that cannot be produced by the body, and thus must be supplied with food. Animal proteins contain amino acids called essential amino acids while plants contain non-essential amino acids.

Other facts about proteins

Too much meat (which is high in protein) consumed can lead to high cholesterol, gout and strain on the kidneys.

An extreme protein deficiency results in kwashiorkor.

Vegetarians are still able to get enough proteins by eating a wide variety of plant proteins.

Sources of animal proteins

Fish

Meats

Milk and eggs

Sources of plant proteins

Beans and legumes

Soy

Some grains

How much protein should be eaten?

There is an equation for the amount of protein that should be eaten daily: amount of protein needed in g = 0.6 x body mass in kg

So for an adult that weighs 60kg:

0.6 x 60 = 36g

An adult weighing 60 kilograms should eat 36 grams of protein daily.

The estimated recommended daily amount for protein may vary depending on your age, if you’re pregnant and lactation.

FATS

An introduction to fatsFats are used to supply and store energy. They are required to produce all membranes. Fats provide a lot of energy with each gram containing 9 calories.

Fats are important because some vitamins are fat-soluble. This means that if you do not consume fat in your diet, these vitamins won’t be able to be absorbed by the body. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble.

Fats are also important because they form a layer between the skin and muscle as an energy store. This insulates the body, acts as a waterproof layer and protects the organs.

Saturated fats and unsaturated fats

There are two types of fats: saturated fats and unsaturated fats.

Saturated fats are normally solid at room temperature while unsaturated fats are normally liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats spoil more quickly than saturated fats.

Unsaturated fats are considered healthier than saturated fats.

Eating too much saturated fats can lead to high amounts of cholesterol in the blood (atherosclerosis) with an increased risk for heart disease.

Saturated fats are usually found in animal sources including butter, hard margarine, cheese, whole milk as well as anything that contains these (cakes, chocolates etc.).

Foods with saturated and unsaturated fats

Butter

Coconut oil

Whole milk and cheese

Peanut butter

margarine

Vegetable oil and fish oil

Avocado

Soybean oil

Canola oil

Olive oil

Saturated Fats Unsaturated Fats

Foods withsaturated fats

Whole milk Butter

Peanut butter

Foods withunsaturated fats

Soybean oil

Avocado

Olive oil

How much fats should be eaten?

Your diet should consist of no more than 10% of saturated fats and 30% of unsaturated fats. So for someone that eats 2,000 calories a day, should eat no more than 200 calories of saturated fats daily and therefore no more than 22.2 grams of fat daily (there are 9 calories in each gram of fat). This also means you should eat no more than 600 calories of unsaturated fats daily which equals 66.6 grams of unsaturated fats.

MINERALS

An introduction to minerals

Minerals are needed for strong bones and teeth, turning food into energy and controlling body fluids inside and outside cells.

Minerals can be found in foods such as meat, cereals, bread, fish, milk and dairy, fruit and vegetables and nuts. Examples of minerals include calcium and iron.

Some examples of essential minerals are described in the following slides.

CalciumCalcium is needed for strong bones and teeth, the regulation of muscle contractions and is involved in the clotting of the blood.

A deficiency in calcium results in rickets. Excessive amounts of calcium in the diet can cause stomach pains and diarrhoea.

Calcium can be found in foods including dairy foods, green, leafy vegetables (e.g. cabbage and broccoli) excluding spinach, tofu, soya beans, nuts.

Adults need 700mg of calcium daily.

IronIron helps in the production of red blood cells.

A lack of iron leads to iron deficiency anaemia. Too much iron causes constipation, nausea, vomiting and stomach pains.

Sources of iron include liver, meat, beans, nuts, dried fruits, wholegrains and most dark green, leafy vegetables (e.g. watercress and curly kale).

Daily men should eat 8.7mg while women should eat 14.8mg.

MagnesiumMagnesium helps turn eaten food into energy as well as making sure the parathyroid glands work normally.

Too much magnesium results in diarrhoea.

Magnesium can be found in green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach), brown rice, nuts, bread, fish, meat and dairy.

Daily men should consume 300mg of magnesium while women should consume 270mg.

PotassiumPotassium aids in controlling the balance of fluids in the body and possibly helps lower blood pressure.

Sources of potassium include fruits (especially bananas), vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, milk, fish, shellfish, beef, chicken, turkey and bread.

Too much potassium causes stomach pain, nausea and diarrhoea.

Daily adults should take 3,500mg of potassium.

VITAMINS

An introduction to vitamins

Vitamins are needed in the diet because they allow the body to perform chemical reactions that produce hormones, to produce energy and to stay healthy.

An introduction to vitamins

There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble.

When you eat fat-soluble vitamins, they get stored in liver and fatty tissues for future use. Therefore, you do not need to eat vitamins every day. Excessive fat-soluble vitamins can be harmful.

Water soluble vitamins cannot be produced by the body and so need to be eaten frequently. The body does not store water-soluble vitamins, so generally too much is not harmful as the excess is urinated.

The fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K while the water-soluble vitamins are all the B vitamins, vitamin C and folic acid.

Fat-soluble vitamins can be found in animal fats (butter, lard etc.), dairy, vegetable oils, liver and oily fish, while water-soluble vitamins can be found in fruit, vegetables and grains.

Foods with fat-soluble vitamins

Animal fats

Vegetable oils

Dairy

Foods with water-soluble vitamins

Fruits

Vegetables

Grains

Examples of vitamins

Vitamin A is needed to see in dim light and a lack of it causes night blindness.

Vitamin C makes connective tissue and a lack of it causes scurvy. This results in bleeding gums. It is found in citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges) and green vegetables.

Vitamin D helps absorb calcium ions from the intestine and a lack of it causes rickets (same as calcium deficiency). Vitamin D can be made by the body in the skin if sunlight is present. It is found in milk and fish oil.

FIBRE

An introduction to fibre

Having a good amount of fibre in your diet can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, some cancers as well as improving overall digestive health.

Fibre can only be found in plant sources. Dairy products, meats and fish do not contain fibre.

People should aim to eat at least 18 grams of fibre every day, although 16-24 grams is a healthy range. (This can vary if you have a digestive disorder)

Soluble fibre and insoluble fibre

The main difference is that soluble fibre can be digested by the body whilst insoluble fibre can’t. Both types are healthy.

Soluble lowers cholesterol levels and controls blood sugar while insoluble fibre helps the bowels pass food and prevents constipation.

Soluble fibre can be found in fruits, oats, barley, rye, root vegetables and golden linseeds. Foods containing insoluble fibre include wholemeal bread, bran, cereals, nuts and seeds.

Foods with soluble fibre

Golden linseeds

Fruits

Root vegetables

Foods with insoluble fibre

Nuts and seeds

Wholemeal bread

Cereals

WHY IS A BALANCED DIET IMPORTANT?

A balanced diet is important because it will keep you healthy.

It provides you body with the right nutrition so it can function

properly. A lack of the right nutrients can lead to many

problems such as being tired and diseases. Eating healthily

will help you to live longer.

Sources

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/carbohydrates/MY01458/NSECTIONGROUP=2

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts/lifestylemanagement/carbohydrates.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/carbohydrates.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002467.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_protein.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_fatsugar.shtml

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/vitamins-minerals.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Calcium.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Other-vitamins-minerals.aspx

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1141.aspx?categoryid=51