The medical student’s guide to healthy eating!

Penins

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Menu.... The basics – the eatwell

plate 10 tips for healthy

eating Cupboard check-list Smart eating Yummy ideas Want to know more...?

The basicsHealthy foods are tasty, cheap and easy to cook. Obviously some things, brussel sprouts, will never taste right but with the right ingredients and some “applied knowledge”, eating healthily can become a regular habit.Why bother you ask Eating healthily will help you to concentrate better during the day and will help to keep your energy levels up during those long ward rounds! And as you will all probably know, the risks of cardiovascular diseases are lowered in those who have a healthy diet!

Did you know…?

Bananas contain all the 8 amino acids that our bodies can’t

produce themselves!

5 facts about the eatwell plate

1. The eatwell plate shows how much of each food group you should eat.

2. You do not have to eat each food group at every meal time but vary your intake throughout the day.

3. You should base your diet on the proportions indicated over the week.

4. It is suitable for most people, whether they are a healthy weight, vegetarian or a meat eater

5. It is not an exact representation of how big your plate size should be.

10 tips for healthy eating

1. DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST! It is the most important meal of the day and will ensure that you are able to answer questions on the wards! Look on the recipes page for some simple breakfast ideas.

2.Frozen, tinned and dried fruit all count towards your 5-a-day and will usually be cheaper than fresh fruit or vegetable. Beans also count as part of your 5-a-day so beans on toast can be enjoyed not only during end-of-student loan times!

3.Love cheese? Then try grating your cheese as this will help you to use less

Potatoes were the first kind of

vegetable ever to be grown in space!

than you normally would if it were sliced.

4. Also, the softer the cheese the less saturated fat and less calories. So swap your cheddar for mozzarella. If you’re not a big fan of the soft cheeses, then use strong flavoured cheese as this will help you use a smaller amount.

Even though potatoes are

vegetables, they do not count as part of

your 5-a-day.

5.Set yourself green challenges every week. For example you could choose a new fruit and vegetable each week. You can base this on offers in the supermarkets.

6.Check food labels before buying. The same food made by different manufacturers may be different in terms of their salt, sugar and fat content.

Even though potatoes are

vegetables, they do not count as part of

your 5-a-day.

7. We all know wholegrain is better but just doesn’t taste as nice. Wholegrain breakfast cereals however, taste less wholegrainy than other wholegrain products. Also buying 50/50 bread (part wholegrain, part not) will also help to increase your intake of whole grain products!

8. Bulk up your meals with cheap and easy to prepare vegetables and pulses like kidney beans, sweet corn and chickpeas. There are hardly any meals where you cannot sneak these vegetables in and if you buy them frozen, they can be easily defrosted in the microwave in minutes.

Margarine was first called butterine in England when it was introduced!

9.Shop smart! Make sure you know where the reduced section aisles are in the supermarkets. Go to these aisles first to see what’s on offer before doing the rest of your shopping. Also if possible and convenient, do your shopping an hour before the store closes to improve your chances of getting a bargain.

10. Finally, this is simple but so true – if you don’t buy it you won’t eat it! Use a shopping list and when you do your shopping set a cap on how much you want to spend on sugary foods and stick to it!

Margarine was first called butterine in England when it was introduced!

Things you should always have in your cupboard Pasta (spaghetti, macaroni) Rice (long grain, basmati) Noodles/cous cous Olive /vegetable oil Dried herbs and spices (these will keep literally

forever or at least till the end of the year) Stock cube (especially if you love your

casseroles) Plain white flour (not only for baking) Tinned tomatoes (healthier and cheaper option

for making sauces) Tinned fruits (if in syrup, rinse before eating) Tinned fish (water better than oil and ideal for

packed lunches) Beans and pulses Condiments (salt, pepper, garlic)

Smart eating

Carrots taste sweeter after they have been cooked!

Question 1

It’s the week of the AMKs in May. You are about to do your weekly shop for the week. What foods would you ensure that you buy and why?Choose only one answer:a) You wouldn’t bother buying anything different. b) You buy loads of sweets and chocolates in anticipation of the sugar rush that you are bound to get before the examc) You buy a good, preferably wholegrain breakfast cereal, things that you can snack on during the day like dried fruits and starch based foods like pasta and potatoesd) You would buy as little food as possible and drink more instead especially tea and coffee to keep you awake during the night for revision.Answer – CBreakfast is very important during exam periods especially on the morning of the exam. It’ll ensure that you have enough energy for the whole day and help you to stay awake during the exam. Eating lightly at regular intervals during the day will help you feel more energised and alert. This is better than having 3 heavy meals which will leave you tired and sluggish. Ideal things to snack on are: apples, bananas, granola

bars and nuts. These are also good to take into the exam.It is also essential to keep well hydrated with water. Reduce your intake of caffeinated drinks. These drinks put you in stress mode! You can also drink fruit juices which will count towards your 5-a-day.

Question 2

Choose the most appropriate option(s):You are on SSU placement for 3 weeks. You are only in 3 days a week for placement and the rest of the time is scheduled as SDL. How would you make changes to your shopping and eating habits if at all during these 3 weeks?a) No change necessary.b) On nights when you don’t have to be in early the next morning you go food shopping to take advantage of the end- of-the-day bargains in the supermarkets.c) You make an effort to organise meal nights with your flatmates/friends to save some money.d) You make an effort to cook foods that you enjoy but would not normally have the time to cook during other times in the term.Answer – b, c, dMost SSU blocks are good times to make more of an effort in terms of what you eat. The casserole dish,

the pies (obviously with loads of vegetables in) that you normally wouldn’t have time to make can be made during these timesIf you normally do your shopping online, when you have more free time than normal, try going shopping yourself and grab some bargains!

Yummy recipesBREAKFAST IDEASBaked tomatoes and eggs on bread

2 eggs 1 tbsp of butter 3-5 baby tomatoes Black pepper

Preparation

Eggs contain most of the recognised

vitamins apart from vitamin C

Bake tomatoes in oven at 150oC for 10 minutes. While tomatoes are in the oven, whisk egg with some pepper and scramble eggs in a frying pan. (If you’re in a rush, use a microwave). Serve tomatoes and eggs on some whole grain toast. Finish with a glass of fruit juice.Other breakfast ideas:

Breakfast cereal and a banana Porridge with honey and chopped apple Bagel with peanut butter, topped with chopped

banana and honey Low-fat yoghurt and muesli

LUNCH IDEASAlways try and make a packed lunch. Usually healthier and almost always will be cheaper.Fish and vegetable pizza

Bread roll/baguette/bread slices

Tomato sauce Tinned fish (tuna,

sardine, pilchard) Peppers, sweetcorn,

mushroom

Grated low-fat cheesePreparation

Spread tomato sauce on two halves of bread. Mash the fish and put on the bread. Next, add vegetables. Sprinkle on some cheese and grill in oven for 2-3 minutes.

Other lunch ideas:For sandwiches, you should always have a starchy carbohydrate, fillings and finish off with some fruits. Here are some examples:

Starchy carbohydrate – pittas, ciabattas, rolls, wraps, baguettes, bagels.

Fillings o Sliced chicken, mustard and lettuceo Tuna, cucumber and tomatoeso Chicken and avocado (try this in a

wrap)o Cottage cheese and dried apricotso Brie and cranberry sauce/jam

o Cheddar cheese (grated) and apple slices

o Peanut butter and mashed banana

Fruits – melon slices, pears, kiwis or a small packet of dried fruit.

Other things to have for lunch apart from sandwiches are:Baked potatoes – the yummy thing about baked potatoes is that you can have different fillings with them that are both yummy and healthy although they may take a longer time to prepare than sandwiches. Examples of some fillings with baked potatoes are:

The old faithful – tuna and sweetcorn

Baked beans and cheese Sausages and baked beans

Garlic mushrooms and yoghurts (for the brave!)

DINNER IDEASThe possibilities with minced meat (lean mince even healthier) are almost endless! Top tip – cook a large amount of mince in pasta sauce and season appropriately. Serve into Tupperware and freeze. The individual servings of the minced meat can be used to make a variety of things;

1. Add some kidney beans and you’ve got chilli con carne. Serve with some basmati rice and diced carrots

2. Add some mixed vegetables and you’ve got Bolognese. Serve with pasta or spaghetti. If you like this with cheese, serve with mozzarella.

3. Add some baked beans to the minced

meat. Spread on some mashed potatoes. Sprinkle on some grated cheese and bake in the oven – cottage pie!

4. Use the minced meat as a filling with baked potatoes. You can add some vegetables e.g. mushrooms and you’ve got yourself another meal option!

5. You can mix the minced meat with some spaghetti and pasta. Put in an oven dish and sprinkle on some cheese. Add some mixed vegetables as a side dish.

6. You can save some minced meat and roll them into balls. Cook in some pasta sauce and serve with basmati rice/ spaghetti.

Sweet and sour chicken with noodles 2 chicken breast

fillets 2 big onions 1 red and 1 yellow

pepper 6 baby

sweetcorns 100g of pineapple

rings in juice 1 tbsp of olive oil,

1 garlic clove, 1 cm of ginger, 2 tbsp of light soy sauce and noodles

PreparationCook the noodles according to packet instructions. Heat oil in frying pan, stir in garlic and brown the chicken. Add sweetcorn, peppers, onions and pineapple pieces and fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Add all the other ingredients and noodles. Cook until sauce thickens and chicken has cooked through.

Want to know more...? Want to know whether you’ve got a

healthy diet or not? Take this simple quiz - http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Healthyeating.aspx

Want to know more about the eatwell plate? http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx

Want more healthy recipe ideas? http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Documents/Downloads/Fuel_for_Living_Recipe_Booklet[1].pdf

During a lifetime, the average person eats 35 tons of food.