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Healthy Diet Plan

A healthy diet provides the body withall the nutrients it needs to be able togrow and repair itself, as well as toprotect against the development ofserious diseases such as heart disease, bowel disorders, cancers and obesity.

It is recommended that we shouldeat plenty of fruit, vegetables (at leastfive portions a day, not includingpotatoes); plenty of high-fibre cereals,pasta, rice and potatoes; moderateamounts of meat, fish, poultry anddairy products; and only small amountsof food containing fat or sugar. Bychoosing a good balance of food fromthese five main food groups every day,you can ensure that you are supplyingyour body, and everyone else in thefamily, with all the essential nutrientsthey need for optimum health.

A low-fat diet

Choose lower fat alternatives whereverpossible, but don't cut out fatsaltogether. Fat is a valuable source ofenergy and our bodies need smallamounts for general health and well-being. It also helps to make foods more palatable.

There are two main types of fat:saturated and unsaturated. Theunsaturated group containspolyunsaturated and monounsaturatedfats. In any food there is always acombination of saturated and bothtypes of unsaturated fats, but the ratiosvary greatly from one food to another.Saturated fats should be avoidedbecause they are thought to increasethe level of cholesterol in the blood,which can increase the risk of developing heart disease. They aremostly found in animal products suchas meat, butter and lard, but they alsoexist in coconut and palm oils and insome margarines and oils labelled as`hydrogenated vegetable oil'.

Small quantities of polyunsaturatedfats are essential for good health andare thought to reduce the level ofcholesterol in the blood. They arederived from plants (omega 6),especially sunflowers, or oily fish(omega 3) and are usually liquid atroom temperature.

Monounsaturated oils are alsothought to reduce blood cholesterol. Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables isnot only good for you, but with the great rangeavailable today, a chance to explore differenttextures and tastes from around the world level. They are found in foods such asolive and rapeseed oil, some nuts, oilyfish and avocados.

Aim to limit your family's dailyintake of fats to no more than 30 percent of total calories. This means thatfor an average daily intake of 2,000calories per day, 30 per cent of energywould come from 600 calories. Sinceeach gram of fat provides 9 calories, atotal daily intake should be no morethan 66.6 grams of fat, of which thetotal intake of saturated fats (seebelow) should be no more than 10 percent of the total calories.

About one quarter of the fat we catcomes from meat and meat products,one-fifth from dairy products andmargarine and the rest from cakes,biscuits, pastries and other foods. It iseasy to cut down on obvious sourcesof far in the diet, such as butter, oils,margarine, cream, whole milk and fullfat cheese, but we also need to watch out for 'hidden' fats. Hidden fats can befound in food such as cakes, biscuitsand many nuts. Even lean, trimmed red meats may contain as much as10 per cent fat.

Cooking for vitality

Eat as much raw food as possible.Vitamins B and C are particularlyunstable and are easily destroyed byheat, so include plenty of salads in yourdiet. Use really fresh produce andprepare it just before eating. Keep awell-stocked fruit bowl for between-meal nibbles.

Cook vegetables in the minimumamount of water or steam them.Reserve any cooking water, which willcontain leached nutrients, to add tosoups, stews and sauces.

Trim all visible fat from meat andremove skin from poultry. If the skin isrequired to keep the flesh succulent,remove it after cooking.

Choose low-fat cooking methods,such as grilling, stir-frying, steaming,poaching, casseroling, baking andrnicrowaving, wherever possible.

Use the minimum amount of oil torcooking and choose a type that is lowin saturated fats, like olive oil orsunflower oil.

Substitute low-fat yogurt, fromagefrais or half-fat creme fraiche for creamand use reduced-fat cheeses. Parmesan and other strong-tasting cheeses areuseful because you only need to use alittle for a lot of flavour.

Bread has been an important part of thediet in many countries for thousands of years and continues today to contribute to a healthy, balanced diet.A good source of carbohydrate as well as being low in fat, choose wholerneal(whole wheat) breads and bakes, such as sconesand muffins, for added fibre.

Some oils, such as olive and rapeseedare thought to help lower blood cholesterol.

Even if you are not a vegetarian, aimto have a vegetarian meal once ortwice a week. Alternatively, use lessmeat in dishes and. make up the quantity with pulses and vegetables.

The five main food groups are

• Fruit and vegetables,

• Rice, potatoes, bread, pasta and other cereals,

• Meat, poultry, fish and alternative proteins,

• Milk and other dairy foods,

• Foods which contain tat andfoods which contain sugar

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