The secret to a healthy diet lies in consuming the right amount of calories that matches your level of activity, so that the energy you take in is balanced with the energy you use.
If you eat or drink more than your body needs, you will gain weight because the unused energy is stored as fat. If you eat and drink too little, you will lose weight. These eight practical tips cover the basics of healthy eating and can help you make healthier choices, as experts answer readers’ questions: How can you make your food more nutritious?
Dubai – Lina Al-Hourani
You should eat a wide variety of foods to ensure a balanced diet and to make sure your body receives all the nutrients it needs.
Men are advised to consume about 2,500 calories per day (10,500 kilojoules), while women are advised to consume about 2,000 calories per day (8,400 kilojoules).
Make Your Meals Healthier by Following These Tips:
Base Your Meals on High-Fiber Starchy Carbohydrates
Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over one third of the food you eat. These include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, and cereals.
Choose higher-fiber or whole-grain options, such as whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, or potatoes with their skins on. They contain more fiber than white or refined starchy carbohydrates and can help you feel full for longer.
Try to include at least one starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods cause weight gain, but gram for gram, the carbohydrates they contain provide less than half the calories of fat. Pay attention to added fats when cooking or serving these foods, as these increase calorie content—for example, oil on fried potatoes, butter on bread, or creamy sauces on pasta.
Eat Plenty of Fruit and Vegetables
It is recommended to eat at least five portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or in juice form.
Eating five portions a day is easier than it sounds. Why not add sliced banana to your breakfast cereal, or replace your usual mid-morning snack with a piece of fresh fruit?
A portion of fresh, canned, or frozen fruit or vegetables is 80 grams. A portion of dried fruit (best eaten at mealtimes) is 30 grams. A glass of fruit juice, vegetable juice, or smoothie (150 ml) also counts as one portion, but you should limit intake to one glass per day because these drinks are high in sugar and can damage your teeth.
Eat More Fish, Including Oily Fish
Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim to eat at least two portions of fish per week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease.
Oily fish include:
Salmon – trout – herring – sardines – mackerel.
Non-oily fish include:
Haddock – plaice – coley – cod – tuna – hake.
You can choose fresh, frozen, or canned fish, but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt.
Most people should eat more fish, but there are recommended limits for some types of fish.
Cut Down on Saturated Fat and Sugar
You need some fat in your diet, but it is important to pay attention to the amount and type of fat you consume. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease.
On average, men should not consume more than 30 grams of saturated fat per day, and women should not consume more than 20 grams per day.
Children under 11 should eat less saturated fat than adults. A low-fat diet is not suitable for children under five years old. Full-fat dairy products such as cheese and yogurt are recommended up to the age of two.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
Fatty cuts of meat – sausages – ghee – hard cheese – cream – cakes – biscuits – pastries.
Try to eat less saturated fat and choose foods containing unsaturated fats instead, such as vegetable oils, spreads, oily fish, and avocados.
For a healthier option, use small amounts of vegetable oil or olive oil instead of butter or ghee. When eating meat, choose lean cuts and remove any visible fat.
Avoid Sugar
Regular consumption of sugary foods and drinks increases the risk of obesity and tooth decay. These foods and drinks are often high in energy (calories or kilojoules), and eating them frequently can contribute to weight gain.
Free sugars are sugars added to foods and drinks, or naturally found in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and smoothies. This is the type of sugar you should cut down on, rather than the sugars found naturally in fruit and milk.
Many packaged foods and drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of free sugars, such as:
Sugary soft drinks – sweetened breakfast cereals – cakes – biscuits – pastries – sweets – chocolate.
Food labels can help you check how much sugar foods contain.
More than 22.5 g of total sugars per 100 g means the food is high in sugar, while 5 g or less per 100 g means it is low in sugar.
Reduce Salt Intake to No More Than 6 g per Day for Adults
Eating too much salt can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease or stroke. Even if you do not add salt to your food, you may still be consuming too much.
About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in the food you buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups, bread, and sauces.
Use food labels to help reduce salt intake. More than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g means the food is high in salt.
Adults and children aged 11 and over should not consume more than 6 g of salt per day (about one teaspoon). Younger children should have less.
Be Physically Active and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Along with a healthy diet, regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of serious diseases and is important for overall health and well-being.
Being overweight or obese can lead to health problems such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke. Being underweight can also negatively affect health.
If you are trying to lose weight, aim to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. A healthy, balanced diet helps maintain a healthy weight.
Don’t Get Thirsty
Drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration. Doctors recommend drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, in addition to fluids from food.
Water, low-fat milk, and low-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, are healthier choices. Try to avoid sugary soft drinks, as they are high in calories and harmful to teeth.
Even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies are high in free sugar. Your total intake of fruit juice, vegetable juice, and smoothies should not exceed 150 ml per day, which is equivalent to one small glass.
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