8 tips for healthy eating

1. Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates

Starchy carbohydrates should make up just over a third of the food you eat. They include potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and cereals.

2. Eat lots of fruit and veg

It’s recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.

3. Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish

Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals.

4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar

Saturated fat

5. Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults

Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.

6. Get active and be a healthy weight

7. Do not get thirsty

You need to drink plenty of fluids to stop you getting dehydrated. The government recommends drinking 6 to 8 glasses every day. This is in addition to the fluid you get from the food you eat.

8. Do not skip breakfast

Some people skip breakfast because they think it’ll help them lose weight.

How to Make Breakfast Healthy

Although there are many breakfast items to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out the healthier options. Try to keep these tips in mind:

Choose whole grain bread, oatmeal, or cereal low in sugar and high in fiber which will help with digestion.

Include a lean protein such as peanut butter, nuts (walnuts, almonds), Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or eggs. This will keep you fuller longer in the morning and stabilize blood sugar levels during digestion.

Don’t forget to add in fruits and vegetables for vitamins, minerals, and extra fiber.

What are the most essential vitamins?

The following vitamins are imperative for the body to function properly:

vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision, skin, and skeletal tissue

vitamin B1 (thiamin), which helps the body metabolize fats and produce energy

vitamin B2 (riboflavin), which is an antioxidant and protects the body’s cells against free radicals

vitamin B3 (niacin), which can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease

vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), which is essential for hormone production, immune system health, and producing energy

vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), which helps produce myelin, a protective layer around cells

vitamin B7 (biotin), which is necessary for the metabolism as well as healthy skin, hair, nails, and cells

vitamin B9 (folate), which is necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system

vitamin B12 (cobalamin), which is essential for the production of healthy red blood cells and nerve cells

vitamin C, which is essential for growth and repair in body tissue

vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption and allows for healthy bones and optimal immune function

vitamin E, which protects against free radicals and can boost the immune system

vitamin K, which can help the blood to clot and prevent excessive bleeding, and keeps your heart healthy and your bones strong

choline, which is important for liver function, nerve function, and muscle movement

Many vitamins perform similar functions. For example, both vitamins A and C promote the health of the teeth and soft tissues. Many of the B vitamins help your metabolism function properly and help with red blood cell production.

Why do we need vitamins?

While many dietary recommendations are beneficial to both men and women, women’s bodies have different needs when it comes to vitamins.

Vitamins are essential for your overall health. Getting them in the daily recommended intakeTrusted Source (DRI) amounts can be easy if you maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Most women can get all the essential vitamins they need by making smart food choices. However, some women may need vitamin supplements.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionTrusted Source (CDC), vitamins and micronutrients are essential for normal cell function, growth, and development. Since we can’t produce all the nutrients we need, we must get many of them from food.

Foods high in vitamin K

Vitamin K is critical for your body’s formation of blood clots. Without it, you could bleed to death from a simple cut. It may also help maintain bone strength in older adults.

Foods that are particularly high in vitamin K include:

kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard, turnip greens, and mustard greens

romaine lettuce

parsley

Brussels sprouts

broccoli

asparagus

Foods high in vitamin E

Like vitamin C, vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It helps protects your cells from damage. It also helps your body use vitamin K and repair muscle cells.

Foods that are particularly high in vitamin E include:

sunflower seeds and almonds

spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens

bell peppers

asparagus

Nutritional Deficiencies

Even if you are getting enough to eat, if you are not eating a balanced diet, you may still be at risk for certain nutritional deficiencies. Also, you may have nutritional deficiencies due to certain health or life conditions, such as pregnancy, or certain medications you may be taking, such as high blood pressure medications. People who have had intestinal diseases or had sections of intestines removed due to disease or weight loss surgery also may be at risk for vitamin deficiencies. Alcoholics are also at high risk of having nutritional deficiencies.

One of the most common nutritional deficiencies is iron deficiency anemia. Your blood cells need iron in order to supply your body with oxygen, and if you don’t have enough iron, your blood will not function properly. Other nutritional deficiencies that can affect your blood cells include low levels of vitamin B12, folate, or vitamin C.

Vitamin D deficiency may affect the health of your bones, making it difficult for you to absorb and use calcium (another mineral that you may not be getting enough of). Although you can get vitamin D by going out in the sun, many people with concerns about skin cancer may end up with low levels of vitamin D by not getting enough sun.

Other nutritional deficiencies include:

beriberi: low levels of vitamin B1 (found in cereal husks)

ariboflavinosis: low levels of vitamin B2

pellagra: low levels of vitamin B3

paraesthesia: low levels of vitamin B5 leading to a “pins and needles” feeling

biotin deficiency: low levels of vitamin B7, which can be common in pregnancy

hypocobalaminemia: low levels of B12

night blindness: low levels of Vitamin A

scurvy: low levels of vitamin C

rickets: severe vitamin D and/or calcium deficiency

vitamin K deficiency

magnesium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems

potassium deficiency: occurs with certain medications and medical problems

Eating a balanced diet can help prevent these conditions. Vitamin supplements may be necessary for certain people, such as pregnant or nursing mothers and people with intestinal conditions

What Is Good Nutrition?

Food and nutrition are the way that we get fuel, providing energy for our bodies. We need to replace nutrients in our bodies with a new supply every day. Water is an important component of nutrition. Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are all required. Maintaining key vitamins and minerals are also important to maintaining good health. For pregnant women and adults over 50, vitamins such as vitamin D and minerals such as calcium and iron are important to consider when choosing foods to eat, as well as possible dietary supplements.

A healthy diet includes a lot of natural foods. A sizeable portion of a healthy diet should consist of fruits and vegetables, especially ones that are red, orange, or dark green. Whole grains, such as whole wheat and brown rice, should also play a part in your diet. For adults, dairy products should be non-fat or low-fat. Protein can consist of lean meat and poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, legumes, and soy products such as tofu, as well as unsalted seeds and nuts.

Good nutrition also involves avoiding certain kinds of foods. Sodium is used heavily in processed foods and is dangerous for people with high blood pressure. The USDA advises adults to consume less than 300 milligrams (mg) per day of cholesterol (found in meat and full-fat dairy products among others). Fried food, solid fats, and trans fats found in margarine and processed foods can be harmful to heart health. Refined grains (white flour, white rice) and refined sugar (table sugar, high fructose corn syrup) are also bad for long-term health, especially in people with diabetes. Alcohol can be dangerous to health in amounts more than one serving per day for a woman and two per day for a man.

There are many high-quality, free guidelines available for healthy eating plans that give more details on portion size, total calorie consumption, what to eat more of, and what to eat less of to get healthy and stay that way.