In order to stay healthy and strong we need to have balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. But what does 'balance' actually mean? The food we eat can be split into five different groups, based on the nutrients they provide us and the way they impact our health. Eatwell Guides were created to help us all better understand and visualise these groups. The guide shows the five food groups and examples of the types of foods that fit into each group: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dairy and fruits and vegetables. We need to maintain a balance between all these different food groups in our daily snacks and meals to make sure we are getting the energy and nutrients we need.
There are different types of Eatwell Guides available including the South Asian, African and Carribean, Vegan, Polish, Vegetarian and West African Eatwell guides. Each of these guides follows the same basic principle, however, the examples of foods in each groups changes slightly to ensure it is more appropriate and culturally relevant for different groups. When thinking about balancing your meals and creating a healthy diet, it is important you use the most relevant Eatwell Guide for you. The vegetarian and vegan Eatwell guides are particularly important as they give good alternatives to sources of dairy and protein which individuals following these diets may be lacking.
We can use the Eatwell guide to create a healthy diet by thinking of it like a plate. One third of our plate should consist of carbohydrates (the yellow section), the other third of fruits and vegetables (the green section), and one third split between dairy (blue) and protein (pink). The purple group, oils and spreads, only takes us a tiny portion of our plate as we do not need this food group in large amounts. Looking at these groups in further details we can begin to understand why they are important for our health and how much we may need in a day. For more information on portion sizes, take a look at this blog post.
Carbohydrates take up a large portion of the guide as they are our bodies most essential source of energy and we should be having them we every meal and most of our snacks. It is also the preferred energy source for our brains. Many diet fads will try and encourage you to cut carbohydrates from your diet. Unless you have received instructions from a registered dietician or have been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance or other dietary diseases such as coeliac diseases, I would urge you not to engage in this type of restriction. Cutting out an entire food group from your diet can be harmful to both your body and mental relationship with food. It is unlikely this type of restrictive diet can be sustained and you may cause physical and mental harm to yourself in the interim. Specifically, removing carbohydrates from your diet removes the preferred energy source for your brain causing your body to break into important fat and protein stores. It can also cause you to feel sluggish, dizzy and some people even experience flu-like symptoms. Carbohydrates are vital for our bodies, thus, the reason for them constituting such a large portion of the Eatwell Guide. Carbohydrates contain vitamin Bs and fibre which are responsible for providing this energy to our bodies and aiding in our digestion. Fibre can also help us feel full for longer. Opting for brown or wholegrain versions of carbohydrates such as brown bread or rice can therefore increase the fibre content and keep us satiated for longer. We should aim to consume 4-6 portions of carbohydrates per day.
Fruit and Vegetables provide us with fibre and also contain many different types of vitamins and minerals. Sources of fruit and vegetables can include frozen, fresh, canned, juiced and dried. These all have excellent vitamin and fibre content; however, make sure to keep an eye out for any added sugars in products like fruit juices or canned and dried fruits. Five portions a day of this food group is recommended and these portions should ideally consist of five different types of fruits and vegetables. For example, having 5 apples a day would technically be 5 portions, yet, you would not have received the variety of vitamins and minerals had you consumed apples, oranges, carrots, broccoli and tomatoes.
The pink section encompasses the food group 'Protein'. Our bodies utilise protein to build and repair muscles and tissues. Recently, there has been some concern that vegan and vegetarian diets are not able to meet protein requirements. If properly executed, there is no reason vegan and vegetarian diets cannot be filled with protein too. Excellent plant based sources of protein include tofu, nuts, lentils, pulses, chickpeas and quinoa. To ensure you are eating optimal amount of amino acids (the building blocks of protein), make sure you eat a variety of plant sources, preferably together in a meal. To note, vegan and vegetarian diets may be able to meet protein intakes but are sometimes lacking in iron, vitamin B12 and Omega 3. Good sources of these nutrients include fortified cereals, leafy green vegetables, eggs and cheese (for vegetarians), yeast extract, walnuts, linseed and flaxseed. The average person should aim to consume 2-3 portions of protein per day.
Dairy is the fourth food group and is essential in our diets as dairy foods provide our bodies with calcium. Calcium works together with vitamin D to help maintain our bones and teeth. For children and teenagers, dairy is particularly vital as they are going through rapid phases of growth and therefore need to ensure their bones and teeth remain strong and healthy. In fact, dairy requirements increase for teenagers. Good sources are dairy include yoghurt, milk and milk alternatives and cheeses Dairy products also contain vitamin A, B12 and protein. Typically, we should try to have 2-3 portions of dairy per day
Oils and Spreads are the final group in the Eatwell guide. Foods in this group provide us with sources of fat. Fat is only needed in small amounts to help our body to absorb vitamins and make essential fatty acids that we otherwise could not produce. This is why it makes up such a small portion of the Eatwell Guide. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature like ghee, lard and butter. There is strong evidence suggesting excess saturated fat in the diet contributes to increased risks of heart disease, liver diseases, obesity and stroke. This is due to an increase in LDL Cholesterol (a bad type of cholesterol) caused by excess saturated fats in the blood. On the other hand, unsaturated fats are oils and spreads which are liquid at room temperature such as olive oil, margarine and avocado oil. Some types of fish (e.g., salmon and mackerel), avocados and nuts (e.g. ,peanuts and almonds) are also high in unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fat helps to raise HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol) which has been linked to reduced risks of heart disease and helps our brain to function. Therefore, we want to aim for more unsaturated fats our diets which are things you can pour at room temperature like oils. The recommended intake for oils and spreads each day is only 2-3 tablespoons. This can come from oils and spreads used during cooking processes or added directly to food.
Outside the Eatwell Guide are two other important elements. One is the recommended water intake of 6-8 glasses per day (approximately 2,200ml). Water is essential for our body’s maintenance and proper functioning. Water helps us produce saliva, digest our food, maintain body fluid levels and regulate temperature. The final element to the guide is seen in the bottom right corner. Next to these foods is written: 'Eat less often and in small amounts'. Foods in this sections include crisps, biscuits, pastries, ketchup, chocolates and cakes. While these foods might contain carbohydrates or dairy they are also incredibly high in salt, sugar and saturated fats and provide little nutritional benefit overall. While we do not necessarily need them to be ‘healthy’, it is important that they are still in our diet every now and then to make us happy and stop us fearing certain types of foods. As the inscription says we can still eat them, just every once in a while and in smaller amounts.
Remember these guides are all about balance! If this is your first time using the Eatwell Guide, take any changes slowly and be patient in the process. Patience and balance are the key to building a long term healthier lifestyle!
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