Food

On this page

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Potatoes, Rice, Pasta and Bread
• Fish and Seafood
• Meat
• Egg
• Milk and Dairy Foods

Fruits and Vegetables1

Fruits and vegetables are key to a healthier lifestyle and they are an important source of several nutrients e.g. vitamin C, folate, potassium and other constituents such as dietary fibre, carotenoids and flavonoids.
Some berries and fruits contain high levels of total antioxidants such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries and pomegranates, grapes and oranges.
That’s one of the reasons why it’s recommended to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. One portion = 80 gram of fruit or vegetables, or any of these:

• 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
• ½ a grapefruit or avocado
• 1 apple, banana, orange, pear or other similar size fruit
• 1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple
• 7 cherry tomatoes
• 2 satsumas or 2 medium plums
• 1 glass of 100% juice (Remember you can only count fruit juice as one portion, however much you drink, because fruit juice has very little fibre)
• 1 tablespoon of raisins
• 3 dried apricots
• 1 handful of grapes

Most fruits and vegetables are low in fat and calorie (contains about 80-95% water), and therefore may help you achieve or keep to a healthy weight. Furthermore there is some evidence that shows eating more fruit and vegetables may help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Other evidence shows an increase in vegetables and fruit consumption level to 600 grams a day has been estimated to be associated with a 10-20% reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Fresh fruit contains very low energy – about 200 KJ per 100 gram. You can divide vegetables after the fibre contents.

• Fine vegetables contain less than 2 grams fibre per 100 grams. E.g. Cucumber, tomatoes, salad, pepper.
• Vegetables that contain more than 2 grams of fibre per 100 grams uncluse, Onions, carrots, cauliflower, peas, cabbage, beans, sprouts, lentils, broccoli, parsnips, leeks.
• The last group of vegetables are often called "coarse" vegetables and they will give your stomach something to work with. Beans and lentils contain a lot of protein and have more energy, B-vitamin and fibre. Because beans contain good source of protein you can swap some of your meat with beans.

Eat a rainbow assortment of fruits and vegetables

Sometimes it’s difficult to eat enough fruits and vegetables, but try to make the effort to start to increase your fruit and vegetables intake by eating from different boxes each day and feel the difference!

Potatoes, Rice, Pasta and Bread

Potatoes contribute starch and add to the daily intake of several nutrients, e.g. potassium, vitamin B2, vitamin C and fibre. protein is low in potatoes; about 2 grams per 100 grams and the energy is around 360 KJ per 100 grams.

Potatoes are a good choice and can be a part of a healthy and balanced diet. Just remember that potatoes contain a lot of starch, so they will take up a lot of fat if you deep-fry them. A raw potato contains about 3% fat and chips up to 50% fat.

Rice and pasta are a good source of carbohydrates. If you want to choose a healthier option try wholemeal products instead of white rice and pasta. Wholemeal rice and pasta has many nutritional advantages an a unique flavour and texture. It’s a good source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B1 (thiamine). In 100 gram of wholemeal raw rice you get over half the recommended intake of vitamin B1 (thiamine). Thiamine is essential for the utilisation of carbohydrates in the body, meaning that the vitamin helps your body convert food into fuel. Further products made of whole grain release their energy more steadily and it will cause fewer swings in blood sugar and so, when you are buying bread, you should also choose the wholemeal option as well.

Fish and Seafood2,3

Fish is really good for your health and it’s recommended as a part of a balanced diet. The official recommendation is to aim for at least two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish. (around 400 gram a week).

Fish is an important source of good quality protein, low in fat and contribute to many vitamins and minerals, especially to the intake of vitamin D, iodine and selenium. Furthermore, fish and especially fatty fish is a major source of long-chain n-3 fatty acids.

The available evidence actually indicates that eating fish or n-3 fatty acids from fish can reduces the risk of fatal coronary heart disease4 (CHD) and have been associated with reduced blood pressure.

So there are loads of good reasons for increasing you weekly amount of fish and seafood!

What kind of fish should I eat?

You should eat as wide a verity of different fish as possible. One portion of oily fish and two portions of non-oily fish. Under here you can see examples of the 2 groups.

It’s best to choose smaller species of fatty fish, such ad wild salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines because their smaller size and shorter life span translate into a smaller accumulation of mercury and other environmental toxins. Fish like shark, marlin, swordfish and other large predatory fish may contain high levels of methyl mercury, so it’s recommended a maximum of one portion per week for this fish group.

It is important to remember that the benefits of eating the recommended fish intake, is still bigger than the risk of mercury.

Meat

Meat and meat products contribute to protein, readily available iron, selenium, zinc and a range of B-vitamins. But meat also provides fat, especially saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. That’s one of the reasons why you should try to choose lean meat, such as pork without skin or trim visible fat off meat when possible. Chicken and turkey can also provide excellent protein with very little fat, especially if you eat only the white meat (breast) and do not eat the skin.

If you eat mincemeat go for the lean type. The maximum fat percentage you should accept in mincemeat is 10%. Try to cut down on meat, especially red and processed meat (e.g. beef, pork, sausages). Consumption of moderate amounts of meat, preferably lean varieties, is recommended as part of a balanced and varied diet.

Meat contains good source of protein, but alternatively you could go for beans, tofu, nuts and pulses such as lentils. They all contribute to good protein.

Eggs

Eggs are also a very good source of high-quality protein. They have around 12 g of protein per 100 g eggs. But remember the cholesterol level in eggs is around 548 g per 100 gram.

Milk and Dairy Foods

Milk is a good souse of high quality protein and several nutrients, e.g. calcium, potassium, riboflavin and selenium, so there are health benefits to consuming dairy products in moderations. But milk fat is rich in saturated fatty acid, which is why you should choose low-fat varieties. Try skimmed milk, semi-skimmed milk or why not soya or rice milk. Some people are lactose-intolerant or allergic to milk, but it’s only a small percentage of the population.5

Other dairy products include cheese, which contains in a concentrated form, many of milk’s nutrients, but again it’s recommended to go for low-fat choice. Like other milk products, yoghurt is a very good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, B12.

Yoghurt can also contain live active cultures and that have demonstrated to help maintain the normal intestinal microflora balance and suppress harmful bacteria in the intestine. Yoghurt can aid in the treatment and prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and traveller’s diarrhoea. The probiotic bacteria (i.e. beneficial bacterial cultures such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) you find in most yoghurts have great health benefits.

Just be aware that many yoghurts contain a high sugar contents. If the label say “low-fat yoghurt”, it’s often packed with sugar! Why not buy a natural yoghurt and add your own fresh fruit, berries and sprinkle with healthy and crunchy nuts.

References

1, 2: Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2004 - Integrating Nutrition and Phyiscal Activity, 4th Edition. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen 2004. ISBN: 9289310626
3, 4: Human Nutrition 2005, Eleventh Edition by Cather Geisller and Hilary Powers. Churchill Livingstone. ISBNL 0443073562
5: Clinical Medicine 2005, Sixth Edition by Parveen Kumar and Michael Clark. Elservier Saunders. ISBN: 0702027634