We all know the importance of eating a well balanced healthy diet but what exactly is a healthy diet? A healthy diet consists of 6 basic components, such as:

Protein – This can be fish, meat, poultry, dairy products and eggs

Fats – This is found in animal products, dairy, nuts and oils

Carbohydrates – Vegetables, fruits, pasta, rice and beans

Vitamins – These are vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K

Minerals – Iron, calcium and potassium

Water

What are proteins?

Proteins are needed by our body to maintain, repair and build our body tissue such as the skin, muscles and internal organs; they also help boost our immune system and our hormones.

Protein consists of amino acid and this is needed by our body, in fact 22 of them are considered essential to our body. The adult body can make 14 of these acids itself while the other eight which are known as essential amino acids can only be obtained from what we eat.

Proteins can be found in a lot of foods but only foods such as fish, meat and eggs have what are called complete proteins. They are called complete because they provide us with the eight essential amino acids we need.

It is essential that your daily diet contains enough protein to be able to keep replenishing these amino acids, vegetarians who do not eat animal products have to eat a variety of different plant products to make sure they receive the amino acids. We need roughly 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day.

So is fat good for us?

We need a certain amount of fat everyday in order to keep our bodies healthy, the average adult should get roughly 25% of the daily recommended calories from fat; however some people eat far too much fat in the diet.

Excessive fat mainly saturated fat is bad for us and helps raise the cholesterol level and increases the risk of heart disease. Eating too much fat also increases the body weight.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates give our bodies fuel in the form of glucose, which is a sugar that is the primary source of energy for our body’s cells. Adults should get about 60% of the recommended calorie intake from carbohydrates.

What are Vitamins?

Vitamins can only come from the food we eat our body cannot make them and they help with chemical reactions within the body, in total there are 13 vitamins that are essential to our well being and these are divided into two categories:

Water soluble vitamins – which include all the B vitamins and C vitamin.

Fat soluble vitamins – which are A, D, E and K vitamins.

Water soluble vitamins are not stored in our body and these are the vitamins we must have on a daily basis.

What are minerals?

Minerals must come from our diet just as vitamins do, minerals are vital for our body’s health and some must be consumed in huge amounts, such as calcium, potassium and iron. Trace elements such as zinc and copper are only needed in small amounts to maintain our health.

Why is water good for us?

Although water has no real food value it is essential to our body’s well being because it keeps the body hydrated. Water accounts for 55% to 60% of our total body weight but the body doesn’t store water and so we must provide it in adequate quantities.

There are five different food groups and to maintain a healthy diet, foods from each of these groups should be included in your diet every day in the correct proportions. It is also to your advantage to include in your diet five different portions of fruit and vegetables daily as this can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and other illnesses. The five main different food groups are as follows:

1. Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and breakfast cereal

Foods from this category should be included in all your meals, they contain a lot of starch and are an excellent source of fibre and are rich in vitamin B complex. When choosing cereal’s try to choose those that are high in fibre.

2. Fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables from this category can be fresh, canned or frozen and includes salad vegetables. They are low in fat and are excellent sources of fibre, vitamins and minerals. The healthy diet should consist of five different portions from this category everyday. An example of a portion would be:

• One whole piece of fruit, for example an apple, orange or banana.

• Two pieces of medium sized fruit e.g. plums, Satsumas or kiwi fruit.

• One glass of fruit juice.

• Two serving spoons of vegetables e.g. cabbage, carrots or parsnip.

• One medium bowl of salad.

3. Milk and dairy products

Foods in this category include milk, cheese and yogurts. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and calcium. To help maintain a healthy diet include two to three portions daily from this category, but try to choose low fat versions wherever possible as theses foods are generally high in saturated fats.

4. Meat, fish, poultry and pulses

Try to include fish in your diet once or twice a week and red meat, which is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and iron. When choosing meat try to get the leaner cuts and trim away any fat. Nuts, peas, beans and lentils are included within this food group, lower fat varieties of these are also preferable. You should include two servings per day from this group.

5. Foods containing fats and sugar

This food group contains foods such as butter, cream, cooking oils, mayonnaise, cakes, biscuits, sweets, pastries and crisps. All of the foods in this category are high in fat and calories so include only small amounts per day and choose sugar free varieties whenever possible.

Maintaining a healthy diet

The best way to maintain a healthy diet is to eat a variety of different foods from the categories listed above, this ensures our body receives all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs.

Be sensible when it comes to drinking alcohol as drinking heavily can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver. A small amount of fat in our diet gives us energy and unsaturated fats used in moderation can help lower the cholesterol level.

Eating baked, microwave, poached or grilled foods are better than fried foods and boiling fresh vegetables in only a small amount of water and not overcooking them is better, as overcooking will cause you to lose vitamin C.