Eating well

What you eat and drink can have a big impact on your physical and mental health.

Making some small, healthy changes to your diet could bring big benefits.

A healthy and balanced diet can give you more energy. It can make you feel more alert. It can improve your mood. It can make you feel more confident.

Food groups

There are three main food groups that our bodies need.

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. They are in pasta, rice, vegetables, fruit and potatoes.

Protein helps our bodies repair and grow. It is found in eggs, meat, fish, beans and lentils.

We need to eat the right types of fats. Fat helps the body absorb vitamins. Too much fat in your diet, in particular saturated fat, can be bad for your health.

Foods that are high in good fats include oily fish, chicken, nuts like walnuts and almonds, olive and sunflower oils, avocados, eggs, and dairy products.

It’s also important to make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals. They do important jobs such as boosting your immune system.

Eating lots of fruit and vegetables will give you minerals, vitamins, and fibre. Try to eat different coloured fruits and vegetables. This will give you a good range of nutrients.

Portion sizes

It’s important to eat the right amount of food. How much will depend on several factors, such as your age, size and level of physical activity.

A handy tip for getting your portion size right is to measure what you eat by the size of different parts of your hand.

• Protein – your palm
• Vegetables – your fist
• Fat – your thumb
• Carbohydrates – your cupped hand.

It’s important to eat regularly and make sure you eat enough food, otherwise your blood sugar levels can fall. This can make you tired and irritable.

It’s also important to avoid eating too much. We need to be careful not too eat too much foods high in saturated fats, sugars and salt. These can be bad for your heart and your overall health.

Snacking

Healthy snacks between meals can combat hunger and give you nutrients and energy.

Unhealthy snacks will have little nutritional value and can lead to further snacking.

Choose things such as

• fruit
• vegetables
• hummus
• eggs
• tuna
• nuts.

Staying hydrated

Getting enough of the right types of fluids in our bodies is just as important as eating well.

Too much caffeine can affect your sleep. Sugary drinks can disrupt your blood sugar levels.

Water is great for hydration.

If you find it difficult to drink enough water, fruit teas, diluted fruit juice, or squash might help.

It’s recommended you drink at least 1.2 litres of water per day.