What exactly is a healthy balanced diet?
We’ve all heard how we should try to eat a healthy balanced diet to live our best lives. This is the ethos behind the GoodLife brand and each and every product in our range has been carefully developed to provide a nutritionally balanced base for a meal.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD YOU EAT TO ENSURE YOUR BODY IS RECEIVING EVERYTHING IT NEEDS TO FUNCTION AT ITS BEST?
We regularly find ourselves reading conflicting information be it regarding calories, counting our macros or even cutting food out altogether and fasting to help improve our health. Consuming a healthy diet shouldn’t need to feel this complicated, surely?
I believe that we should be looking at what we can add to our plate, not what we should be removing. Diversity is increasingly being spoken about as the key focus to optimize our health from providing us with an army of nutrients, to supporting our daily metabolic processes, to increasing the beneficial bacteria within our guts which support many areas of our health, from our mental health to our immunity.
WHAT IS DIVERSITY IN DIET?
Diversity comprises a diet focused on a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and water which remains the cornerstone to health. If we look and compare the average western diet,
it is high in processed meats, dairy, sugary cakes, sweets, fizzy drinks, white flour and white bread, and consuming food in this manner is damaging to our health. In the UK, statistics show we are struggling to even consume 2 of our 5 a day.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Many of us are aware that fruit and vegetables are good for us, yet most of us are still not consuming enough on a daily basis. The NHS recommends we should consume a variety of 5 different portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Each portion should be at least 80 grams. It may sound scary, but 9-10 portions of fruit and vegetables (mainly veg!) are linked to a REDUCTION in non-communicable diseases such as cancers, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Increased veggie consumption has been linked to weight loss and even reduced symptoms of depression! (1)
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?
Any fresh fruits, vegetables (apart from white potatoes, as these count as starchy foods similar to pasta and grains) and beans and pulses count as fresh fruit and veg. They can be eaten as whole food or be mixed into sauces, smoothies or soups.
Be aware of tinned fruits, and juices as these can be very high in sugar. Tinned fruits may be in syrup, and fruit juices strip away lots of the fibre by removing the outer layer of the fruits which are what help reduce the sugar spike in the blood stream.
FIBRE
It is recommended to consume 30g/day, however in the UK we are struggling to consume half of that recommendation. We all know fibre is good for us, but what does it actually do and.... what is it?
Dietary fibre is the non-digestible part of plants that enters the large bowel where it is fermented and broken down by gut bacteria. Fibre is essential for the normal functioning of the gut and research over the last 30 years has demonstrated that foods rich in fibre help prevent, and manage, a variety of chronic diseases and even supports our immune system.
Fibre can be found in fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread, brown rice, beans, pulses and oats. The more variety we can get the better.
PROTEIN
Protein is advised to be a part of every meal and should COMPLETE A QUARTER OF YOUR PLATE. Including good quality protein will help keep you fuller for longer and maintain steady blood sugar levels which can help with weight management
I always advise my clients to opt for a protein source in EVERY MEAL WHICH MEASURES UP TO A PALM SIZE AMOUNT. Protein can come in
many forms but try to choose lean sources where possible if you are consuming meat or fish. Public Health England do recommend consuming one portion of oily fish a week to meet your omega 3 intake. If you do not consume fish, an algae supplement would be advised.
If you are plant-based, opt for a mixture of beans, pulses, grains (such as quinoa, bulgur wheat), tofu, soya, nuts, seeds, edamame, chia seeds or hummus. In plant-based sources, it is important to consume a variety of these because together they will form a complete protein to deliver your nine essential amino acids.
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOHYDRATES ARE OUR MAIN FUEL SOURCE, AND WE SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY FROM ALL OF THEM.
Wholegrains, legumes, oats, and vegetables are known as unrefined carbohydrates and provide a steady supply of glucose to our bodies. Refined carbohydrates, such as sugars, sweets, cakes, white breads/ pasta/rice, or spreads such as jams can wreak havoc with our blood sugar levels and cravings, which we want to try to avoid or reduce.
Unrefined carbohydrates will be higher in fibre too, helping you meet that target of 30g/d. There is no daily recommendation for carbohydrate intake, but the more energy you are using throughout the day the higher your carbohydrate intake should be. I advise clients to consume a fist size amount of carbohydrates in their meals, however if you have a sedentary job this may look a little lower for you.
FATS
FATS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR DIET, BUT FOR YEARS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONTROVERSY AROUND THEM.
Eating the right types of fat is essential for our health. The human brain is made up of 60% fat and one third of these fats comes from essential fatty acids. Sadly, many people in the western culture consume too much saturated fat and trans-fat which are not beneficial for our health.
Saturated and trans-fat is mainly found in refined oils such as palm oil, coconut oil, margarines, fatty cuts of meat, cheese, biscuits, cakes, and fried foods.
We want to be consuming more monounsaturated fat and poly-unsaturated fat, which provides omega 6 and omega 3. These are found in olive oil, avocadoes, oily fish, walnuts, almonds, and brazil nuts. Fats are also essential to help us absorb fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.
IF YOU FOLLOW A PLANT-BASED DIET, IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER
B12 - Vitamin B12 derives from microorganisms found in soil and water. Meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are good sources of B12. If you are fully plant based, you cannot gain sufficient B12 and therefore must supplement.
VITAMIN D - Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is needed to support calcium and phosphate absorption - important for our bone health. In winter months we struggle to gain vitamin D due to a lack of UVA rays, and it is advised to supplement. However, if in the spring and summer months you work mainly indoors, do not expose your skin to the sun, or are from an ethnic heritage it would be advised to continue supplementation throughout the year.
SELENIUM - Selenium is important for many different enzymatic functions throughout the body. Meat and seafood are the main sources for selenium. If you are fully plant based, brazil nuts are a good option to help with selenium intake. Just two nuts a day is sufficient. However, the amount of selenium is dependent on the environment and therefore a supplement may be a more reliable source.
OMEGA 3 - Essential fatty acids are important for our brain health, eye health and anti-inflammatory processes. It is important to consider a high-quality omega 3 supplement from either fish oil or an algae supplement if you do not consume at least one portion of oily fish a week.
IODINE - Iodine is important for our thyroid function and is found in fish and dairy products as well as seaweed. It will be important to consider an iodine supplement if fully plant based, but please do speak to a GP first.
IF YOU ARE A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL CONSUMING A BALANCED DIET SUCH AS ABOVE, IDEALLY YOU SHOULDN’T NEED TO SUPPLEMENT.
If you are fully plant based there are a few areas which are important to highlight, as although plant foods can deliver a variety of nutrients you may be missing out on a few key ones! If you suffer with gastrointestinal issues or health concerns, it would be important to speak to a GP to see if you may be deficient in any micronutrient, even if you are not plant-based.
CHECK OUT MY RECIPES FOR GOOD.LIFE HERE
WHICH INCLUDE Open Aubergine Pesto Spicy Bean Burger and Thai Firecracker Bowl