Page 69 - project_booklet

P A R T 3
Healthy diet

Our bodies are like machines that require a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and
water to stay in good working order. A balanced diet means eating only as many calories as you use
during the day. Any excess will be stored as fat if you eat more than you burn off.
The benefits of a balanced diet are:
- a strong immune system to prevent and fight infections;
- a lower risk of certain types of cancers;
- lower blood pressure;
- a healthy weight;
- more energy;
- essential nutrients to support tissue growth.
What type of foods should I avoid?
Many people do not buy and prepare fresh food, and it's easy to see why. We are often short of time,
and cheap, highly processed convenience food is always available. However, convenience food has a
negative impact on our health.
Here are a few examples of this type of food:
- junk food, like crisps and chocolate, is high in calories but low in nutritional value;
- fast food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken, is prepared and served quickly but is high in fat;
- convenience food, such as microwave ‘ready meals’, often has too much salt and sugar.
Tips for everyday healthy eating:
- Eat three healthy meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); it is important to remember that dinner
does not have to be the largest meal.
- The bulk of food consumption should consist of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
and fat-free or low-fat milk products.
- Incorporate lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts (with emphasis on beans and nuts) into a
healthy diet.
- Choose foods that are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars;
look at the labels because the first listed items on the labels comprise the highest concentrations of
ingredients.
- Control portion sizes; eat the smallest portion that can satisfy hunger and then stop eating.
- Healthy snacks are OK in moderation and should consist of items like fruit, whole grains, or nuts to
satisfy hunger and not cause excessive weight gain.

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