It can cause sleep problems, especially if you drink it close to bedtime, and some people find it makes them irritable and anxious too. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate. You don’t have to make big changes to your diet, but see if you can try some of these tips. Although protein is an essential part of your diet, this is also only needed in moderation. Insoluble fibre helps with digestion and elimination by speeding up the passage of food in the digestive system. Soluble fibre changes how other nutrients are absorbed in the digestive system.
Go for a rainbow of colours to get as wide a range of vitamins and minerals as possible. Try to avoid fruit juices and smoothies as they don’t have as much fibre. That’s why a healthy diet is all about variety and choosing different foods from each of themain food groupsevery day.
Fizzy drinks, mass-produced bread and biscuits, flavoured yogurts, ready meals and hot dogs all fall into this category, as well as many other, often heavily packaged, products. A healthy breakfast is an important part of a balanced diet, and provides some of the vitamins and minerals you need for good health. Wholemeal cereal with fruit on top is one suggestion for a tasty, nutritious breakfast. Unsaturated fats are healthier fats and include vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils. They’re also high in unhealthy saturated fats, so they aren’t good for cholesterol levels and your heart.
This could be meat like fresh chicken, or pulses, such as lentils and beans, or fish. Eating processed and red meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer, so try to limit how often you eat these. If you’re trying to lose weight, aim to eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight. Ultra-processed foods are ‘formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, typically created by a series of industrial techniques and processes’.
Occasional foods are things that we can eat every now and then but shouldn’t make up a big part of our diet every day. These foods might be slightly different for everyone but are things like cake, chocolate, biscuits and crisps. Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke.
A healthy diet is one way you can improve your mental health. Other things include stayingphysically active, spending time in nature, avoidingcigarettesand alcohol and developing good sleep habits. Our guide on How to look after your mental health has more ideas. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature and these are the fats that will have a negative impact on our health.
Want to cook delicious, healthy meals for you and your family? Our nutritionally-balanced range of recipes offer low-calorie, high-protein, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and low-fat options that are excellent value for money. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, are healthier choices. As well as eating healthily, regular exercise may help reduce your risk of getting serious health conditions.
The NHS advises if you are eating more than 90g a day you should cut back to 70g. An unhealthy diet, on the other hand, is one that increases the risks of developing poor health. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories and could contribute to weight gain.