Gremlin,
The main thing about a healthy diet is that it provides you with
sufficient quantities of essentials and not too much of the bad
things. You cannot take one food in isolation, but need to look at
your total intake.
Most people will agree that you should minimise the quantity of sugar,
salt and saturated fat in your diet. These three ingredients can be
found in large quantities in some processed foods. Remember, however,
that some salt is needed, although most of us have far too much. A
good rule is not to add any salt to your food once it is on your
plate. With respect to fat, saturated fat (as found in animal
products, Brazil nuts, hydrogenated vegetable fats) should come to
less than 10% of your total calorie intake. Polyunsaturated fats (eg
most vegetable fats), which used to be considered "a good thing" also
should be kept to below 10%. Monounsaturated fats, as found in olive
oil, are considered better for you, and if you use these you can take
fat intake up to 15% of total calories. Added sugar adds up to empty
calories. It gives you an instant peak and then drops you down into
an even greater low. If you can train your taste away from sweet
stuff, except for the occasional treat, that will be one of the best
ways to create a healthy diet for yourself. Try this and see how
suddenly fruit and vegetables start to taste better than they ever did
before.
There is also general consensus that your diet should include at least
five helpings per day of fruit and vegetables. Slice a banana into
your breakfast cereal, have a side salad with your main meal, and a
glass of fruit juice or a piece of fruit sometime during the day.
That will already go a long way towards your five portions. Frozen
fruit and vegetables are as nutritious as fresh and sometimes can be
more nutritious, since freezing preserves the vitamins they contain.
You should also get a reasonable amount of fibre. This can be ensured
by replacing at least some of the white bread and pasta in your diet
with the wholemeal equivalent, and white rice with brown rice. Doing
this will also boost your intake of B-complex and other vitamins. The
fruit and vegetables will add to your fibre intake, and so will your
consumption of legumes (peas, beans, lentils, etc).
Beyond this, we come to individual theories which often disagree
wildly with each other. Some people believe that we should eat a diet
high in carbohydrate, with only small amounts of protein, others
believe the opposite, and there is also a theory that your blood type
will determine which of these is better for you.
Many will say that you should cut down on red meat, substituting it
with fish, chicken, soya protein and pulses (beans, lentils). The
whole question of cholesterol is vexed. I remember as a child hearing
that eggs were very good for you. Then, suddenly, everyone was saying
that you should not have more than two eggs a week, because of their
cholesterol levels. Now it seems that opinion has eased off a bit. It
was found that much of the cholesterol is actually produced by our
bodies, and some people produce more than others. It is only those
who produce high levels of cholesterol who need to watch how much
cholesterol they have in their diets. Milk is another controversial
substance. Some people say you should drink a lot, others say that it
is concentrated food meant for baby calves and not for adult humans.
Probably, the old adage that everything should be enjoyed in
moderation is the best principle. As long as you have a balanced diet
overall, you can occasionally binge on fast food, chocolate and all
other kinds of sinful food. If you don't feel too confident about what
you eat, some supplementation with vitamins and minerals will do no
harm, as long as you don't overdo it.
One of the healthiest diets that exist is the Mediterranean diet.
This is based on olive oil, lots of fresh salads and fruit, high
carbohydrate (pasta!, rice) with a small amount of protein (meat,
fish, cheese). Oh yes, they like to quaff wine with everything, and
red wine has been shown to protect against heart attacks and otherwise
be a "good thing" because of the antioxidants it contains.
In your perusal of the frozen food cabinets, look out for "low fat",
"no added sugar". Favour fish and chicken over red meat. Favour "low
salt". Avoid too many meals which are slathered in cheese. Try some
vegetarian and wholefood options for a change. They tend to be low in
added salt and sugar and fat, as well as avoiding a lot of food
additive chemicals.
Some healthy foods are quicker to cook from fresh than from frozen.
Here is one example. Buy yourself a salmon steak, some spring onions,
capsicums and mushrooms, and a bottle of Thai spices (lemongrass-based
is ideal). Place the salmon onto a square of kitchen foil, cover it
with slices of the vegetables, sprinkle with the spices and a few
drops of oil. Wrap the foil into a parcel. Place in a medium oven
and bake for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, boil up some water
and cook a portion of tagliatelle (about 5 minutes or so) - you can
toss in some frozen peas with it too. Tip some ready-prepared salad
into a bowl and shake over a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Take the foil parcel out of the oven. Unwrap carefully. Place salmon
on plate with vegetables on top. Add tagliatelle (and peas if used).
Pour the juice from the foil parcel over the pasta. Eat together with
the salad. Enjoy! |
