What is a healthy diet?A healthy diet is one that provides everything you need to stay fit and healthy and to grow properly.A balanced and healthy diet contains all the essential items that you need: nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibres.

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Food SafetyFood safety means preparing, storing and cooking food to keep it free from harmful bacteria or toxins that could make you, or other people ill.

Understanding Labels

Use-by dates - never eat products after this date unless they have been frozen. Usually on chilled products ie cooked meats, soft cheese and dairy-based desserts.

Best before dates - usually on longer shelf life foods such as frozen, tinned or dried goods and refer to quality rather than safety. It should be safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date, but food may no longer be at its best. One exception is eggs - never eat eggs after the best before date.

TemperaturesFood between 5oc and 63oc is in the danger zone!

Keep your fridge temperature below 5oc Freeze at minus 18oc Cook at over 70oc to kill bacteria Keep food above 63oc when heated

Food Storage

Check dates and throw away spoiled food Use food in rotation Keep storage areas clean Clean fridge regularly Place raw food on bottom shelf of fridge Check for spillages regularly Cover and seal foods carefully

Physical Hazards

Broken glass or packaging Pieces of shell or boneParts of machineryJewellery, hair,finger nails

Chemical Hazards

Industrial or agricultural productsCleaning chemicalsDissolved metalsPest bait/poison

Biological Hazards

BacteriaVirusesNatural poisons such as those found in fish and mushroomsParasites

A Healthy DietThe main point of eating is to supply the body with energy. Usually energy is obtained from the three main nutrients in food. Each nutrient supplies a specific amount of energy. The energy in food is measured in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcals).

Carbohydrate 1g of carbohydrate supplies 4 kcal Protein 1g of protein supplies 4 kcal Fat 1g of fat supplies 9 kcal [fat provides more than twice the energy

of carbohydrates or protein]

The Energy You Need

If the amount of energy you put in to your body is the same you use, you will stay the same weight. But if you put more in that you need you will gain weight, and if you don’t put enough in you will lose weight.

You need a certain amount of energy to keep your body working, this is called your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Your BMR will depend on your body weight, your age and your gender. Energy demand is called your Physical Activity Level (PAL). The greater your PAL the more energy you will need to get from your diet. This means you need more kilocalories in your food.

Energy Needed [kcals per hour]

Activity Energy Activity Energy

Walking 210 Swimming 450Tennis 432 Jogging 390Cycling 372 Housework 198Dancing 270 Football 420

Energy Estimates [daily]

Individual Male Female

8 year old child 1,400 1,20015 year old 2,200 1,800 Adult office worker 2,400 2,000Adult labourer 3,000 2,400Retired adult 2,000 1,600

NUTRIENTS

Food supplies the body with nutrients. Nutrients are the different chemical substances that keep the body working properly. The amount of each nutrient that a person needs in their diet depends on their age, gender, activity level and medical history.

The different nutrients needed by the body are substances called Carbohydrate Protein Fat Fibre Vitamins Minerals Water

CARBoHYdRATES

When they are taken into your body, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose. This is your main source of energy. Eating carbohydrates regularly helps to build up your reserves of energy and to replace them when they have been partly used up. Carbohydrates are found in foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta and sweet foods. There are two main types of carbohydrates: sugars and starches.

Wholegrain foods are naturally much higher in fibre and many vitamins and minerals than their ‘white’ counterparts. White varieties (white bread, pasta and crackers) are made from flours and cereal grains which have had the outer part of the grain removed.

Food that is high in sugar

Fruits (such as apples, pears, grapes and bananas)Vegetables (such as carrots, onions and sweetcorn)HoneySugar

Food that is high in starch

Porridge, muesli and oatsBeans and pulsesPotatoesBreadPastaRice

PRoTEINS

Proteins supply energy when your body has used up its store of carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are made from amino acids, your body cannot make these, so you have to take them in through the food you eat. Your body uses amino acids to build cells, make blood, and replace and repair body tissue.

Fish, eggs, pulses and meat are all rich in proteins.

FATS

Fats provide a source of energy when you are resting, sleeping or gently exercis-ing, unlike carbohydrates, which supply energy immediately, fats supply energy for endurance activates. They also provide a layer beneath your skin to protect your vital organs and keep you warm.

FIBRE

Fibre is not directly used by the body so it cannot be called a nutrient in the same way as the others, however everyone does need a supply of it in the diet. It is needed for the gut to function properly and to keep your digestive system working smoothly. Without fibre, food can stay in the gut too long and cause illness. Fibre can also make you feel full for longer and therefore reduce your appetite. It can be found in wholegrain cereals, bread, fruit and vegetables.

Type of fat

Saturated fats

Monounsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats

Lots found in

Fatty meat, meat prod-ucts, butter, cheese, cream, biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate

Fatty fish, olives, olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocado, nuts

Fatty fish, fish oils, sunflower oil, soya oil, nuts and seeds.

Role in body

Used to make fatty substance cholesterol

Appear to protect against heart disease - need to be in dietary balance with polyun-saturated fats

Supply essential fatty acids including omega 3 (in fish oils, flax oil, walnuts, eggs) omega 6 (in eggs, nuts, seeds, oils, cereals)

VITAMINS

Vitamins are tiny substances in food. You need them to help your body function properly they:

Work on the food you eat in order to release its energy Help with the growth and repair of tissues Help us to resist infections and disease Regulate the chemical reactions that are going on in your body all the time

Foods that are high in essential vitamins include; cheese, eggs, milk, citrus fruits, green vegetables

MINERALS

Minerals are basic elements found in the soil and in the air. You need them in your diet to carry out particular jobs to keep you healthy. They include:

Calcium keeps teeth and bones strong

Iron helps produce oxygen carrying compartments in the blood Iodine helps maintain the thyroid gland, which regulates and controls

body functions Potassium makes muscles work and prevent cramps

Sodium (salt) makes muscles work

A high salt intake can cause an increase in blood pressure in some people. High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Unfortunately it is difficult to achieve a low salt intake because many ‘basic’ foods such as bread, breakfast cereal and crackers all contain a lot of salt.

Recommendations of salt intake

1 - 3 years Less than 2g per day4 - 6 years Less than 3g per day7 - 10 years Less than 5g per day11+ years Less than 6g per day

Fruit and vegetables play a critical part in keeping the body healthy. The vitamins and minerals they supply help to maintain the body’s immune system, heal injury and fight disease.

The importance of vitamin C was realised more than 200 years ago when fruit and vegetables rich in Vitamin C were found to cure the symptoms of the disease scurvy. Scurvy causes bleeding gums and failure of wounds to heal.

Eating no red meat or green leafy vegetables can lead to poor iron stores, which may result in anaemia, which causes loss of concentration, fainting, loss of energy and slow devel-opment in children.

Eating no dairy products risks poor calcium levels in the body, which can result in brittle bones.

NUTRIENT

Vitamin A

Vitamin B there are several kinds

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Mineral Calcium

Mineral Iron

NEEdEd FoR

Good eye health

Many roles e.g. extraction of energy from foods, keeping blood cells healthy

Wound healing, efficient absorption of iron from blood

Building strong bones. Allows correct use of calcium by body

Bone strength

Healthy red blood cells, healthy immune system

Good SoURCES

Oily fish, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, red and yellow vegetables.

Wholegrain cereals, and meats

Fruit and vegetables

Eggs, oily fish, margarine, sunlight

Milk, dairy foods, flour, nuts, seeds, pulses

Red meat, green leafy vegetables, pulses, breakfast cereals.

Get Cooking

Easy Chicken NuggetsIngredients1 egg1 chicken breast [vegetarians can use 100g Quorn or tofu chicken style pieces]100g wholemeal breadcrumbsFlavourings [add different flavours to the bread crumbs, try a tablespoon of parmesan or cheddar cheese, a teaspoon of paprika, a teaspoon of rosemary or oregano, or 1 finely chopped de-seeded chilli]

ToolsJug, fork, chopping board, sharp knife, bowl, baking tray, oven

Instructions1] Beat the egg in a bowl2] Chop the chicken breast into bite sized pieces (keep them the same size so

they cook at the same rate)3] Dip the chicken [or Quorn] pieces into the egg then coat in breadcrumbs4] Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake in an oven for 20 minutes at 180oc

Fast food contains a lot a saturated fat, a lot of sugar and a lot of salt, it is high in calories and can make you unhealthy if you eat a lot.

This is the difference between home made and bought nuggets: McDonalds KFC Our Chicken McNuggets Popcorn chicken Easy Nuggets

Calories 375 kcals 494 kcals 258 kcals

Fat 21g (3g saturated) 31.4g (5.3g saturated) 15g (0.5g saturated)

Salt 0.9g 3.1g 0.2g

PERSoNAL HYGIENE

• Washhandsbeforeyoustart• Tieuplonghair• Takeoffnailvarnish• Removejewellery• Washhandsregularly• Disinfectsurfaces

Carrot Couscous SaladIngredients100g cous cous1 vegetable stock cube100ml water2 carrots1 teaspoon of sesame seeds [if you suffer from nut allergies leave these out]2 tablespoons of raisins1 small orangeA handful of fresh coriander

ToolsKettle, jug, teaspoon, tablespoon, fork, sharp knife, grater, chopping board Instructions1] Put the water in a kettle and boil2] Put your stock cube into a jug and pour the 100ml of boiling water in. Stir until

the cube has dissolved3] Put the cous cous in a bowl and pour over the water, stir and leave to soak 4] Wash the carrots, cut off both ends and grate5] Add the grated carrot, sesame seeds and raisins to the bowl of cous cous6] Halve the orange and squeeze the juice into the cous cous mixture and stir7] Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge, add the coriander just before serving

Cous Cous is a grain along with: corn, cornmeal, popcorn, brown and coloured rice, oatmeal and whole oats, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, and bulgur wheat. Whole grains, or foods made from them, contain all the essen-tial parts and naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed such as; vitamin B, essential fatty acid omega 6, protein, and carbo-hydrate. They also contain fibre, which helps keep your digestion system healthy and lowers choles-terol levels.

If you don’t eat foods with enough fibre, toxins can increase and stay in the body and make us unwell.

Bortlotti Bean BurgerIngredients1 small red onion1 egg1 can borlotti beans50g pine nuts2 tablespoons tomato paste1 tablespoon of wholemeal breadcrumbs1 tablespoon of thyme2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Tools1 large bowl, 1 small bowl, a fork, 1 plate, 1 mixing spoon, 1 frying pan1 spatula, 1 sharp knife, 1 chopping board, scales

Instructions1] Chop the onion finely2] Beat the egg in a bowl3] Empty the borlotti beans into a bowl, add the pine nuts, onion, half of the bread

crumbs, tomato paste, thyme and egg. Mix together4] Take a handful of the mixture and shape into burgers then coat in the remain-

ing half of the bread crumbs5] Put the oil in a pan and fry the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes on each side

Healthy WedgesIngredients2 large sweet potatoes1 teaspoon of paprika1 tablespoon olive oil

Tools1 bowl, 1 sharp knife, 1 chopping board, 1 baking tray, oven

Instructions1] Preheat the oven to 200oc2] Wash and chop the sweet potato into wedges leaving the skin on (try to keep

them the same size so they cook at the same speed)3] In a large bowl pour in the oil and paprika, stir and add the potatoes, place the

potatoes on a baking tray and cook for 40 minutes.

Oat CookiesIngredients100g olive oil spread50g brown sugar2 tablespoons clear honey100g self raising flour100g oats50g raisinsa pinch of mixed spice

Tools1 saucepan, 1 tablespoon, 1 baking tray, scales, oven

Instructions1] Turn oven to 170oc and grease a baking tray3] Put the olive oil spread in a saucepan over a low heat, add the sugar and honey and stir until melted.4] Stir in the flour, oats, raisins and spice then mix5] Use a tablespoon to spoon the mixture onto the baking tray and flatten with a fork into biscuit shapes6] Bake for 15 minutes

Fruit KebabsInstructions1] Pick a selection of fruit eg. banana, melon, kiwi, orange, strawberries2] Wash the fruit, peel, de-core, take leaves off3] Chop the fruit into chunks4] Thread the fruit onto skewers

Fruit SmoothiesInstructions1] Pick a selection of fruit eg. banana, apple, pear, mango, strawberries,blueberries, grapes, carrots2] Wash the fruit, de-core, take leaves off, and cut into a few pieces 3] Add liquid eg ice cubes, milk, fruit juice or yoghurt4] Blend together in a blender or smoothie maker

For more details and to leave comments and suggestions about Healthy eating in Stafford Borough, please go to our website

www.staffordhealth.co.uk

Health and Wellbeing Services, Stafford Borough Council, Civic Centre, Riverside, Stafford ST16 3AQ tel 01785 619 402

Why should I eat a healthy diet?A healthy diet greatly reduces the chance of developing so called ‘lifestyle diseases’ such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and it will also help you maintain a healthy weight. So try to:

Eat a wide variety of different foods Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables Limit fatty foods - and change the type of fat eaten Eat less salt Eat more starchy foods, especially wholemeal varieties Eat less sugary foods

It’s not easy to relate nutrients in food to real foods. The government developed the eatwell plate which allows you to plan healthy meals around food choices.