The Importance of Healthy Eating

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated! Below are some of our top tips and ‘easy swaps’ to help you to eat a more varied and healthy balanced diet.

• Switch to wholegrains – choose wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta and wholegrain rice & cereals. Wholegrain varieties contain more fibre so will help to stabilise blood sugar levels and keep you fuller for longer!
• Eat more fruit and veg - fruits and vegetables contain a range of essential vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and fibre. Frozen and dried varieties all count! Try a handful of fruit over your cereal or in yoghurt. Add veg to salads, pastas, stews etc..
• Try adding pulses and legumes (such as chickpeas and lentils) to curries, soups and pasta sauces. They are a great source of plant protein and high in fibre. Eating more pulses and legumes can also be a lot kinder on your wallet, by making traditionally meat-based dishes go a lot further.
• Opt for unsaturated fats – try to reduce your overall intake of saturated fats (found in butter, ghee, lard, meat products and pastries for example) and instead choose foods high in mono-and poly-unsaturated fats such as olive oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, walnuts, almonds, oily fish.
• Choose lower salt options – research has shown that eating a diet too high in salt can cause high blood pressure, which in turn increases our risk of heart attacks and strokes. Instead of reaching for the saltshaker, try experimenting with herbs and spices to add more flavour to your meals and to put a tasty, new spin on your store-cupboard favourites.
• Stay hydrated – staying well-hydrated helps our concentration, aids digestion and is important for our skin & joint health. Try to limit fizzy drinks, energy/high-caffeine drinks and milkshakes. Instead opt for sugar-free or no ‘added sugar’ alternatives.
• Don’t skip meals – skipping meals can lead us to snack more and make opting for healthier food choices more difficult. This is because when we’re hungry we often opt for foods that will quickly raise our blood sugar levels, like sweet treats for example. Eating regular, balanced meals helps to keep our blood sugar levels more stable and enables us to tune into our hunger and satiety cues more easily.