When we eat well we sleep better, have more energy and better
concentration and this all adds up to healthier, happier lives! Healthy
eating should be an enjoyable social experience. When children and young
people eat and drink well they get all the essential nutrients they need
for proper growth and development, and develop a good relationship with
food and other social skills.
Health benefits of eating well ;
Provides all of the
energy you need to keep active throughout the day
nutrients you need for growth and repair,
helping you to stay strong and
healthy and help to prevent diet-related illness, such as some cancers
Keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet can also help you to
maintain a healthy weight. Deficiencies in some key nutrients - such as
vitamin A, B, C and E, and zinc, iron and selenium - can weaken parts of
your immune system.
Type 2
diabetes ; maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet that's
low in saturated fat and high in fibre found in whole grains can help to
reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
To learn more about Type 2 diabetHeart health ;A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and
low-fat dairy can help to reduce your risk of heart disease by maintaining
blood pressure and cholesterol levels. High blood pressure and cholesterol
can be a symptom of too much salt and saturated fats in your diet. Eating
a portion of oily fish - such as salmon and trout - each week can also
help to lower your risk of developing heart disease. The high levels of
omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish are good for heart health.
To learn more about heart health Strong bones
and teeth ; A diet rich in calcium keeps your teeth and bones strong and can
help to slow bone loss (osteoporosis) associated with getting older.
Calcium is usually associated with dairy products, but you can also get
calcium by eating: sardines, pilchards or tinned salmon (with bones) dark
green vegetables - such as kale and broccoli calcium-fortified foods -
such as soya products, fruit juices and cereals As vitamin D helps your
body absorb calcium, make sure you get outside (your body gets vitamin D
from the sun) and have plenty of foods containing vitamin D in your diet -
such as oily fish and fortified cereals.
To learn more about vitamins
What is healthy eating?
It’s about eating a wide variety of foods in the right amounts to give
your body what it needs. There are no single foods you must eat or menus
you need to follow to eat healthily. You just need to make sure you get
the right balance of different foods. Healthy eating for children and
young people should always incude a range of interesting and tasty food
that can make up a healthy, varied and balanced diet, rather than denying
them certain foods and drinks. Although all foods can be included in a
healthy diet, this will not be true for people on special/medical diets.
