|
|
Overview
Protein - a little goes
a long way
Proteins are the 'building blocks' in food and the construction
materials for growth and repair and are a secondary source of energy.
The body needs them throughout life but the need is greatest during
infancy, pregnancy and after injury or illness.
Adults require around 1g per kilogram of body weight daily and most
of us attain this from lean meat, chicken or fish. Most adults in Britain
eat more protein than necessary, as meat, fish and dairy products.
Fish, particularly oily fish like sardines and mackerel, are packed
with EFAs and fat-soluble vitamins and are an excellent source of protein.
Non-meat eaters can get good sources of protein from cheese and dairy
products and vegans by combining vegetable proteins together with cereal
proteins such as beans on toast.
Too much protein can impose a strain on the digestive system and organs.
Protein consumption
The average daily protein intake for adults is 14.1% of total energy
intake. The recommended amount is around 10% of total energy intake.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates in all shapes and forms are good for your health. They
can help to control body weight, especially when combined with exercise,
are vital for proper gut function and are an important fuel for the
brain and active muscles.
Eat more starchy foods such as bread, potatoes, rice, cereals and pasta.
These are already popular foods but try to go for whole food forms which
are not over processed and contain essential nutrients that otherwise
get lost. By upping your intake of these you will also increase the
amount of fibre in your diet.
Sugar is also a form of carbohydrate. Fruit should replace more refined
sweet foods such as cakes, biscuits and confectionery, whose sugars
are absorbed too rapidly, contributing to tooth decay, obesity and volatile
energy levels. Dried fruits and nuts are ideal healthy snacks. But,
if you fancy the occasional sweet, that's fine, particularly after a
fibre-rich main meal rather than as a snack.
Carbohydrate consumption
An optimum diet contains at least 55% of energy from carbohydrates for
all of those over two years of age. A wide range of carbohydrate-containing
foods should be consumed so that the diet is sufficient in essential
nutrients and dietary fibre.
 |
|
