The Eat-Well Guide

Everytime you take a mouthful of food, you are re-fuelling the most clever chemical mechanism known: the human body. Food and water provide the fuel mix of vital nutrients that enable the body to function. Fighting off invading, harmful bacteria, balancing the fluid level so that it stays stable even on a very hot day, and millions of other processes all need chemicals to from food to work efficiently. Some foods have more to offer than others, but you do not have to give up the foods you most enjoy for the sake of your health: any food can fit into a healthy style of eating at least occasionally. It is the combinations and quantities you choose which are important to help protect your well-being.

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  1. The Main Food Groups

    The circle of food is divided into segments showing the proportions of the main food groups that make up the basic healthy diet. Several governments have produced pictorial food guides like this, to make it easier to choose a healthy balance of food. It is not necessary to follow a strict regime or to work out exact percentages of different foods to eat: the human body is amazingly efficient at adapting to slightly higher or lower intakes. Although the total amount eaten will vary according to energy needs, this balance of foods from the different food groups is desirable for almost everyone from the the age of five.

  2. Fruits and Vegetables

    Fruits and Vegetables

    Eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables in generous amounts. Green leafy vegetables and yellow, orange and red fruit and vegetables are especially beneficial. Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, which amounts to at least 400g (14oz), not including potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams, eaten as part of the starchy foods intake. Fresh or frozen produce is best. Small amounts of fruit juice, canned fruit (preferably in unsweetened juice) and dried fruit can contribute to the 5-a-day serving.

  3. Starchy Foods

    Starchy Foods

    Eat starchy foods in generous amounts. These include bread, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams and cereals and grains such as oats, barley, rice, millet, maize, and buckwheat. Choose versions with little added fat or sugar whenever possible. Starchy foods like bread, cereals, grains and potatoes are the foundation of a balanced diet. Most people in developed countries would benefit from eating about 50% more of these foods, especially unrefined versions, which provide more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

  4. Protein Alternatives

    Protein Alternatives

    Consume moderate amounts from this group, which includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, pulses, nuts, shellfish and seeds. It's advisable to eat fish at least twice a week, including at least 1 serving of oily fish. Eating 30g (1oz) of pulses (dry weight), nuts or seeds a day is desirable. Except for these, it is best to choose lower-fat versions as much as possible. For most people eating a Western-style diet, it is a good idea to eat a little less from this group, and eat more starchy foods and fruits and vegetables.

  5. Dairy Alternatives

    Dairy Alternatives

    Enjoy dairy foods in moderate amounts. Best choices include semi-skimmed and skimmed milk, low-fat varieties of yogurt, fromage frais, smetana, cottage cheese, and some curd cheese, and Greek-style yogurt. Eat in moderation and choose low-fat versions as much as possible. Fat levels in "low-fat" dairy foods vary considerably: look for soft cheese with a 7-8% fat level and yogurt with a 1-2% fat level. Greek-style yogurt and smetana are good replacements for higher-fat cream, such as soured cream and double cream.

  6. Sugary and High-Fat Foods

    Sugary and High-Fat Foods

    Foods high in sugar and fat are best eaten sparingly. These include foods such as medium and high-fat cheeses, spreading fats, and cooking oils, as well as biscuits and other sweetened foods. Although this group include some foods such as cheese and sunflower oil that are valuable in small amounts, most foods high in sugar or fat are low in food value for their calorie levels and are best eaten occasionally. These include butter and other spreads, cream, fried food, crisps, sweets, chocolate, and most cakes, buns, biscuits and pastries. Eating less from this group allows you to eat more starchy foods and fruits and vegetables without gaining weight.

Artichoke

Delicious and Elegant globe artichokes have been eaten since Roman times and known as an aid to digestion since the 16th century. Artichokes are helpful for the gallbladder, liver and kidneys. Despite their shared name, Jerusalem artichokes are not botanically related.

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  1. Health Benefits

    Health Benefits

    Assists liver function
    Aids digestion and helps gallbladder problems
    Can lower cholesterol levels
    Can reduce fluid retention
    May helps steady blood sugar levels

  2. Key Nutritional Values

    Key Nutritional Values

    per 250g (9oz) cooked large globe artichoke, weighed whole:

    Kilocalories: 20
    Kilojoules: 85
    Folate (mcg) : 50
    Iron (mg) : 0.5
    Niacin (mg) : 1
    Potassium (mg) : 330
    Zinc (mg) : 0.5

  3. Therapeutic Properties

    Therapeutic Properties

    Artichokes are traditionally used in European pharmaceutical remedies to help the liver, the gallbladder and digestion. Like other "bitter" vegetables, artichokes increase bile output, and in studies they relieved liver-related gallbladder or abdominal discomfort.

  4. In German studies (1975, 1980), artichoke extract substantially lowered volunteers' blood fats and cholesterol. The reduction that can be achieved by eating artichokes itself has not yet been quantified.

  5. Eating artichokes increases the flow of urine, and can help to relieve fluid retention.

  6. Traditionally, artichokes have been recommended for diabetics. They contain inulin, a form of starch that resists digestion, and may limit the rise in blood sugar levels after eating.

  7. Globe artichokes belong to the thistle family and grow easily in temperate gardens.

    Globe artichokes belong to the thistle family and grow easily in temperate gardens.

  8. Artichoke hearts are bottled or canned for use in the winter months.

    Artichoke hearts are bottled or canned for use in the winter months.

  9. How Much to Eat

    How Much to Eat

    Eat large or small lightly cooked artichokes freely. Bottled or canned baby artichokes and artichoke hearts are a useful alternative to fresh.

Broccoli

Tender, buttery-tasting broccoli shines out from many research studies as a food with health-building and cancer-preventing potential. Like other members of the cabbage family, broccoli contains particular chemicals that are known to discourage cancer, and is also rich in a range of nutrients.

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  1. Health Benefits

    Health Benefits

    Can reduce risk of cancer
    Helps lower risk of heart disease and stroke
    May reduce risk of cataracts
    Lessens risk of spina bifida
    Helps combat anaemia
    Rich in nutrients

  2. Key Nutritional Values

    Key Nutritional Values

    per 100g (3½ oz) raw green broccoli:

    Kilocalories: 33
    Kilojoules: 138
    Beta-carotene (mcg) : 575
    Calcium (mg) : 56
    Folate (mcg) : 90
    Iron (mg) : 1.7
    Vitamin C (mg) : 87
    Vitamin E (mg) : 1.3
    Zinc (mg) : 0.6

  3. Therapeutic Properties

    Therapeutic Properties

    American studies (1977-78) revealed that people who ate broccoli daily had a lower risk of cancer. Other studies have shown that those who eat more cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, have lower rates of cancer, especially cancer of the colon.

  4. Large-scale surveys have shown that people with high antioxidant levels in the body from food, rather than from supplements, have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, cataracts and cancer.

  5. Broccoli, especially purple sprouting broccoli, is an excellent source of Folate, which women planning a pregnancy need plenty of to reduce the risk of having a spina bifida baby. Iron and Folate help prevent or correct anaemia.

  6. Broccoli combines high levels of folate, antioxidants, B vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc. It is a top, all-round vegetable.

  7. This is a purple sprouting broccoli.

    This is a purple sprouting broccoli.

  8. Important Note

    Important Note

    As broccoli reduces iodine absorption, people who eat broccoli more than 2-3 times a week should ensure they eat iodine-rich foods, especially if they live in an area with low soil iodine.

  9. How Much to Eat

    How Much to Eat

    Purple sprouting and green broccoli contain more calcium and folate than other varieties. About 1-3 170g (6oz) helpings of broccoli a week are likely to lower the risk of cancer. For women planning a pregnancy, a 170g (6oz) serving of purple sprouting broccoli, cooked lightly in little or no water, provides over half the recommended daily intake of folate.

Carrot

Carrots are not only good for you, they are also excellent value. They were once thought to be useful only for the body to convert into Vitamin A. Today, foods rich in carotenes are known to have many other health benefits.

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  1. Health Benefits

    Health Benefits

    Helps protect against cancer, especially lung cancer
    Can lower blood cholesterol
    Helps guard against food poisoning

  2. Key Nutritional Values

    Key Nutritional Values

    per 100g (3½ oz) raw carrot:

    Kilocalories: 30
    Kilojoules: 125
    Carotenes, including beta-carotene (mcg) : 8,115
    Fibre (g) : 2.4
    Vitamin C (mg) : 6
    Vitamin E (mg) : 0.6

  3. Therapeutic Properties

    Therapeutic Properties

    Studies have shown that people who eat carrots regularly, including smokers, are far less likely to suffer lung cancer. This have been linked to the high levels of beta-carotene in carrots. Beta-carotene from tablets does not show the same results, suggesting that carrots have other protective factors not yet recognized.

  4. In studies of large groups of people, a high beta-carotene intake from carrots and other vegetables and fruit is linked with up to 50% lower rates of cancer of:

    bladder
    cervix
    colon
    prostate
    larynx
    oesophagus

    And a 20% reduction in the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

  5. In 1979, a Scottish trial showed that healthy volunteers eating 200g (7oz) raw carrots a day for 3 weeks reduced their blood cholesterol levels by 11%. Levels rose when they stopped.

  6. Trials have shown that even small amounts of carrots can kill listeria and other food poisoning organisms.

  7. Unless organically grown, carrots should be peeled.

    Unless organically grown, carrots should be peeled.

  8. Orange colour comes from carotenes.

    Orange colour comes from carotenes.

  9. Fresh carrots have more beneficial properties than carrot juice.

    Fresh carrots have more beneficial properties than carrot juice.

  10. How Much to Eat

    How Much to Eat

    Eat freely. Carrots are the richest common source of beta-carotene, so eating just 1 large carrot a day increases the level of beta-carotene in the body.

Lettuce and Salad Greens

There are more than a hundred types of lettuce and salad greens. Although often dismissed as being mostly water, leafy salad greens contains valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and have an inportant advantage, when compared to other foods, in that they are nearly always eaten raw.

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  1. Health Benefits

    Health Benefits

    Helps reduce risk of cancer
    Can reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and cataracts
    Helps prevent spina bifida and anaemia
    Aids digestion and liver health
    May ease nervous insomnia

  2. Key Nutritional Values

    Key Nutritional Values

    per 100g (3½ oz) lettuce and salad greens, average amounts:

    Kilocalories: 14
    Kilojoules: 59
    Carotenes (mcg) : 355
    Folate (mcg) : 55
    Iron (mg) : 0.7
    Potassium (mg) : 220
    Vitamin C (mg) : 5
    Vitamin E (mg) : 0.57

  3. Therapeutic Properties

    Therapeutic Properties

    Ninetten population studies have linked eating lettuce and salad greens frequently with a lower risk of cancer, especially cancer of the stomach.

  4. Levels of carotenes and Vitamin C are much higher in the green, outer leaves of lettuce than the pale, inner leaves; carotenes by as much as 50 times. A higher intake of foods rich in antioxidants is linked to lower rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke and cataracts.

  5. Folate and iron help prevent and treat anaemia. For women planning a pregnancy, folate reduces the risk of having a spina bifida baby. Pale iceberg lettuce have as high level of folate as green lettuce. Endive and chard are also very rich sources. Endive is the richest source of iron with 2.8mg per 100g (3½) serving. Butterhead, the soft green lettuce is also a good source, with 1.5mg per 100g (3 ½ oz).

  6. Chicory, endive, escarole, and other salads with a tangy bitterness, stimulate digestive fluid and liver function, which in traditional medicine is believed to help gout and rheumatism.

  7. The white latex that seeps from a cut lettuce base has been used since Roman times to calm the nerves and promote sleep. There is less latex in modern cultivated lettuce, but many people still find it soporific.

  8. Purslane has an extraordinarily high levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids, comparable to the levels provided by oily fish. Early herbalists praised it a cooling medicine, good for gout and other "hot" aches, and headaches. The anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids, now confirmed by research, suggests these uses are justified.

  9. Sorrel is traditionally used, in small amounts, to increase urine production, for example to relieve fluid retention.

  10. The 7 Main Types of Salad Greens

    Like I've said, there are over one hundred different types of salad greens, but I'll list the 7 main salad greens.

  11. 1) Butterhead lettuce

    1) Butterhead lettuce

  12. 2) Iceberg lettuce

    2) Iceberg lettuce

  13. 3) Cos lettuce

    3) Cos lettuce

  14. 4) Red-stemmed chard

    4) Red-stemmed chard

  15. 5) Sorrel

    5) Sorrel

  16. 6) Sugar loaf chicory

    6) Sugar loaf chicory

  17. 7) Curly Endive

    7) Curly Endive

  18. Important Note

    Important Note

    People with gout, kidney stones or rheumatism should avoid sorrel because it is rich in oxalates.

  19. How Much to Eat

    How Much to Eat

    Eat leafy salad greens freely, organically grown if possible, as the leaves have a large surface area exposed to pesticides. A generous salad that includes chard and endive easily provides almost half the amount of folate advised for women planning a pregnancy. If you eat large amounts of salad with oil dressing, consider lower fat dressing.

Onion

It is good to know that a food most of us already eat often can do so much for our health. As some of the health benefits of onions are linked to their volatile smell, which is released to when fresh onions are cut, it is best to keep cooking with plenty of fresh onions rather than prepared onion products.

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  1. Health Benefits

    Health Benefits

    Helps reduce risk of heart disease and stroke
    Natural antibiotics action
    Relieves congestion in airways
    Can help bronchial congestion
    Aids cancer resistance

  2. Key Nutritional Values

    Key Nutritional Values

    per 100g (3½ oz) raw onion, peeled weight:

    Kilocalories: 36
    Kilojoules: 150
    Fibre (g) : 1.4
    Niacin (mg) : 0.7
    Potassium (mg) : 160

    There are a wide range of B vitamins, too.

  3. Therapeutic Properties

    Therapeutic Properties

    In most people, blood cholesterol levels and the tendency to form blood clots rise after eating a high-fat meal, but not if it includes onions, raw or cooked.

  4. People who eat raw onions regularly have healthier levels of blood fat. In a 1985 study, onions reduced high blood pressure in 13 out of 20 sufferers, and high blood cholesterol in 9 out of 18 volunteers with high levels.

  5. Onions are a traditional remedy for infectious illnesses, such as colds, coughs, bronchitis, and gastric infections.

  6. There is some scientific research to support the traditional use of freshly cut onions to prevent asthma.

  7. Regular onion eaters have less cancer risk, perhaps due to allium compounds and flavonoids in onions.

  8. The 4 Main Types of Onions

    There are 4 main types of onions. Raw onion is more likely than cooked onion to raise "good" cholesterol levels.

  9. 1) Yellow Onion

    1) Yellow Onion

  10. 2) Red Onion

    2) Red Onion

  11. 3) Shallot

    3) Shallot

  12. 4) Spring Onion

    4) Spring Onion

    Spring onions have a health advantage because they are usually eaten raw.

  13. How Much to Eat

    How Much to Eat

    Freshly cut raw onions have the widest and most reliable health benefits, but cooked onions help too. Trials suggest that regularly eating 60g (2oz) raw or cooked onion with a meal, or about half an onion a day, has good effects on health.

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