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Nutrition
Healthy eating is important at any age to help us stay fit and active. When we eat well, we give our bodies the right nutrients they need. This helps us to be stronger and healthier. Our brains also benefit from healthy food. It ensures that we can think, learn and concentrate well. Whether we are young, adult or elderly, a balanced diet makes our lives easier and ensures that we always stay active.
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Thirst quenchers and other drinks
First of all: it is best to drink about 1.5 litres of water a day. In the United Kingdom, you can rely on tap water. It is strictly controlled and great care is taken to ensure that it is safe to drink. When you drink tap water, you consume no calories, save money, packaging and trips to the shop. Fill reusable bottles with water so that you always have water with you when you are out and about.
Fruit juices provide vitamins and minerals, but they also contain a lot of sugar and calories.
Coffee, black and green tea without sugar and milk have no calories and can be used as drinks. They also contain caffeine or theine, which has a stimulating effect in moderate amounts.
Drinks with a lot of sugar, such as lemonade, iced tea, energy drinks, cola and milk mix drinks, are not good for quenching thirst. They contain a lot of sugar and calories. Some drinks, such as flavoured water, are also sweetened, which you can see on the list of ingredients. So if you don't want to gain weight and want to protect your teeth, it's better to avoid these drinks.
Diet drinks have fewer calories, but they often contain artificial additives and are less recommended.
Alcohol contains a lot of calories and is unhealthy. It increases the risk of diseases such as cancer, heart disease and liver disease. It is best not to drink alcohol because no amount is completely harmless. It is better for your health to avoid it altogether.
Fruit & vegetables
Fruit and vegetables can easily make up the largest part of your diet, except for people who have specific allergies.
Crisp apples, fresh lettuce, green spinach or sweet cherries – fresh fruit and vegetables are available in spring, summer, autumn and winter. They are healthy, filling, look beautiful and taste good. You can eat them as a main course, as a snack between meals or as a dessert. Fruit and vegetables should be on your plate several times a day. Herbs, mushrooms, dried fruit and juices are also included.
What's in them?
Fruit and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and other important plant substances, but no fat – except for avocados. They are good for filling you up.
Every fruit and vegetable has different important nutrients. The more colourful and varied your diet, the better you are nourishing your body. Fruit and vegetables are the only foods that contain high levels of vitamin C and β-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A).
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, rocket and lamb's lettuce provide plenty of folate, iron and calcium.
If you eat fruit and vegetables raw or cook them only briefly, more vitamins are retained. Some nutrients, such as β-carotene in carrots or lycopene in tomatoes, are better absorbed when cooked.
Fruit usually has more fructose than vegetables, so it has more calories. If you want to watch your calorie intake, vegetables are the better choice.
Fruit and vegetables – how often and how much?
The German Nutrition Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e.V.) recommends eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This could look something like this:
Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Where possible, eat fruit with the skin on and fresh, as well as cooked and raw vegetables and fresh salad. The more varied your diet, the more likely you are to get all the nutrients you need.
Use your hand as a measure for 1 portion. It will be smaller or larger depending on your age.
1 portion is, for example:
• 1 apple or orange or pear or banana
• 2 handfuls of berries
• 1 small kohlrabi
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 bowl made with two hands for chopped salad
• 1 handful of dried fruit (e.g. 5 dried apricots)
You can also drink 2 glasses (200 ml per glass) of fruit or vegetable juice during the week. Either fresh juice with breakfast or dinner, or spread throughout the week, for example in juice spritzers with 1 part juice and 3 parts water.
Dried fruit can replace one portion of fruit per day. However, the portion size is smaller because the calorie content is higher: one portion of dried fruit corresponds to 25 g.
Smoothies are concentrated fruit juices. Their water content is lower than that of juice, and their sugar content is therefore usually higher. Smoothies are not as filling as eating whole fruit. They can replace a portion of fruit from time to time. However, you should avoid drinking too many smoothies due to their sugar content.
Here's a tip: it's best to buy fruit and vegetables that are in season. These are usually cheaper and have a much better environmental footprint because they don't have to be imported from far away.
Here is an overview of seasonal fruit and vegetables in the UK, broken down by season:
Spring (March – May):
- Fruit: strawberries, rhubarb, cherries
- Vegetables: asparagus, rhubarb, spinach, radishes, spring onions, broccoli, kohlrabi, peas
Summer (June – August):
- Fruit: strawberries, cherries, currants, blueberries, peaches, apricots, mirabelle plums, damsons, watermelon
- Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, aubergines, peppers, bush beans, sweetcorn, carrots, radishes
Autumn (September – November):
- Fruit: apples, pears, grapes, quinces, plums, damsons, hazelnuts
- Vegetables: pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, rutabagas, celery, kohlrabi, mushrooms
Winter (December – February):
- Fruit: apples, pears, citrus fruits (oranges, mandarins, grapefruit), cranberries (imported)
- Vegetables: root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, beetroot), cabbage varieties (white cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage), leeks, celery, kale, shallots
Legumes and nuts
Legumes such as peas, beans and lentils are full of protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Nuts contain healthy fatty acids and are good for the heart. Eat legumes at least once a week and a small handful of nuts every day.
Legumes are low in fat and calories. They provide a lot of plant protein. The protein from legumes, together with grains or potatoes, is a good alternative to meat or eggs. Eat dishes with legumes regularly, for example pea soup with wholemeal bread or lentils with potatoes.
Legumes also contain vitamins, minerals and important plant substances. They are a good source of folate, iron, magnesium and zinc, for example.
Legumes are also high in fibre. They make you feel full and aid digestion.
Nuts
Nuts are a healthy snack. They contain vitamins, minerals, fibre, plant substances, lots of protein and healthy fatty acids. However, they are also high in calories because they contain fat and little water.
Seeds are also included in this group. Examples include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds and chia seeds. They also provide healthy fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and plant substances.
Cereals, cereal products Potatoes
Cereals and cereal products are foods made from the grains of plants such as wheat, rye, maize, oats, rice or barley. They provide a lot of energy and important nutrients, such as fibre, vitamins and minerals. Examples of cereal products are bread, potatoes, muesli, pasta and rice.
The carbohydrates in cereals and potatoes provide a lot of energy. They also contain high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals (such as iron, zinc and magnesium), fibre and plant substances. Wholemeal products are particularly good because they contain all the valuable parts of the grain.
Whole grain:
This means that the whole grain is used – including the husk and germ. That is why whole grain products are very healthy, for example whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, whole grain flakes and brown rice.
In contrast, the husk and germ are removed from white bread or husked rice, resulting in the loss of many important nutrients.
It is best to eat whole grain products, for example for breakfast, as a side dish or in sandwiches. If you have not eaten much whole grain before, you should increase your intake gradually. Your body needs time to get used to it. Drink at least 1.5 litres of water every day to ensure that the fibre in the grain works effectively.
Oils and fats
Below, we recommend some oils for cooking, frying, baking and for salads and starters.
These oils are rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These ‘good’ fats can protect the heart, regulate cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. Bad fats such as trans fats and too much saturated fatty acids (e.g. in some animal fats) should be avoided as much as possible.
1. Vegetable oils with high unsaturated fatty acid content
o Olive oil (preferably extra virgin): Ideal for salads and cold dishes. It is healthy because it contains a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids and protects the heart.
o Rapeseed oil: Good for frying, baking and salad dressings because it is also rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
o Sunflower oil and safflower oil: Good for cooking and frying, but contain more omega-6 fatty acids, so they should be used in moderation.
2. Special oils for frying and high temperatures
o Sunflower oil (high heat resistant) or rapeseed oil: For frying because they can withstand high temperatures.
Coconut oil: For certain dishes, has a pleasant taste, but should be used sparingly because it contains a lot of saturated fatty acids.
3. Fats for salad dressings
Olive oil or nut oils (e.g. walnut, hazelnut oil): For salads, because they provide flavour and healthy fats.
Milk and dairy products
Milk and dairy products provide protein, which is important for muscles, and calcium, which makes bones strong. They also contain vitamins B2, B12 and iodine.
Milk and dairy products are particularly good for calcium intake. The body can absorb calcium from these foods very well. Green vegetables, nuts and mineral water with high calcium content are also important sources of calcium.
Alternatives to milk and dairy products
Supermarkets offer many plant-based alternatives made from soy, oats, almonds, rice or peas. Some are enriched with nutrients, some are not.
If you do not eat milk or dairy products because you want to avoid animal products or have allergies, you need to make sure you get enough calcium, iodine, vitamin B2 and B12.
Fish and meat products
FishMeat contains beneficial iron, selenium and zinc. However, consuming excessive amounts of beef, pork, lamb or goat meat, and especially sausage, can increase the risk of heart disease and colon cancer.
Meat provides plenty of protein, vitamins and minerals. The minerals iron, selenium and zinc are particularly beneficial. Only animal-based foods contain high levels of vitamin B12. People who eat little or no meat should take vitamin B12 supplements.
Meat and sausage also contain unhealthy substances such as saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. These can raise blood cholesterol levels and promote heart disease.
Eating less meat and other animal products is good for your health and protects the environment. The production of animal products requires more water, energy and space and releases more climate-damaging gases than plant-based foods.
Fish
Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, trout and carp provide important omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are good for the heart and can help prevent heart disease and strokes. For people with heart problems, they can reduce the risk of further heart incidents.
Sea fish such as cod, pollock, herring and mackerel also contain iodine. Iodine is important for the thyroid gland, which controls energy consumption, body heat and performance.
Choose fish from sustainable fisheries or sustainably managed aquaculture. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) labels provide guidance when shopping.