How do I eat healthy?

Have you ever asked yourself, what is healthy eating?
Sounds relatively simple right, but there is a little more to it. For starters, what actually is a healthy diet and does that meet your individual needs?

I am the Health & Fitness Dietitian at Southern Cross Care, and my role involves applying the science of food and nutrition to support the wellbeing of my clients.

So what is healthy eating?
Generally speaking, here are the four key parts to healthy eating Achieving and maintaining healthy weight by being physically active and choosing nutritious foods and drinks to meet your energy needs.

Enjoying a variety of nutritious foods across the five food groups everyday. Limiting intake of foods containing saturated fats, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. Caring for your food by preparing and storing it safely.

When you make your next meal, follow these four steps

1. Fill half the plate with vegetables or salad
2. Fill one quarter of the plate with protein -choosing lean options where possible, for example, fish, skinless chicken, lentils and eggs.
3. Fill one quarter of the plate with carbohydrate - choosing high fibre / low glycemic index options where possible, for example, corn, sweet potato, wholemeal pasta and grainy bread.
4. Additionally, to these it's good to include a splash of healthy fat, for example, a drizzle of olive oil or 1⁄4 avocado.

Bonnie Sanderson
Southern Cross Care Dietitian