#DIET

Eating a healthy balanced diet is as important as doing excercise and of course it helps your heart. 

BASE YOUR MEALS ON CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates should be one third of the foods you eat if you want to be healthy. Carbohydrates include potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread.  Most of us should eat more carbohydrates, try to eat them with each main meal. Some people think that they are fattening, but it's not true. They are an essencial part of our diet.

EAT LOTS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

It’s recommended to eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and vegetables a day. It’s easier than it sounds. A glass of natural fruit juice can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. Why don't you cut a banana and eat it in your breakfast, or change your usual snack for some fruit?

EAT MORE FISH

Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. You should try to eat at least two portions a week, including at least one portion of oily fish, which may help you to prevent heart disease. You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned; but remember that canned fish can be high in salt. You don't need to eat any strange fish, you may eat salmon, fresh tuna or sardines.  

REDUCE SATURATED FAT AND SUGAR

We need some fat in our diet. But it’s important to pay attention to the type of fat we’re eating. Eating too much saturated fat can be dangerous for us as it can increase amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. You can find saturated fat in many foods, such as cakes, biscuits, sausages and butter.

Most people eat and drink too much sugar. Sugary foods and drinks, including alcoholic drinks, are often high in calories.  You ought to reduce fizzy drinks, alcoholic drinks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, which contain added sugars. Most of the health problems have been produced by sugar excess.

EAT LESS SALT

Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. Most of the salt we eat is in the food we buy, such as cereals and bread. Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. It's really important for adults to try to avoid salty food but it's even more important for children. You can't avoid it completely but you may reduce it.

DON'T GET THIRSTY

We need to drink about 1.2 litres of water every day. Most of the water we have per day is contained in the food we eat.  Water, milk and fruit juices are the most healthy. When the weather is warm, or when we practise sport, we may drink more. However, drinking more than what you need is also unhealthy.