LIVINGLIVING
More than a handful
Benelam continues, "While the types of
different food and drinks we need apply
to all healthy adults, we understand that
no two individuals are the same and the
amount of food we need varies from
person to person. If you're tall or very
active you may need more and could
have larger portions, and if you have a
slighter build or are trying to lose weight,
you may need smaller portions."
Carbs and cals
Within the protein foods and starchy
carbohydrates food groups, the BNF has
broken down portion sizes into different
categories to reflect portions that are
200kcal or more, less than 200kcal, and
lighter snack-sized portions. This reflects
the variety of foods in these groups
and whether they would be eaten as a
main meal or something lighter, allowing
people to choose the portion sizes most
appropriate for them. Those with higher
calorie needs could have more of the
foods that are 200kcal or more, and
for people with lower calorie needs, or
trying to lose weight, could choose more
options under 200kcal.
Dairy foods are separated into those
that are lower or higher fat ('low' or
'medium' for fat on a food label, versus
those that would be labelled 'high' for
fat) - it is recommended that we should
go for those in the lower category most
of the time. When it comes to fruit and
vegetables, the key message is just to
eat more! Example portions are given
but, provided fat and sugar aren't added,
you can have big portions of most fruit
and vegetables for relatively few calories
so, within reason, you don't need to limit
portion sizes of these.
When it comes to unsaturated oils
and spreads, these are healthier fats and
we should be replacing saturated with
unsaturated fats. However, all fats and oils
are high in calories keep portions smaller.
www.nutrition.org.uk
Suzy Wengel is a nutritional advisor, lecturer, scientific researcher and director of
the biotech company RiboTask, developed the Scandi Sense Diet to overcome
her own weight gain, and it enabled
her to lose it and keep it off. Her book,
The Scandi Sense Diet, helps you to
cut calories without counting them
based on the principle of four handfuls
of food per meal: one of protein, one of
carbohydrate and two of vegetables,
plus a spoonful of fat. Other than that
you decide the ingredients. Central to
this is measuring portions by hand - a
portion being a handful. As it is your
hand, it should be in proportion to your
dietary and energy needs.
Published by Octopus Publishing
Group. You can buy from:
www.hive.co.uk/scandisense
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