Projekt

Topic : Healthy eating

Subject : English
Worked by : Anida Ranxha (leader)
Antonio Sulanjaku
Halit Gjini
Laurenc Ranxha
Julian Musai
Erion Baku
Xheni Isufi
Sejmir Leci

Accepted by : Liliana Nanushi

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be overly complicated. If you feel overwhelmed by all the
conflicting nutrition and diet advice out there, you’re not alone. It seems that for every expert
who tells you a certain food is good for you, you’ll find another saying exactly the opposite.
The truth is that while some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial
effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. The cornerstone of a
healthy diet should be to replace processed food with real food whenever possible. Eating
food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it can make a huge difference to the
way you think, look, and feel.

The fundamentals of healthy eating

While some extreme diets may suggest otherwise, we all need a balance of protein, fat,
carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals in our diets to sustain a healthy body. You don’t
need to eliminate certain categories of food from your diet, but rather select the healthiest
options from each category.

Protein gives you the energy to get up and go—and keep going—while also supporting
mood and cognitive function. Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney
disease, but the latest research suggests that many of us need more high-quality protein,
especially as we age. That doesn’t mean you have to eat more animal products—a variety of
plant-based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it
needs.

Fat. Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of
certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In fact, healthy fats—such as omega-
3s—are vital to your physical and emotional health. Including more healthy fat in your diet
can help improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline. 

Fiber. Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans) can help
you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also
improve your skin and even help you to lose weight. 

Calcium. As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in your diet can also
contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Whatever your age or gender, it’s
vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, limit those that deplete calcium, and get
enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job. 

Carbohydrates are one of your body’s main sources of energy. But most should come from
complex, unrefined carbs (vegetables, whole grains, fruit) rather than sugars and refined
carbs. Cutting back on white bread, pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in
blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around your
waistline. 
Healthy Eating Pyramid

Generations of Americans are accustomed to the food pyramid design, and it’s
not going away. In fact, the Healthy
Eating Pyramid and the Healthy
Eating Plate (as well as the Kid’s
Healthy Eating Plate) complement
each other.

Consumers can think of the Healthy

Eating Pyramid as a grocery list:

 Vegetables , fruits, whole grains, healthy oils,

and healthy proteins like nuts, beans, fish,
and chicken should make it into the
shopping cart every week, along with a
little yogurt or other dairy foods if desired.

 The Healthy Eating Pyramid also addresses other aspects of a healthy lifestyle—
exercise, weight control, vitamin D, and multivitamin supplements, and moderation
in alcohol for people who drink—so it’s a useful tool for health professionals and health
educators.

 The Healthy Eating Plate and the

companion Healthy Eating Pyramid
summarize the best dietary information
available today. They aren’t set in stone,
though, because nutrition researchers will
undoubtedly turn up new information in
the years ahead. The Healthy Eating
Pyramid and the Healthy Eating Plate will
change to reflect important new evidence.
 A Well-Balanced Diet
To eat healthily you need to get the right balance between different foods. For most
people, a well-balanced diet is one that is low in fat, sugar and salt, and high in fibre.
Your diet should also contain enough protein and a wide range of vitamins and minerals5.

It is important to remember that your body’s nutritional needs may vary depending on the
type and severity of your condition. Particularly, if you are unwell and losing weight you
may need to vary your diet from the recommendations below. Please refer to the  'Coping
with eating difficulties'  section for more advice in those circumstances.

The Eatwell Guide,

developed by Public
Health England, shows
how much of what you eat
should come from each
food group. This includes
everything you eat and
drink during the day.

So, try to:

 eat at least 5
portions of a variety of
fruit and vegetables every
day
 base meals on
potatoes, bread, rice, pasta
and other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible
 have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks); choosing lower fat and
lower sugar options
 eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of
fish every week, one of which should be oily)
 choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts
 drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid a da

If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small
amounts. The key to a healthy diet is to:

 Eat the right amount of calories for how active you are, so that you balance the
energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat or drink too much, you'll put on
weight. If you eat and drink too little, you'll lose weight.
 Eat a wide range of foods to  ensure that you're getting a balanced diet and that
your body is receiving  all the nutrients it needs.

It is recommended that men have  around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). Women
should have around 2,000 calories a day  (8,400 kilojoules). Most adults are eating more
calories than they need, and should eat fewer calories.

Other top tips for healthy eating

 Eat more fish – including a portion of oily fish

 Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
 Eat less salt – no more than 6g a day for adults
 Get active and be a healthy weight
 Don't get thirsty
 Don't skip breakfast
 If you have advanced cirrhosis you may be advised to reduce your salt intake
further (see ‘Cirrhosis and advanced liver disease’ section).

It is important to choose a variety of foods every day to get a wide range of

nutrients. However, your diet should also be designed around you and the needs of your
condition. Ask to see a registered dietitian if you are not sure.

Proteins and their importance? Food containing proteins

Protein is one of three primary macronutrients (the others being carbohydrate and fat). Macronutrients
are the chemical compounds that humans ingest the most of, and which provide us with most of our
energy. Proteins consist of amino acids, and are the most commonly found molecules in cells.
Our bodies can produce most of the amino acids we need to stay healthy, but there are nine amino
acids that we cannot produce, and must consume through diet. The nine amino acids that our body
cannot produce are called essential amino acids.
Why is protein important?
Humans can’t survive without all nine essential amino acids. Protein is essential to building bones,and
body tissues, such as muscles, but protein does much more than that. Protein participates in practically
every process of a cell. It plays a part in metabolic reactions, immune response, protein provides a
source of energy, assists in cellular repair, form blood cells, and more.
How much protein do you need?
Protein provides the same energy density as carbohydrates. However, the body does not store proteins
in the same way it stores carbohydrates and fats. This means that you need to consume protein
everyday. There are differing opinions about just how much protein you need each day, however. This
is due in part to the number of things that affect how much protein your body needs.
The amount of energy your body uses, your age, sex, body weight, activity levels, health conditions,
and a number of other factors influence how much protein you need. This makes it difficult to try and
establish an exact number for how much protein someone should consume on a daily basis.

Protein foods
Some food sources of dietary protein include:

 lean meats – beef, lamb, veal, pork, kangaroo

 poultry – chicken, turkey, duck, emu, goose, bush birds
 fish and seafood – fish, prawns, crab, lobster, mussels, oysters, scallops, clams
 eggs
 dairy products – milk, yoghurt (especially Greek yoghurt), cheese (especially cottage
cheese)
 nuts (including nut pastes) and seeds – almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamias,
hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
 legumes and beans – all beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, tofu.

Some grain and cereal-based products are also sources of protein, but are generally not as
high in protein as meat and meat-alternative products. 

How to get your protein needs

Your daily protein needs can easily be met by following the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
 The Guidelines group foods into five different food groups, each of which  provide key
nutrients.

The two main food groups that contribute to protein are the:

 ‘lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans’ group
 ‘milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives (mostly reduced fat)’ group. 

As part of a healthy diet, the Guidelines recommend particular serves per day from each of
the five food groups (see Table 1). 

The human body can’t store protein and will excrete any excess, so the most effective way of
meeting your daily protein requirement is to eat small amounts at every meal.

Table 1. Daily recommended serves of ‘lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds
and legumes/beans’ and ‘milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives (mostly reduced fat)’ for
adults

Carbohydrates and their importance

Though there are many benefits of carbohydrates, you need to make sure you're eating them in
moderation. A carbohydrate-intensive diet can cause high blood sugar and unwanted weight gain. But
it's important that you eat an appropriate amount of healthy carbohydrates in order to meet your
body's nutritional needs and maintain a healthy weight.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients - along with proteins and fats - that your body requires
daily. There are three main types of carbohydrates: starches, fiber, and sugars. Starches are often
referred to as complex carbohydrates. They are found in grains legumes and starchy vegetables like
potatoes and corn. Sugars are known as simple carbohydrates. There are natural sugars in vegetables,
fruits, milk, and honey. Added sugars are found in processed foods, syrups, sugary drinks, and sweets.

Why do you need carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy: They help fuel your brain, kidneys, heart
muscles, and central nervous system. For instance, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion, helps
you feel full, and keeps blood cholesterol levels in check. Your body can store extra carbohydrates in
your muscles and liver for use when you're not getting enough carbohydrates in your diet. A
carbohydrate-deficient diet may cause headaches, fatigue, weakness, difficulty concentrating, nausea,
constipation, bad breath and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
What are some healthy sources of carbohydrates?
To reap the benefits of carbohydrates, you should choose carbohydrates loaded with nutrients.
Christie Ferriell, a registered dietitian and nutrition manager at Reid Health, recommends you get at
least half of your carbohydrates from whole grains. Ferriell notes that "whole grains provide fiber that
helps you feel full and satisfied with smaller
portions." Ferriell recommends you try
making quinoa pilaf with tofu and vegetables a
heart-healthy recipe containing fiber- and protein-
rich quinoa from Reid's I Heart Cooking program.
Healthy carbohydrate-rich foods (containing 12
grams of carbohydrates or more per serving)
include
Whole grains: quinoa, amaranth, barley, brown
rice, oatmeal, whole-grain pasta and whole-grain
breakfast cereals
Fruits: berries, citrus fruits, melons, apples, pears,
bananas and kiwifruit
Starchy vegetables: sweet potatoes, yams, corn. peas and carrots
Legumes: lentils, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans, chick peas and soybeans
Milk products: low-fat milk, plain yogurt and soy yogurt
Healthy foods lower in carbohydrates (less than 10 grams per serving) include
Nonstarchy vegetables: leafy greens, spinach, cabbage, asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower,
green beans, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and mushrooms
Nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts and pistachios
Soy milk and tofu
How many grams of carbohydrates do you need?
 The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2010 suggest that most adults get 45 to 65
percent of their calories from
carbohydrates. Since carbohydrates
contain four calories per gram, you should
consume 225 to 325 grams of
carbohydrates on a daily basis if you're
following a 2000-calorie diet.
According to the United States
Department of Agriculture you should
consume at the very least the
recommended dietary allowance (RDA)
of carbohydrates which is 130 grams for
adults 175 grams for women who are
pregnant and 210 grams for women who
are breastfeeding. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, women should consume 25
grams of fiber daily , while men should consume 38 grams of fiber daily.

What if I have diabetes?

If you have diabetes, you should see a doctor or dietitian who can help you plan meals to control your
blood sugar. Though your daily carbohydrate requirements are the same as those for someone without
diabetes, it's important to avoid eating too many carbohydrates in one sitting. The American Diabetes
Association suggests you should limit your intake to about 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates at each
meal.
Vitamins and minerals are as essential for living as air and water. Not only do they keep your body
healthy and functional, they protect you from a variety of diseases.
Vitamins and minerals get thrown together, but they are quite different. Vitamins are organic
substances produced by plants or animals. They often are called "essential" because they are not
synthesized in the body (except for vitamin D) and therefore must come from food.
Minerals are inorganic elements that originate from rocks, soil, or water. However, you can absorb
them indirectly from the environment or an animal that has eaten a particular plant.
Two types of each
Vitamins are divided into two categories: water soluble—which means the body expels what it does
not absorb—and fat soluble where leftover amounts are stored in the liver and fat tissues as reserves.
The water-soluble vitamins are the eight B vitamins (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9, and B-12)
and vitamin C. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K.
There are many minerals, but certain ones are necessary for optimal health. Minerals are split into two
groups: major and trace. Major ones are not necessarily more important than trace, but it means there
are greater amounts in your body.

Vitamin Sources
Water soluble:

B-1: ham, soymilk, watermelon, acorn squash

B-2: milk, yogurt, cheese, whole and enriched grains
and cereals.
B-3: meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains,
mushrooms, potatoes
B-5: chicken, whole grains, broccoli, avocados,
mushrooms
B-6: meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy
products, bananas
B-7: Whole grains, eggs, soybeans, fish
B-9: Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, spinach,
broccoli, legumes (black-eyed peas and chickpeas),
orange juice
B-12: Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, fortified soymilk and cereals
Vitamin C: Citrus fruit, potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels
sprouts
Fat soluble:
Vitamin A: beef, liver, eggs, shrimp, fish, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach,
mangoes
Vitamin D: Fortified milk and cereals, fatty fish
Vitamin E: vegetables oils, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts
Vitamin K: Cabbage, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, kale