The road to healthy eating* is easy with delicious recipes from Food Network. Let’s Find Out About Healthy Eating.

Healthy Eating*-Fabulous Food

Have you ever wondered why you get hungry? Your body needs healthy food, and there are many reasons for this.

Healthy food keeps your body working properly.

Why do you eat?

You need food to give energy to play, and do what you want to do. Your body even needs to sleep!

What are calories?

Some kinds of food give you lots of energy. The energy in food is measured in units called calories. Food that is high in energy has a lot of calories.

How are you feeling?

If you want to stay well, you need to eat healthy food. Eating too much of the wrong kind of food can make you ill. 

If you are unwell, eating good food may help you get better.

Why should you try to eat healthy food?

Fresh food is usually better for you as it contains more of the essential vitamins and minerals you need. Try to eat as much fresh food as you can. 

Children need to eat healthy food to grow.

Healthy Eating*- Eat your five-a-day

You need to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. A portion is a whole piece of fruit, a serving of one vegetable or a fruit juice drink.

What are vitamins and minerals?

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that are found in fruits and vegetables. They help to keep you fit.

Vitamins and minerals help you to grow.

 Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can help to prevent heart disease. It will also help to keep your digestive system healthy.

What is the meaning of nutrients?

A nutrient is a natural chemical in food. Nutrients help you to grow and stay healthy.

What is fibre?

Some food is hard to digest. This means it takes a while to pass through your body. Fibre is a nutrient that helps digestion. It is found in many fruits and leafy vegetables. 

Fruits and vegetables contains fibre.

What should you do if you don’t like fruit or vegetables?

Try drinking fruit juice – a pure fruit juice counts as one portion of fruit and vegetables. As you get older, you may find that you like them!

Healthy Eating*- Food for life

You need energy to get fit and keep your body healthy. Some high-energy foods help you stay active for longer.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are foods that are high in energy. They are very filling, and stop you from feeling hungry again for a while.

Foods that contain carbohydrates include bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.

Playing sport uses up energy, which makes you hungry. You need to eat to get your strength back. 

What are pulses?

Pulses are seeds that grow inside plant pods, for example beans and lentils. Pulses add proteins to your diet, especially if you don’t eat meat. 

What are whole grains?

Try to include whole grains like wheat, barley and oats in your  diet. Whole grains are natural, and are not processed in a factory. They are a good source of fibre, vitamins and protein.

What types of food give you energy?

Carbohydrates provide most of the energy you need. Your body breaks them down into glucose, a type of sugar that the body can use for energy. 

Healthy Eating*- Do you drink milk?

Dairy foods come from farm animals that produce milk, such as cows and goats. Cheese and yoghurt are made from milk, and are kinds of dairy food.

What’s the alternative?

Some people choose not to eat dairy foods, or they can’t because they are allergic to them. There are lots of different milk substitutes, including soya milk and rice milk. 

Dairy foods contain a nutrient called calcium, which is good for your bones and teeth.

Some people prefer to drink soya milk. Soya is a vegetable product.

Are eggs dairy food?

Eggs are not a kind of dairy food, but they are not meat either. They are an animal protein, which helps your muscles and bones to grow.

Free-range chickens are farmed in a natural way, and can go outside to find food.

Why are dairy foods good for you?

Dairy foods contain calcium, which helps your teeth and bones to grow and stay strong. Children need more calcium than adults because their bodies are still growing.

What is food allergy?

If you are allergic to some food item, you have a sensitive reaction to it.

Healthy Eating*- Eating meat

Meat is good for you because it contains protein. This nutrient helps you grow and  repairs damage to your body.

Meat can be an important part of a healthy diet.

What kinds of meat are there?

Red meat includes beef and lamb, and white meat includes chicken and pork. Most fast food meals contain processed meat. This is made from meat, but has other foods added to it.

Do you like meat?

A small amount of meat is good for you, but don’t eat too much every day. Many shops sell alternatives to meat, such as soya and tofu.

Many burgers contain meat, but they are also full of fat and salt. Don’t eat them everyday.

Cows provide lots of our food. Milk, butter, cheese and beef all come from cows.  

What is a vegetarian?

Vegetarians never eat meat. If they are careful about what they do eat, they can still have a balanced diet.

What is a vegan?

Vegans are vegetarians who don’t eat any animal products. They don’t eat eggs or cheese, or drink milk. Many don’t wear leather or wool, or eat honey as it’s made by animals. They get all the nutrients from vegetable products.

Healthy Eating*- Do you eat fish?

It is a good idea to eat fish twice a week. One of your fishy meals should include oily fish, such as kippers, salmon and sardines. Oily fish are full of healthy nutrients. 

Oily fish contains vitamins that are good for your eyes, skin, hair, bones and teeth.

Why choose fish?

Eating fish adds protein to your diet. Fish are also rich in minerals, and are not as fattening as some meats, for example pork and lamb.

Which fish is best?

The oil in oily fish is called unsaturated fat. It contains a nutrient called omega 3, which helps your heart to stay healthy. It also helps different parts of your body to work well, for example your brain. 

Eating oily fish is good for your brain, and may help you to concentrate on your work.

What are unsaturated fat?

This kind of fat is liquid at room temperature, and can be good for your heart.

Why is fish good for you?

Fish is full of healthy vitamins, minerals and proteins. Oily fish contains a healthy kind of fat that is good for your heart and brain.

Healthy Eating*- What are fatty foods?

You don’t need much fat in your diet. The two main kinds of fat are saturated and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats are better for you than saturated fats.

What shall I eat?

When you can, try to choose foods that are made with unsaturated fats. For example, eat nuts instead of crisps.

Doughnuts contain saturated fat. They should only be eaten as a treat. 

Biscuits, cakes and chocolate contain saturated fats. 

Nuts and olive oil are good sources of unsaturated fats.

Sweet potatoes have more nutrients than ordinary potatoes.

Why should you try not to eat fatty snacks?

Snacks that are full of saturated fats are bad for your heart. Fatty snacks can make you put on weight. Choose a healthy snack instead, such as a piece of fruit.

Is It fattening?

Fatty foods give you energy, but make you put on weight if you eat too much. Starchy foods, for example sweet potatoes, fruit and vegetables, are also high in energy, but much less fattening. 

Snack attack

Sugar and salt are often added to food to make it taste nicer, but you don’t need lots of sugar and salt in your diet. Too much sugar will rot your teeth, and too much salt is bad for your health.

Many snacks contain salt and sugar. 

Avoid tooth decay

Try not to have too many sugary foods and drinks. Sugar that is left in your mouth turns into a sticky substance called plaque, which can cause tooth decay. 

Clean your teeth about one hour after you eat sweets.

Does it need salt?

Many convenience foods are very salty. You don’t need to add extra salt. A salty diet may lead to heart problems.

Oven chips are a type of convenience food.

Why do manufacturers add salt to food?

Adding salt to food is a good way of making it last longer. Throughout history it was used as a way of storing food. It also improves the flavour of some food.

Make a choice

Not all snacks contain added sugar or salt. Next time you are hungry, try eating some fruit, plain popcorn, unsalted peanuts or breadsticks.

Healthy Eating*- Drink up

You need to eat, but you also need to drink in order for your body to work properly. About two-third of your body is made up of water!

Try to drink at least one or two litres of water a day. Don’t have too many sugary drinks.

It is a good idea to drink water before and after doing something very energetic.

Use this water intake calculator to find out how many cups of water you should drink each day.

Are you thirsty?

When you exercise, you sweat and your body loses water. This makes you thirsty. You also sweat when it is hot, so you should drink more on warm summer days.

How does your body tell you that you need a drink?

When the body needs liquid, your mouth feels dry and you feel thirsty. You need to drink some water to replace the liquid your body has used.

What happens when you sweat?

When you sweat, moisture comes out of your skin. You may feel hot and sticky.

Can you eat water?

Fruit contains water, and is good to eat. About half of the water you consume is in the food you eat, and the rest is in drinks.

What is a balanced diet?

You should eat three meals every day, with one or two healthy snacks and lots of water. Remember to eat food from each of the five different food groups for a balanced diet.

This picture shows how much of each food group you should eat. For example, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but not much fat or sugar. 

Have you had enough?

It is important to have the right kind of food, but also the right amount. Eating too much or too little can make you ill.

Off the menu?

Some people don’t eat particular foods for religious reasons. For example, Jewish people do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef. They can still have a healthy diet. 

Why is it important to eat a balanced diet?

A balanced diet will give you all the different nutrients you need to stay healthy. Eat lots of different kinds of food, from each of the five main food groups. Don’t be a fussy eater!

Are you hungry?

Don’t fill up on fatty snacks between meals. Instead, choose high-fibre snacks. They stop you feeling hungry, because they take a long time to digest.