News

Ditch the junk food during National Nutrition Week

Oct 16, 2016

Greenslopes Private Hospital is promoting healthy eating during National Nutrition Week, with research showing the average person only consumes half the recommended five serves of vegetables per day.

One of our dietitians Suzi Morgan has shared her top tips for starting National Nutrition Week on the right track.

Here is the advice:

1. Add one serve of fruit and/or vegetables to every meal. Ideas include eating mushroom/tomato/spinach on toast for breakfast, adding extra salad on a sandwich for lunch, and replacing regular afternoon snacks with a piece of fruit or some vege sticks.
   
   
2. Incorporate new fruit and vegetables into your diet. Variety is important so try to increase the range of colour on your plate.
   
   
3. In one week, you should eat a maximum of seven serves of lean red meat and aim to include two or three fish meals. It is important to include a variety of different lean proteins in the diet (lean red meat, chicken and fish – vegetarian protein options are also great choices).
   
   
4. If you are overweight and want to shed a few kilos, you should avoid “extra foods” like chocolate and chips because they have lower levels of essential nutrients and are generally higher in saturated fats and added salt or sugar. Any foods that do not fit into the five core food groups (fruit, vegetable, breads and cereals, meat and meat alternatives, dairy and dairy alternatives) are not necessary for a healthy diet. However, if you are active and not overweight, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating says the “extra foods” can be included in small amounts only.

Suzi Morgan says the most common nutrition mistakes people make are fad diets and restricting themselves too much.

“The benefits of eating well are endless! Your energy levels will be optimised, your strength will increase, your immune system will be stronger, your mood and concentration will be improved and you will reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as Type Two Diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said Ms Morgan.

National Nutrition Week runs From 16^th – 22^nd October.