Guide for parents of the Elisabeth Selbert Comprehensive School, Bonn
on the topic of “HEALTHY DIET”
Table of Contents:
- A healthy diet – what does that mean?
- Eat and drink well and protect the environment
- Which nutrients does our body need and which foods contain them?
- The nutrition circle and its food groups
- Final word
- Sources
- A healthy diet – what does that mean?
A healthy diet consists of a combination of foods that contain all the nutrients important for building and maintaining the body (see Chapter 3). Food mainly refers to plant and animal products. Heavily processed products containing colorings, flavors and preservatives are less suitable. A varied diet made from properly prepared, original foods leads to optimal nutrition. So-called children’s foods, dietary supplements, finished products or light products are not included.
Eating habits have changed significantly over time. This applies to adults as well as children. Children often consume sugary baked goods, white bread, snacks, fast food and sweets. As a result, healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grain products are often pushed out of the diet. Bad eating habits often only become noticeable after decades. They then often manifest themselves through significant health problems or illnesses such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, heart attack, gout, etc.
It is therefore the task of parents, grandparents and educators to introduce children to a healthy diet.
This guide is intended to help you, dear parents. However, it makes no claim to completeness.
2. Eat and drink well and protect the environment
Here you can find the new recommendations “Eat and drink well” from the German Society for Nutrition e. v. (DGE). Eating colorfully and healthily while protecting the environment go hand in hand.
Those who eat predominantly fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and vegetable oils not only protect their health, but also protect the earth’s resources.
The rule of thumb:
A healthy and environmentally friendly diet is more than ¾ plant-based and almost ¼ animal-based.
For orientation purposes, here is the nutritional circle
The DGE recommendations “Eat and drink well” show a way to increase the consumption of plant-based foods and reduce that of animal-based foods in order to protect health and the environment.
But reducing food waste is also part of it!
The 11 recommendations in brief:
- It’s best to drink water
- Fruit and vegetables – lots and colorful
- Eat legumes and nuts regularly
- Whole grain is the best choice
- Prefer vegetable oils
- Milk and dairy products every day
- Fish every week
- Meat and sausage – less is more
- Sweet, salty and fatty foods – it’s better to leave them alone
- Enjoy meals
- Keep moving and watch your weight
The 11 recommendations a little longer!
It’s best to drink water
Drink around 1.5 liters every day, preferably water or other calorie-free drinks such as unsweetened tea. Drinking water from the tap is a fresh, safe and easily available food. Sugar-sweetened and alcoholic drinks are not recommended.
Tip: Iced tea, thirst quencher and fruit juice provide a lot of calories and sugar. Water is better!
Fruit and vegetables – plenty and colorful
Fruits and vegetables provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and secondary plant substances. They are good for your health and contribute to satiety. Enjoy at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, ideally in their respective harvest season.
Eat legumes and nuts regularly Legumes such as peas, beans and lentils are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as secondary plant substances. Nuts also provide essential fatty acids and are good for heart health. Eat legumes at least once a week and a small handful of nuts every day.
Tip: Almost everyone likes hummus, bean salad or lentil stew! Recipes can be found here.
Whole grain is the best choice
When it comes to grain products such as bread, pasta, rice and flour, the whole grain variant is the best choice for health. Whole grain foods fill you up longer and contain more vitamins and minerals than white flour products. The fiber in whole grains in particular reduces the risk of many diseases.
Prefer vegetable oils
Vegetable oils are rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Prefer, for example, rapeseed oil and margarine made from it. Walnut, linseed, soy and olive oil are also recommended.
Milk and dairy products every day
Milk and dairy products provide protein, calcium, vitamin B2 and iodine and support bone health. If plant-based milk alternatives are used, care must be taken to ensure the supply of calcium, vitamin B2 and iodine.
Fish every week
Fat fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring provide valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Sea fish such as cod or redfish also contain iodine.
Eat fish once or twice a week.
Meat and sausage – less is more
Meat contains readily available iron as well as selenium and zinc. Too much meat from beef, pork, lamb and goat and especially sausage increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and colon cancer. The production of meat and sausage products has a significantly greater impact on the environment than that of plant-based foods. If you eat meat and sausage, then no more than 300g per week (as an adult).
Sweet, salty and fatty foods – it’s better to leave them alone
Sugar, salt and fat are often “invisible” in processed foods such as sausages, pastries, confectionery, fast food and ready-made products. If you eat a lot of this, the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes increases.
Enjoy meals
Take your time while eating and give yourself a break. Eating slowly and consciously also promotes a feeling of satiety. Eating together feels good.
Keep moving and watch your weight
Diet and physical activity go together. Daily exercise and an active lifestyle promote bone health and reduce the risk of developing obesity and many other diseases.
Source: German Society for Nutrition e. V. (DGE)// edited by Astrid Donalies
- Which nutrients does our body need and which foods contain them
Our body needs water and nutrients. These include proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They provide energy and heat. Other vital nutrients include vitamins and minerals. Minerals also include trace elements that are only found in tiny amounts in food.
Protein: In science, egg white is also known as protein. This nutrient is found in bread, pasta and oatmeal. It is also found in potatoes, nuts and legumes. Animal protein is found in fish, meat, dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
Our body needs protein to renew cells, as they constantly die and need to be renewed.
Carbohydrates: They are found in fruits, vegetables and whole grain products and are our most important source of energy. Carbohydrates include sugar, starch and fiber. Too much sugar is unhealthy and leads to obesity because it can convert into fat, which then settles in certain parts of the body (stomach, hips, buttocks). Since many foods (e.g. tomato ketchup) also contain processed sugar, you should always be careful about what you consume (no more than two tablespoons of sugar per day – it is already contained in a glass of lemonade!)
Fats: Fat stores energy and heat and is therefore important for the body. Our organs are protected by a layer of fat. Our body can only produce this fat to a very limited extent. The need can be met by consuming plant and animal fats in food. But be careful! There are valuable and unhealthy fats. The latter should be used sparingly. Nuts, sea fish and vegetable oils such as rapeseed, olive and sunflower oil provide valuable, vital fats (unsaturated fatty acids). Sausage, chocolate and French fries contain less healthy fat.
Vitamins: There are many different vitamins, all of which fulfill important tasks in our body. They are marked with letters and cannot be produced by our body itself. This means that they have to be absorbed through certain foods. Important vitamins are: Vitamin A (important for good eyesight and the skin), e.g. B. contained in carrots, vitamin B (needed by nerve cells and muscles), contained in cabbage, whole grain products, bananas and nuts, vitamin C (important for the body’s immune system). Vitamin C is in cabbage, peppers, currants, citrus fruits and spinach. Vitamin D can be produced in the skin itself with the help of sunlight. This is how calcium is processed, which is important for the bones.
Conclusion: If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, plus whole grain bread and muesli, you get enough vitamins.
Minerals and trace elements: Our body cannot produce the following minerals itself: sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, chloride and magnesium. We have to keep taking them in with our food.
The trace elements include iron, iodine, fluoride, selenium and zinc. Our body only needs them in very small quantities.
Water:Our body consists of approximately two thirds water. It is therefore important to consume around 2 liters of fluid per day. During heavy physical work, extreme heat, sporting exertion or fever, the fluid requirement increases even further. Suitable drinks include tap water, mineral water, unsweetened herbal and fruit teas and diluted fruit juices.
- The nutrition circle and its seven food groups
The food circle divides the large range of foods into seven groups of unequal size, which indicate how much food from the group should be eaten.
The largest group is cereals and grain products as well as potatoes. Recommended consumption per day:4-6 slices of wholemeal bread, 200-250g potatoes or pasta or rice.
Second group Vegetables and salad:
Recommended consumption: 400 g or more vegetables, cooked or raw as a salad.
Third group Fruit:
Recommended consumption: 2-3 portions of fruit (250g and more)
Fourth group Drinks:
Recommendation: A total of at least 1.5 – 2 l of liquid (increased requirement for see chapter Nutrients)
Fifth group Dairy and dairy products:
Recommended consumption: 200 – 250 g milk/yoghurt and 50 – 60 g cheese
Sixth groupMeat, fish, eggs:
Recommended consumption: A total of 300 – 600 g of low-fat meat and sausage per week, 80 – 150 g of low-fat sea fish, up to 3 eggs per week
Seventh group Fats and oils:
Recommended consumption: 15 – 30 g butter, margarine, 1 – 1.5 tablespoons of high-quality vegetable oil (e.g. rapeseed, soybean and walnut oil) per day.
Anyone who follows this information when shopping will eat healthily and calorie-consciously. Small “extras” such as sweets are not forbidden, but should be enjoyed in moderation.
Not only is the right choice of food important, but well-being includes sufficient exercise to get your metabolism going, improve your blood lipid levels, reduce stress and achieve mental balance.
Finally, I hope you, dear parents, enjoy reading this little guide to healthy eating for you and your children and good health.
Author: Imke Wiesner
Source:
Eating – an adventure (Publisher: Barmer Wechselkasse)
Aid – Information Service for Consumer Protection, Nutrition, Agriculture and the German Nutrition Society
