Published in the A&H magazine of the 25th April 2010
By Dr. Karen Mugliett

Many of us have often heard claims about the health benefits of certain foods. We have often heard that a balanced, varied diet will help us sustain a healthy life. Nutritionists have often suggested cutting down on fats, salt and sugars and increase the fibre. People develop attitudes to food and drink from early on in life. These attitudes are largely influenced by our immediate environment: our families initially as our role models and the exposure to food. We develop taste preferences and habits which then condition the health benefits derived from food. It is important to build positive and healthy attitudes towards food and acquire taste preferences for healthier options in order to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Food and eating habits are critical to our well-being, yet a lot of us go about consuming food and drink without giving much thought to the effects of our choices and the effect this can have on our lives and our weight in the long term.

Getting the most out of our food does not have to mean deprivation. Food is there to be enjoyed and to promote conviviality but an awareness of what food offers and how to get the best from the right type of food is important. One does not have to give up favourite foods but has to enjoy these in moderation.

Six main principles which can help individuals get the most out of their food and maintain a healthy life are:
• Variety
• Balance
• Moderation
• Using fresh foods mostly and preparing one's own food
• Nutrient Density
• Energy Density

Variety
Different foods have different nutrients and so a variety of foods does not only add interest to our diet but will also contribute the necessary nutrients. The habit of eating varied foods from different groups should be acquired from an early age. Children need a variety of foods too and should not just be allowed to eat their favourite foods.
The four main food groups which should provide the variety in our diet
• Meat, Fish, Poultry and Alternatives such as pulses and beans
• Fruit and Vegetables
• Cereals, whole-grains and Starchy Vegetables
• Milk and dairy products

Besides giving us different nutrients different coloured fruit and vegetables and cereals give us a variety of phytochemicals which are not nutrients but provide health benefits too. Phytochemicals reduce the risk of certain disease, particularly some cancers. The most reliable way of getting the benefits of the myriad of chemicals available in fruit, vegetables and whole-grain cereals is through variety. The more colourful is your plate, the more nutrients you'll be getting.

Tips for including more phytochemicals
• Eat more fruit and increase the vegetable portions, add these wherever possible as main, side or snack dishes, grate onto pasta, sauces, meat, omelettes, or try some vegetarian dishes
• Use herbs and spices as these are beneficial too
• Try new fresh fruit juices, fruits and vegetables including soya products
• Replace some meat with grains, soya products, legumes and pulses
• Opt for cakes/snacks which have fruit in them eg raisins, figs, grated carrots.
• Always have fruit and vegetables available at home
• Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals

Balance and Moderation
Over-consumption may have negative effects on one's health and may lead to weight gain because serving larger portions can lead to an increased calorie intake. It is important to control the portion sizes but it is equally important to be eating moderately so that if you over-consume on high energy foods during one meal you can make up for it throughout the day by eating food which is lower in calories and which will give you different nutrients. Likewise consuming foods with low energy density (low in calories but give bulk and promote satiety) eg fruit, vegetables and cereals as opposed to biscuits and fried foods, will help us get the most out of the food we eat.
On every food item we buy, nutritional information on every nutrient or energy content is available on the packaging. The information will be supplied as per 100g or 100ml of the food/drink as well as per specified quantity of the food suggested for consumption. Food and drink give us energy too and we must obtain this in the right proportion, so the energy intake from food must not be over the energy expenditure.

Using fresh foods mostly and preparing one's own food
Whole fresh foods should be the basis of all that we eat and if these are locally grown or produced, they also have added benefits by sustaining local producers and minimising on the carbon footprint of the food. Selecting fresh products also means the possibility of selecting good quality products when they are in season and therefore at their best. One can then use healthier ingredients and cooking methods. Whole fresh foods will provide all the nutrients that nature has put into the food and which work well together in the food thus giving us the total health benefits and will help us avoid eating other foods which might be processed and less healthy.
• Plan you meals in the weekend and see that your shopping is done with all the necessary ingredients for the whole week. This will help you avoid opting for less healthy readymade processed foods.

• Shop for fruit and vegetables when they are fresh and at their best.
• Have whole fresh foods available at home for all the family
• Cook in batches in the weekends or try making double and freezing. Cook big portions but freeze in smaller quantities which will suffice for one family meal each time.
• Chop fresh vegetables once you buy them and prepare them in bags together ready for stir frying as this will save you time on weekdays. Mix vegetable colours together and add some seeds, spices or herbs and refrigerate.
• Keep the cooking tradition alive in our homes, handing down the knowledge to our children as well as the healthy approach to food preparation.

Bioavailability – absorbing as much of the nutrients from the food we eat
While the food we eat may contain nutrients, what actually happens to these nutrients once in our body is a different matter. The absorption of nutrients is a complex matter and may be much less than what was originally in the food. The way we cook food may also denature or destroy some or most of the nutrients and so it is important to be aware of this science.
• Vitamins B and C can be lost easily through boiling the vegetables they are found in. Throwing this water down the drain instead of using it to make soups will end up wasting these vitamins. Exposure to the sun and to metal such as in knives increases the loss of vitamin C and so vegetables rich in this should be handled with care by being kept away from the sun, tearing with hands instead of chopping with knives and avoiding the use of a lot of water in the cooking process.
• Iron is better absorbed when it is sourced from meat instead of vegetables, and needs Vitamin C for efficient absorption. So it is wise to drink a glass of orange juice when eating meat or spinach for iron. Tea and coffee contain chemicals which inhibit iron absorption and so should not be consumed with iron-rich foods.
• Calcium requires Vitamin D for efficient absorption.
• Tomatoes contain an anti-oxidant which is has an ability to neutralise free radicals which are linked to ageing, stroke and heart disease. When cooked tomatoes are eaten the anti-oxidant potential improves as in the cooked version it is more readily absorbed.
• Fat-soluble nutrients are absorbed much better if they are eaten together with a little bit of fat as in a few drops of olive oil.
The science of bioavailability is extensive and complex due to all the possible combinations of food in our diet, the nature of each nutrient and the complexities of absorption (what hinders this and how this can decrease or improve through our cooking). The best way to overcome these difficulties is to have a varied and balanced diet which can contribute nutrients from nutrient dense foods which can give a large amount of nutrients for a relatively small amount of calories. That way one can be sure of achieving the recommended intakes every day sensibly.
Karen Mugliett