Eating a balanced diet

In the quest to be healthier, it can be tempting to go big- cutting out whole food groups and denying yourself the foods you love. This is especially true at the start of a new year when many of us have ambitious resolutions to eat better, exercise more and generally get fit. But while making sweeping changes can yield quick results, they are rarely sustainable in the long term, often leaving well-intentioned new year goals abandoned before the end of January.

Based on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) advice, we go back to basics in this article, with a guide to what a well balanced diet should look like, and why giving your diet a healthy overhaul doesn’t need to be complicated. With tips on healthy food swaps and recipe inspiration for nourishing meals and snacks that you can easily prepare using your Kenwood products, we’ll show how making a few simple everyday changes to how you eat, cook and shop for food can make a really positive difference to how you feel inside and out, all year round.

Eat more fruit & veg!

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_2.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_2.jpg

There’s a reason we were all encouraged to eat our greens growing up; fruit and vegetables are an unbeatable source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Try to enjoy a wide range of different fruit and veg every day as part of a healthy balanced diet. This is actually easier than it sounds when you remember portions can include anything frozen, tinned, juiced or dried, as well as fresh.

Easy ways to boost your daily fruit and veg quota include adding sliced banana or dried cranberries to your morning porridge, whizzing up a vibrant smoothie or enjoying a warming homemade soup for lunch.

Why not try making one of these delicious veg-packed dishes using your Kenwood products:

Vegetable tartlet with winter pesto

Mexican mixed pepper tacos

Starchy carbs = energy

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_3.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_3.jpg

Starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, bread, rice and pasta are the body’s main source of energy. Go for wholegrain rather than refined grain alternatives where possible, looking out for wholewheat pasta, wholemeal flour, brown rice, wholemeal, granary, brown or seeded bread etc. Wholegrain carbs contain more nutrients and fibre and take longer for the body to break down, meaning energy is released more slowly and you will feel fuller for longer- and less likely to reach for a sugary snack later in the day.

Eating wholegrains also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and strokes, and helps your digestive system process waste more efficiently.

Other great sources of starchy carbs are oats and grains, such as couscous and bulgur wheat.

Simple to prepare and super satisfying, these recipes are perfect for a healthy midweek dinner:

Milanese risotto

Squash macaroni cheese

Cutting down on saturated fat, sugar and salt

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_4.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_4.jpg

As long as you try to eat healthily most of the time, there is a place for all types of food in a balanced diet, including the odd treat. However, most of us eat too much saturated fat, sugar and salt; all of which provide your body with no nutritional value and can contribute to a range of health issues.

When you’re buying food be sure to check the nutritional information; generally the higher an ingredient appears in the list, the more the product contains. Processed and ready made food typically has high levels of saturated fat, sugar and salt. The great thing about cooking from scratch is you know exactly what is going into what you’re eating, and there are plenty of everyday ingredients you can swap in to help make your favourite dishes healthier; cook using olive oil rather than butter, replace sugar with agave syrup when you’re baking and season food with herbs and spices instead of salt.

These deliciously squidgy beetroot brownies are lower in sugar and fat than regular brownies, but will still more than satisfy your sweet tooth.

Πρωτεϊνική δύναμη

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_5.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_5.jpg

Βρίσκεται στα όσπρια, τα ψάρια, τα αυγά, το κρέας, τους ξηρούς καρπούς και το τόφου, η πρωτεΐνη είναι απαραίτητη για να βοηθήσει τους μύες σας να αναπτυχθούν και να επισκευαστούν, παρέχοντας στο σώμα σας τα αμινοξέα που χρειάζεται για να βοηθήσει τα κύτταρα να ανανεωθούν.

Εάν τρώτε κρέας και ψάρι, στοχεύστε σε τουλάχιστον δύο μερίδες ψαριού την εβδομάδα (μία από τις οποίες πρέπει να είναι λιπαρό ψάρι όπως ο σολομός ή το σκουμπρί - επίσης μια εξαιρετική πηγή ωμέγα-3 και λιπαρών οξέων). Επιλέξτε πιο άπαχα κομμάτια κρέατος και προσπαθήστε να αποφύγετε να τρώτε πολύ επεξεργασμένο κρέας όπως το μπέικον.

Εάν είστε χορτοφάγος ή vegan, τα καλά νέα είναι ότι υπάρχουν πολλοί νόστιμοι τρόποι για να λαμβάνετε περισσότερη από αρκετή πρωτεΐνη στη διατροφή σας. Τα φασόλια, τα μπιζέλια, τα ρεβίθια, οι φακές, οι ξηροί καρποί, οι σπόροι και τα προϊόντα σόγιας είναι όλα πλούσια σε πρωτεΐνες και είναι χαμηλά σε λιπαρά και πλούσια σε φυτικές ίνες.

Δημιουργημένα από τους ειδικούς μας σεφ, και τα δύο αυτά πιάτα με υψηλή περιεκτικότητα σε πρωτεΐνες θα μπορούσαν να συμβάλουν σε μια υγιεινή ισορροπημένη διατροφή (και να έχουν νόστιμη γεύση):

Μπουρεκάκια μανιταριών με φακοσαλάτα και dressing γιαουρτιού με ταχίνι

Χορτοφαγικό ψητό ξηρών καρπών

Dairy and alternatives

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_6.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_6.jpg

Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are an important source of calcium, which is vital for developing strong bones and teeth, as well as protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and iodine. Some dairy products can be high in saturated fat though, so try and choose low-fat, low-sugar options such as plain low fat yoghurt and reduced fat milk.

If you’re dairy intolerant or following a plant-based diet, look for soy, nut, rice or oat milks that are fortified with calcium and the vitamins and minerals usually found in animal milks, and unsweetened.

Try one of these recipes to get your daily dairy fix:

Quick and Easy Smoothies

Raspberry & Almond Drink

It’s all in the planning…

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Desktop_7.jpg

KW Article_Eating a balanced diet_Mobile_7.jpg

Cooking and enjoying good food with loved ones is one of life’s great pleasures, but making sure that the food that you and your family eat is healthy and nourishing doesn’t mean you have to deny yourself any of that enjoyment. By exploring new flavour combinations and swapping in more nutritious ingredients to give classic recipes a wholesome twist, you can open up a whole new world of culinary experimentation.

Cooking from scratch makes it much easier to take control of what goes into your food, and what you put into your body over the course of a day. Plan and shop for the week’s meals in advance, so there’s always something there ready to prepare at the end of a long day, or a quick, nutritious lunch to throw together. Batch cooking soups, stews and sauces so your freezer is filled with good to go meal portions is another way to help you make the healthy choice, rather than reaching for the takeaway menu.