The Eatwell Plate

The eatwell plate highlights the different types of food that make up our diet, and shows the proportions we should eat them in to have a well balanced and healthy diet.

It's a good idea to try to get this balance right every day, but you don't need to do it at every meal. And you might find it easier to get the balance right over a longer period, say a week. Try to choose options that are lower in salt when you can.

Eating healthily is about eating the right amount of food for your energy needs. In England, most adults are either overweight or obese. This means many of us are eating more than we need, and should eat and drink fewer calories in order to lose weight. 

All About Nutrition

Calories, fat, carbohydrates, and protein—you’ve heard of them, but what are they? Why do I need calories? Doesn’t fat just make you gain weight? Are fast food restaurants healthy? How can I eat healthier in restaurants? Read on to find out and learn lots more, too.

Calories:
Calories measure the amount of energy that the body gets from food. Normal body functions (breathing, heart beat) and physical activity (running, playing games) use energy. This energy comes from the food we eat and the energy stored in our bodies from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. If we don’t have enough calories, we won’t have enough energy, and we will get tired often. If we have too many calories, we will put on some weight and get fatter. Kids need at least 2,000 calories per day.

Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are either simple (called sugars) or complex (called starches). Carbohydrates are the most abundant source of calories on earth. The best sources of carbohydrates are cereal, rice, potatoes, breads, spaghetti, fruits, and vegetables. Our bodies need carbohydrates to use fats effectively. Carbohydrates are also needed for proper brain function. Your brain uses a lot of simple carbohydrates each day, the equivalent of 1/3 pound of sugar per day! Carbohydrates should make up about 50 - 55% of your daily calories.
Fats:
Fats are actually divided into two groups. Unsaturated fats are fats that are liquid at room temperature. Foods high in unsaturated fat are nuts, mayonnaise, oils, and fish such as tuna. Saturated fats are fats that are solids at room temperature. Foods high in saturated fats are butter, cheese, milk, sour cream, chocolate, ice cream, and some fish. Many people think that fats are totally bad for you, but you actually need them. Fats provide insulation and cushioning for your skin and internal organs. Fats are an important source of energy since they contain twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates and proteins. Fats provide a place for the body to store vitamins A, D, E, and K. And, fats make food taste better by absorbing other ingredients which add flavor and smell to food. With all of these uses, you might feel like you need a lot more fat, but you don’t. Your body has almost no requirement for saturated fat. To stay healthy and have just enough fat, limit the amount of fat you eat down to 30% of your daily calories.
Protein:
After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in our bodies. Almost 20% of our weight is protein in our bodies! Our muscles, hair, nails, skin, and eyes are mostly protein. Protein is important because it provides support for body cells, builds and repairs muscles and other body tissue, and is very important for growth. When enough fat and carbohydrates aren’t in the body, protein is often used by the body as energy. Foods high in protein are eggs, milk, soybeans, rice, meat, fish, potatoes, corn, and peanuts. Protein should make up about 15-20% of your daily calories.

Choosing Low Fat Sources of Protein:

Foods that are high in protein are often high in saturated fat, which isn’t too good. Good ways to get protein without getting a lot of fat are to choose skim milk and low fat cheeses, substitute ground turkey for ground beef, remove the skin from chicken before eating it, and substitute fish for your regular meat.
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA):
The recommended daily allowance is a set of recommended amounts that the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences established. This tells you what the average person should eat in a day.

All About Milk

Milk, does it really do a body good?  In this article we’ll discuss whether milk (and dairy) is an essential food for everyone.  Or whether it’s the dietary evil many make it out to be.

Civilizations began to use milk as a source of nourishment around 8000 BCE.

Although animals used for milk include cattle, goats, sheep, horses, buffalo, yaks, donkeys and camels, cow’s milk is one of the mildest tasting mammalian milks and the most popular.

No culture has ever habitually consumed milk from an animal that didn’t live on grass/leaves, as flesh-eating animals secrete milk with an odd flavor that most people don’t fancy.

Most flesh eating animals also give birth to a litter (think dogs and pigs), which means the mammary system is spread along the length of the torso. Translation: Milking is difficult with big, clumsy human hands.

Cheese is said to have been discovered by an Arab nomad travelling across the desert during the Neolithic period with milk in a container made from an animal’s stomach. The enzymes in the stomach curdled the milk.

Fast forward to the 1800s & 1900s when our relationship with dairy cows changed. Populations increased and the importance of calcium and phosphorus for skeletal health became evident.

Milk was promoted by public education campaigns and doctors as a rich source of these minerals. Doctors considered milk as an “indispensible” component of a child’s diet based on this association.

The industry responded to the demand and milk came from cows crowded into dirty milking sheds. Lots of cows, lots of dirt, and little space meant sick cows.

There was concern of a milk-borne epidemic as this new form of unhygienic milk production took precedence. Dairy farmers tried sterile bottling and disease testing on cows, but problems persisted; thus, pasteurization and refrigeration became common after 1900.

Why is milk processing so important?

Milk ferments unless refrigerated. And bacteria and viruses can be transmitted from animals to humans in the course of handling.

PASTEURIZATION

Pasteurization heats milk in a vat to temperatures that microorganisms cannot tolerate.

There are various forms of pasteurization:

• Original pasteurization (1920s): 145 degrees F for 35 minutes
• High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization (1930s): 161 degrees F for 15 seconds
• Ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurization (1970s): 280 degrees F for 2 seconds

HTST and UHT are cheap to implement and regulate. With the increasing demand for milk and milk processing, it was no longer cost effective to produce low volume, raw milk. Smaller farms were driven out of business.

Processing milk results in higher amounts of lactose and this is one of the reasons raw milk is promoted by some (although the risk of milk-borne disease increases).

HOMOGENIZATION

Homogenization crushes milkfat globules so small that they cannot rise to the surface and form a cream layer. This helps mix added fat soluble vitamins, but can turn raw milk rancid, so pasteurization must also take place.

Homogenization didn’t gain acceptance until the 1930s when cardboard and opaque milk containers were introduced. Before then, the cream line was visible through glass bottles and used by consumers to gauge the richness of milk.

What you should know about milk production today

Cows have a nine month gestation period and lactate only when they’ve recently given birth, just like humans. In the past, dairy farmers would allow cows a seasonal reproductive cycle, and birth was planned in sync with the new grass of spring.

This way, the mother had lots of nutritious grazing and time to replenish nutrient stores. Grazing is healthier for cows because it provides fresh air and exercise and grass is what the bovine digestive system is built for.

In contrast, industrial production involves feeding cows grain. More grain means more rumen (stomach) acidity, more thirst, diluted milk and ruminal acidosis. Acidosis leads to ulcers, infectious bacteria, inflammation and growth of E. coli. Antibiotics are administered to offset these ailments.

Current dairy producers inseminate cows just a few months after her previous birth, guaranteeing minimal time between pregnancies. When cows produce milk for longer than one year, their immune systems are compromised and milk quality is diminished.

Not only is this uncomfortable for the cow, it increases pregnancy-triggered estrogens in the milk supply. Estrogens can fuel tumor growth.

SCIENTISTS FIND A SOUP OF SUSPECTS WHILE PROBING MILK’S LINK TO CANCER

Test-tube studies and studies in adults over the past decade have linked cow’s milk with an excess cancer risk in the prostate, and to a lesser extent in the breast and ovaries.

A new study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute assayed grocery-store milk for 15 estrogens: estrone, estradiol and 13 metabolic derivatives of these female sex hormones.

Estrogens can fuel the growth of many tumors, even in the prostate–and estrogen can do this at amazingly tiny concentrations. Identifying how estrogens’ prevalence varies by milk type, and in what chemical form the hormones occur, required a new assay, which the NCI scientists describe in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Chromatography B.

Overall, skim milk had the smallest quantity of free estrogens. However, the conjugated type that dominated skim milk’s profile, 2-hydroxyestrone, is known to be one of the most reactive and potentially risky of the metabolites. That metabolite’s concentration in fat-free milk was second only to buttermilk’s.

There are also other sex hormones in milk—the “male” androgens and insulin-like growth factor 1. Many studies have linked elevated concentrations of IGF-1 with cancer risk.  

A COW’S LIFE

More pregnancy means more calves. Calves are taken within 24 hours of birth at most farms. Since male calves cannot be raised to produce milk, they are used for veal. The veal industry is a by-product of the dairy industry. Female calves replace their mothers and are then sent to slaughter.

The number of dairy cows in the U.S. decreased from 18 million to 9 million between 1960 and 2005. Total milk production increased from 120 billion to 177 billion pounds during the same period. This is due to strategic breeding and pharmaceutical aid.

Life of a cow (1850)	Life of a cow (2005)
Grazed on pastures Produced 56 pounds of milk/day Milked for 6 weeks after birth 336 pounds of milk per year Milk = $5/gallon Life span of 20 years before dying of natural causes	Raised in confined feedlot w/grains Produced 67 pounds of milk/day Milked for 10 months after birth  20,000 pounds of milk per year Milk = $3/gallon Life span of 3-4 years before being sent to the slaughterhouse. “Spent” dairy cows are used for the cheapest forms of beef.

Changes in milk prices

Milk output per cow is on the rise while total number of cows is decreasing

MILK CONSUMPTION PATTERNS

Americans are drinking less milk than they used to, as well as more lower-fat milk, but eating more cheese and way more frozen dairy products (aka ice cream).

1909	2001
34 gallons of milk per person (27 gallons whole & 7 gallons lower fat)	23 gallons of milk per person (8 gallons whole & 15 gallons lower fat)
4 pounds of cheese per person	30 pounds of cheese per person
2 pounds of frozen dairy products per person	28 pounds per person

What you should know about organic vs. conventional milk

Sales of organic dairy are increasing 20-25% each year. Many people assume that “organic” means better in many respects. In some ways this is true.

Organic cows may be fed better. Although organic cows are supposed to only receive organic feed, farmers are not required to feed the cows grass.

Organic cows are less likely to be given hormones. The use of rBST (growth hormone) is prohibited with organic cows. rBST is sometimes given to “conventional” cattle to promote growth and milk production, but is banned in Europe, Japan and Canada because of concerns over human health and animal welfare.

IGF-1 can increase secondary to rBST, increasing the odds of mastitis and decreasing the life expectancy for cows while promoting cancer in humans.

But organic isn’t synonymous with healthy living conditions or humane treatment of animals.

Organic dairy production in the U.S. is concentrated with only a few producers owned by agribusiness conglomerates. Organic dairy farmers generally use the same breed and feed methods as conventional farmers, including concentrated animal feeding operations. Organic milk is processed the same as conventional.

What you should know about milk composition

Cow’s milk is made up of 87% water and 13% solids, including minerals (like calcium and phosphorus), lactose, fats, and proteins (like whey, casein, lactalbumins). Fortification with vitamins A and D is necessary since natural levels are low.

Casomorphins are derived from casein, one of the milk proteins. They have opioid (narcotic) properties (think morphine, oxycodone and endorphins). Casomorphins have addictive properties and decrease bowel motility.

The addictive properties make sense from an evolutionary standpoint as the draw to milk is necessary for infant nutrition, calming and bonding with mom. Human milk casomorphins are about 10 times weaker than those found in cows milk.

What you should know about milk and health

Most of us consume our mother’s milk after birth and then transition to cow’s milk. Lactase production diminishes around age 4.

When more than small amounts of un-soured milk enter the GI tract, lactose passes intact to the intestine. This draws water, producing bloating and diarrhea. Some evolutionary biologists believe that those who have the ability to digest lactose were among groups whose ancestors were dairy farmers.

Humans are the only animals who have ever thought of transferring milk from mammary glands of another species to opaque containers and selling it. Using another creature’s milk for food is a peculiar custom indeed and is still not universally accepted. Most interspecies milk substitutions would be disastrous for newborns because of the crucial matches between milk composition and nutrient needs.

While kids believe drinking milk is the key to bone health, scientific reviews acknowledge the following:

“Scant evidence supports nutrition guidelines focused specifically on increasing milk or other dairy product intake for promoting child and adolescent bone mineralization.” (Lanou 2006)

MILK AND CALCIUM

In many parts of the world cow’s milk is a negligible part of the diet, and yet, diseases associated with lack of calcium (e.g., osteoporosis, fracture) are uncommon.

In fact, data suggests that calcium rich dairy foods actually increase calcium losses from the body.

How much calcium we get from the diet really isn’t that important, rather, what matters is how much we retain in the body. Populations consuming the most dairy have among the highest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture in later life.

While cow’s milk can be high in certain nutrients, it’s difficult to argue that it is “essential” for optimal health.

Countries that eat the most dairy seem to have the most hip fractures

MILK AND CHRONIC DISEASES

Dairy consumption has been associated with cardiovascular diseases, type 1 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and cancers. Scientists don’t know if this is specifically due to the dairy fat, casein, or the displacement of other nutritious foods.

Nutrition can alter the expression of genes involved in the development of cancer. Casein, a protein found in cows milk, has been linked to different forms of cancer, with strong associations for lymphoma, thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.

What you should know about milk and the environment

Dairy cows consume large amounts of food, produce large amounts of waste, and emit methane. In fact, in the San Joaquin Valley in California, cows are regarded as worse polluters than cars.

Still, dairy is slightly more energy-efficient than raising animals for meat.

Conventional farm	Organic farm	Soy milk
14 calories of fossil fuel energy produces 1 calorie of milk protein	10 calories of fossil fuel energy produces 1 calorie of milk protein	1 calorie of fossil fuel energy produces 1 calorie of organic soybean protein (for soy milk)

Summary and recommendations

Is it possible to get milk from humanely treated animals that is nutritious, sustainable and tastes good? Yes.

Is this where most milk comes from? No.

With the amount of dairy consumed in North America, sustainable and humane dairy operations are a near-impossibility. If we can discard the concept that guzzling X ounces of milk a day is an obligation, perhaps we would be free to discover different forms of it, better production methods and ration intake.

The most nutritious and best tasting milk comes from healthy animals that spend most of their time outdoors on fresh pasture eating lots of grass supplemented with hay, root veggies and grains. In theory, organic family farmers might be better stewards of land, water and food. Non-dairy milks are likely just as nutritious and better for the environment.

More milk in the diet doesn’t necessarily improve bone health. Indeed, consuming high amounts of milk from processed sources is associated with various forms of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders.

“You have to decide: Is there anything good about milk? Other than developing children and malnourished adults, people probably don’t need milk.”
–Oncologist Michael Pollak, McGill University in Montreal

“The key to a healthful diet is to choose naturally nutrient-rich foods, such as dairy foods, first as part of a balanced diet.”
–National Dairy Council

Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition

A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff

A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them.

Types of vegetarian diets

When people think about a vegetarian diet, they typically think about a diet that doesn't include meat, poultry or fish. But vegetarian diets vary in what foods they include and exclude:

• Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, are included.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
• Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products, but allow eggs.
• Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products.

Some people follow a semivegetarian diet — also called a flexitarian diet — which is primarily a plant-based diet but includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities.

Vegetarian diet pyramid

A healthy diet takes planning, and a food pyramid can be a helpful tool. The vegetarian pyramid outlines food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.

Getting adequate nutrition

The key to a healthy vegetarian diet — like any diet — is to enjoy a variety of foods. No single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs. The more restrictive your diet is, the more challenging it can be to get all the nutrients you need. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates natural food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are good sources of calcium.

With a little planning, however, you can be sure that your diet includes everything your body needs. Pay special attention to the following nutrients:

• Calcium helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Milk and dairy foods are highest in calcium. However, dark green vegetables, such as turnip and collard greens, kale and broccoli, are good plant sources when eaten in sufficient quantities. Calcium-enriched and fortified products, including juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, are other options.
• Iodine is a component in thyroid hormones, which help regulate metabolism, growth and function of key organs. Vegans may not get enough iodine and be at risk of deficiency and possibly even a goiter. In addition, foods such as soybeans, cruciferous vegetables and sweet potatoes may promote a goiter. However, just 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt provides a significant amount of iodine.
• Iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables and dried fruit are good sources of iron. Because iron isn't as easily absorbed from plant sources, the recommended intake of iron for vegetarians is almost double that recommended for nonvegetarians. To help your body absorb iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli, at the same time as you're eating iron-containing foods.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart health. Diets that do not include fish and eggs are generally low in active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed and soybeans are good sources of essential fatty acids. However, because conversion of plant-based omega-3 to the types used by humans is inefficient, you may want to consider fortified products or supplements, or both.
• Protein helps maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Eggs and dairy products are good sources, and you don't need to eat large amounts to meet your protein needs. You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
• Vitamin B-12 is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough B-12 on a vegan diet. Vitamin B-12 deficiency may go undetected in people who eat a vegan diet. This is because the vegan diet is rich in a vitamin called folate, which may mask deficiency in vitamin B-12 until severe problems occur. For this reason, it's important for vegans to consider vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals and fortified soy products.
• Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin D is added to cow's milk, some brands of soy and rice milk, and some cereals and margarines. Be sure to check food labels. If you don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure, you may need a vitamin D supplement (one derived from plants).
• Zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in formation of proteins. Like iron, zinc is not as easily absorbed from plant sources as it is from animal products. Cheese is a good option if you eat dairy products. Plant sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, legumes, nuts and wheat germ.

If you need help creating a vegetarian diet that's right for you, talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian.

Getting started

If you're not following a vegetarian diet but you're thinking of trying it, here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Ramp up. Each week increase the number of meatless meals you already enjoy, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.
• Learn to substitute. Take favorite recipes and try them without meat. For example, make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that many dishes require only simple substitutions.
• Branch out. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisines. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the more likely you'll be to meet all your nutritional needs.

Nutritional supplements

Nutritional supplements are meant to complement a healthy diet, not replace it. If you're generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, you probably don't need nutritional supplements. In certain cases, however, fortified foods and dietary supplements may be useful in providing one or more nutrients. For example, adults age 50 or older may not get enough vitamin B-12 in their diets and may need fortified foods or a nutritional supplement.

You may also want to consider a nutritional supplement if you don't eat enough healthy foods or don't eat a healthy variety of foods. Talk with your doctor or a dietitian about whether nutritional supplements might be appropriate for you. Be sure to ask about possible side effects of nutritional supplements you're considering — and if they have interactions with medications you take.

Healthy menus and shopping strategies

If you're like most, you're looking for ways to make meals healthier yet still enticing. Get your juices flowing to plan healthy menus by browsing healthy recipes online and in cookbooks.

To prepare your healthy menus, you'll need to have healthy ingredients on hand. Your shopping strategies should focus on fresh and unprocessed foods. That means spending more time in the produce section, where you can stock up on fruits and vegetables. Keep an eye out too for whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Another key shopping strategy — don't linger in the snack food and candy aisles. Also be sure to check out the farmers market during the growing season to see what local produce is available.

Healthy Cooking

Good food is one of life's great pleasures. And for most, meals are at the heart of family life and celebrations. Would you like to make satisfying and healthy meals that help protect your family from heart disease and other health problems?

Of course you would. So move away from calorie-laden, fatty and salty convenience items. Experiment with quick and healthy cooking techniques, such as baking, grilling and sauteing. Learn important food safety tips, recipe makeovers and more. And then enjoy knowing that your new healthy cooking skills are helping to reduce your family's risk of health problems.

Healthy Diets

Do you want to adopt a healthy diet but aren't sure where to start? As you consider the parade of healthy diets in magazines and cookbooks, make sure to look for one that:

• Includes a variety of foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats
• Provides guidelines for how much food to choose from each group
• Includes foods you can find in your local grocery store
• Fits your tastes, lifestyle and budget

Also consider your health risks. Do you have high cholesterol or high blood pressure? If so, be sure to follow a diet that's low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats. For personalized advice, talk with your doctor or a dietitian.

Nutritions Basics

Do you feel like you can't keep up with the latest nutrition news because it's always changing? While it's true that what is known about nutrition and diet is evolving, there are some nutrition basics you can keep in mind. By knowing these nutrition basics, you'll be better equipped to sort through the latest research and advice.

Mastering the nutrition basics comes down to understanding the food groups and becoming more aware of calories and the roles that specific nutrients play in a healthy diet. Want to go beyond the nutrition basics? Talk to your doctor or a dietitian for personalized dietary advice that takes into account your health status, lifestyle, and food likes and dislikes.