“5-a-day” is based on advice from the World Health Organization, which recommends eating a minimum of 400g of fruit and vegetables a day to lower the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
The brain sends the same signal whether you are hungry or thirsty. To understand which signal your brain is sending, you must learn to understand your body better. Pay close attention to the last time you had a meal compared with the last time you had something to drink. It might be that empty feeling in your stomach only needs some water to be sated.
High sugar foods contain over 22.5 grams of total sugars per 100 grams and low sugar foods contain less than 5 grams per 100 grams.
If you want to eat healthier, learn to enjoy the taste of this delicious, fresh, healthy food. An apple can be just as delicious as any junk food snack, if you pay attention and savour it.
Skimmed and 1% milk are not suitable for children under five, as they don’t contain enough calories.
Semi-skimmed milk can be introduced once a child is two years old, as long as they’re a good eater and they have a varied diet.
Whole milk should be given to children until they are two years old, as they need the extra energy and vitamins it contains.
Cows’ milk doesn’t contain enough iron and other nutrients to meet young babies’ needs, so shouldn’t be given until they are 12 months old.
A can of cola contains the equivalent of 7 cubes of sugar. A high-sugar drink contains more than 11.25g per 100ml, and a low-sugar drink contains less than 2.5g.
Be aware of the names used for the different sugars on food & drink labels: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, corn syrup, invert sugar and honey.