HeAlthy EAting

Food keeps us healthy and helps us grow. Food provides us with energy to be
able to function throughout the day. By eating a balanced diet, your body
obtains the fuel and nutrients it needs to function properly. Your body needs
minerals to make hormones, build bones and regulate your heartbeat. Water
flushes out toxins, transports nutrients to cells and performs other vital bodily
processes.

CARBOHYDRATES

Bread, rice and potatoes are examples of carbohydrate rich foods. These foods
give us plenty of energy. You should try and eat a lot of carbohydrates each
day. As well as energy, carbohydrates provide us with fibre, iron, B vitamins
and calcium.

Fruit AND VEGETABLES

Fruit and vegetables provide us with vitamins and minerals essential for
keeping us healthy as well as fibre which is important for digestion. A diet high
in fibre can also reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Try to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Remember that
potatoes do not count as a portion of vegetables.

DAIRy
1. Dairy products are great sources of protein
and calcium and are found in milk, cheese and
yogurt. Protein helps our bodies to grow or
repair themselves. Protein builds, maintains,
and replaces the tissues in your body. Your
muscles, organs, and immune system are made
up mostly of protein. Calcium helps to keep our
bones and teeth strong. We should eat between
two or three portions of dairy foods a day.

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 HeAlthy EATIng

MEAT, Fish, Eggs AND BEANS

These foods are a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals in your
diet. These foods help the body to grow and repair itself and keep hair, skin,
muscles and nails strong. We should eat some of these foods a day.

Foods High in FATS AND SugAR

These foods provide the body with energy, warmth and insulation around vital
organs. Too much fat in your diet can raise cholesterol, which increases the risk
of heart disease. A small amount of fat is part of a healthy, balanced diet. Fat is
a source of essential fatty acids such as omega-3 because the body can’t make
them itself. Fat helps the body absorb vitamins A, D and E.

To be healthy, nutritious food is needed to provide energy for the body. A variety
of food is needed in the diet because different foods contain different substances
that are needed to keep you healthy.

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 HeALthy EAting

Questions
1. Why is a balanced diet important?

Your body gets the fuel and nutrients it needs to function properly. A healthy diet keeps your
body functioning at its best.

2. What is the function of protein?

Proteins help our body to grow or repair itself. Proteins build, maintain and replace your
body's tissues.
3. Can you give examples of foods that we should try and avoid eating excessive amounts of?
Why should we limit our intake of these foods?

Fast food, butter, fritters, sugar, sodas, readymade meals, sweets, chocolates…

Too much fat in your diet can raise cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart
disease.

4. Chose the word closest in meaning to the underlined word.

With a balanced diet, your body obtains the fuel and nutrients it needs to function
properly.

a) rest b) work c) eat c) healthy

5. Fruit and vegetables provide us with vitamins and minerals essential for keeping us
healthy.

a) Necessary b) optional c) excellent c) extra

Rewrite this passage using capital letters, commas and full stops.

HEALTHY EATING is vitAL for A HEALTHY body MANY people EAT too much UNHEALTHY food
like rEADYMADE MEALS sweets AND CHOCOLATes instEAD people should EAT more fruit AND
vegetABLES fruit is AN IDEAL SNACK BECAUSE it tASTes sweet it is EASY to tAKe with you AND is
very good for your body
Healthy eating is vital for a healthy body many people eat too much unhealthy food like
readymade meals sweets and chocolates instead people should eat more fruit and
Vegetables fruit is an ideal snack because it tastes sweet it is easy to take with you and is
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very good for your body

Food PyrAMID

A food pyramid is a useful tool often used to teach people about healthy eating. After read-
ing the information above, please create a food pyramid containing the advised foods and
suggested portions. Remember the foods that you should eat most of are at the bottom of the
pyramid.

Cake, butter,
sweets,ready
made meals.
Ocasionally

Sausages, fried food,

salami, beer, wines.
Occasionally

Fish, chicken, egg, nuts, almond,

milk, cheese, dairy.
Every day at least one.

Fruits, (Apple, orange, grapes, banana,

strawberries, cherries...)
Every day, 2 or 3 times every day

Vegetables, (Lettuce, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, onion,

tomato, peppers, quinoa, zucchini, pumpkin, beet, cabbage,
seeds...) Water, healthy oils (sunflower, coconut, avocado…)
Every day, 3 or 4 times each day

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Time to Write!

Imagine you are a journalist in a children’s magazine. Write a paragraph about why it is
important to eat fruit and vegetables.

Eating fruits and vegetables has multiple benefits, even more so in children as they are in
the time where defenses are formed, habits (good or bad) are built and they are in the
growing stage. Why should your child eat fruits and vegetables regularly? The most important
reason why a child should eat fruits and vegetables is because they are the greatest sources
of nutrients and vitamins, elements that your child will need to fight against diseases, and
you will also prevent them from suffering from obesity or, on the contrary, anemia.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Children should be encouraged
to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables (there is a rainbow of colors to choose from) that
provide a rich source of antioxidants, rather than sugary buns and fast food, which are high
in fat and sugar.

The vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables provide the
following benefits:
➢ Promote good health and protect against disease, both now and in the future.
➢ Ensure a child's healthy growth and development.
➢ Strengthen the child's immune system and help fight disease. There is strong evidence
to show that nutrients found in fruits and vegetables can prevent chronic diseases such
as cardiovascular disease.
➢ The high fiber content can help the digestive system function properly and prevent
constipation.

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 HeALthy EAting

rEADYMADE MEALS sweets AND CHOCOLATes

readymade meals, sweets, chocolates

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