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Charlotte Musgrove - Nutritionist
Charlotte studied a BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia and then went on to complete an MSc in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Southampton. She spent four years working at the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) in London, primarily as a Research Assistant, and then in the promoted position of Nutrition Scientist for the Foundation’s Education Team.
Charlotte recently moved to Bristol and now works for South Gloucestershire Council as a Healthy Eating Coordinator, on the Health, Safety and Food Team. Her new role involves taking forward a number of different healthy eating and nutrition related projects, such as working with local bakeries in South Gloucestershire to reduce the amount of salt used in their bread; delivering nutrition related workshops, presentations and training days to a variety of audiences; and writing a Food and Health Strategy for South Gloucestershire.
Charlotte studied a BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of East Anglia and then went on to complete an MSc in Public Health Nutrition at the University of Southampton. She spent four years working at the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) in London, primarily as a Research Assistant, and then in the promoted position of Nutrition Scientist for the Foundation’s Education Team.
Charlotte recently moved to Bristol and now works for South Gloucestershire Council as a Healthy Eating Coordinator, on the Health, Safety and Food Team. Her new role involves taking forward a number of different healthy eating and nutrition related projects, such as working with local bakeries in South Gloucestershire to reduce the amount of salt used in their bread; delivering nutrition related workshops, presentations and training days to a variety of audiences; and writing a Food and Health Strategy for South Gloucestershire.
Staying healthy plays a big part in your self protection. Although the techniques we teach are suitable for people of all levels of fitness, being fit and healthy is clearly a huge benefit when it comes to self protection. If you are unable to run from a predator, or do not have the stamina to fight off an attacker, it significantly reduces your ability to defend yourself.
Therefore, we have enlisted the help of nutritionist Charlotte Musgrove to guide us all towards a healthy lifestyle. Charlotte has written 10 top tips to healthy eating, providing clarity to those confusing packaging labels and dispelling some common myths about what we should or shouldn’t eat. We will be adding two tips each week, so check back regularly and start thinking about what you can do to stay healthy.
Therefore, we have enlisted the help of nutritionist Charlotte Musgrove to guide us all towards a healthy lifestyle. Charlotte has written 10 top tips to healthy eating, providing clarity to those confusing packaging labels and dispelling some common myths about what we should or shouldn’t eat. We will be adding two tips each week, so check back regularly and start thinking about what you can do to stay healthy.
‘Eating Well’
by Charlotte Musgrove
by Charlotte Musgrove
There is currently so much information on healthy eating available that it can sometimes be quite confusing to know what we should and shouldn’t be eating. Every day in the news, in papers and magazines we are bombarded with headlines and articles about a new weight loss diet or superfood that will fight off infection. So how do you know what advice to follow? What is a healthy diet is? And what should you be eating? Well, read on for some healthy eating top tips that will help you make healthier choices and dispel some common nutrition confusion!
Staying Healthy - A Guide to Nutrition
1. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
So you’ve heard that we should be eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but did you know the message is to eat AT LEAST 5 portions a day. In the UK, most people need to be eating more fruit and veg.
So you’ve heard that we should be eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but did you know the message is to eat AT LEAST 5 portions a day. In the UK, most people need to be eating more fruit and veg.
2. Base your meals on starchy foods
Starchy foods such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, cous cous, noodles and chapattis are an important part of a healthy diet. These foods are a good source of energy and also provide a range of nutrients that our body needs.
Starchy foods such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, cous cous, noodles and chapattis are an important part of a healthy diet. These foods are a good source of energy and also provide a range of nutrients that our body needs.
Aren’t starchy foods fattening?
It’s actually a myth that starchy foods are fattening. In fact, gram per gram, starchy foods provide less energy than protein, fat or alcohol!
However, starchy foods can become high in fat if fat is added to them such as butter or margarine spread on bread or added to a baked potato; or chips fried in oil. Although adding fat to these types of foods makes them more palatable it also increases the fat and energy content, and we should all be trying to reduce the amount of fat we eat.
It’s actually a myth that starchy foods are fattening. In fact, gram per gram, starchy foods provide less energy than protein, fat or alcohol!
However, starchy foods can become high in fat if fat is added to them such as butter or margarine spread on bread or added to a baked potato; or chips fried in oil. Although adding fat to these types of foods makes them more palatable it also increases the fat and energy content, and we should all be trying to reduce the amount of fat we eat.
How much?
Most of us need to eat more starchy foods. A third of the food we eat should come from starchy foods, so include at least one starchy food with each of your main meals. For example, you could:
Most of us need to eat more starchy foods. A third of the food we eat should come from starchy foods, so include at least one starchy food with each of your main meals. For example, you could:
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Start the day with a wholegrain breakfast cereal, such as porridge, weetabix or shredded wheat;
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Have a sandwich or potato salad for lunch;
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Go for noodles, cous cous, pasta or rice with your evening meal.
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Why at least 5 a day?
Research has shown that a diet high in fruit and vegetables helps to protect against heart disease and cancer. The 5-a-day message is based on consuming 400g of fruit and vegetables a day. To make this more meaningful to people though, the message is broken down into at least 5 x 80g servings of fruit and vegetables.
What counts as a portion?
A rough guide to what counts as a portion is the amount that fits in the palm of your hand. This is useful as it works for children, young people and adults.
What counts towards your “at least 5-a-day”?
You can choose from fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced types of fruit and vegetables as they all count! But remember potatoes do not count towards your 5-a-day, as they are considered a starchy food.
Go for variety
It is important to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables to get the range of nutrients that your body needs to be fit, healthy and function properly. To reach your 5-a-day, you could go for:
Research has shown that a diet high in fruit and vegetables helps to protect against heart disease and cancer. The 5-a-day message is based on consuming 400g of fruit and vegetables a day. To make this more meaningful to people though, the message is broken down into at least 5 x 80g servings of fruit and vegetables.
What counts as a portion?
A rough guide to what counts as a portion is the amount that fits in the palm of your hand. This is useful as it works for children, young people and adults.
What counts towards your “at least 5-a-day”?
You can choose from fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced types of fruit and vegetables as they all count! But remember potatoes do not count towards your 5-a-day, as they are considered a starchy food.
Go for variety
It is important to eat a wide variety of fruit and vegetables to get the range of nutrients that your body needs to be fit, healthy and function properly. To reach your 5-a-day, you could go for:
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Some dried fruit on cereal at breakfast;
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A side salad and a glass of fruit juice for lunch;
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An apple as an afternoon snack;
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A portion of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables with your evening meal.
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3. Keep well hydrated
Aim to drink 1.2 litres or 6 – 8 glasses of fluid per day. This helps to replace the fluid we lose throughout the day in sweat, breathing and going to the toilet.
Aim to drink 1.2 litres or 6 – 8 glasses of fluid per day. This helps to replace the fluid we lose throughout the day in sweat, breathing and going to the toilet.
What counts?
Water is one of the best ways to keep well hydrated but other drinks such as fruit juice, fruit smoothies, milk, tea, coffee and low calorie drinks all count towards your daily fluid intake as well.
What if I don’t drink enough?
Not drinking enough can cause headaches, make you feel less alert and make it hard to concentrate. When the weather is warm or when you are active, your body needs more fluid. However, avoid drinking soft and fizzy drinks, as these are high in energy and added sugar which can contribute to tooth decay.
Drinking and activity
If you are active it is best to drink small, regular sips of water before, during and after your workout, rather than taking one large drink at the end. Even mild dehydration can effect sporting performance, so make sure you keep well hydrated throughout your activity session.
4. Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet
Although we need some fat in the diet it is important that it is the right type of fat.
What is saturated fat and where is it found?
Saturated fat is mostly found in foods that come from animals, such as:
Saturated fat is mostly found in foods that come from animals, such as:
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Meat and meat products, for example sausages and burgers;
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Butter, lard and ghee;
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Cheese;
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Biscuits, cakes and pastry;
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Cream, soured cream and crème fraiche;
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Coconut oil, coconut cream and palm oil.
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Why worry?
Research has shown that a diet high in saturated fat is linked to having high cholesterol levels. If your cholesterol is high this increases the risk of heart disease, such as having a heart attack.
How to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet
You can reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet by:
You can reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet by:
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Removing excess, visible fat from meat e.g. removing skin from chicken;
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Using leaner cuts of meat e.g. lean rather than streaky bacon, or lean mince meat;
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Choosing reduced fat cheeses;
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Cooking with vegetable oils, such as sunflower, vegetable or olive oil, rather than butter, lard or ghee;
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Swapping cream, soured cream or crème fraiche for low fat yogurt, fromage frais or reduced fat crème fraiche;
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Eating foods that are high in unsaturated fat instead such as avocadoes, nuts, seeds and oily fish.
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5. Cut the sugar
Most of us are eating too much sugar. We all need to eat less of foods that contain added sugar, such as sweets, cakes, chocolate and biscuits, and drink fewer sugary soft and fizzy drinks. In some foods and drinks sugar is found naturally, such as milk and fruit juice. These types of foods and drinks do not need to be reduced in the diet, as the sugar found in them is present naturally.
Most of us are eating too much sugar. We all need to eat less of foods that contain added sugar, such as sweets, cakes, chocolate and biscuits, and drink fewer sugary soft and fizzy drinks. In some foods and drinks sugar is found naturally, such as milk and fruit juice. These types of foods and drinks do not need to be reduced in the diet, as the sugar found in them is present naturally.
How to reduce the amount of sugar in the diet
You can reduce the amount of sugar in your diet by:
You can reduce the amount of sugar in your diet by:
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Swapping sugary drinks to no added sugar drinks such as water, milk, unsweetened fruit juice or even sugar free fizzy drinks.
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Choosing snacks without added sugar such as fruit, unsalted nuts, breadsticks, unsweetened popcorn or toast, instead of sweets, biscuits, chocolate, cakes and pastries.
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Switching to lower sugar cereals or other breakfast options like fruit, yogurt or toast. If you add jam or honey go for a thin layer.
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Checking food labels when you are shopping and choosing foods that marked lower in sugar or sugar free. Some packaging uses a traffic light system, which makes it easier to choose food that is lower in sugar. Go for more ‘greens’ and ‘ambers’, and fewer ‘reds’ in your shopping basket.
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Going for low fat yogurt or fruit for dessert rather than chocolate, cake or ice cream.
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