Video Podcast Episode 5 Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

Part one: Food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar Part two: Salt

Food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar Part one Food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar To eat healthily, we should only have a small amount of food and drinks high in fat and/or sugar in our diet. Food and drinks in this group can add palatability and enjoyment to our diet, but these are not necessary for a healthy diet.

Fat We need some fat in the diet to help the body absorb vitamins A, D and E. Fat provides the essential fatty acids that the body cannot make itself. Some fats are provided by foods in other food groups, e.g. nuts, oily fish and dairy foods.

Fat Fat is a concentrated source of energy. We should only eat foods which are high in fat occasionally, and whenever possible, look for lower-fat alternatives. Having a diet high in fat makes it easy to take in more energy than needed, which means we might be more likely to put on weight.

Food swaps – name five foods that are high in fat Food swaps – name five foods that are high in fat. Think of a lower fat option for each food.  5.1

Fat There are two main types of fat found in food: saturated and unsaturated fats. In particular, we should try to cut down on food that is high in saturated fat, which can increase the amount of cholesterol in blood over time. High levels of blood cholesterol increase the chance of developing heart disease in later life. Many food manufacturers have been working hard to reduce the amount of saturated fat contained in their products.

Saturated fat Examples of food high in saturated fat: fatty cuts of meat and meat products; hard cheeses; butter, ghee and lard; pastry; cakes and biscuits; some savoury snacks; cream, soured cream and crème fraîche; coconut oil, coconut cream or palm oil.

Cutting down on saturated fat compare food labels; choose lower-fat dairy products; grate cheese instead of slicing; trim the fat off meat; use leaner mince; eat chicken without the skin; grill, bake or poach instead of fry, deep-fry or roast; eat less pastry; choose healthier snacks; go for unsaturated oils when cooking; have a balanced diet.

Food swaps Replace… With… Ham and cheese croissant (Figures show amount of saturated fat per 100g/ml.) Replace… With… Ham and cheese croissant Wholegrain toast with low-fat cream cheese Fried streaky bacon Grilled back bacon Butter Low-fat spread (or use less butter) Whole milk Semi-skimmed milk Creamy white sauce Tomato sauce Ice-cream Frozen yogurt (or just 1 scoop!) (12.4 g) (1.9g) (9.1g) (7.1g) (52.1g) (11.2g) (2.5g) (1.1g) (4.0g) (1.8g) (6.1g) (0.8g)

Sugar Sugar is added to many types of food, such as: confectionery and biscuits; jam; cakes, pastries and puddings; ice-cream; carbonated drinks and juice drinks.

Sugar The Food Standards Agency suggests that most of us are eating too much sugar. We should be trying to eat fewer sugar-containing foods, such as confectionery, cakes and biscuits, and drink fewer sugar-containing drinks. Having too many food and drinks high in sugar is linked with an increased risk of dental caries, particularly when eaten in between meals. Therefore, if these types of food are eaten, it is better to eat them during meal times and in small amounts.

Healthy teeth – think about the importance of keeping your teeth healthy. Suggest ways you can keep your teeth healthy.  5.2

Tips to cut down on sugar drink water or unsweetened fruit juice; try a currant bun or scone instead of cakes and biscuits; gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add to hot drinks or breakfast cereals; have a sliced banana, or low-fat soft cheese or spread on your toast; halve the sugar you use in your recipes; choose cans of fruit in juice; go for wholegrain breakfast cereals and sweeten with fruits.

Part two Salt

Salt and sodium Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. Consuming sodium in excess can be bad for your health. When looking at food labels you may see the contents of both salt and sodium. The following formula will help you convert the amount of sodium into salt: Salt = Sodium x 2.5 For example, if a product provides 0.6g of sodium per 100g, it contains 1.5g of salt per 100g.

How much? It is recommended that adults should not eat more than 6g of salt per day. However, in the UK, the average salt intake was estimated to be around 8.6g per day. Babies and young children need much less salt than adults because their kidneys cannot cope with any extra salt.

Recommendations of salt for babies and children Age Salt Sodium 0 to 6 months Less than 1 g a day Less than 0.4 g a day 7 to 12 months No more than 1 g a day No more than 0.4 g a day 1 to 3 years No more than 2 g a day No more than 0.8 a day 4 to 6 years No more than 3 g a day No more than 1.2 g a day 7 to 10 years No more than 5 g a day 11 years and over No more than 6 g a day No more than 2.5 g a day

Too much salt Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke than people with normal blood pressure. It is important to cut down on salt to keep our bodies healthy.

Where is the salt? Around 75% of our salt intake comes from processed foods, e.g. bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals. It is important to know how much salt the food product provides. You can check the salt content on the food label before you buy, to help you make a good choice. Many commercially-made food products have been reformulated to reduce their salt content.

Food labelling There are two types of front-of-pack labelling: - the Traffic Light labelling developed by the Foods Standards Agency; - the Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) used by several manufacturers and retailers.

Find out the salt content of 3 foods and their reduced or low salt options. What do you notice?  5.3

Ways to cut down on salt go for non-salted snacks, e.g. fruit or rice cakes, or reduced salt crisps; cut down on heavily salted foods such as bacon, pickles and smoked fish; choose canned vegetables, pulses and fish that say 'no added salt'; add less salt to your cooking and replace it with herbs and spices for flavour; choose lower-salt stock cubes, or make your own stock; watch out for sauces such as soy sauce, mayonnaise and ketchup because these can be high in salt; remember to taste food first, before adding salt to food.

For further nutrition information, please visit the BNF website www.nutrition.org.uk, or Food - a fact of life www.foodafactoflife.org.uk