Healthy Eating Week

Healthy eating week, which runs from the 12th?– 16th?June 2023, is about supporting and promoting healthier lifestyles for everyone. Healthy eating is a vital part of daily life and is incredibly important for the proper functioning of your immune system. We know that it’s not always easy to eat fresh foods and get the necessary nutrients into your system – sometimes life is so busy that we may forget or don’t have the time. Despite this, it is still important for us to be aware of what we are eating as well as actively seeking ways to incorporate more good foods into our diets.

Studies have proved that ‘those who eat at least 30 different types of plants a week have more varied gut bacteria and better overall health. Whilst that may seem like a lot of plants, it does include whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, as well as fruit and veggies’, making it much easier to meet this target.

Source: Mindful Chef

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIVE-A-DAY

Fruit and veg should make up over a third of what we consume, this is because they provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Vegetables are a type of?prebiotic, which can ‘encourage microbe development’ in the gut.?

Source: BBC food

Below is a recipe for one of my favourite, easy 5-a-day meals, from BBC Good Foods.

TOMATO PENNE WITH AVOCADO

Ingredients

100g?wholemeal penne

1 tsp?rapeseed oil

1?large onion,?sliced, plus 1 tbsp finely chopped

1?orange pepper,?deseeded and cut into chunks

2?garlic cloves,?grated

2 tsp?mild chilli powder

1 tsp?ground coriander

? tsp?cumin seeds

400g can?chopped tomatoes

196g can?sweetcorn?in water

1 tsp?vegetable bouillon powder

1?avocado,?stoned and chopped

1/2 lime,?zest and juice

handful coriander,?chopped, plus extra to serve

?

STEP 1

Cook the pasta in salted water for 10-12 mins until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium pan. Add the sliced onion and pepper and fry, stirring frequently for 10 mins until golden. Stir in the garlic and spices, then tip in the tomatoes, half a can of water, the corn and bouillon. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, toss the avocado with the lime juice and zest, and the finely chopped onion.

STEP 3

Drain the penne and toss into the sauce with the coriander. Spoon the pasta into bowls, top with the avocado and scatter over the coriander leaves

You can also try out this quiz from the BBC to see how much you know about getting 5-a-day >?