FOOD SAFETY MEASURES

Clean: Always wash your fruits and vegetables, hands, counters and cooking utensils.

Separate: Keep raw food separately. Germs can spread from one food to another.

Cook: Cook foods for the appropriate length of time and at the appropriate temperature to kill pathogens.

Chill: Put fresh food in the refrigerator right away. Store food at the proper temperature.

Important: Do use safe water and raw materials.

Eating a Balanced Diet

Celebrating World Health this month, let us provide some insight on food safety measures and how to ensure you are eating healthy!

A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, adequate essential amino acids from protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and adequate calories. The requirements for a healthy diet can be met from a variety of plant-based and animal-based foods. A properly balanced diet (in addition to exercise) is also thought to be important for lowering health risks, such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

At the core of the balanced diet are foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and low in unnecessary fats and sugars. The following are essential parts of a balanced diet:

• Fruits: Besides being a great source of nutrition, fruits make quick and tasty snacks.
• Vegetables: They are primary sources of essential vitamins and minerals. Dark, leafy greens (Eg. spinach, kale etc.) generally contain the most nutrition and can be eaten at every meal.
• Grains: All types of grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates and some key vitamins and minerals. Grains are also naturally low in fat.
• Proteins: Meats and beans are primary sources of protein, which is essential for proper muscle and brain development.
• Dairy: Dairy products provide calcium, Vitamin D and other essential nutrients. Opt for reduced-fat of fat-free chesses, milk and yogurt.
• Oils: Opt for low-fat versions of products that contain oil, such as salad dressing and mayonnaise. Good oils, such as olive oil, can replace fattier vegetable oil in your diet.

HEALTHY EATING TIPS

1. Fill up on colourful fruits and vegetables.

2. Eat more healthy carbohydrates and whole grains.

3. Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats.

4. Put protein in perspective.

5. Add calcium for strong bones.

6. Limit sugar and salt.

7. Bulk up on fiber.