Health & lifestyle tips

Bread is a complex carbohydrate that can play an important role in maintaining a balanced diet, but it’s important that you enjoy bread alongside maintaining a healthy active lifestyle. Here are some simple tips to help you achieve this.

1. Don’t skip breakfast

A healthy breakfast forms an important part of a balanced diet, and provides some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. It also provides you with the energy to kick start your day! Why not check out our breakfast recipes for a little inspiration!

2. Take regular exercise

Exercise not only keeps you fit, it helps you stay mobile and supple. Walking is one of the easiest ways to get more activity into your day, lose weight and become healthier. The best way to become active is by incorporating a walk into your daily routine. Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day, this can help you burn up to 400 calories**.

3. Drink plenty of water

Water helps keep you hydrated, which is important because every single cell in your body needs it in order to absorb nutrients and expel waste products. An adult needs to drink about 1.2 litres of fluid every day to stop us getting dehydrated. This is in addition to the fluid we get from the food we eat. When the weather is warm, or when we get active, we may need more.

4. Get your ‘5 A DAY’

If your life keeps you on the run – working late, travelling often, always busy – it might seem hard to eat enough fruit and vegetables. But by making a few easy changes, you can fit 5-A-DAY into the busiest schedule. Try getting into the habit of asking yourself, “what can I do that will add at least one portion of fruit or vegetables to this meal?” and then working out how to do so. For example, if you’re having a slice of toast for breakfast, accompany it with a glass of orange juice or there are a range of healthy toppings such as baked beans, mushrooms or tomatoes, which form one of your 5-A-DAY.

5. Watch your toppings

While all bread is generally low in fat, be mindful that the overall calorie content of your sandwich or round of toast can increase, depending on your topping / filling of choice. Try to avoid using butters or spreads that are high in fat (there’s no reason why this should detract from the overall taste) and consider using low fat spreads on bread or toast and low fat mayonnaise options for sandwiches. Also remember to let other natural products – such as salad ingredients – take center stage to help maintain a balanced diet.

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