Nutrition and Hydration Week (16–22 March) aims to highlight the importance of a healthy balanced diet and fluid intake. If you struggle with your appetite, or aren't quite sure how well your diet measures up, read on for some simple tips.
Why bother?
Following a well-balanced diet is important to ensure that we get all the nutrients that our bodies need.
One-third of our diet should be made up of fruit and vegetables. A portion of fruit or vegetables is 80g and these can be frozen, fresh, canned, dried or juiced, and will contribute to your 5-a-day. Fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals, which contribute to a healthy and well-balanced diet, reducing the risk of nutritional deficiencies. The high fibre content of fruit and vegetables can aid a healthy gut and digestive system. Dietary fibre also helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and increases satiety, this allows you to feel fuller for longer and support a healthy weight. It can help to lower the risk of multiple conditions such as heart disease, bowel cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Staying hydrated
Water plays an essential role in our bodies via temperature regulation, nutrient absorption, and waste removal. It makes up on average 60% of our body weight. The Vegetarian Eatwell Guide recommends we have 6–8 glasses of water per day. Recent research found dehydration affected cognitive function, mood and concentration when compared to hydrated individuals. Therefore, it is important to continuously replenish your water intake to avoid experiencing these negative effects.
If you struggle with your appetite we have some tips below to ensure you can still get all the nutrition you need from the food you eat. Adding extra calories and protein to your food without making it more filling is important when you are struggling to eat enough.
Top tips for staying hydrated and well nourished:
- If you struggle to drink water try adding a slice of lemon, cucumber slices and mint, or some berries to enhance flavour and encourage you to drink more. Keeping a jug of water chilled in the fridge might help remind you to drink.
- Carrying a water bottle with you when you’re out and about can serve as a great reminder to encourage you to drink more regularly.
- Fruit and vegetables contain 80-98% water so they can contribute significantly to your hydration. Consuming vegetables such as cucumbers and tomatoes can be an easy way to stay hydrated and refreshed. They’re tasty additions to salads, or just as a snack. Try chopping fresh fruit up and keeping in your fridge to snack on throughout the day, make a fruit smoothie or add dried fruit to your cereal.
- On hot days you could make your own ice lollies to get extra fluids using fruit juice and chopped fruits or make a fruit smoothie and freeze in lolly moulds.
- It’s not just water that contributes to your hydration. Try drinking tea, smoothies or fruit juice too. Hot chocolate made with milk or plant milk or a fortified milkshake can help with hydration as well as adding extra calories to your diet if you’re struggling to eat a lot. Try our fortified milkshake recipe below.
- Eating little and often might work better if you struggle with your appetite. You could prepare snacks such as sandwiches or vegetable sticks and homous to keep in your fridge to have when hungry.
- You can fortify meals such as soups, stews and curries by adding peanut butter which will add extra calories and protein without making the meal more filling.
- Or you can add milk, butter or cream, or vegan versions of these to mash potato for example to add extra calories. Or why not try making a fortified pudding such as our chocolate mousse recipe which has added protein because of the silken tofu used https://vegetarianforlife.org.uk/recipes/cakes-and-puddings/healthy-chocolate-mousse
- Don’t deprive yourself of treats, a slice of cake or a couple of biscuits with your tea can add much needed extra calories and add more enjoyment back into your diet.
- If you live alone and don’t cook a lot for yourself, try spending a day bulk cooking and freezing the dishes into individual portions so you don’t have to cook every day but can still enjoy tasty, home cooked meals.
- If you miss eating socially why not share meals with friends or try and find your local luncheon club. VfL in partnership with Age UK run an all vegan luncheon club in Manchester. For more info please get in touch.
You’ll find lots of helpful recipes on our website. If you need any further advice on this, or would like copies of any of our helpful publications, such as Cooking for One or Cooking on a Budget please get in touch.
*Add in banana and peanut butter fortified milkshake
