Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Big hello to all English students around the world! A healthy diet is a big topic nowadays; all the newspapers and magazines are inviting us to join the healthy lifestyle movement all the time. I was wondering if you understand the vocabulary related to this topic and decided to write this article to help you do the talking about healthy eating in English.

The food we eat consists of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Proteins are an essential substance found in meat, dairy, eggs, beans, legumes, etc. Some people suffer from protein deficiency which means their diet doesn’t provide enough proteins. 

• Vegetarians get their proteins from beans, legumes, lentils, nuts and cereals.
• Tom lost some muscle mass because he was inactive and didn’t have enough proteins in his diet.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Carbohydrates (or simply carbs) usually refer to food such as bread, rice, pasta, sweets, etc.

• Reduce your carb intake if you want to lose weight.
• A diet rich in fibre is usually low in carbohydrates.

Fat is contained in fatty foods such as oils, nuts, lard, etc. Even though some fats can be extremely healthy, we want to keep our intake of fats and oils as low as possible. 

• We should get that low-fat milk for coffee.
• As a rule, foods high in fats are also high in calories.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

The food we eat also contains vitamins, minerals, fibre, calories, amino-fatty acids, sugar, salt, cholesterol, etc.

• Our bodies cannot produce vitamins, so we take them from food.
• This oat milk is enriched in minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
• Dried figs are very high in fibre.
• Sara is on a low-calorie diet; she doesn’t eat bread or fried foods.
• If you want to have a healthy heart, you should eat mackerel or salmon because they are extremely rich in amino-fatty acids,  
• If you want to be healthy, the first thing to do is to cut your sugar and salt intake.
• My cholesterol level dropped after I began eating oatmeal for breakfast.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

What are vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free diets and people?

A vegetarian is a person who doesn’t eat meat or fish.

• It was difficult at first, but gradually she got used to the vegetarian diet.

A vegan is a person who doesn’t eat animal foodstuff for humanitarian or health reasons.

• After watching how they keep animals on the farms, Fiona decided to become a vegan.

A pescatarian is a person who doesn’t eat meat or poultry except for fish and seafood.

• Pescatarians are very close to vegetarians; although they eat fish, their diet is rich in fruit and vegetables.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

People who suffer from celiac disease (allergy to gluten contained in wheat products), usually go on a gluten-free diet. 

• If you have problems with your bowel, you should try a gluten-free diet.

People who are lactose intolerant (lactose is the type of sugar contained in milk, cheese and other dairy products) or who want to benefit from the removal of fats, salt and sugar from dairy products, you should go on a dairy-free diet.

• Let’s go to this healthy new restaurant. They have lots of dairy-free and vegan meals on their menu.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Vocabulary related to healthy eating

Balanced diet

A balanced diet provides our bodies with sufficient nutrients. It contains food from all food groups – proteins, carbohydrates and fats, in balanced proportion.

• Everyone agrees that a balanced diet is essential for our health.
• A balanced diet and regular exercise routine are the keys to a healthy lifestyle.

Nutrients

A substance in plants or animals people have to consume to be alive.

• When we digest food, nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
• A balanced diet provides healthy nutrients.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Processed food

Food which has been changed through the preparation process is considered processed food.

• Processed food is usually full of sugar, salt and additives, so try to avoid it as much as possible.
• Homemade cake is a far better option for your children than the highly processed cakes we buy in the supermarkets.

Superfood

A superfood is a relatively new word; it refers to some foods rich in nutrients, antioxidants, fibre, etc.

• The algae spirulina is considered a superfood for its nutrition and its strong antioxidant effect.
• Lingonberries are a superfood which can lower your blood pressure and is very good for the heart.

Detox

A process of removal of toxins in your body in natural ways such as fasting or a special diet is called detox or detoxification.

• Mary decided to go on a 24-hour detox, drinking only water.
• Although detox diets are pretty restrictive, they are generally healthy.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Cut down on

If you cut down on some food, you reduce its intake or stop eating it.

• You should cut down on bread and sugary food for a month if you want to get into that bikini.
• Mark decided to cut down on coffee, cigarettes and alcohol and started working out and eating healthily.

Give up

To give up some foods or drinks means to stop consuming them.

• You should give up chocolate because it is high in calories.
• I’ve heard that sugar causes addiction; that’s why it’s so difficult to give it up.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Good source of / rich in / packed with

If something is a good source of vitamins or minerals, it contains large amounts of it.

• Chia seeds are a good source of magnesium.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• These little berries are packed with nutrients and are exceptionally low in calories.

High/low in

• Everyone should eat whole grain bread and pastry because they are high in fibre.
• Vegetables are low in fat and calories, so fill your plate with them.

Talking about Healthy Eating in English

Watch your weight

If you are watching your weight, you are trying not to gain any.

• As I’m trying to watch my weight, I decided to skip dinner for a week.
• So many teenagers are watching their weight these days because the summer is coming.

Eat in moderation

If you eat in moderation, you are trying to reduce your portion size, limit sweets and sugary foods, etc.

• If you want to lose excess weight, you should exercise and eat in moderation.
• I’ve got some health issues, so the doctor advised me to eat in moderation.

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