Nutrition and a Healthy Body

The lessons at a glance

1. Building a balanced plate

You do not need a complicated plan to eat well. The NHS Eatwell Guide shows roughly how much of each food group to aim for across a day or a week, and once you know the shape, you can apply it to almost any meal, from machboos to a sandwich.

• Just over a third fruit and vegetables, just over a third starchy foods, smaller shares of protein and dairy, a little oil.
• Balance is across the day or the week, not every plate.
• Choose wholegrain starches and vary your protein, including fish twice a week.
• High fat, salt and sugar foods are 'sometimes' foods, not forbidden ones.

2. Protein, fibre and healthy fats

Protein, fibre and fats are three words you hear constantly online, often with a lot of hype. Here is what each one actually does, where to find it in everyday food, and why you rarely need anything special to get enough.

• Protein comes from many plant and animal foods; variety beats volume.
• Adults should aim for 30g of fibre a day; teens 11 to 16 about 25g. Most people fall short.
• Swap saturated fats for unsaturated ones where you can.
• Pair plant iron with vitamin C to help your body absorb it.

3. Sugar, salt and what you drink

Sugar and salt hide in places you might not expect, and drinks are often the biggest source of both sugar and caffeine for teenagers. Knowing the numbers helps you enjoy treats on your own terms rather than by accident.

• Adults: no more than 30g of free sugars a day; same figure from age 11 in NI guidance.
• No more than 6g of salt a day from age 11, about a teaspoon.
• Juice and smoothies: 150ml a day, with a meal.
• Energy drinks are not recommended for under-16s; caffeine can disrupt sleep and concentration.

4. Reading food labels like a pro

Food labels look technical, but you only need a few skills to read them in seconds: the traffic lights, the ingredients list, and the difference between 'per 100g' and 'per portion'.

• Use per 100g to compare products; per portion depends on the maker's portion size.
• Ingredients are listed from most to least by weight.
• Sugar is high above 22.5g per 100g and low at 5g or less; salt is high above 1.5g and low at 0.3g or less.
• In the UAE, Nutri-Mark grades A to E where it appears.

5. Hydration in a hot climate

In the Gulf heat you sweat more, and sweating means losing fluid. Learning your own signals is simpler than following a strict number.

• About 6 to 8 glasses a day is a guide; you need more in heat, exercise and illness.
• Pale yellow urine is a good sign; dark urine means drink more.
• Water is enough for most activity; sports drinks are rarely needed.
• Confusion, fainting or difficulty breathing in the heat is an emergency: call 998.

6. Breakfast, snacks and eating for study

There is no magic brain food, but regular meals and steady energy make a long school day or exam season easier. This lesson is about simple, realistic habits, not rules.

• Three meals plus snacks gives steady energy through the day.
• Breakfast can be simple: wholegrains, protein and fruit.
• There are no magic 'brain foods'; routine, water and sleep matter most.
• Eat when hungry, stop when full.

7. Sleep for teenagers

Sleep affects your focus, learning, mood and safety. Teenagers need more than most people think, and your body clock naturally shifts later, which makes good habits even more useful.

• Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep (AASM).
• A consistent bedtime and wake time, even at weekends, helps your body clock.
• Put screens away for the last hour before bed.
• Avoid caffeine in the evening; keep your room dark, quiet and cool.

8. Moving your body

Moving regularly makes you stronger, helps you sleep and is good for your mood. The best activity is the one you enjoy enough to keep doing, and in a hot climate that often means getting creative.

• Ages 5 to 17: an average of 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity.
• Muscle and bone strengthening at least 3 times a week.
• Adults: at least 150 minutes of moderate (or 75 minutes of vigorous) activity a week.
• In the heat: exercise early or late, drink water, stop if you feel faint.
• The best exercise is one you enjoy and will keep doing.

9. Supplements, diets and wellness myths

Your feed is full of supplements, detox teas and 'what I eat in a day' videos. Some advice is useful, a lot is marketing. This lesson helps you tell the difference and know who to ask.

• Food first: most people get what they need from a varied diet.
• Low vitamin D is common in the UAE; ask a doctor before taking supplements, and never exceed safe limits.
• Your body detoxes itself; detox teas and pills do not do it better.
• Check credentials and motives before trusting online nutrition advice.
• Worried about food or body image? Talk to a doctor or a trusted adult.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

1. Building a balanced plate
   • Take a photo of your lunch every day for three days. Compare each one to the Eatwell proportions and notice what you tend to have plenty of and what you tend to miss.
   • Add one extra portion of vegetables or fruit to one meal each day this week, for example a handful of cucumber slices at lunch or a banana at breakfast.
   • Next time rice is cooked at home, check how leftovers are stored: cooled and in the fridge within an hour, eaten within 24 hours.
2. Protein, fibre and healthy fats
   • Cook or help cook one meal this week built around beans, lentils or chickpeas, such as foul, adas or a chickpea salad.
   • Check two breakfast cereals or breads at home and find the fibre per 100g. Is either 6g or more?
   • For one week, cook with olive or vegetable oil instead of ghee or butter where it suits the dish, and notice whether the taste changes.
3. Sugar, salt and what you drink
   • Look at the drinks you have in one day. Write down which contain sugar or caffeine and roughly how many you had.
   • Swap one sugary or energy drink this week for water, sparkling water with lemon, or plain laban.
   • Cook one dish this week seasoned with lemon, garlic and spices instead of extra salt.
4. Reading food labels like a pro
   • Pick two similar products at home or in a supermarket (two cereals, two yoghurts, two breads) and compare sugar and salt per 100g. Which would you choose for every day?
   • Read the ingredients list of a snack you love and find the first three ingredients.
   • Look for a Nutri-Mark or traffic-light label on your next shop and note what grade or colours it shows.
5. Hydration in a hot climate
   • For three days, check your urine colour mid-morning and mid-afternoon. If it is dark, add a glass of water at your next break.
   • Buy or find a reusable water bottle and keep it in your school or university bag this week.
   • Before your next outdoor sport or walk, plan the time to avoid the midday heat and pack water.
6. Breakfast, snacks and eating for study
   • Write down three breakfasts you would enjoy that take under 5 minutes, and get the ingredients in this week.
   • Pack a snack box for two school or study days: for example fruit, a handful of unsalted nuts, and a yoghurt.
   • During your next study session, keep water on the desk and take a short food break every couple of hours.
7. Sleep for teenagers
   • For one week, write down your bedtime, wake time and how you feel each morning. Work out your average hours.
   • Choose a 'screens off' time an hour before bed and try it for five nights.
   • Note the time of your last caffeinated drink each day this week, and try moving it earlier.
8. Moving your body
   • Track your active minutes for one week, using your phone or a notebook. Count anything that makes you breathe harder.
   • Try one new activity this week, indoors if it is hot: a swim, a dance video, a climbing session or a skipping challenge.
   • Add two short strength sessions this week: for example 3 rounds of 10 squats, 10 press-ups (on knees is fine) and 30 seconds of jumping jacks.
9. Supplements, diets and wellness myths
   • Pick one nutrition video or post from your feed. Check who made it, whether they are a registered dietitian, and whether the NHS or WHO agrees with the main claim.
   • Look at any supplement in your home. Read the label for the dose, and check it against the NHS page for that vitamin.
   • Write down the name of one trusted adult or health professional you could talk to about food or body worries.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

Answer key

1. C: NHS Eatwell Guide: fruit and vegetables should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day.
2. A: NHS 5 A Day: potatoes are classed as a starchy food, so they do not count. Sweet potatoes, frozen vegetables and 30g of dried fruit do.
3. B: NHS: government guidelines say adult fibre intake should increase to 30g a day; most adults average about 20g.
4. B: NHS fats: olive oil is a source of monounsaturated fat. Ghee, butter and coconut oil are high in saturated fat.
5. D: NHS: sugars in fruit juices and smoothies count as free sugars; sugars naturally present in whole fruit, vegetables and milk do not.
6. A: NHS salt: people aged 11 and over should have no more than 6g of salt a day, around 1 level teaspoon.
7. D: NHS food labels: ingredients are listed in order of weight, with the main ingredient first.
8. A: NHS: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g is high.
9. A: NHS: aim to drink enough during the day so that your urine is a clear pale yellow colour.
10. B: NHS dehydration: symptoms include thirst, headache, dizziness, tiredness, dry mouth and dark, strong-smelling pee.
11. C: NHS 8 tips for healthy eating: a breakfast high in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt can form part of a balanced diet.
12. A: SickKids: eat three meals every day and enjoy snacks between meals.
13. B: AASM: teenagers 13 to 18 years should sleep 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours on a regular basis.
14. B: Cleveland Clinic: teenagers have a natural delay in their circadian rhythm.
15. A: WHO: children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily.
16. B: WHO: include activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 times per week.
17. D: NHS vitamins and minerals: most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet.
18. B: NHS vitamin D: adults and children aged 11 to 17 should not take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) a day, as it could be harmful.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/nutrition/