Food, it’s health benefits, provenance and source are a constant hot topic in the media.
With many recent stories and campaigns based around sugar reduction in food and drinks
and the sugar drinks levy; attention has now turned to the food industry.
Public Health England have urged the food industry to start using healthier ingredients and
for the public to opt for lower calorie foods, with the aim that this will reduce obesity levels in
the UK. The portion sizes of certain targeted foods are to be cut to assist with this public
health goal.
abm catering believe the food industry have a job to not just provide ‘food’ but to provide
nutritious and fresh food options. The benefit of a healthier plate is much more than a lower
calorie diet, it is about health, well-being and nutrition.
For example, an avocado may have more calories and grams of fat than a few pieces of
chocolate, but this does not mean that chocolate is the better or healthier option just
because it falls within the recommended calorie intake. You should not be put off foods,
such as the avocado, because the grams of fat seem high. In fact, you need these fats in
your diet, such as those present in an avocado, but they have to be the right type of fat.
Food high in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats helps balance out your
cholesterol, reducing the bad stuff and increasing the good stuff!
Portion control is another element to consider when it comes down to healthier eating.
Portion size has increased over the years and now larger portions have become the norm.
This is an issue because not only does a larger portion of food have more calories in it, but it
also encourages people to eat more than they otherwise would, underestimating how much
food they’ve consumed. Explaining why Public Health England want to cut portion sizes of
certain foods, not only because they are bad for you but because the lesser portion will assist
in the reduction of obesity levels.
abm catering know that healthy eating doesn’t just mean lowering your calorie intake,
although that is part of it, it means eating a variety of nutrient dense foods in the right
amounts in order to maintain good health, improve general wellbeing and reduce the risk of
health conditions.
At abm catering we know the importance of a well-balanced nutritious diet; our teams use
their skills to promote this where possible, on all of our catering units. abm catering also know
it is not just about what is on your plate but the journey it took to get there. The provenance
of our food is key, that is why we are proud to partner and champion our local suppliers,
farmers and growers for our fresh seasonal produce! abm catering only select the finest
quality ingredients from ethically responsible suppliers.
Healthy diets are definitely in the forefront of people’s minds, just look at the increase in
popularity of plant-based diets. One thing is for sure, abm catering will continue to support
our client’s health and wellbeing with the freshest ingredients served to their plates,
encouraging them to opt for a healthier option is something abm will continue to encourage
and we hope the food industry joins us.
For more information on why our fresh food suppliers and growers are so important to us, explore our website pages!
