0:00:02 > 0:00:04Today, we're settling an age-old argument as well as revealing why
0:00:04 > 0:00:07the latest celebrity-backed food fad isn't all it's cracked up to be.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10You know, it's been called a superfood, but believe me,
0:00:10 > 0:00:14there's nothing super about it and that's just one of the headlines
0:00:14 > 0:00:17in today's programme that you'd be better off ignoring completely.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Every day, we're bombarded with conflicting information
0:00:24 > 0:00:26about our favourite foods.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31One minute we're told something's good for us, the next, it's not.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35And we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39But we've been wading through the confusion
0:00:39 > 0:00:41to separate the scare stories from the truth
0:00:41 > 0:00:44so you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Hello and welcome to Food: Truth Or Scare?
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Now, this is a series that referees those endless arguments
0:00:57 > 0:00:58in the papers and online
0:00:58 > 0:01:01about how the food we eat really affects our health.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03And today, we'll be getting to grips
0:01:03 > 0:01:05with two things that we often read about in the papers -
0:01:05 > 0:01:07a celebrity-endorsed food fad
0:01:07 > 0:01:10and that regular claim that when it comes to our diet,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12things are a lot worse than they used to be.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16But if, like us, you're fed up of reading doom-laden stories
0:01:16 > 0:01:17about how badly we eat
0:01:17 > 0:01:20and how our choices are going to put us in an early grave,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22you'll be delighted to hear that in today's programme,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26as well as settling an argument that's been raging for years,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28we've got a bit of good news as well.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Thank goodness for that.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Coming up... It's the trendiest fat on the supermarket shelves,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38but I've been investigating the dark side of coconut oil.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41I've got friends who have done all kinds of things with coconut oil,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44thinking it's going to help with all kinds of problems
0:01:44 > 0:01:46and actually, it's probably not.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50And which generation of the same family has the best diet?
0:01:50 > 0:01:54We'll see if today's teens really eat as badly as the headlines suggest.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01I do sort of fall victim to a lot of, like, toast or spaghetti hoops.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Now, Chris, you know that the foods we choose to eat every day
0:02:09 > 0:02:11keep us nice and healthy and fit,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15but we hear a lot about foods with supposed superpowers.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18You can't believe it. They apparently transform our health
0:02:18 > 0:02:19almost single-handedly,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and those claims are made all the more convincing
0:02:21 > 0:02:24when they're being made by a high-profile celebrity.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Well, there seems to be a new one every January
0:02:26 > 0:02:29as the post-Christmas health drive kicks in
0:02:29 > 0:02:32for so many wanting to get over their festive indulgence.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35And all it takes is for a big name to get behind a food fad
0:02:35 > 0:02:36and suddenly it's everywhere.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Now, one of the latest fads that you simply can't have missed
0:02:39 > 0:02:41is that of coconut oil.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44You know, so much has been written about it in recent years,
0:02:44 > 0:02:47you'd be forgiven for thinking it really does have superpowers.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50So I wanted to find out whether there's any truth in the claims
0:02:50 > 0:02:54that have been sending the nation coco-nuts and, I'm afraid,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57I've discovered a very big coco-but.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02It's the hottest food trend in years.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07My daughter is into health foods and she's introduced us recently
0:03:07 > 0:03:09to using it more in our diet.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Coconut oil has been credited with just about everything
0:03:13 > 0:03:16from boosting the immune system to improving your memory...
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Coconut oil, yeah, is a healthier one than a lot of them out there.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24..lowering your blood pressure to preventing heart disease.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Well, I use coconut oil for cooking,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29although I'm not sure what the long-term benefits are,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32or any benefit, really. It's just something I've read about
0:03:32 > 0:03:34and, you know, I have been using it.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Judging by the headlines
0:03:35 > 0:03:39and endorsements from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41coconut oil is a bona fide superfood.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I was in the Caribbean and every person I spoke to was constantly
0:03:45 > 0:03:48going on about how much coconuts were very good for you.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- Even when it was in a cocktail, presumably.- Yes. Even in a cocktail.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55But despite those headlines extolling its virtues,
0:03:55 > 0:04:00there are plenty of others determined to knock the coconut off its pedestal.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Now, I have to admit there is a jar of coconut oil
0:04:02 > 0:04:04in my kitchen cupboard too.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06My husband bought it after he heard
0:04:06 > 0:04:07how amazing it was supposed to be.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09But before we could use it,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12we read some of those more damning headlines.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14As a result, it's sitting there unopened and, honestly,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16I don't really know what to do with it.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20So to find out whether my jar of coconut oil deserves a place
0:04:20 > 0:04:22in my kitchen cupboards or my kitchen bin,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25I meeting someone who's been using it all her life.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- Hi, Priya.- Hi.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30- How are you doing?- Good, thank you.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Dietician Priya grew up in Sri Lanka,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35where coconut is used a lot in cooking.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37And she's watched with interest
0:04:37 > 0:04:39as coconut oil has taken Britain by storm.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Now, Priya, suddenly we seem to have coconut everything,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46and coconut oil, you know, just being such a fad, really.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48How do these things build up?
0:04:48 > 0:04:51It definitely seems to be the trendy thing to do to, you know,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54put coconut in absolutely everything that you possibly can.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57I've got friends who have done all kinds of things with coconut oil.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00So, they've been swilling it around their mouths
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and thinking it's going to help with all kinds of problems,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and actually, it's probably not.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09So, just for the record, let's analyse exactly what coconut oil is.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12So, coconut oil is a solid fat
0:05:12 > 0:05:14that then, when you heat it up,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17it becomes a liquid and you can use it for cooking.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And it also comes like a cream, really, like a lard.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Yes, absolutely, it's a very similar consistency to lard.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26But presumably, given all those headlines,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29you'd expect it's going to be better for us.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Now, as a nation, we've become used to
0:05:31 > 0:05:35seeing our favourite fads go in and out of fashion.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37In the '70s, we fell out of love with lard.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39In the '80s and '90s,
0:05:39 > 0:05:43as we all learned that saturated fat was bad for the heart,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47we swapped vegetable oil for olive oil and butter for low-fat spread.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Then, a few short years ago, coconut oil arrived with a bang.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54But is it any better than the fats that came before it?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Well, Priya and I have a test for these shoppers
0:05:56 > 0:06:00to see which household fat they think is the most healthy.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03And do you know? They might be in for a big surprise.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06What we'd like you to do is to pour into the test tube
0:06:06 > 0:06:10the amount of liquid that you think represents the saturated fat.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15The level of saturated fat is a key indicator of how healthy
0:06:15 > 0:06:18or indeed unhealthy a fat is.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21So we're asking our volunteers to fill up these tubes to show us
0:06:21 > 0:06:24what percentage of saturated fat they think is in
0:06:24 > 0:06:30not just coconut oil, but also lard, butter and first up, olive oil.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31OK. So this is...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- Like, 15%.- About 15%.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37That's now 30%.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38OK, so you think 20%.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40- So that's 20%.- OK.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44It's not a bad guess. Pretty good. Actually, it's 13%.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48So, there's less saturated fat in olive oil than our shoppers guessed,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52but will they do any better with the butter?
0:06:52 > 0:06:54How much saturated fat in the butter?
0:06:54 > 0:06:57I would say probably more like 25%.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- OK. So, again, 30%.- 30%.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02You're taking it up further.
0:07:02 > 0:07:0325.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07- 25%, OK.- 25%, OK.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12In fact, this butter is made up of around 49% saturated fat.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14So what about the lard?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16It's actually 46%.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- Now, I was surprised at that.- 46?
0:07:19 > 0:07:23So that's 46% saturated fat in lard,
0:07:23 > 0:07:2649% in butter and 13% in olive oil.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29With coconut oil's supposed health benefits,
0:07:29 > 0:07:30surely it's going to be even lower,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and certainly, that's what our shoppers thought.
0:07:33 > 0:07:345% there, maybe.
0:07:34 > 0:07:375%. Now, why did you go for 5%?
0:07:37 > 0:07:39- Less.- Yeah, it's five. Yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Do you think it is really healthy?
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- I think so.- Yeah.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- OK.- On saturated fats, it should be less than all the others.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Less than all the others. OK.
0:07:49 > 0:07:50- Ready?- Here we go.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Keep watching, Maria.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57No!
0:07:59 > 0:08:00No!
0:08:02 > 0:08:03No way!
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- 92%.- 92%.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So, it's not so healthy.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Oh, my goodness. Now, most experts agree
0:08:11 > 0:08:14that eating too much saturated fat is one of the causes
0:08:14 > 0:08:17of heart disease, and I, for one, am gobsmacked
0:08:17 > 0:08:20that the oil that we're all told is supposedly healthier
0:08:20 > 0:08:24than the rest actually has almost double the saturated fat of lard.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I think there is this overriding idea
0:08:26 > 0:08:29that coconut oil is really healthy and we should be using it,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33but when you actually look at the amount of saturated fat in it,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35it's quite a showing, isn't it?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And do you think it's a psychological thing
0:08:37 > 0:08:40because it's the coconut, and we imagine a coconut,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43just fallen from the tree, it's got to be healthy?
0:08:43 > 0:08:45I think it's actually the information
0:08:45 > 0:08:48that's been out there on social media and in the media
0:08:48 > 0:08:51that there's been all this information and all these headlines,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53saying, coconut is really good for you.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55And therefore people equate that with,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57it can't be very high in saturated fat, then.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02Well, one person who's definitely bought into those headlines
0:09:02 > 0:09:06and social media messages saying coconut oil is good for us
0:09:06 > 0:09:08is yoga instructor Kat Allen from Tunbridge Wells.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15I first started using coconut-based products about five years ago
0:09:15 > 0:09:20when I read about all of the research about how healthy
0:09:20 > 0:09:24it was meant to be for you. I really like coconut oil.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28I like the taste and I like cooking with it
0:09:28 > 0:09:32and I like the health benefits that it's meant to have.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Keen to learn more about coconut oil,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Kat's agreed to meet Priya at her home.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43I understand that you're really into using coconut products.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48Yes. I cook everything in coconut oil for myself and my husband.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49So, for some people,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53they choose coconut products because they think they're healthier.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Is that something that you've ever thought about?
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I have read that it's healthier, yes.
0:09:59 > 0:10:04Kat's love of coconut oil is based on widespread reports
0:10:04 > 0:10:06that it can increase our good cholesterol,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10which has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12But Priya says it's not that simple.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18When we look at what happens when you eat coconut oil,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21we know that it raises the levels of your good cholesterol,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24which is your HDL cholesterol.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26So, some people would say, well, that's a good thing.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30However, it also raises the levels of your total cholesterol,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32which is the one that's not so good for you.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Now, that doesn't mean Priya thinks
0:10:34 > 0:10:37coconut oil should be banned from Kat's kitchen altogether.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41As someone who grew up eating it, she knows it can taste great.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45But Priya says that, if Kat has chosen coconut oil for health reasons,
0:10:45 > 0:10:46she's plumped for the wrong fat.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53I think coconut oil is something to use sparingly and in moderation,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56so if you're cooking something where you want the flavour,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59then, yes, it gives a really lovely flavour.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01But if you're just doing everyday cooking
0:11:01 > 0:11:03and you don't want that coconut flavour
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and you're thinking about your heart health,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07then olive oil is going to be a better choice.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10And, of course, as I found out earlier,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14that's because coconut oil contains so much saturated fat.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19They both contain fat, but coconut oil is 92% saturated fat
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and olive oil is only about 13%.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- Oh, yeah, that's a lot less. - It is, isn't it?
0:11:24 > 0:11:28But after years of using coconut oil in place of almost
0:11:28 > 0:11:32every other fat, thinking it was healthier, can Kat be convinced?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Well, Priya's going to show her a simple recipe
0:11:35 > 0:11:39that would be a lot better for her if she used olive oil instead.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42But while they get cooking, I'm interested in the harm
0:11:42 > 0:11:46that the army of devoted coconut oil fans might be doing to themselves
0:11:46 > 0:11:50by using something with such a high level of saturated fats.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Victoria Taylor is a senior heart health dietician
0:11:53 > 0:11:55from the British Heart Foundation
0:11:55 > 0:11:58who thinks this is a food craze that's gone just too far.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Now, Victoria, we see all the time
0:12:01 > 0:12:03coconut oil being marketed
0:12:03 > 0:12:07and being written about in the headlines as a healthy oil.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10So, what is the British Heart Foundation's take on all of that?
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Yeah, I mean, the marketing is very alluring.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18It makes it sound like it's going to help you to live forever, almost.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And coconut oil is a saturated fat
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and 75% of the type of saturated fat in it
0:12:24 > 0:12:26is the kind that will raise your LDL cholesterol levels.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30That's the bad cholesterol. And coupled with that, it's a fat,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33so it is one of the most energy-dense nutrients there is.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36And we know that obesity is a risk factor for heart disease,
0:12:36 > 0:12:38as is raised cholesterol levels.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42I have, though, read other headlines that suggest
0:12:42 > 0:12:44that coconut oil in terms of cholesterol
0:12:44 > 0:12:47is proportionally better for you than some of the other oils.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Now, is there any truth in that at all?
0:12:49 > 0:12:52So, there is some suggestion that it might be
0:12:52 > 0:12:54better than other saturated fats
0:12:54 > 0:12:57in terms of what it does to your cholesterol levels.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59I would say that we're not there yet
0:12:59 > 0:13:01in terms of the quality of the evidence
0:13:01 > 0:13:04that that suggestion is based on.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And other experts would say there simply isn't the evidence
0:13:08 > 0:13:11to substantiate other reported benefits of coconut oil -
0:13:11 > 0:13:14from claims it can help digestive problems
0:13:14 > 0:13:17to reports it can help insulin resistance in diabetics.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Ultimately, the consensus is that despite the headlines,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26coconut oil is a fat and not an especially good one.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Is there anything good in coconut oil?
0:13:28 > 0:13:31I think there are things like polyphenolic compounds,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34which are kind of antioxidants
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and they are found in the extra virgin coconut oil,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39but they will also be in other oils.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42They will be in fruit and vegetables, you know,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44a whole range of other foods can have them.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47So it really goes back to having this varied and balanced diet
0:13:47 > 0:13:49and not just focusing on a single food.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52And back in Priya's kitchen,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56that's just the message she's been giving to coconut oil devotee Kat,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58who otherwise eats very healthily.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Priya says that Kat shouldn't be cooking every meal in coconut oil,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06but even without the health benefits, Kat still loves the taste.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08So can a pair of stir-fries -
0:14:08 > 0:14:12one cooked in olive oil and one in coconut oil - change her mind?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Right, so, coconut oil.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18Yeah, nice flavour.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22And then the olive oil.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25So, a definite difference between the two.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27I like them both.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Probably a slight preference for the coconut oil.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33But the olive oil is good too.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36But the main reason Kat used coconut oil
0:14:36 > 0:14:39is because she thought it was healthier.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Now she knows it isn't, maybe she'll be tempted to switch.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45In terms of taste preference,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48you would be fine having more olive oil in your diet?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I would. Because it's a good case you've made.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53- Is it?- Yes.- I've argued it well.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55This might be a result.
0:14:55 > 0:15:03It was really surprising how much fat content there is in coconut oil.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05And I'd never appreciated
0:15:05 > 0:15:11that it was about five times more fat than olive oil,
0:15:11 > 0:15:12and that's a lot.
0:15:12 > 0:15:18So, in the future, perhaps I won't be using it quite as often.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26You've got a nice big family, Gloria, haven't you?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Yeah, we have, actually, including ten grandchildren between us.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30- That keeps us busy.- I bet it does.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33But which generation would you say has the best diet?
0:15:33 > 0:15:35I've often pondered that and on reflection,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38I think maybe my parents, because everything was cooked from scratch,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40everything grown in the garden, so it was organic,
0:15:40 > 0:15:43and then, on the other hand, one of my grandchildren, one of the ten,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46he's 19 and he's doing a bit of modelling in the gap year.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50So conscious about health and food, knows so much, and he'll say to me,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53"I've had my 12 a day before breakfast today."
0:15:53 > 0:15:55That sounds brilliant, but unfortunately,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58- I think he might be the exception rather than the rule.- Probably.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Because you can't move for headlines like this
0:16:00 > 0:16:02saying that the young today eat terribly. This one here,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06"Teenagers lead the retreat from a healthy five a day."
0:16:06 > 0:16:08And the implication is always
0:16:08 > 0:16:11that our diet is worse today than it was before.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13But I'm not entirely convinced that's the case,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16so I've recruited a family of three generations
0:16:16 > 0:16:19all living under the same roof to help me find out,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23once and for all, not just which one has the healthiest diet today,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26but over the years, which generation has eaten the best.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32There's a fair few mouths to feed in the Jerome household in Bristol.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35The youngest is 11 and the eldest is 90.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Three generations of the same family all living under one roof.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42They live together and they eat together.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But which generation has the best diet?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49I'm paying them a visit to find out.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- Hello.- Hello, Chris. Come in out of the cold.- How are we?
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Mealtimes are a big deal in this house,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00but Sunday is one of the rare occasions they all sit down
0:17:00 > 0:17:02at the same table to eat the same thing.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05The rest of the week, they've all got their own favourites.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08I'm pretty partial to steak and chips.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12I'm also pretty partial to anything that goes with a decent red wine.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15There's dad Simon and mum Jo, both in their 50s,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18their kids, 11-year-old Josh and 18-year-old Alice.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22And then, head of the table is 87-year-old Grandma June
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and finally John, who's 90 years old.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So, which of the generations around this table has the best diet?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Because according to headline after headline,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34one of them couldn't be eating worse.
0:17:35 > 0:17:3718-year-old Alice and her mates are in the age group
0:17:37 > 0:17:40that's said to drink a bath full of sugary drinks a year,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42eat junk food twice a day and could be on the road
0:17:42 > 0:17:46to developing some very serious health problems as a result.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51So, will the Jerome family's favourite meals give me a clue
0:17:51 > 0:17:54to who eats best and indeed worst in this house?
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Well, I like Jo's bolognese.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I like steak and chips.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00Steak and chips?
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Anything kind of covered in cheese sounds good to me.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06And as for who they think eats the healthiest?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09On the count of three, can we all point to the person
0:18:09 > 0:18:13that we think has the most healthy diet?
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Ready? One, two...
0:18:16 > 0:18:17three.
0:18:20 > 0:18:21Well, it's almost unanimous.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Everyone here is pretty sure it's Josh.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Why do we think young Josh has got the best diet?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30I think that he's learned from everybody, all the generations,
0:18:30 > 0:18:31in terms of what's good to eat.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35He tries everything, but also eats salad.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39But to see if they're right, and to find out a bit more
0:18:39 > 0:18:43about whether the Jeromes are typical of the rest of the nation,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45I'm setting them a little challenge.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47What I want you all to do, if that's OK,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51is to keep a video diary of every meal you have for the next week.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53Is that OK? Shall we do that? Yeah?
0:18:55 > 0:18:59In a week's time, their food diaries will undergo expert scrutiny
0:18:59 > 0:19:02to see who really has the healthiest diet.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04And don't modify your diets for the next seven days.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06I don't want to see everybody going,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09"Yeah, I'm just sitting down to another quinoa salad."
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Even though Josh came out top of the family's straw poll,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16he'll soon join big sister Alice in a generation that,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19according to all those reports, eats especially badly.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23There are more overweight and obese teenagers now than ever before
0:19:23 > 0:19:27and less than one in ten young people get their five-a-day.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Yvonne Bishop-Weston is a nutritionist
0:19:29 > 0:19:33who has studied family diet, and for teens, it's not good.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Is this generation of teenagers eating a worse diet
0:19:38 > 0:19:40than generations of teenagers before?
0:19:40 > 0:19:44It is looking like this generation of teenagers are faring the worst
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and there are lots and lots of possible reasons
0:19:47 > 0:19:50why that is the case. We don't know why it's the case.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53The biggest argument that comes across is self-selection.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56In other words, as soon as some kids are out of the house,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58they head straight for pizzas, burgers and chips
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and those habits can be hard to shake.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Once we get to sort of secondary school age,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06then that's what's going to determine largely your future
0:20:06 > 0:20:10and there's all sorts of nutrients which have a direct correlation
0:20:10 > 0:20:12with how our brain is going to function,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14how we're going to concentrate and also, it's now been proven,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16how we behave.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19That's related to what we eat and so this is a time when actually,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22you're going to put the groundwork from childhood into place
0:20:22 > 0:20:27and those sort of 11-19 age groups
0:20:27 > 0:20:30are where all that important stuff is really happening.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35But does any of that ring true for the Jerome family back in Bristol?
0:20:35 > 0:20:36If Yvonne is right,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Alice and her friends will be eating pretty poorly
0:20:39 > 0:20:42and she admits that when she's left to her own devices,
0:20:42 > 0:20:43she lets things slip.
0:20:45 > 0:20:4850% of the time, my mum does the cooking, which is really nice.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52She cooks a lot of, like, healthy food, varied diet.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55But when I go to work and I cook for myself,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58that's when, kind of, trouble starts.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04I do sort of fall victim to a lot of, like, toast or spaghetti hoops.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07And for many of her friends, it's all too easy
0:21:07 > 0:21:08to reach for the bad stuff.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13It's only my friends and especially my friends' boyfriends,
0:21:13 > 0:21:14when it gets to late at night,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17they go to a lot of fast-food chains.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Any sort of, like, quick burgers
0:21:19 > 0:21:23and chips and stuff or pizzas, they're big, big fans of.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25And that can be several times a week.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27So, will 11-year-old Josh,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30who, for now, everyone thinks eats really well,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33head down the same path towards junk food
0:21:33 > 0:21:37the moment he becomes a teenager? Well, the signs aren't promising.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40At school, what sort of things are people eating at lunchtime?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42There's normally about three choices.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43There's, like, a sandwich choice.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- Yeah.- Or there's, like... there's sometimes, like, pies.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52- Yeah.- And on Wednesdays, we have, like, a roast.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55What are your schoolmates... what sort of things do they eat?
0:21:55 > 0:21:57When we're waiting for the bus,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00they sometimes, like, order takeaway pizza.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03So they order takeaway pizza and, what, get it delivered where?
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- Or do they pick it up? - Where we wait for the bus, normally.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08They get it delivered to the bus stop?
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Yeah. Sometimes.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11And lots of people go and, like, buy food.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Mostly, like, sweets and stuff.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Yvonne says the evidence shows a bad diet has become
0:22:19 > 0:22:23a rather depressing rite of passage for today's teenagers.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26In your teenage years, you've got to grow some independence, haven't you?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29You've got to move away from being sort of protected and cared for
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and find your own way in the world,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33so you're going out there and choosing your own options,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35but more than ever before,
0:22:35 > 0:22:37there are so many options available which are not ideal.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41So they are self-selecting and there is a huge availability
0:22:41 > 0:22:42of processed and junk food
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and a lot of it is cheap and within their budget.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47So if, as Yvonne says,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50the shocking headlines about teenage eating habits are right
0:22:50 > 0:22:54and British teams really do eat worse than any other generation,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56then which of the age groups eats best?
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Later in the programme,
0:22:58 > 0:23:02we'll meet grandparents 87-year-old June and 90-year-old John
0:23:02 > 0:23:07to see how their diet has kept them as fit as a fiddle into old age.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Now, in the ranks of healthy eating, there is one food group
0:23:14 > 0:23:17that normally is pretty close to the top, and that's protein.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Things like meat, eggs, fish, nuts.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24It's supposed to make up at least 15% of our daily diet.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26It's fuel for growing bones and muscles
0:23:26 > 0:23:29and it's right at the centre of lots of weight loss regimes.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31I can sense a "but" coming up here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35There's a big but. Well, that's because recently some headlines
0:23:35 > 0:23:39declared that low protein was the key to living a long life.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42And then that high protein was particularly dangerous
0:23:42 > 0:23:45for heart disease for women over the age of 50.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48- Would that surprise you? - That is surprising, actually.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51I was under the impression that protein made up an essential part
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- of a balanced diet. - And I think you're right.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55It's important for all sorts of things, even hair.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59But, you know, there is of course one group of people who use protein
0:23:59 > 0:24:01more than any other and that's athletes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04They've long relied on it to help repair and build muscle,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08so who better to find out whether it's as dangerous as some of
0:24:08 > 0:24:12these headlines actually suggest than Paralympian Steve Brown?
0:24:14 > 0:24:17When I was captain of the British wheelchair rugby team,
0:24:17 > 0:24:18like most good athletes,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22I knew the difference eating well could make to my performance.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Nice transition, Dave.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25If I hadn't eaten properly,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28I would never have made it to the London 2012 Paralympics.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33One of the cornerstones of my diet was protein,
0:24:33 > 0:24:34but it's not just athletes
0:24:34 > 0:24:37for whom getting the right amount of it counts.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Even before I took up sport professionally,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42my dad used to tell me you need protein for two things -
0:24:42 > 0:24:44to grow up and to grow old.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Protein's essential for muscle growth, so it's crucial for kids.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50And there's a long-held belief that you need it as you grow older too.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55But in September 2016, one study made headlines around the world
0:24:55 > 0:24:58saying that if we wanted to live a long and healthy life,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00then we should opt for a low-protein diet.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And it was closely followed by further reports that said
0:25:03 > 0:25:07a high-protein diet could actually increase the risk of heart failure.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11The studies' findings are so different from traditional wisdom.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12I want to find out more and see if
0:25:12 > 0:25:15we need to start looking at protein differently.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19It's agreed that kids need protein to grow and develop.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24But I wonder how many of us see it as quite so vital as we get older.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28How important do you see protein being?
0:25:28 > 0:25:29I have to say, I'm a meat eater.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31So, you know, I get protein from that.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34But I just try to keep it as varied as possible.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38I think protein is very good for you.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I'm 78 now and I've eaten meat all my life,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44so it's not done me any harm, you know what I mean?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I think I eat quite a bit of protein.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Probably too much, because you've got
0:25:49 > 0:25:51protein in all sorts of different things.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54It is quite important, yeah, and I do try.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56We always start the day on an egg.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59It's long been known that as we get older,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01we naturally lose muscle mass
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and the best way to minimise this
0:26:03 > 0:26:06is with a combination of exercise and protein.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09But what's confusing are those headlines
0:26:09 > 0:26:12that say a low-protein diet is the key to a long life.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Now, I've got to say, I find that really hard to believe.
0:26:16 > 0:26:1970-year-old Lorelie Fox is taking part in a study
0:26:19 > 0:26:23run by researchers here at Leeds Beckett University
0:26:23 > 0:26:27into the very positive effect protein has on an ageing body.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32I do want to keep mobile and I do have a very arthritic knee
0:26:32 > 0:26:34and I don't want to have it replaced
0:26:34 > 0:26:37and so the way to keep going is with...
0:26:37 > 0:26:39with my original knee, is to keep moving.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41And I love moving. Yes.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Yeah. I'm not sit-arounder.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46I'm a get-up-and-doer.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Part of the study monitored Lorelie's muscle mass,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51because by her age, we can expect
0:26:51 > 0:26:54to have lost anything up to a quarter of it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58And by the age of 80, that muscle mass loss could be as much as half.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01That can lead to a loss of strength and in turn, falls and injuries.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06In fact, it's estimated that around 35% of people over the age of 60
0:27:06 > 0:27:08will suffer a fall and need to go to hospital.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12That's a growing cost for the NHS as the population gets older.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Why is the protein so important in this whole testing system?
0:27:16 > 0:27:20If we don't take adequate protein through the diet,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23it's more likely that we're going to lose muscle mass further,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25and we do know from a number of research studies
0:27:25 > 0:27:29and some of the studies that we've conducted here
0:27:29 > 0:27:33that older people, they are in need for high protein intakes.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36As part of the study, Lorelie had to stay active
0:27:36 > 0:27:39and consume almost twice the amount of protein
0:27:39 > 0:27:41that's normally recommended for adults.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45Theo and his team then regularly checked her muscles for any change.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48So, do you think that maybe an increase in protein intake
0:27:48 > 0:27:50for Lorelie would make a difference for her?
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Yeah, we believe it would make a difference for two reasons.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57The first one is because we will be able to minimise further losses
0:27:57 > 0:28:01in muscle mass, but ideally, what we would like to achieve
0:28:01 > 0:28:03is to help her increase further the muscle mass
0:28:03 > 0:28:07and ultimately strength, functional performance of daily activities.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09So it's never too late to get stronger?
0:28:09 > 0:28:11No, it's never.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14While staying active might be easy for Lorelie,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17consuming as much protein as Theo wants her to really isn't,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19especially when you see
0:28:19 > 0:28:23how the 90 grams he's recommending stacks up.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27So, Theo, please talk me through this feast in front of us.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29You can see almost a litre of milk here.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33Four to five eggs, beef and nine slices of white bread.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38So, this is the equivalent of approximately 30 grams of protein.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41Why is the 30 grams important, of protein?
0:28:41 > 0:28:44It's because research findings suggest
0:28:44 > 0:28:48that you need to be getting approximately 30 grams per meal
0:28:48 > 0:28:51at this age for this to be more effective,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55because we become less responsive to protein as we get older.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59So we need relatively high amounts, higher amounts, per meal.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Even when it comes to foods we often think of as high in protein,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06like eggs, it can take a fair amount to reach the 30 grams
0:29:06 > 0:29:09that Theo would like Lorelie to eat at every meal.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13A litre of milk or nine slices of bread could be daunting too,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16especially as, like many people in their 70s,
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Lorelie doesn't have much of an appetite.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25Lorelie, how on earth do you eat and drink this much every meal?
0:29:25 > 0:29:27I find it absolutely terrifying.
0:29:27 > 0:29:28I don't eat meat anyway.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31I hardly ever eat bread.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32I don't like milk...
0:29:34 > 0:29:38And I think the maximum I've ever eaten is a three-egg omelette.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Looking at five, I'm going, "No, I don't think so."
0:29:42 > 0:29:46So instead, Theo has devised a high-protein bar
0:29:46 > 0:29:48which is easier for Lorelie to manage,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51and it's hoped this combination of protein and exercise
0:29:51 > 0:29:53will keep her active for many years to come.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58Everything I've seen today makes me think
0:29:58 > 0:30:01my dad was right to say we need protein to grow old.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07But it's strange the newspapers are saying we don't need so much protein.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11It's a controversial claim I've asked dietician Linia Patel to look into.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16Linia, it's saying here, low protein, high carb is the key to long life.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18Which is almost backwards from what I heard.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Now, you're the expert. Can you help me out here?
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Well, this headline is just not true.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25We know that as you get older,
0:30:25 > 0:30:29you need more protein to make sure that you're not losing
0:30:29 > 0:30:31that very, very important muscle mass.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34After closer examination of the research behind the story,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Linia spotted that it's only related
0:30:37 > 0:30:40to a tiny part of a much bigger study,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42and what's more, only to mice.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47A wider study conducted on humans produced far less clear-cut results.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50What's interesting about this study, the bottom line goes back to, well,
0:30:50 > 0:30:53actually, following the Mediterranean diet
0:30:53 > 0:30:55which does not have a low protein intake.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Actually, it's a very much moderate protein intake.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01So it looks at the amount of protein and types of different protein,
0:31:01 > 0:31:03so you can't just isolate it to one thing.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06It's, again, in the context of a healthy, balanced diet.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09But when it says low protein, high carbs,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12that's a reference to an amount.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14What is a low-protein diet?
0:31:14 > 0:31:16How much are you saying maybe you should be having?
0:31:16 > 0:31:19The government guidelines for protein intake are
0:31:19 > 0:31:22that we need to take 0.7 grams per kilogram body weight,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24so that's the government recommendation.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27So, low protein intake would be anything below that.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30So, an average woman weighing 70 kilograms
0:31:30 > 0:31:32needs about 50 grams of protein a day.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36And an average 85 kilogram man needs about 60 grams of protein.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39And don't worry if you've no idea
0:31:39 > 0:31:42how much you'd need to eat to get it right.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Linia's got what you might call a rule of thumb
0:31:45 > 0:31:46to help you work it out.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49We all have a very clever way of doing that,
0:31:49 > 0:31:50which is using your hand.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55So, if you use the palm of your hand and the thickness of your palm,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58that would be your portion that you need to eat
0:31:58 > 0:32:00when you're eating chicken or red meat.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04For white fish, a good portion would be your whole hand.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08That equals one portion or about half your daily amount
0:32:08 > 0:32:12when it comes to foods high in protein, like fish or lean meats.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15But for foods with higher fat contents,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Linia's got a much smaller measure.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20OK, now, the portion of sausages that you can eat
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- would be the size of your middle finger.- Right.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28Because, to be honest, a sausage is not really a good source of protein.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30- No.- It's got more fat than it does protein,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32so what we need to do then is really limit the portion.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35So, it would be the size of your middle finger.
0:32:35 > 0:32:36This is cheese, thumb.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38So we have a thumb of cheese.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40- Yeah.- A palm of chicken.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42A hand of fish.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44- Yeah.- And a finger of sausage.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Finger of sausage! Spot on.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Linia reckons, if you eat a balanced diet,
0:32:49 > 0:32:52you should already be getting the right amount of protein,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54but as an athlete, I was always told
0:32:54 > 0:32:58having extra protein was essential to repair my muscles
0:32:58 > 0:32:59and make them stronger.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04I've also seen headlines which say that the extra supplements
0:33:04 > 0:33:06I used to take could have helped with that.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11Even now I'm retired, I still have extra protein,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14but from what Linia says, I might not need to.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16And I'm guessing the professor I'm about to meet
0:33:16 > 0:33:18may well agree with her.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23This morning, I had a breakfast cereal with added protein.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- Any need?- No, no need at all.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28You could have had muesli or porridge.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31That would have done. If you have milk with it,
0:33:31 > 0:33:33that will give you some good quality protein as well,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36so just ordinary breakfast cereal's quite enough.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39So I didn't need those supplements and extra proteins
0:33:39 > 0:33:41whilst I was an athlete and in training.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Then I certainly don't need them now?
0:33:43 > 0:33:45No. No, I don't think you do at all.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47I think what people don't realise,
0:33:47 > 0:33:50that there is an adequate amount of protein in the food we eat.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53If you eat real food - and real food I would take things like bread,
0:33:53 > 0:33:58pasta, rice as real food - and you're eating, you know,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02nuts and beans and stuff and some meat, you'll be fine.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04- A balanced diet.- Balanced diet.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Don't take a bad diet to a good diet by taking supplements
0:34:06 > 0:34:07and if you've got a good diet,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11taking extra supplements isn't going to turn it into a super diet.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16So it turns out that my old dad was right after all.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19We do need protein to grow up and to grow old.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21But a balanced diet will do the job.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Even to help rebuild muscles
0:34:23 > 0:34:26thrashed by a good game of wheelchair rugby.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38For recipes inspired by some of
0:34:38 > 0:34:41the stories in today's programme, visit...
0:34:43 > 0:34:46..where you'll also find other ideas relating to some of the topics
0:34:46 > 0:34:48we're looking at throughout the series.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Earlier in the programme,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59we met the Jerome family in Bristol who are helping me find out
0:34:59 > 0:35:02which generation eats best and which eats worst.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06I've already met 11-year-old Josh and 18-year-old Alice,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08but do their grandparents,
0:35:08 > 0:35:1187-year-old June and 90-year-old John,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13eat better or worse than them?
0:35:14 > 0:35:18When they were teenagers, post-war mealtimes were all pretty healthy.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21On a Sunday, it would be the roast dinner.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25That would last up to about the Wednesday, to Thursday.
0:35:25 > 0:35:26Sometimes in a stew.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30It was all very nourishing to my way of thinking.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32I mean, I always felt we were well fed.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Though these days they have more processed stuff too,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40June and John still eat plenty of home-cooked food.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43And they say that for the younger generation of the family,
0:35:43 > 0:35:46things aren't all as bad as we've been told.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50What do you think about the diet of people today?
0:35:50 > 0:35:51Well, it's different, isn't it?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53I think they're very aware
0:35:53 > 0:35:57of what they should eat and what they shouldn't eat now, really.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59- OK.- Because my grandson, you know,
0:35:59 > 0:36:04he knows all about calories and he loves his greens and all that.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06I think it's healthier food now.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08They have more fruit to eat.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13I mean, when I see all the fruit my daughter buys out for her family...
0:36:13 > 0:36:17I know Jo tries to buy, like, all the fruits that's good.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21As a greengrocer, that's music to my ears.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23So it's high time I found out more
0:36:23 > 0:36:27from the people who cook for the whole household, Jo and Simon.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Who would you say eats the most veg out of everybody?
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Getting Josh to eat a Brussels sprout is a challenge.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Out of this, what sort of thing would Josh go for?
0:36:39 > 0:36:42There's a big pile of fruit in the front which he's very keen on.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44That's his big thing.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- That's his.- Pomegranates at the moment are his latest phase.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Certainly, the fish fingers.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Jo and Simon's weekly shop is packed with a whole host of foods,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55both fresh and processed.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57And while this lot will feed all the family,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00they can keep a closer eye on what young Josh eats
0:37:00 > 0:37:02because they make almost all his meals.
0:37:04 > 0:37:10How much control or input would Josh have on the food that he eats?
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Quite a lot, I think, because, you know,
0:37:12 > 0:37:15we want to feed him what is good for him and also what he likes.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18As long as he's involved in the cooking, and I think sometimes
0:37:18 > 0:37:20having children involved in cooking means
0:37:20 > 0:37:23they have some ownership and therefore would like to eat it.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26And understand why we're cooking it.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29And that's been a big part of what we've tried to do.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31A Sunday roast with meat and veg
0:37:31 > 0:37:34is a regular event in the Jerome household
0:37:34 > 0:37:37and it's the type of meal that's changed very little since Jo,
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Simon and even John and June were growing up.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44But which generation had it best when they were teenagers?
0:37:44 > 0:37:46John and June, who were teens just after the war,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49or Jo and Simon in the early '80s?
0:37:49 > 0:37:53Sophie Klassens is an expert in the history of the British diet
0:37:53 > 0:37:58and she says when it comes to food, World War II had a positive legacy.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02The golden era was the post-war rationing time
0:38:02 > 0:38:04because the typical healthy foods
0:38:04 > 0:38:06like fruits and vegetables weren't rationed at all
0:38:06 > 0:38:08and we were actively encouraged
0:38:08 > 0:38:10to eat lots of healthy fruit and vegetables
0:38:10 > 0:38:14which nowadays we tend to see as expensive products
0:38:14 > 0:38:18that take more preparation.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Post-war, we were getting plenty of fruit and vegetables.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25The majority of us were getting our five a day, if not even more.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Whereas nowadays, in 11- to 18-year-olds,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30so our teenagers,
0:38:30 > 0:38:32potentially only about 8% of them are getting their five a day.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36We might eat a bigger variety of fruit and veg now,
0:38:36 > 0:38:41but it's never made up as much of our diet as it did after the war.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44After rationing ended and the country became wealthier,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47lifestyles changed and there was a wider variety of food.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50In the '70s, work became more sedentary
0:38:50 > 0:38:52whilst fast food and snacking between meals
0:38:52 > 0:38:53changed the way we ate.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56By the 1980s, when more women were at work,
0:38:56 > 0:39:00microwaves and ready meals both grew in popularity
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and over the decades, our waistlines just got bigger.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Obesity has greatly increased over the last 50 years.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Back in the '60s,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14obesity was only at 1% or 2% of the population
0:39:14 > 0:39:19whereas now it is closer to 25% of the population,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23so there's been a real increase in obesity as has there been
0:39:23 > 0:39:27an increase in diabetes which both continue to increase.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30But do the habits of the Jerome family reflect the national picture?
0:39:30 > 0:39:34Well, for the past week, they've been keeping a video diary for me.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36This morning's breakfast just consists of
0:39:36 > 0:39:39one piece of white toast with honey on it.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- What do they call that? Couscous?- Green beans.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46- Green beans.- For tonight's supper, I've minced up Sunday's beef
0:39:46 > 0:39:49and I'm just making some mashed potato to put on top.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52But if we scoot back over to Josh, with a mouth very full
0:39:52 > 0:39:55because he has just eaten a chocolate biscuit
0:39:55 > 0:39:58and there are crumbs on his mouth to prove it.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston has analysed
0:40:03 > 0:40:06what each of the three generations has eaten.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Hello, everybody.
0:40:08 > 0:40:09- Hello.- Hi.- Hi.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13And now she's reporting back on how they've all done.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16So, the day starts really well, doesn't it, Josh?
0:40:16 > 0:40:19With some granola and some extra almonds.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- Yeah.- We've got lasagne one day, steak and chips one day,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24roast dinner... And then chicken curry.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27And proper dinner every night, which is brilliant,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30so the only advice here on Josh's diet, which is good,
0:40:30 > 0:40:32would be to get more vegetables in there.
0:40:32 > 0:40:33Next is 18-year-old Alice.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Hers isn't too bad considering she's a teenager.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42In Alice's diet, there were some really nice things
0:40:42 > 0:40:45like some sushi and when she was going out and eating,
0:40:45 > 0:40:47some bean burgers rather than beefburgers.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49And some home-made food.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53But sometimes missing meals and just having toast for tea.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57And while Jo, Simon, John and June sat down
0:40:57 > 0:41:00to freshly cooked evening meals every day,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02there was a word of warning from Yvonne.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Over the whole family,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06not enough veg was coming through quite strongly.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Most people not getting to their five a day
0:41:09 > 0:41:11most of the time was coming through.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Does it surprise you that you're not getting your five a day?
0:41:14 > 0:41:19I think when we sit down at the weekend on a Sunday or whatever,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21piles of veg and no-one eats it.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25During the week, it just becomes a little bit more difficult
0:41:25 > 0:41:27to sort of... to fit it in around the meal.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31But the question is, who amongst the three generations of this family
0:41:31 > 0:41:33does Yvonne think eats the most healthily?
0:41:33 > 0:41:37So, if I had to push you, if we had to pick a winner,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41which of these lovely people would you say has the best diet?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- Do you know, I would probably pick Josh.- Yeah?
0:41:44 > 0:41:48Because at his age, a lot of the meals are not within his choosing.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51They're not with in his control. Especially school lunch.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54The fact that he's adding some almonds to his granola
0:41:54 > 0:41:57and he's choosing fruit after school...
0:41:57 > 0:41:58I think I'm going to choose Josh.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01There we go. Are you pleased with that, Josh?
0:42:03 > 0:42:04The crown!
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Josh might be on the cusp of being a teenager
0:42:08 > 0:42:12and joining the generation with the worst diet, but for now,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14he's still enjoying the best diet of all,
0:42:14 > 0:42:17that of our very youngest generation.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19The children are doing the best, thank goodness!
0:42:19 > 0:42:21We're looking after our children properly
0:42:21 > 0:42:24and they mostly get the nutrients that they need.
0:42:24 > 0:42:25That's thanks to parents
0:42:25 > 0:42:28who know more about nutrition than ever before,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31healthier school meals, lower levels of sugar in lots of foods
0:42:31 > 0:42:33and a strong healthy-eating message.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37Of course, who knows if Josh and his friends will take all that with them
0:42:37 > 0:42:38as they grow up?
0:42:38 > 0:42:42His mates will need to ditch those takeaway pizzas, for starters.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45But here's hoping his generation will go on
0:42:45 > 0:42:48to buck the trend of terrible teen eating.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57Now, since doing this programme,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00I've really got used to seeing that there can be a lot more
0:43:00 > 0:43:02to some of these headlines than meets the eye.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06But I must say, I was quite shocked to discover just how much
0:43:06 > 0:43:09off the mark the supposed benefits of coconut oil turned out to be.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12And, you know, after making that film, I went straight home
0:43:12 > 0:43:15and I threw away that big jar that we had
0:43:15 > 0:43:16lurking at the back of the fridge.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Well, I'm certainly not going to rush out and buy any coconut oil,
0:43:19 > 0:43:22that's for sure. And one thing I was relieved to discover
0:43:22 > 0:43:25is that even if the headlines about bad teen diets are true,
0:43:25 > 0:43:28we're at least feeding younger kids well, so let's hope that continues
0:43:28 > 0:43:30- as they grow up.- Absolutely right.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33Now, that is where we have to leave it for today, I'm afraid.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36But we're going to be back to discover the truth
0:43:36 > 0:43:39behind more of the scare stories about food very soon.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42But for now, thank you very much for your company and from both of us,
0:43:42 > 0:43:44- bye-bye.- Goodbye.