Eating a healthy, balanced diet is crucial for staying healthy and feeling your best. This involves eating a variety of foods in the right amounts to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
To maintain a healthy, balanced diet, it's recommended to:
1. Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.
2. Base meals on high-fiber starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta.
3. Include some dairy or dairy alternatives like soya drinks.
4. Consume beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat, or other proteins.
5. Choose unsaturated oils and spreads in small amounts.
6. Drink plenty of fluids, aiming for at least 6 to 8 glasses a day.
Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables for your health?
Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and should make up about a third of your daily food intake. Experts suggest having at least 5 portions daily, which can include fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced varieties. Research shows that those who meet this guideline have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Getting in 5 portions isn't as tough as it may seem. Here's what counts as a portion:
- 80g of fresh, canned, or frozen fruits and veggies
- 30g of dried fruit (best during meals)
- A 150ml glass of fruit juice or smoothie (limit to 1 portion a day due to sugar content, which can harm teeth)
Starchy foods should make up about a third of your diet, forming the basis of your meals. Opt for wholegrain or wholemeal options like brown rice, wholewheat pasta, and wholemeal or high-fiber white bread. These varieties contain more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than their white counterparts. Leave the skins on potatoes for an added fiber and vitamin boost; whether you're having boiled or jacket potatoes, the skin is nutritious.
Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat, and other proteins are important for growth and repair in your body, as they're rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Meat, for instance, provides iron, zinc, and B vitamins, including vitamin B12. Opt for lean cuts of meat and remove poultry skin to reduce fat intake. Ensure meat is cooked thoroughly. It's advisable to limit consumption of red and processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages.
Eggs and fish are great protein sources, packed with vitamins and minerals. Oily fish like salmon is especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for health.
It's recommended to have at least 2 portions of fish weekly, with 1 portion being oily fish. Fish can be fresh, frozen, or canned, but watch out for high salt content in canned and smoked varieties.
Pulses such as beans, peas, and lentils are low in fat and high in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Nuts are fiber-rich and unsalted varieties make for a healthy snack. However, they're still high in fat, so enjoy them in moderation.
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