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Eating a balanced diet - NHS

Eating a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining good health and involves consuming a variety of foods in the right proportions. The Eatwell Guide recommends including fruits, vegetables, starchy foods, dairy, proteins, and healthy fats while limiting saturated fats, sugars, and salt. Individuals with specific dietary needs should consult healthcare professionals for tailored advice.

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Eating a balanced diet - NHS

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sani47108

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Eating a balanced diet

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an

important part of maintaining good health,
and can help you feel your best.

This means eating a wide variety of foods in the

right proportions, and consuming the right
amount of food and drink to achieve and
maintain a healthy body weight.

This page covers healthy eating advice for the

general population.

People with special dietary needs or a medical

condition should ask their doctor or a registered
dietitian for advice.

Food groups in your diet

The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy,
balanced diet, people should try to:

eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and

vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)

base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like

potatoes, bread, rice or pasta

have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such

as soya drinks)

eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and

other protein

choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and

eat them in small amounts

drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 to 8 glasses a

day)

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in

fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in
small amounts.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from

the 5 main food groups to get a wide range of
nutrients.

Most people in the UK eat and drink too many

calories, too much saturated fat, sugar and salt,
and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or
fibre.

The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children

under the age of 2 because they have different
nutritional needs.

After the age of 2 years, children should move

to eating the same foods as the rest of the
family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell
Guide.

Fruit and vegetables: are you

getting your 5 A Day?
Fruit and vegetables are a good source of
vitamins and minerals and fibre, and should
make up just over a third of the food you eat
each day.

It's recommended that you eat at least 5

portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables
every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned,
dried or juiced.

There's evidence that people who eat at least 5

portions of fruit and vegetables a day have a
lower risk of heart disease, stroke and some
cancers.

Eating 5 portions is not as hard as it sounds.

A portion is:

80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and

vegetables

30g of dried fruit – which should be kept to

mealtimes

150ml glass of fruit juice or smoothie – but do

not have more than 1 portion a day as these
drinks are sugary and can damage teeth

Just 1 apple, banana, pear or similar-sized fruit

is 1 portion each.

A slice of pineapple or melon is also 1 portion,

and 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables is
another portion.

Adding a tablespoon of dried fruit, such as

raisins, to your morning cereal is an easy way to
get 1 portion.

You could also swap your mid-morning biscuit

for a banana, and add a side salad to your
lunch.

In the evening, have a portion of

vegetables with dinner and fresh fruit with plain,
lower fat yoghurt for dessert to reach your 5 A
Day.

Find out more about what counts towards your 5

A Day

Starchy foods in your diet

Starchy foods should make up just over a third
of everything you eat. This means your meals
should be based on these foods.

Choose wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of

starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholewheat
pasta, and brown, wholemeal or higher fibre
white bread.

They contain more fibre, and usually more

vitamins and minerals, than white varieties.

Potatoes with the skins on are a great source of

fibre and vitamins. For example, when having
boiled potatoes or a jacket potato, eat the skin
too.

Find out more about starchy foods

Milk and dairy foods (and

alternatives)
Milk and dairy foods, such as cheese and
yoghurt, are good sources of protein. They also
contain calcium, which helps keep your bones
healthy.

Go for lower fat and lower sugar products where

possible.

Choose semi-skimmed, 1% fat or skimmed milk,

as well as lower fat hard cheeses or cottage
cheese, and lower fat, lower sugar yoghurt.

Dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks, are also

included in this food group.

When buying alternatives, choose

unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.

Find out more about milk and dairy foods

Beans, pulses, fish, eggs,

meat and other proteins
These foods are all good sources of protein,
which is essential for the body to grow and
repair itself.

They're also good sources of a range of

vitamins and minerals.

Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and

minerals, including iron, zinc and B vitamins. It's
also one of the main sources of vitamin B12.

Choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry

whenever possible to cut down on fat. Always
cook meat thoroughly.

Try to eat less red and processed meat like

bacon, ham and sausages.

Find out more about including meat in your diet

Eggs and fish are also good sources of protein,

and contain many vitamins and minerals. Oily
fish is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week,

including 1 portion of oily fish.

You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned,

but remember that canned and smoked fish can
often be high in salt.

Pulses, including beans, peas and lentils, are

naturally very low in fat and high in fibre,
protein, vitamins and minerals.

Nuts are high in fibre, and unsalted nuts make

a good snack. But they do still contain high
levels of fat, so eat them in moderation.

Oils and spreads

Some fat in the diet is essential, but on average
people in the UK eat too much saturated fat.

It's important to get most of your fat from

unsaturated oils and spreads.

Swapping to unsaturated fats can help lower

cholesterol.

Remember that all types of fat are high in

energy and should be eaten in small amounts.

Find out more about the different types of fats

Eat less saturated fat, sugar

and salt
Too much saturated fat can increase the amount
of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your
risk of developing heart disease.

Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in

sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth
decay.

Eating too much salt can raise your blood

pressure, which increases your risk of getting
heart disease or having a stroke.

See 8 tips for healthy eating to find out more

about why you need to cut down on saturated
fat, sugar and salt, which foods they're found
in, and how to make healthier choices.

Find out more about how to eat less saturated

fat

Need to lose weight?

Most adults in England are overweight or obese.
Check whether you're a healthy weight using
the BMI calculator.

If you need to lose weight, you can use the NHS

weight loss plan. It's a free 12-week diet and
exercise plan to help you lose weight and
develop healthier habits. It has been designed
to help you lose weight safely, and keep it off.