The eat well plate!
It's a good idea to try to get this balance right every day, but you don't need to do it at every meal. And you might find it easier to get the balance right over a longer period, say a week.
Eating healthily is about about eating the right amount of food for your energy needs. In England, most adults are either overweight or obese. This means many of us are eating more than we need, and should eat and drink fewer calories in order to lose weight.
Based on the eatwell plate, you should try to eat:
Plenty of fruit and vegetables
Did you know that we should be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day?
More on five daily portions of fruit and veg
Plenty of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta
and other starchy foods
Choose wholegrain varieties whenever you can, or eat potatoes with their skins on for more fibre.
Potatos, rice and grains, bread, pasta, cerial,
More on starchy foods
Some milk and dairy foods
Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are great sources of protein and calcium. To make healthier choices, go for lower-fat milk and dairy foods.
More on milk and dairy foods
Some meat, fish, eggs, beans
and other non-dairy sources of proteinMeats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. A balanced diet can include protein from meat, as well as from non-animal sources such as beans and pulses.
Red meat is a good source of iron, and meat is also one of the main sources of vitamin B12
Eggs are a good source of protein, but it's important to store, handle and prepare them properly.
A pulse is an edible seed that grows in a pod. Pulses include all beans, peas and lentils, such as:
More on eggs
More on beans and pulses
Just a small amount of foods and drinks
high in fat or sugar
Foods high in saturated fat include:
More on sugar
Try to choose options that are lower in salt when you can.
More on salt
Is the eatwell plate for You?
The eatwell plate applies to most people – whether they're a healthy weight or overweight, whether they eat meat or are vegetarian, and no matter what their ethnic origin.
However, it doesn't apply to children under the age of two because they have different nutritional needs. Between the ages of two and five, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, in the proportions shown on the eatwell plate. Find out more in Breastfeeding: the first few days and Your baby's first solid foods in the Pregnancy and baby guide.
Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian whether the eatwell plate applies to them.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx
Eating healthily is about about eating the right amount of food for your energy needs. In England, most adults are either overweight or obese. This means many of us are eating more than we need, and should eat and drink fewer calories in order to lose weight.
Based on the eatwell plate, you should try to eat:
Plenty of fruit and vegetables
Did you know that we should be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day?
- Frozen fruit and vegetables.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Tinned or canned fruit and vegetables. Buy the ones tinned in natural juice or water, with no added sugar or salt.
- Dried fruit, such as currants, dates, sultanas and figs.
- Fruit and vegetables cooked in dishes such as soups, stews or pasta dishes.
- A glass (150ml) of unsweetened 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day, however much you drink. That's mainly because juice contains less fibre than whole fruits and vegetables.
- Smoothies. A smoothie containing all of the edible pulped fruit and/or vegetable may count as more than one portion but this depends on how it's made. Smoothies count as up to a maximum of two portions per day. For more details, see 5 A DAY FAQs.
- Beans and pulses. These only count as one portion a day, no matter how many you eat. That's because they contain fewer nutrients than other fruits and vegetables.
- Fruit and veg in convenience foods, such as ready meals and shop-bought pasta sauces, soups and puddings. Some ready-made foods are high in salt, sugar and fat, so only have them occasionally or in small amounts. You can find the salt, sugar and fat content of ready-made foods on the label. For more information, see Food labels.
More on five daily portions of fruit and veg
Plenty of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta
and other starchy foods
Choose wholegrain varieties whenever you can, or eat potatoes with their skins on for more fibre.
Potatos, rice and grains, bread, pasta, cerial,
More on starchy foods
Some milk and dairy foods
Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are great sources of protein and calcium. To make healthier choices, go for lower-fat milk and dairy foods.
More on milk and dairy foods
Some meat, fish, eggs, beans
and other non-dairy sources of proteinMeats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. A balanced diet can include protein from meat, as well as from non-animal sources such as beans and pulses.
Red meat is a good source of iron, and meat is also one of the main sources of vitamin B12
Eggs are a good source of protein, but it's important to store, handle and prepare them properly.
A pulse is an edible seed that grows in a pod. Pulses include all beans, peas and lentils, such as:
- baked beans
- red, green, yellow and brown lentils
- black-eyed peas
- garden peas
- runner beans
- chickpeas
- broad beans
- kidney beans
- butter beans
More on eggs
More on beans and pulses
Just a small amount of foods and drinks
high in fat or sugar
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- fatty cuts of meat
- meat products, including sausages and pies
- butter, ghee and lard
- cheese, especially hard cheese
- cream, soured cream and ice cream
- some savoury snacks and chocolate confectionery
- biscuits, cakes and pastries
More on sugar
Try to choose options that are lower in salt when you can.
More on salt
Is the eatwell plate for You?
The eatwell plate applies to most people – whether they're a healthy weight or overweight, whether they eat meat or are vegetarian, and no matter what their ethnic origin.
However, it doesn't apply to children under the age of two because they have different nutritional needs. Between the ages of two and five, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, in the proportions shown on the eatwell plate. Find out more in Breastfeeding: the first few days and Your baby's first solid foods in the Pregnancy and baby guide.
Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian whether the eatwell plate applies to them.
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx