Seven tips for a healthy and well-balanced diet

Why is healthy eating important?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. A healthy diet also provides the energy and nutrients that your body needs for your normal activities such as exercise, and work.

What is a balanced diet?

The four main food groups are carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, proteins, and dairy/dairy alternatives. Dietary fats also have an important role in the body. However, you should avoid eating too much unhealthy (saturated) fat. Healthy (unsaturated) fats are more beneficial for your cardiovascular health.

Try these seven tips to help you have a healthy and balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight.

1. Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day

Fruit and vegetables contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which are essential for our health. They are also a great source of fibre. It’s recommended that you have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. One portion includes:

• one apple
• two satsumas
• one banana
• three heaped tablespoons or 80g of vegetables
• one handful of grapes
• 30 grams of dried fruit, such as dates, raisins, or apricots
• nine okra
• one fist size sweet potato
• a large slice of fruit such as mango, melon, and pineapple

You don’t have to eat fresh fruit and vegetables only – dried, frozen, tinned, and juiced fruit and vegetables count too. Eating tinned or frozen fruit and vegetables can help keep costs down when on a budget.

It's also a good idea to eat a wide range of types and colours to get a combination of all the nutrients you need.

2. Include starchy carbohydrates with meals (choosing wholegrains when possible)

Starchy carbohydrates are an important source of energy. You should aim to include some starchy carbohydrates with every meal.

Go for wholegrain options if you can (for example, whole oats, wholemeal or granary bread, wholewheat pasta, and wholemeal chapatti or roti). Wholegrains have many nutritional benefits and are a rich source of fibre.

If you usually eat white rice, try brown or wholegrain rice to get more vitamins and fibre. Fibre is beneficial for your gut health and may lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and bowel cancer. As wholegrains are digested slowly by the body, they also help you to feel fuller for longer.

3. Include a source of protein with every meal (including two portions of fish a week)

Protein is important for the growth and repair of tissues in your body. Beans, lentils and other pulses are great alternatives to meat because they are high in both protein and fibre, but low in fat. Plant-based sources of protein are also now widely available such as tofu and mycoproteins.

If you do eat meat you should try to limit processed meats. Choose leaner cuts of meat, trim any fat/skin off, and try to grill your meat rather than frying it. Aim to eat two portions (140 grams) of fish a week. One of these should be an oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, or pilchards. Oily fish is a rich source of omega-3 that can help to keep you healthy. If you don't eat fish, it’s best to take an algae-based omega-3 supplement.

4. Include some calcium-rich dairy foods or alternatives

Calcium is important for keeping your bones healthy. Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt, are important sources of calcium, as well as protein and vitamins. Different types of cheese such as cheddar, halloumi, and paneer all provide calcium. Yoghurt drinks such as kefir and lassi are also sources of calcium. Some dairy foods, however, can be high in fat and sugar.

When buying food, check packaging labels and try lower-fat and reduced-sugar options. For example, you could choose natural or Greek yoghurts.

If you don’t eat dairy products, you can still get calcium from:

• calcium-fortified cereals
• calcium-fortified milk alternatives
• tofu
• kale
• broccoli
• fish such as salmon and sardines
• bread (white and wholemeal)

Vitamin D is also needed to help your body to absorb calcium. It’s made under your skin from sunlight. It can also be found in foods such as egg yolk, oily fish, and some breakfast cereals. Experts recommend that adults take a 10-microgram vitamin D supplement during the winter months, or all year round if you have black or brown skin. You can buy these supplements from supermarkets, health food shops, or pharmacies.

5. Swap saturated for unsaturated fats and keep overall fat consumption to a minimum

Although including some fat in your diet is important, fats are a very concentrated source of energy. So, try and consider the amount you have, and focus on the type of fat you eat.

Saturated fat can raise your level of a certain type of cholesterol called LDL (low-density lipoprotein). This can build up over time and increases your risk of heart disease. Foods high in saturated fats include:

• processed meats
• butter
• ghee
• cheese
• chocolate
• cakes and other desserts
• pastries such as pies, croissants, and samosas
• biscuits

It's best to avoid eating too much saturated fat. Try swapping it with moderate amounts of unsaturated fat alternatives, such as:

• olive oil
• rapeseed oil
• nuts and seeds
• avocado

6. Cut down on foods high in salt and sugar

Free sugars (for example, sugars often added to biscuits, cakes, syrups, and sugary drinks) often provide energy, but with very little nutritional value. Adults should eat no more than 30g free sugar a day– this is around the same as six teaspoons.

Foods and drinks that are high in sugar usually contain a lot of calories. This is something to keep in mind if you are trying to prevent weight gain. Regularly having sugary foods and drinks can also increase your risk of tooth decay.

Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which can increase your risk of developing coronary heart disease. Salt is included in many ultra processed food products to add flavour, texture and for preservation. When you’re shopping check food labels for salt content and aim to have less than 6 grams a day. You could also add herbs and spices to your food instead of salt.

7. Keep hydrated

To stay well hydrated, try to drink about 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day. This includes water, low-fat milk and any other sugar-free drinks, such as tea and coffee. Although fruit juice and smoothies can count towards your fluid intake, they are also high in free sugars. It’s best to limit these to one small glass (150ml) a day. Sugary drinks should be swapped for diet/sugar-free alternatives and alcohol should be kept to a minimum. It is recommended that adults have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week.

A balanced diet and keeping hydrated can help to improve your energy levels and overall health.