Nutrition and diet
Eating well is essential to staying healthy. Our information can help you to enjoy a balanced and varied diet.
Carbohydrates
Say the word ‘carbs’ and for many people, stodgy food and weight gain spring to mind
Fad diets explained
If you're looking to lose weight or improve your diet, it can be tempting to follow the latest diet you’ve seen in the media
Fat
Your body needs some fat to absorb certain vitamins that are important for your health
Food allergy
A food allergy is when your body’s immune system overreacts to particular foods
Food labelling
Food labels can provide a lot of useful information but at times they can be a little hard to make sense of
Food safety
It’s important to know how to prepare food safely and hygienically at home
Healthy eating
Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet means eating food from a variety of food groups to get the energy and nutrients that your body needs
Healthy weight for adults
Weighing too much or too little can increase your risk of several diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer
Keeping hydrated
We explain why you need to drink enough and offer some tips to help you stay hydrated
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance means your digestive system can’t break down lactose (a sugar mainly found in milk)
Losing weight safely
The best way to lose weight is to improve your diet and exercise more at the same time
Obesity in adults
Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat accumulates and may lead to health problems
Portion size
Eating too much or too little of any of the major food groups can be bad for your health
Vitamins and minerals
Different vitamins and minerals do different things: some help your body to digest food while others build strong bones
Salt
Here we look at how much salt you need, why you need it – and some tips for cutting down your salt intake
Articles from our experts
BMI calculator
BMI, or body mass index, is one way of measuring whether you’re a healthy weight for your height.
Simply enter your details into our calculator and the result will give you an indication of whether you're a healthy weight.
Calories calculator
If you want to lose weight, you need to increase your physical activity and watch your calorie intake. Bupa's calorie calculator will help you to work out how many calories you're burning in a day.
Healthy eating quiz
A healthy balanced diet is essential for your physical and mental wellbeing. Take our healthy eating quiz to find out how much you know about nutrition.
About our health information
At Bupa we produce a wealth of free health information for you and your family. We believe that trustworthy information is essential in helping you make better decisions about your health and care. Here are just a few of the ways in which our core editorial principles have been recognised.
Information Standard
We are certified by the Information Standard. This quality mark identifies reliable, trustworthy producers and sources of health information.
HONcode
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
Legal disclaimer
This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.
The information contained on this page and in any third party websites referred to on this page is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment. Third party websites are not owned or controlled by Bupa and any individual may be able to access and post messages on them. Bupa is not responsible for the content or availability of these third party websites. We do not accept advertising on this page.
For more details on how we produce our content and its sources, visit the 'About our health information' section.
^We may record or monitor our calls
