Eating a healthy and balanced diet is crucial for maintaining good health and feeling your best. It involves consuming a variety of foods in the correct proportions and ensuring you get the right amount of food and drink to maintain a healthy body weight. If you’re wondering, “What Foods Should I Eat?” this guide provides a comprehensive overview for the general population. Individuals with specific dietary needs or medical conditions should consult their doctor or a registered dietitian for personalized advice.
Understanding the Key Food Groups
The Eatwell Guide is a great resource and illustrates how to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. It emphasizes the following key principles:
- Eat at Least 5 Portions of Fruit and Vegetables Daily: Discover the variety of options and benefits of incorporating these into your daily meals.
- Base Meals on Higher Fibre Starchy Foods: Choose healthier options like potatoes, bread, rice, or pasta.
- Include Dairy or Dairy Alternatives: Opt for options like soya drinks to ensure you get essential nutrients.
- Incorporate Beans, Pulses, Fish, Eggs, Meat, and Other Protein Sources: Diversify your protein intake for optimal health.
- Select Unsaturated Oils and Spreads: Use them in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
- Drink Plenty of Fluids: Aim for at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated.
If you consume foods and drinks high in fat, salt, and sugar, do so sparingly and in small portions. It is essential to choose a variety of foods from the 5 main food groups to ensure you receive a wide range of essential nutrients. Many people in the UK consume excessive amounts of calories, saturated fat, sugar, and salt while not consuming enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish, or fibre.
It’s important to note that the Eatwell Guide isn’t designed for children under two years old because their nutritional needs are different. After the age of 2, children should transition to eating the same foods as the rest of the family, following the proportions outlined in the Eatwell Guide.
The Importance of Fruit and Vegetables: Are You Getting Your 5 A Day?
Fruit and vegetables are essential for your diet as they are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They should make up slightly over a third of your daily food intake.
The recommendation is to consume at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day. These can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced. Studies show that individuals who eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily have a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Reaching the 5 A Day goal isn’t as challenging as it may seem. A portion is defined as:
- 80g of fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and vegetables
- 30g of dried fruit (best consumed at mealtimes)
- 150ml glass of fruit juice or smoothie (limit to one portion daily due to high sugar content, which can damage teeth)
A single apple, banana, pear, or a fruit of similar size counts as one portion. A slice of pineapple or melon also counts as one portion, while three 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 start your day. Consider swapping a mid-morning biscuit for a banana and including a side salad with your lunch. For dinner, add a portion of vegetables and pair fresh fruit with plain, low-fat yogurt for dessert to meet your 5 A Day goal.
Starchy Foods: The Foundation of Your Meals
Starchy foods should form a little over a third of your daily food intake. This means basing your meals around these foods.
Opt for wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, and brown, wholemeal, or higher fibre white bread. These contain more fibre, vitamins, and minerals than their white counterparts.
Potatoes with their skins on are an excellent source of fibre and vitamins. Make sure to eat the skin when having boiled potatoes or a jacket potato.
Milk and Dairy Foods (and Alternatives) for Strong Bones
Milk and dairy foods, including cheese and yogurt, are excellent sources of protein and contain calcium, which is vital for maintaining healthy bones.
Choose lower fat and lower sugar products when possible. Opt for semi-skimmed, 1% fat, or skimmed milk, lower fat hard cheeses or cottage cheese, and lower fat, lower sugar yogurt.
Dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks, also belong to this food group. When purchasing alternatives, choose unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.
Beans, Pulses, Fish, Eggs, Meat, and Other Proteins: Essential for Growth and Repair
These foods are excellent sources of protein, which is vital for the body’s growth and repair processes. They also provide a range of vitamins and minerals.
Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including iron, zinc, and B vitamins. It is also a primary source of vitamin B12. To minimize fat intake, choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry whenever possible. Always ensure meat is thoroughly cooked. Aim to reduce your consumption of red and processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausages.
Eggs and fish are also rich sources of protein, containing many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is especially high in omega-3 fatty acids. Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, including 1 portion of oily fish. Fresh, frozen, or canned options are all viable, but remember that canned and smoked fish often contain high levels of 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. However, they also contain high levels of fat, so consume them in moderation.
Oils and Spreads: Choosing the Right Fats
Some fat in the diet is essential, but many people consume too much saturated fat. It is important to obtain most of your fat from unsaturated oils and spreads. Switching to unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol levels. Remember that all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten sparingly.
Reducing Saturated Fat, Sugar, and Salt Intake
Consuming too much saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, increasing the risk of developing heart disease. Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases the risk of obesity and tooth decay. Eating too much salt can elevate blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease or stroke.
Addressing Weight Loss Needs
The majority of adults struggle with being overweight or obese. To check if you’re at a healthy weight, use a BMI calculator. If weight loss is needed, there are resources and weight loss plans available to help you manage this. You may also be able to refer yourself directly to services that can assist with weight management without consulting a GP.
Conclusion: Embracing a Balanced Diet
Understanding “what foods should I eat” is the first step toward achieving a healthy, balanced diet. By incorporating a variety of foods from the main food groups and making mindful choices about portion sizes and the types of fats, sugars, and salt you consume, you can improve your overall health and well-being.
