Eating Sensibly: A Well-Balanced Diet

Eating sensibly doesn't have to mean boring, tasteless food. A sensible, well-balanced diet simply contains all the nutrients you need to satisfy your appetite and maintain good health. Healthy food can still be delicious food!

Popular diets help you lose weight, but they are only a short-term solution. They can be difficult to follow and some - particularly those which avoid major food groups - may not provide the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy body. A well-balanced diet has:

• Enough protein - for tissue and cell replacement
• Carbohydrates - for energy
• Small amounts of essential fats - for forming cell walls and modulating the body's metabolism.

The body also needs a range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements and 6-8 cups/glasses of water or other low-calorie fluids a day.

There are five different food groups, and eating a variety of these foods will ensure you are enjoying a balanced diet.

Part One: Healthy Eating Guide

• Bread, other cereals and potatoes - Other cereals includes things like breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, oats, noodles, maize, etc. Make these foods the main part of your meal. Choose whole grain, high fibre varieties wherever possible.


• Fruit and vegetables - Can be fresh, frozen or canned fruit and vegetables and dried fruit. A glass of fruit juice can also be counted. Fruit and vegetables are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Try to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.


• Milk and dairy products - Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. This group does not include butter, eggs and cream. These are an important source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Use lower fat versions of these foods whenever possible.


• Meat, fish and alternatives
  Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses. Meat includes: bacon, salami, sausages, beefburgers, paté, etc. These are all relatively high in fat. These are a good source of protein. Choose lean cuts of meat, and remove the skin from poultry. Use cooking methods, which don't add fat such as stewing, roasting and grilling.
  
  Beans. Baked beans, and pulses are also in this group. Fish includes frozen and canned fish. For example; sardines and tuna, fish fingers and fish cakes. Nuts and nut products are high in fat, so use lower fat sources of protein such as tofu, beans and lentils.


• High-fat/high-sugar foods
  Foods rich in fat: Margarine, butter, other spreading fats and low fat spreads, cooking oils, oil-based salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, cakes, puddings, ice-cream, rich sauces and gravies.
  
  Foods rich in sugar: Soft drinks, sweets, jams and sugar, as well as foods such as cake, puddings, biscuits, pastries and ice-cream.
  
  These foods provide us with the most calories but the least nutrients. Eat foods containing fat sparingly and look out for the low fat alternatives. Foods containing sugar should not be eaten too often, as they can also contribute to tooth decay.

See our recipe section for healthy eating suggestions!