Food Fact Sheet
Healthy eating
It also shows and how much of these foods (as a
proportion) you should eat to have a well-balanced and
healthy diet. It’s a good idea to try to get this balance
right throughout the week
A good diet is important for good
health.
Eating a variety of foods can improve general
wellbeing, reduce the risk of conditions including
heart disease, stroke, some cancers, diabetes and
osteoporosis (thin bones) and help you manage your
weight. You need to eat sensibly, choosing a varied diet
from a range of foods, not smoking and keeping active
are all great ways to boost your health.
The eatwell plate is made up of five food groups – fruit
and vegetables; bread, rice, potatoes and other starchy
foods; meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy
sources of protein; milk and dairy foods; and foods high
in fat and/or sugar. If you choose a variety of foods
from the four biggest groups and, if you want to, a small
amount from the high fat/sugar group, you can easily
achieve this healthy balance.
Different types of food
The eatwell plate can help you to understand the
different types of food that make up a healthy diet.
Eatwell Guide
Check the label on
packaged foods
Use the Eatwell Guide to help you get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food.
It shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each food group.
Each serving contains
Energy
1046kJ
250kcal
Fat
5g
LOW
Saturates Sugars
1.3g
LOW
Salt
34g 0.9g
HIGH
Read on for some useful tips.
MED
12.5% 7% 6.5% 38% 15%
of an adult’s reference intake
Typical values (as sold) per 100g: 697kJ/ 167kcal
of
a
et
ab
les
nd
Potatoes
Fr
ui
d
g
ve
Cous
Cous
Whole
wheat
pasta
Porridge
Rice
Lentils
Tuna
Plain
nuts
Beans
lower
salt
and
s ugar
Chick
peas
Semi
Eat less often and
in small amounts
Spag
hetti
L o w f at
s o f t ch e es e
n
Leaince
m
skimmed
Crisps
Soya
drink
milk
Be
ans
, pu
lses
Ea
,
t
Veg
O il
Plain
Low fat
y o g hu r t
s
tive
erna
d
d alt
fish, e
t an
iry an
a
a
f
ggs, mea
D
r
s
e
s
t and other protein
w
tion
se lo
so more
red urced beans a
nd pu
and fish p
proc er week lses, 2 portions of sustainably
,
esse
d meat one of which is oily. Eat less
Choo ugar op
s
lower
Per day
2000kcal
Source: Public Health England in association with the Welsh government, Food Standards Scotland and the Foods Standards Agency in Northern Ireland
1. Five portions –
have five portions of fruit
and vegetables each day. Remember:
• fresh
• frozen
• dried
• canned
• juices
all count towards your total 5-a-day. Don’t forget to
include the vegetables you add to cooked dishes, for
example onions in a stew or casserole, tomatoes in a
pasta sauce or vegetable soup are included.
Limit fruit juice
and/or smoothies
to a total of
150ml a day.
sugar
Bagels
Frozen
peas
Sauce
w
nd
alt a
t, s
Eat at
leas
t5
Chopped
t omatoe s
Whole
grain
cereal
ot
Water, lower fat
milk, sugar-free
drinks including
tea and coffee
all count.
fa
s
ed
drate
dd
ohy
arb
sa
yc
les
rch
ta
rs
he
po
rtio
ns
of
Raisins
6-8
a day
ith
ty
rie
va
ta
n
Choose foods lower
in fat, salt and sugars
Choos
e wh
oleg
rain
or h
Pota
igh
toes
er
, br
fib
ead
re
, ri
ve
ce
,p
rsi
as
on
ta
s
a
ay
ery d
s ev
able
t
e
veg
nd
it a
fru
Lower fatad
spre
Oil & spreads
Choose unsaturated oils
and use in small amounts
2500kcal = ALL FOOD + ALL DRINKS
© Crown copyright 2016
2.Plan –
your meals/snacks around starchy
foods such as bread, chapattis, breakfast cereals,
potatoes, rice, noodles, oats and pasta. Aim to include
one food from this group at each meal time and eat
regularly.
3.Variety – choose a variety of different
types and colours of fruit and vegetables. As well
as providing vitamins, minerals and fibre the natural
colours and flavours of plants add powerful antioxidants to our diet.
www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
Saturated fat
(avoid)
•
•
•
•
•
4. Meat, fish, eggs and
pulses (beans and lentils) –
choose lean meat or remove excess fat
and remove the skin from chicken. Avoid
frying where possible. Try to include two
portions of fish each week, one of which
should be an oily fish (darker skinned),
for example: mackerel, trout, sardines,
kippers or fresh tuna.
5.Dairy – with dairy foods providing the richest
and best absorbed source of dietary calcium, try for
three portions a day to meet most calcium needs, a
portion is:
• a small pot of yoghurt
• 1/3 pint of milk:
• a small matchbox size piece of cheese
Try to choose reduced fat versions where you can – for
example semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurt and halffat Cheddar cheese or Edam.
6.
Sugar and fat – are high in calories, so try
to cut down on foods and drinks with lots of sugar/fat in
such as sweets, cakes, crisps and sugary soft drinks.
Choose low fat or reduced sugar foods where possible.
When using a fat spread choose a small amount of one
that is low in saturated fat made from olive or sunflower
oils.
Saturated fat increases the low density lipoproteins
(LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood which can lead
to heart disease. Choosing mono-unsaturated spreads
(such as those made from olive or rapeseed oils) helps
to lower blood levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, and
boost levels of ‘good’ high density lipoproteins (HDL)
cholesterol.
butter
ghee
lard
coconut oil
palm oils
Unsaturated fat
(alternative)
Polyunsaturated fat
oils, soft spreads
and margarines
including:
• sunflower
and foods made from • soya
• corn
these.
• linseed (flaxseed
• pastries
• safflower
• cakes
and fish oil.
• biscuits
•
Monounsaturated
and other foods made fat
from hydrogenated
• olive oil
fats.
• rapeseed oil
Summary
Eat a range of
foods from the
four main food
groups to make
sure you have
a balanced diet.
Eat the right
amount of food
for how active
you are. Most of
all – enjoy your
food!
Further
information:
Food Fact
Sheets on
other topics
including Fruit
and Veg – how
to get 5-a-day,
Cholesterol, Fats
and Fluid and Drinks can be downloaded at
www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
This Food Factsheet is a public service of The British Dietetic Association (BDA) intended for information only.
It is not a substitute for proper medical diagnosis or dietary advice given by a dietitian. If you need to see a
dietitian, visit your GP for a referral or: www.freelancedietitians.org for a private dietitian. To check your dietitian
is registered check www.hcpc-uk.org
This Food Fact Sheet and others are available to download free of charge at www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
Written by Janet Jackson Dietitian. Updated by Cath Collins, Dietitian.
The information sources used to develop this fact sheet are available at www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
© BDA January 2014. Review date: January 2017. Updated March 2016.