Eat well, be well

A healthy balanced diet contains a variety of types of food, including lots of fruit, vegetables and starchy foods such as wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereals; some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils; and some milk and dairy foods.
These practical tips can help you make healthier choices.


1. Base your meals on starchy foods
Starchy foods such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes are a really important part of a healthy diet.
They are a good source of energy and contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.


2. Eat lots of fruit and veg
Try to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day.


3. Eat more fish
Most of us should be eating more fish - including a portion of oily fish each week. It's an excellent source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals.


4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
Try to cut down on food that is high in saturated fat and have foods that are rich in unsaturated fat instead, such as vegetable oils (including sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil), oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds.
We should all be trying to eat fewer foods containing added sugar, such as sweets, cakes and biscuits, and drinking fewer sugary soft and fizzy drinks.


5. Try to eat less salt - no more than 6g a day
Three-quarters (75%) of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups, sauces and ready meals.


6. Get active and try to be a healthy weight
Physical activity is a good way of using up extra calories, and helps control our weight. Try to get active every day and build up the amount you do.


7. Drink plenty of water
We should be drinking about 6 to 8 glasses (1.2 litres) of water, or other fluids, every day to stop us getting dehydrated.


8. Don't skip breakfast
Breakfast can help give us the energy we need to face the day, as well as some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health.