InformationSpotlight on... eating well
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of overall good health, helping us to achieve a healthy body weight and boost our wellbeing.
Many of us in the UK eat and drink too many calories, have too much saturated fat, sugar and salt and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibre. By making a few changes to our diet, we can help ourselves to stay fit and well.
The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group. We do not need to achieve this with every meal, but we should try to get the balance right over a day or even a week. The NHS Eatwell guide to a healthy, balanced diet includes:
- Five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
- Meals based on starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta.
- Some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks).
- Some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein.
- Unsaturated oils and spreads, eaten in small amounts.
- Plenty of fluids.
Foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar – such as fizzy drinks, crisps and chocolate – should be consumed less often and in small amounts. We are learning more about ultra-processed foods [UPF], and the impacts of these on health. UPFs often include ingredients you would not usually have at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers.
The Eatwell Guide applies to most of us, although anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietician. The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under the age of 2 because they have different nutritional needs.
The NHS Live Well site has further information about how to Eat Well.
The Devon Food Partnership exists to enable collaboration and communication between food stakeholders across the county. Our aim is to ensure that nutritious, local, sustainably produced food is available and affordable for everyone in Devon.
Axminster-based charity Project Food offers free support to help you develop the skills, confidence and motivation to cook nutritious meals that fit your budget and lifestyle. The team run cooking demonstrations, hands-on sessions, one to one support and online classes for a range of different groups and individuals including parents and carers, members of a youth club or mental health support group, who live alone or have a health condition like heart disease or diabetes, struggle with your weight, or are just someone who needs support to eat better, please contact Project Food.
British Nutrition Foundation signposts to research for example looking at how food can support brain health, how our mental health can influence our eating habits, and looking at how diet and lifestyle can reduce the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes.
Disclaimer: If you are worried about specific health issues, please seek professional medical advice.