In Northern Ireland, the Eatwell Guide makes healthy eating easier to understand by giving a visual representation of the types and proportions of foods needed for a healthy and well balanced diet.

The Eatwell Guide is suitable for most people including people of all ethnic origins and people who are of a healthy weight or overweight. It is also suitable for vegetarians. It does not apply to children under two years of age because they have different nutritional needs. Anyone under medical supervision or with special dietary needs can check with their GP, or a registered dietician, to be clear about whether or not they understand if the Eatwell Guide is suitable for them.

The Eatwell Guide is based on the main food groups that together provide a healthy diet.

These food groups include:

  • potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates
  • fruit and vegetables
  • dairy and alternatives
  • beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
  • oils and spreads
  • drink 6-8 cups / glasses of fluid each day

If food and drinks that are high in fat, sugar and salt are consumed, you should have these less often and in small amounts. The size of the segments for each of the food groups is consistent with Government recommendations for a diet that would provide all the nutrients required for a healthy adult or child (over the age of two).

The Eatwell Guide is not meant to represent the balance required in any one specific meal; rather it represents the overall balance of a healthy diet over the day or week.

Fruit and vegetables: are you getting your 5 A Day?

Fruit and vegetables are a vital source of vitamins and minerals, and should make up just over a third of the food we eat each day. It’s advised that we eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. There’s evidence that people who eat at least 5 portions a day have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Eating 5 portions is not as hard as it sounds. Just 1 apple, banana, pear or similar-sized fruit is 1 portion (80g).Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables is another portion.

Starchy foods in your diet

Starchy foods should make up just over a third of everything we eat. This means we should base our meals on these foods. Potatoes with the skins on are a great source of fibre and vitamins. For example, when having boiled potatoes or a jacket potato, eat the skin too. Try to choose wholegrain or wholemeal varieties of starchy foods, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta and brown, wholemeal or higher fibre white bread. They contain more fibre, and usually more vitamins and minerals, than white varieties.

Milk and dairy foods: go for lower-fat varieties

Milk and dairy foods such as cheese and yoghurt are good sources of protein. They also contain calcium, which helps keep your bones healthy. To enjoy the health benefits of dairy without eating too much fat, use semi-skimmed, 1% fat or skimmed milk, as well as lower-fat hard cheeses or cottage cheese, and lower-fat, lower-sugar yoghurt. Unsweetened calcium-fortified dairy alternatives like soya milks, soya yoghurts and soya cheeses also count as part of this food group and can make good alternatives to dairy products.

Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins

These foods are all good sources of protein, which is essential for the body to grow and repair itself. They’re also good sources of a range of vitamins and minerals. Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc and B vitamins. It’s also one of the main sources of vitamin B12. Try to eat lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry whenever possible to cut down on fat. Always cook meat thoroughly.

Fish is another important source of protein, and contains many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  Aim for at least 2 portions of fish per week, including 1 portion of oily fish.  You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned, but remember that canned and smoked fish can often be high in salt. Eggs and pulses (including beans, nuts and seeds) are also great sources of protein.

Nuts are high in fibre and a good alternative to snacks high in saturated fat, but they do still contain high levels of fat, so eat them in moderation.

Oils and spreads

Some fat in the diet is essential, but should be limited to small amounts. It’s important to get most of our fat from unsaturated oils and spreads. Swapping to unsaturated fats can help to lower cholesterol.

Eat less saturated fat and sugar

Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease, while regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay.

Veganism is on the rise

More than half of UK adults are now adopting vegan buying behaviour. Once a rare choice, veganism and vegetarianism are becoming mainstream.  This could be due to studies that have shown the health benefits or that more choices are available in supermarkets now, that would have previously only been accessed in health stores.  There is more choice of vegan options in restaurants too so it is no longer a difficult diet to follow.

The tips below will help you to get the most out of your vegan lifestyle:

  • Make sure that your diet contains a variety of fruit and vegetables – eat a rainbow!
  • Choose higher fibre starchy foods, such as oats, sweet potato, wholemeal bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice
  • Include good sources of protein in most meals, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, soya alternatives to milk and yoghurt, or peanuts
  • Eat nuts and seeds daily, especially those rich in omega-3 fat
  • Eat calcium-rich foods daily, such as calcium-fortified products and calcium-set tofu
  • Ensure that your diet contains a reliable source of vitamin B12 (either fortified foods or a supplement)
  • Ensure that your diet contains a reliable source of iodine (arguably a supplement is the best option)
  • Everyone in UK should consider a vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter, and year-round supplementation should be considered by people who do not regularly expose their skin to sunlight, and those with darker skin
  • Use small amounts of spread and oil high in unsaturated fats, such as vegetable (rapeseed) and olive oils
  • Season food with herbs and spices instead of salt
  • Drink about six to eight glasses of fluid a day
  • Consider a supplement containing long chain omega-3 fats from microalgae, particularly for infants and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding

Trying to lose weight?

 Download the NHS weight loss guide, a free 12-week diet and exercise plan to help you lose weight and develop healthier habits. The plan, which has been downloaded more than 2 million times, is designed to help you lose weight safely – and keep it off.

Knowing your food

The difference between “best before” and “use by” dates?

Use-by dates are about safety

A use-by date on food is about safety. This is the most important date to remember. Foods can be eaten until the use-by date but not after. You will see use-by dates on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or ready-to-eat salads. For the use-by date to be a valid guide, you must carefully follow storage instructions. For example, if the instructions on the packaging tell you to refrigerate after opening, you should keep the food in a fridge at 5°C or below. After the Use-by date, don’t eat it, cook it or freeze it. The food could be unsafe to eat or drink, even if it has been stored correctly and looks and smells fine.  Some foods including meat and milk can be frozen before the use-by date; this will be clearly shown on the packaging under “suitable for home freezing”.

Best before dates

The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE, is about quality and not safety. The food will be safe to eat after this date but may not be at its best. Its flavour and texture might not be as good. Best before dates appear on a wide range of foods including frozen foods, dried foods and tinned foods. The best before date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the packaging.

Plan your meals ahead

Get into the habit of checking what you already have in the fridge and freezer before you go shopping. Look out for foods that are approaching their use-by date and other fresh foods that can go off over time and try to use them up first. This includes: fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, cheese, milk or other dairy products.

Don’t trust the sniff test

Food can look and smell fine even after its use-by date, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat. It could still be contaminated. You cannot see, smell or taste the bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Freeze and defrost your food correctly

Food properly frozen won’t deteriorate and bacteria cannot grow in it, so when frozen it cannot become more unsafe.  Only defrost food as you need it and eat it within 24 hours. Once food has been defrosted cook until it is steaming hot before serving.

Supplements

The body needs vitamins in order to function properly and maintain health, but, despite their vital importance, the body only needs them in minute amounts. We need 13 vitamins to maintain health – vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the eight B vitamins. Each has specific functions in the body: vitamin C helps to keep cells healthy, vitamin A is good for eyesight and healthy skin, vitamin D helps to regulate calcium and is essential for strong bones and teeth, and vitamin E is needed to maintain cell structure. With a few exceptions (niacin and vitamin D), our bodies cannot make these substances, meaning we need to obtain them from other sources such as food. If you have low levels of certain vitamins, you may develop a deficiency disease. Too little vitamin D, for example, could lead to rickets in children.

Food supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients taken as a dietary top-up.   Taking supplements will not correct a poor diet. We get a lot more from foods than just one or two vitamins or minerals; we also get energy, protein, fibre and other natural compounds that can have beneficial effects on our health. It’s the combination of nutrients working together in food that keeps us healthy.

 Who takes supplements and why?

People take supplements for all kinds of reasons, usually relating to their health. They hope these will boost vitality, limit the signs of ageing, extend life, cut the risk of chronic disease such as cancer and treat specific ailments such as arthritis. According to research by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in 2008, nearly a third of people in the UK take some vitamin, mineral or dietary supplement on most days, and about 15% of us report having taken a “high dose” supplement in the last 12 months. The main reason we take supplements is for our general health and wellbeing.

Thinking of buying a supplement?

When considering purchasing a supplement in the first instance, there are some simple questions you should ask yourself, including the rather obvious one of “do I really need it?” The answer to this will depend on the product in question and what you hope it will do. It may also be useful to ask yourself:

  • What do I think this product can actually do?
  • Is there solid evidence suggesting it will work?
  • Is it likely to cause me harm?
  • What do reliable sources of information say about this product? • Even if it could be of benefit, is it worth the money?
  • Is this a problem my doctor can help me with instead?

The British Nutrition Foundation advises anyone concerned about whether their diet is providing enough nutrients to discuss this with a health professional. It’s always a good idea to talk to your GP or to a registered dietician if you’re considering supplementing your diet. They can give you advice about whether supplements will have health benefits for you in your particular circumstances

Good sources of information about supplements: 

NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk

Behind the Headlines: www.nhs.uk/news

MHRA: www.mhra.gov.uk

How do you stay healthy? What do you find most difficult about a balanced diet? Share your favourite recipes, offer weight loss advice, tell us your most disastrous food stories. Join or start the conversation below.