What Does A Healthy Diet Consist Of?

A healthy diet should contain a wide variety of foods including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, starchy foods such as bread and pasta, protein from meat, fish and eggs and some dairy products. A healthy diet should be as low as possible in saturated fat, sugar and salt.

Try some of these tips to help you eat better. Most meals should be based on starchy foods such as bread, rice and pasta and the wholegrain versions of these if possible. They are an excellent source of energy and provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

It is recommended that we should eat more fish than we currently do including one portion of oily fish such as salmon or mackerel each week. Oily fish contain omega 3 fatty acids which is necessary for a healthy heart.
Eat more fruit and vegetables. Most people know that we should be eating 5 portions a day but many people don’t. Fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of fibre and they are low on calories. A healthy diet should be low in saturated fat because it can increase cholesterol levels, block arteries and lead to heart disease. By reducing consumption of foods such as meat pies, sausages, biscuits, cakes and butter you will be able to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Try and eat more healthy fats from sources such as avocados, nuts and extra virgin olive oil.

Aim to drink 8 glasses of water each day to stay properly hydrated and to ensure the body has all the water it needs to function properly.

Eating healthy does not mean banning all your favourite foods as this will only make you crave them more. Eat everything in moderation and the occasional treat will do you no harm whatsoever.