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Balance Diet

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Balance Diet

For most of the population, the current dietary recommendations in terms of nutrient intake mean very little. It is necessary to translate this advice into practical, achievable guidelines which take account of actual foods eaten. For many people, achieving a balanced diet in practice will mean:

Eating more starchy foods such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta. These are already popular foods and increased consumption will help to reduce the amount of fat and increase the amount of fibre in the diet. Adding fat to these foods should be avoided or kept to a minimum. Changing the balance of foods eaten will help. An example of this is making sandwiches with thicker slices of bread, less filling and less spread, or having more rice or pasta with less sauce.

Eating more fruit and vegetables. It has been suggested that individuals aim for at least five portions a day (excluding potatoes). Most fruit and vegetables are low in fat (unless coated with butter or cream or roasted), so eating these foods instead of foods higher in fat can help to reduce total fat intake. It will also increase intakes of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Some of the vitamins are antioxidants, eg vitamin C and carotenes. Fruit (not covered with cream, sugar or in syrup) and vegetables (not roasted or coated with butter) are low in energy so can be useful in slimming diets.

Choosing leaner cuts of meat and lower fat versions of commonly eaten foods such as dairy products. This will help to reduce the amount of fat, particularly saturated fat, in many people’s diets. Trimming meat, choosing cooking methods which do not require added fat (eg grilling) and eating smaller portions of high fat foods can all be helpful.

Please refer to the Five Food Groups Guidelines.

Taken from the British Nutrition Guide.

Bread, other cereals and potatoes

Fruit and vegetables

Milk and dairy foods

Meat, fish and alternatives

Foods containing fat, foods

containing sugar

What’s included

Other cereals means things like breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, oats, noodles, maize, millet and cornmeal.

Fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables and dried fruit. A glass of fruit juice can also contribute.

Beans and pulses can be eaten as part of this group.

Milk, cheese, yogurt and fromage frais.

This group does not include butter, eggs and cream.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses.

Meat includes bacon and salami and meat products such as sausages, beefburgers and paté. These are all relatively high fat choices. Beans, such as canned baked beans, and pulses are in this group.

Fish includes frozen and canned fish such as sardines and tuna, fish fingers and fish cakes.

Foods containing fat: Margarine, butter, other spreading fats and low fat spreads, cooking oils, oil-based salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastries, cake, puddings, ice-cream, rich sauces and gravies.

Foods containing sugar: Soft drinks, sweets, jam and sugar as well as foods such as cake, puddings, biscuits, pastries and ice-cream.