Balanced Nutrition – The Facts!
With the massive surge in popularity of ‘fad’ diets, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there was actually something wrong with following a simple healthy diet.
The fact however, remains that good nutrition can be as simple as choosing food in the correct proportions, and often it is merely a matter of getting back to basics, however boring this may appear.
Healthy eating is about achieving a balance with our food. In actual fact, all foods have a place within a healthy balanced diet, and we shouldn’t view foods as good or bad. It is, however, the quantities of particular foods, which will make the difference.
A model I frequently use is the Eatwell Plate. I really like this particular model, as I feel it demonstrates how important variety is in healthy eating!
What is the Eatwell Plate?
It is a food guide showing the proportion and types of foods that are required to make up a healthy balanced diet. It was produced by the Food Standards Agency to show us the recommended balance of foods that we ought to be eating. The model aims to help people understand and enjoy healthy eating.
The Eatwell Plate is based on the five commonly accepted food groups. These are:
- Fruit and vegetables
- Bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta
- Meat, fish, eggs, beans, and other non-dairy sources of protein
- Milk and dairy foods
- Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
Foods from the two largest groups (fruit and vegetables, and bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta) should be eaten most often; foods in the next two largest groups (meat, fish and alternatives, and milk and dairy) should be eaten in moderation; and foods from the smallest group (those containing fat and/or sugar) should be eaten least often.
It is important to remember that you don’t need to achieve this balance at every meal; but it should be achieved daily or even on a weekly basis. Having healthy snacks between meals will also help you to achieve the balance.
You may also be interested in following these links:
- American Food Pyramid – very similar to the Balance of Good Health, however the pictorial format is different.
- Vegetarian Food Pyramid – similar to the other models, however designed for those following a vegetarian diet.
- Vegan Food Pyramid – specifically designed for those who follow a vegan diet.
- Larger version of the Eatwell Plate.
- Nutrition science – you can formally learn about nutrition from online degree programs.
This is the introduction to a series of articles on balanced nutrition.
11811
2075
854
No comments
Balanced Nutrition - The Facts Revealed Part 1 » Dietriffic
04.17.2007
[...] To read the introduction to this series click here. [...]
Balanced Nutrition - The Facts Part 2 » Dietriffic
04.18.2007
[...] you will see from the Balance of Good Health, some of the foods included in this group [...]
Dietriffic » A Look at Portion Sizing
05.07.2007
[...] food serving helps you understand how much food is recommended every day from each of the food groups. In some cases, a food serving may be close to what we eat, such as an apple. In other cases, such [...]
Dietriffic » A Look at Food Serving Size using Everyday Items
05.07.2007
[...] food serving helps you understand how much food is recommended from each of the food groups within the Balance of Good Health, or the Food Pyramid. In some cases, a food serving may be [...]
Dietriffic » A Visual View of Serving Size using Everyday Items
05.07.2007
[...] food serving helps you understand how much food is recommended from each of the food groups within the Balance of Good Health, or the Food Pyramid. In some cases, a food serving may be [...]
Dietriffic » A Wonderful Vegetarian Diet - An Introduction
05.14.2007
[...] and types of foods that are required to make up a healthy balanced diet. It is very similar to the Balance of Good Health, which I have discussed previously. The model aims to help vegetarians understand and enjoy healthy [...]
A Visual View of Serving Size using Everyday Items : Dietriffic
05.17.2007
[...] food serving helps you understand how much food is recommended from each of the food groups within the Balance of Good Health, or the Food Pyramid. In some cases, a food serving may be [...]
Colour Coding - Are you Waiting for Green? : Dietriffic
05.29.2007
[...] for more greens and ambers, and fewer reds. Healthy eating is all about getting the overall balance of our diet [...]
The Superfood Phenomena - Have you Joined the Bandwagon? : Dietriffic
05.30.2007
[...] Firstly, labeling particular items as a ’superfood,’ suggests that the other foods available to us are somehow deficient in their content of nutrients in comparison, this is total rubbish. There are so many foods available to choose from, we shouldn’t underestimate what these can do as part of a balanced diet! [...]
Extremely Nutritious Canned Foods : Dietriffic
06.11.2007
[...] So, why not check out the site, and get started using canned foods as part of your healthy balanced diet. The recipe below has been taken from the Canned Food UK [...]
Why Eat Pumpkin Seeds? : Dietriffic
06.25.2007
[...] particular food, or group of foods. Pumpkin seeds can form a very beneficial part of a balanced healthy diet, however more scientific studies need to be carried [...]
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Eating Out : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
07.04.2007
[...] can I balance out my meal? Remember the basics of healthy eating – largest portion vegetables/salad (50%), then carbohydrate (25%), smallest portion meat (25%). If [...]
MyPyramid Step-by-Step Guide to Good Health : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
07.15.2007
[...] to the Balance of Good Health, MyPyramid is divided into the main food groups, indicating the proportions from each of these [...]
Can the Glycemic Index Help You? : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
07.29.2007
[...] and does vary from person to person. However, using the Glycemic Index in conjunction with a healthy balanced diet can assist your management of diabetes and/or controlling weight. My advice would be to use it [...]
Dietary Advice for Diabetes : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
08.08.2007
[...] can be a pain, and is often difficult to stick with! Please take a look at my five part series on The Balance of Good Health, for tips and advice on achieving a healthy diet. You may also be interested in reading more about [...]
How to Adapt your Recipes to Healthier Options : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
08.15.2007
[...] main thing to consider is the overall balance of your meals, with the emphasis on long term health and weight loss/maintenance. Therefore, [...]
Eating Out with Diabetes : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
08.18.2007
[...] the basics of healthy eating – largest portion vegetables/salad (50%), then carbohydrate (25%), smallest portion meat [...]
Mediterranean Eating in Five Easy Steps : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
08.22.2007
[...] as, wholegrain, wholewheat, oats, barley, rye. You may want to check out part 2 of my series in the Balance of Good Health, for more detailed information on choosing carbohydrate [...]
Balanced Nutrition Series - A Summary : Nutrition and Dietary Advice
08.29.2007
[...] Balanced Nutrition – The Facts! – an introduction to this series, using the ‘Balance of Good Health’ as a model of healthy eating [...]
Recipe Substitutions for Holiday Eating | Nutrition and Dietary Advice
12.13.2007
[...] main thing to consider is the overall balance of your meals, even at Christmas time. This way you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of foods, [...]
Quick Reference Guide to Visualizing Serving Size | BodynSoil
05.17.2011
[...] serving helps you understand how much food is recommended from each of the food groups within the Balance of Good Health, or the Food Pyramid. In some cases, a food serving may be close to what we actually eat, such as [...]
There are no trackbacks to display at this time.