A healthy balance
Thursday 5 October 2006
We take a look at the Balance of Good Health, which tells us the main five food groups and how much of them we need to eat to stay healthy.
Bread, cereals and potatoes
What are they?
Other cereals means foods such as breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, oats, noodles, maize, millet and cornmeal. This group also includes yams and plantains. Beans and pulses can be eaten as part of this group.
How much should I eat?
You should eat lots of foods from this food group and try to eat wholemeal, wholegrain, brown or high fibre versions where possible.
Try to avoid:
- having them fried too often (e.g. chips)
- adding too much fat (e.g. thickly spread butter, margarine or low fat spread on bread)
- adding rich sauces and dressings (e.g. cream or cheese sauce on pasta)
Fruit and vegetables
What are they?
Fresh, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables and dried fruit. A glass of fruit juice also counts, but only as one portion per day no matter how much you drink. Beans and pulses can be eaten as part of this group.
How much should I eat?
You should eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables and try to eat at least five portions per day.
Try to avoid:
- adding fat or rich sauces to vegetables (e.g. carrots glazed with butter or parsnips roasted in a lot of fat)
- adding sugar or syrupy dressings to fruit (e.g. stewed apple with sugar or chocolate sauce on banana)
Milk and dairy foods
What are they?
Things like milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. This group does not include butter, eggs and cream.
How much should I eat?
You should eat or drink moderate amounts of this food group and choose low fat versions, like semi-skimmed milk or half-fat cheese, when you can.
Meat, fish and vegetarian alternatives
What are they?
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses. Meat includes bacon and salami and meat products such as sausages, beef burgers and pâté. These are all quite high in fat.
Beans, such as canned baked beans and pulses are in this group and they are a good source of protein for vegetarians.
How much should I eat?
Aim to eat at least one portion of oily fish such as sardines and salmon each week. You should eat moderate amounts of meat and fish and choose lower fat versions when you can, for example meat with the fat cut off, fish not in batter or chicken without the skin.
Foods containing fat and/ or sugar
What are they?
Things like margarine or butter, salad dressings, chocolate, crisps, sweets, biscuits, pastries and ice cream.
How much should I eat?
You should eat foods from this group sparingly and look for lower fat or sugar alternatives when you can. Keep what you eat to small amounts. Don't forget: sugary stuff can also lead to tooth decay.
