Healthy Lifestyle

What is a healthy diet?

Eating a healthy diet is all about getting the right balance to provide you with all the nutrients and energy your body needs. The Eat Well Plate below shows you the proportion each food group should be contributing to your diet.

For most people this means eating a variety of foods from the following:

  • Bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, pasta and other starchy foods
    Try to eat plenty of these foods a day (between 6 and 11 servings) as are they are our main source of carbohydrates- the bodies primary source of energy. Go for wholegrain rather than refined foods as they release energy more slowly, so they make us feel fuller for longer!
  • Fruit & veg
    Your diet should have plenty of fruits and vegetables so aim for at least 5 portions a day (5x80g) a day and don’t forget to eat a rainbow of colour to ensure you get a variety of vitamins and minerals and other nutrients
  • Meat, fish, poultry, eggs & pulses
    Aim for 2 to 3 servings of these daily as these foods provide protein in our diet. Lean red meat is a good source of minerals such as iron and zinc. Try to eat at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily - oily fish (eg salmon or mackerel) are rich in healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. Beans and lentils are low in fat and contain fibre, iron and B vitamins.
  • Milk & dairy
    You need 2 to 4 servings a day – and remember reduced fat options are healthier for you as they're lower in saturated fats. They are a good source of protein, minerals such as calcium and zinc and vitamins including riboflavin and vitamin B12.
  • Treats!
    Treats can be included as part of a healthy diet, but try and keep these to one or two small servings a day as these foods are high in calories. It is best to allow an occasional treat as if you deny yourself of your favourite foods you are likely to over indulge.


    Why is it important to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle?

    Research shows that some cancers, heart disease, strokes, diabetes and gut diseases are all influenced by diet. So eating a healthy balanced diet can help protect you against disease (don’t forget that smoking and other lifestyle factors such as exercise play a part too). To find out more download our Healthy Lifestyle Factsheet

    8 easy steps to kick start you on your way to a healthy lifestyle

    1. Start your day with breakfast- Evidence also shows that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight as it helps to keep you full and energised through the morning and it also provides you with essential nutrients.

    2. Base your meals around starchy carbohydrates- at least one third of your diet should be made of starchy carbohydrates

    3. Eat more fruits and vegetables- try and eat at least 5 a day

    4. Eat more oily fish- they are rich in essential fatty acids omega 3

    5. Drink plenty of fluids- try to drink about 6 to 8 glasses (1.2 litres) of water, or other fluids such as tea every day to prevent dehydration.

    6. Reduce the amount of salt in your diet- no more than 6g a day

    7. Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet- no more than 20g a day. Always trim excess fat and skin off meat and poultry, and cut down on cakes, pies, cream, hard cheese, crisps and butter.

    8. Keep active and remain a healthy weight- try to exercise for at least 30 minutes  5 days a week

    Need a bit of help to get going on a balanced diet? Why not try our 7 day menu planner which will help you to kick start your healthy lifestyle!


    • How we can help...

    We all know that we should follow a healthy diet but it’s not always obvious what’s good for you and what isn’t. So we’ve worked it out for you, by applying the eat well sunflower to foods that are the healthier choice.

    We now have a large number of foods labelled with the eat well sunflower across our ranges, which makes shopping for a healthy diet for the family a whole lot easier! Click here to find out more.
    Eat Well