What Is A Healthy Eating Plan?

Many people arent sure what a healthy eating plan is. This is perhaps not surprising given the huge variety of often conflicting advice on offer.

A healthy eating plan should include the following - 5 A Day

Fruit & Veg

Any good diet should include at least five servings of fruit and veg each day one serving is approximately 80g, thats one medium apple or two medium plums.

Ideally you should be looking to have five different types each day.

This is not as hard as it sounds in addition to fresh fruit and veg, the five a day can include frozen, canned, dried and pure juices. And to make it easier, this group also includes beans, pulses and lentils even the British favourite, baked beans.

Breads, Cereals & Potatoes

Five a day of these too.

This group includes bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, noodles, oats and other cereals. As with fruit and veg, look to eat a variety each day, and watch out for heavily sugared breakfast cereals.

Milk & Dairy

Two to three servings daily. Included in this group are milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais, but not butter, eggs and cream.

Meat & Fish

Two to three servings daily, with lower fat options being better choices. Options include eggs, poultry, and meat, including items such as burgers and fishcakes.

For non-meat eaters, alternatives such as nuts, tofu, mycoprotein, textured vegetable protein (TVP) and kidney beans will help to meet protein needs.

Foods which are high in fat and/or sugar should be eaten in moderation this would include:

• Butter
• Margarine
• Oil
• Mayonnaise
• Cream
• Crisps
• Fried foods
• Soft drinks
• Sweets
• Jam
• Cakes
• Chocolate
• Biscuits
• Pastries
• Ice-cream