What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is consuming the correct proportions of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients to maintain optimal health and help your body to function correctly.

To ensure your body is getting the nutrient it needs, most of your daily calories should be coming from non-processed whole foods such as:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables

• Wholegrains
  

• Legumes

• Nuts and healthy fats

• Lean proteins

According to the EatWell Guide, 1/3 of our diet should be made up of fruits and vegetables, another 1/3 of starchy carbohydrates (such as potatoes, bread and pasta), and the other third should be made up of protein and dairy foods, with a small percentage coming from fats (found in oils and butter).

To ensure your body is getting all of the essential nutrients it needs, try to aim to have at least three balanced meals a day (basing each meal on a starchy carbohydrate such as wholegrain bread, pasta or rice, and ensuring you have a combination of different fruits and vegetables and a portion of protein with each meal).

Try to snack on fruits, nuts or dairy products and reduce your consumption of:

• Crisps (These are high in fat and sodium and have very little nutritional value)

• Cakes and cookies (Also very high in fat and sugar)

• Fruit juices and fizzy drinks (High in sugar)

• Takeaways (These are high in saturated fats and sodium)

• Chips and fries (High in fat and energy)

• Alcohol

• Red and processed meats
  

Why is getting a balanced diet so important?

Our body's are like machines, if they're not given the right fuel they can't function properly. An inadequate diet can lead to health problems such as heart disease, infections, organ damage, fatigue and even brain damage.

Here are some examples of foods and their nutrient importance:

• Spinach - source of iron and vitamin A (important for energy, performance and the immune system)

• Salmon - source of vitamin B12 and omega 3 fatty acids (important for brain function and heart health)

• Apples - source of antioxidants and vitamin C (immune function and lowers risk of cancer)

• Greek yoghurt - source of calcium and healthy bacteria (important for bone health and the gut microbiome)

• Eggs - source of folate, vitamin D, E and B12 (important for brain function, bone and muscle health)