Meal Provision in the UK in Cornwall in Devon in Dorset in Somerset

Eat Well, Live Well

These practical tips can help you make healthier choices. The two keys to a healthy diet are eating the right amount of food for how active you are and eating a range of foods to make sure you’re getting a balanced diet.

1. Base your meals on starchy foods – Starchy foods should make up about a third of the food we eat. They are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet. As well as starch, these foods contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.
2. Eat lots of fruit and veg – Try to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. It might be easier than you think. You can choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced, but remember potatoes count as a starchy food, not as portions of fruit and veg.
3. Eat more fish – Most of us should be eating more fish - including a portion of oily fish each week. It’s an excellent source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim for at least two portions of fish a week, including a portion of oily fish. You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned - but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt.
4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar – we need some fat in our diets. What is important is the kind of fat we are eating. Try to cut down on food that is high in saturated fat and have foods that are rich in unsaturated fat instead, such as vegetable oils, oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds.
5. Try to eat less salt – no more than 6g a day. Remember to check the label to find out the figure for salt per 100g. High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium) Low is 0.3g salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)
6. Get active and try to be a healthy weight –It’s not a good idea to be either underweight or overweight. If you’re worried about your weight, ask your GP or a dietitian for advice.
7. Drink plenty of water – We should be drinking about 6 to 8 glasses (1.2 litres) of water, or other fluids, every day to stop us getting dehydrated.            
8. Alcohol – Alcohol is also high in calories, so cutting down could help you control your weight. Women can drink up to 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day and men up to 3 to 4 units a day, without significant risk to their health.
9. Don’t skip breakfast – Breakfast can help give us the energy we need to face the day, as well as some of the vitamins and minerals we need for good health. Missing meals doesn’t help us lose weight and it isn’t good for us, because we can miss out on essential nutrients.
   

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