Ballyfree

It is important that you give your body all the goodness it needs to stay fit and healthy. The 3 key elements to any healthy eating plan are:

Balance

This involves including different foods in the proportions known to promote health. This is achieved by following the Food Pyramid guide.

Moderation

Moderation involves learning and becoming more aware of appropriate portion sizes and how much food is enough for weight control and health.

Variety

Including a wide variety of foods increases the likelihood of getting all the essential nutrients for health.

The eight key guidelines for a healthy diet encompass moderation, balance and variety. They are:

  • 1. Enjoy your food
  • 2. Eat a variety of different foods
  • 3. Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight
  • 4. Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre
  • 5. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
  • 6. Don't eat too many foods that contain a lot of fat
  • 7. Don't have sugary foods and drinks too often
  • 8. If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly.

In addition, it advises us to eat fish at least twice a week, and make one portion an oily fish (such as mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, pilchards) for the heart healthy omega-3 fats it contains.