Eating a balanced diet

The key to good health is a balanced diet...but it can sometimes be hard to stick to!

Day to day
To get a balanced diet, you need to eat the following every day:
-5 portions of fruit and vegetables (about 400 to 600g) in any form (fresh, cooked, juiced, puréed)
-3 portions of dairy produce (cheese, milk, yoghurts)
-1-2 pieces of fish, meat or eggs
-1-2 tablespoons or knobs of fat (oil, butter)
-3 portions of bread

According to the above, the ideal meal consists of 1 raw vegetable and/or 1 cooked vegetable, 1 source of protein (meat, fish or egg), 1 portion of bread, 1 portion of dairy, and 1 fresh or cooked piece of fruit.
To make sure you get the right vitamins and minerals, it’s important to vary the foods you eat and to limit your intake of processed foods, which are low in nutritional value but high in fat and hidden sugar.

Macronutrients

	Roles	Requirements	Sources
Protein 1g = 3 Kcal	The body's building blocks. Helps organs and muscles to function and develop	1g per kilo of body weight every day (e.g. 60g if you weigh 60kg). 15% of energy intake	Meat, fish, eggs, dairy produce (animal protein), cereals, nuts and seeds (vegetable protein)
Carbohydrate 1g = 4 Kcal	Provides the fuel that muscles and organs (including the brain) need to function	Around 55% of energy intake, preferably as starch	Cereals, nuts and seeds, starchy foods, dairy produce (except cheese), fruits, confectionery
Fat 1g = 3 Kcal	Makes up cells' energy reserves and protects the vital organs	Around 30% of energy intake, preferebly in the form of unsaturated fat	Butter, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, oils, margarine, oil-producing fruits and lots of manufactured foods

Micronutrients
-Vitamins

Vitamin	Roles	Daily requirements	Sources
B1	metabolism of carbohydrate, function of the nervous and muscular system	1.1 mg	Whole grains, meat, fish, pulses
B2	metabolism of protein, fat and carbohydrate	1.5 mg	Dairy produce
B3	energy production, growth, hormones	11 mg	Meat, fish, grains and cereals
B5	upkeep of mucous membranes, skin and hair	5 mg	Meat, fish, eggs
B6	metabolism of amino acids and proteins	3.5 mg	Meat, fish, eggs
B8	growth, metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat	50 mg	Liver, egg yolk
B9	growth, nervous system, bone marrow, red blood cells	300 µg	Leafy vegetables
B12	red blood cells, growth	2.4 µg	Animal products
C	tissue repair, immune system, fighting free radicals	110 mg	Fresh fruits and vegetables
A	vision, growth, detoxification, skin	600 µg	Dairy produce, eggs, coloured vegetables
D	calcification	5 µg	Oily fish, egg yolk, liver
E	protection against harmful substances	12 µg	Oils, margarine, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
K	blood coagulation	45 µg	Spinach, cauliflower, parsley

-Minerals

Minerals	Roles	Daily requirements	Sources
Calcium	builds and maintains bones and teeth	900 mg	Dairy produce, nuts, seeds and dried fruit
Iron	makes haemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the blood	16 mg	Meat, eggs, pulses, chocolate
Fluorine	strengthens teeth and bones	2 mg	Seafood, vegetables and dried fruit
Iodine	thyroid function	150 µg	Sea salt, seafood
Potassium	maintains the body's water balance	50 mg	Fruit and vegetables
Sodium	maintains the body's water balance	1 to 1.5 g	Salt
Magnesium	muscular contraction, mood improvement	360 mg	Dried fruit, chocolate, mineral water, whole grains and cereals
Phosphorus	bone formation, functioning of nerve cells	750 mg	Dairy produce, fish, meat

Fibre
Also known as roughage, fibre is made up of non-digestible plant components. It’s found in both the walls of vegetable cells (cellulose, pectin) and inside vegetable cells (gum, mucilage). Fibre slows down the emptying of the stomach after a meal, giving you a full feeling. It slows down carbohydrate absorption in the stomach, regulates the passage of food through the intestines and helps prevent constipation. It also reduces cholesterol and the risk of colon cancer.
You need 25 to 30g per day and you can get it from fresh and dried fruit, vegetables, grains and cereals (especially wholegrain).