Top 5 tips for healthy eating

The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS

1. Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates

Choose higher fibre or wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or potatoes with their skins on. They contain more fibre than white or refined starchy carbohydrates and can help you feel full for longer.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS

2. Eat lots of fruit and veg

It's recommended that you eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day. They can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS

3. Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish

You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned, but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt. Most people should be eating more fish, but there are recommended limits for some types of fish.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS

4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugar

There are 2 main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS

5. Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults

About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in the food when you buy it, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. Use food labels to help you cut down. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt.

HEALTHY DIET TIPS