Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet

Test yourself on Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

The Eatwell Guide

The Eatwell Guide shows how much we should be eating of each food group.

The Eatwell Guide illustrated

Fruit and vegetables

Approximately one-third of total daily food intake.
5 portions recommended per day.
1 portion means:
- 1 medium-sized piece of fruit (e.g. blueberries).
- 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (e.g. broccoli).
- 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (e.g. apricots).
- 150ml or 1 small glass of smoothies/juices.

Proteins

2 portions of fish every week. One should be oily, like mackerel.
Meat-free options include soya beans and quinoa.
Lean meats are better than processed meats.

Carbohydrates

Approximately one-third of total daily food intake.
Good options include high-fibre foods and wholegrain foods that don't contain as much fat, sugar and salt as other foods.
Every meal should ideally contain a starchy food. Examples include wholegrain cereals, porridge, brown rice, couscous etc.

Oils and spreads

Should be unsaturated (e.g. sesame oil).
Should not be used frequently.

Dairy products/alternatives

Low-fat options are better than high-fat options (e.g. 1% fat milk).
Alternatives to dairy include oat milk, almond milk and soya milk.

Other dietary recommendations

Fluids - 6-8 glasses per day.
- Fruit juices - maximum 1 glass.
Sugary, fatty and salty foods should be restricted. We should not have more than 6g of salt per day.

Calories

The recommended daily calorie intake is:
- 2,000kcal for women.
- 2,500kcal for men.

Nutritional Needs of Children

A person's nutritional needs will change with age.

Young children (2-5 years old)

Children should work towards a diet like the one recommended by the Eatwell Guide.
As children have smaller stomachs than adults, they should eat small meals regularly to meet their energy needs.
Young children should drink about 300ml of milk per day to get enough calcium and vitamin A.
It's important that young children try lots of different foods. They should eat cooked, fresh and raw foods.

Children (5-12 years old)

Children of this age need lots of energy and nutrients because they're growing quickly and are very active. They need:
- Protein - for growth and repair. Found in chicken nuggets and scrambled eggs.
- Carbohydrates and fat - starchy carbohydrates and certain fats supply the energy needed for growth and activity. Carbohydrates are found in rice; fat in yoghurt and cashew nuts.
- Calcium and vitamin D - support bone and teeth development. Calcium is found in dairy products and leafy vegetables; vitamin D in oily fish like mackerel.
Sugary foods should only be eaten occasionally.

Teenagers

Teenagers should base their diets on the Eatwell Guide.
Teenagers may experience growth spurts. Girls tend to experience them earlier than boys.
Important nutrients include:
- Protein - needed for growth spurts. Muscular tissue starts to develop at this time, so boys often need more protein than girls. Found in egg-based dishes like poached eggs and lean meats like turkey.

Teenagers (continued)

Iron and vitamin C - most girls start their periods in their teenage years. They lose iron during this time and can become anaemic if they don't replace what's lost.
Vitamin C supports iron absorption.
Iron is found in sardines and lamb.
Vitamin C is found in oranges and broccoli.

Teenagers (continued)

Calcium and vitamin D - support the growth of the skeleton (including reaching prime bone density).
Calcium is found in tofu, milk and soya beans.
Vitamin D is found in some fish, including sardines.
As the teenage years are stressful years, some teengers' eating habits are affected by stress. Stress can cause eating disorders, such as anorexia, and obesity.

Nutritional Needs - Adults

Adults stop growing and developing. This means they should concentrate on keeping up a healthy diet. Adults are advised to stick to the Eatwell Guide.

Adults

Generally, men need more calories than women. This is because they are generally taller, larger and have more lean muscle than women.
Women need iron to replace the iron they lose during their periods.
It's really important that adults get enough calcium and vitamin D to decrease the risk of developing bone diseases with age.
- Women tend to hit menopause in their 40s or 50s and can lose a lot of bone strength afterwards. These nutrients help to maintain a strong skeleton.

Pregnant women

Pregnant women should change their diets to support the growing foetus.
In particular, they should:
- Increase their daily calorie intake by 200 during the final stages of pregnancy.
- Eat more folic acid to decrease the chances of birth defects (e.g. spina bifida).

Elderly adults

As we get older, our muscle gets converted into fat. This means we don't need as much energy.
Elderly adults should try and cut down their saturated fat intake. This will help to lessen the chances of health risks, like heart disease.
A person's sense of smell and taste will change as they age, meaning the types of foods they like will change.

Important nutrients for elderly adults

Calcium and vitamin D - needed to prevent bones from weakening and becoming brittle. These nutrients also lessen the chances of developing bone diseases.
- Calcium is found in soya beans, tofu, leafy vegetables and milk; vitamin D in beef liver and fatty fish.

Important nutrients for elderly adults (continued)

Vitamin B12 - needed to maintain healthy brain activity and avoid memory loss. Found in eggs, beef, chicken, etc.
Fibre - needed to avoid constipation. Constipation becomes more likely as the digestive system gets weaker. Found in wholegrain cereals and potato skins.
Vitamin A - needed to keep up good eyesight. Found in dark green leafy vegetables and carrots.
Vitamin supplements can make up for anything lacking in the diet.