2.3.1

Informed Choices for a Balanced Diet

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The Eatwell Guide

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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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Oils and spreads

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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.

Jump to other topics

1Food Preparation Skills

2Food, Nutrition & Health

3Food Science

4Food Safety

5Food Choice

6Food Provenance

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