What is a balanced diet?
Child or adult, sporty or not, healthy eating is for everyone. Choosing the right balance of foods is essential in keeping ourselves healthy.
Healthy eating is all a question of balance – enjoying a variety of delicious foods, so you get all the key nutrients you need, while eating these in the right amounts to match how active we are each day. No single food or drink can provide all the nutrients for a healthy body, which is why we need to eat a balanced diet containing a variety of foods. Healthy eating doesn’t mean avoiding your favourite foods; it’s about striking a healthy balance. If you choose treats at one meal or snack then look for healthier choices at the next.
Drinks are also important to provide fluid, vital to our body's health. Around two thirds of our bodies are actually water and our level of hydration fluctuates constantly. Water plays a vital role in how well our body functions, particularly the brain and control of body temperature. Even slight dehydration can affect both your mental and physical performance. We get water from both the fluids we drink and the foods we eat, with around one fifth of our daily water coming from foods and the remainder from the fluids that we drink.
Try to keep active in your daily life too. You don’t have to join a gym – exercise can include dancing, gardening, cycling, playing with the children and even housework! Walk whenever you have the chance, it’s free and if you head off with a friend it gives you an ideal chance to catch up too.
As well as choosing a wide range of foods, it’s important to think of the amount of food we are eating.
The Eat Well Plate
