Go for a rainbow of colours to get as wide a range of vitamins and minerals as possible. Try to avoid fruit juices and smoothies as they don’t have as much fibre. That’s why a healthy diet is all about variety and choosing different foods from each of themain food groupsevery day.

This could be meat like fresh chicken, or pulses, such as lentils and beans, or fish. Eating processed and red meat can increase the risk of bowel cancer, so try to limit how often you eat these. If you’re trying to lose weight, aim to eat less and be more active. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy weight. Ultra-processed foods are ‘formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, typically created by a series of industrial techniques and processes’.

A healthy diet is one way you can improve your mental health. Other things include stayingphysically active, spending time in nature, avoidingcigarettesand alcohol and developing good sleep habits. Our guide on How to look after your mental health has more ideas. Saturated fats are generally solid at room temperature and these are the fats that will have a negative impact on our health.

Vitamins For Older People

Eating well is important in maintaining a healthy weight. Physical activity can also help you to maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can lead to health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. Fruit and vegetables should be over one third of the food you eat every day.

• Beans, peas and lentils are alternatives to meat because these foods are lower in fat and higher in fibre and protein.
• However, you can fry and roast using small amounts of healthier fats such as olive and rapeseed oil.
• Eating a healthy diet that includes lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and a moderate amount of unsaturated fats, meat and dairy can help you maintain a steady weight.

Occasional foods are things that we can eat every now and then but shouldn’t make up a big part of our diet every day. These foods might be slightly different for everyone but are things like cake, chocolate, biscuits and crisps. Being overweight or obese can lead to health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and stroke.

How Are Diet And Mental Health Linked?

The NHS advises if you are eating more than 90g a day you should cut back to 70g. An unhealthy diet, on the other hand, is one that increases the risks of developing poor health. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories and could contribute to weight gain.

Healthy Recipes

Want to cook delicious, healthy meals for you and your family? Our nutritionally-balanced range of recipes offer low-calorie, high-protein, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and low-fat options that are excellent value for money. All non-alcoholic drinks count, but water, lower fat milk and lower sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, are healthier choices. As well as eating healthily, regular exercise may help reduce your risk of getting serious health conditions.

Remember, small changes over time add up to big results in the long run so if you’re new to improving your diet, perhaps change one or two things and see how you feel. Retake the Nutrition Check once you’ve made the changes to see how your Wellness Score in your app is affected. Omega-3 fatty acids are needed for the correct functioning of our cell membranes. They are important for brain, eye, and heart health – especially during pregnancy and infancy.