There is no one way to achieve a healthy, balanced diet; it has to reflect your body’s energy needs and your lifestyle, beliefs, and preferences. The “balanced plate” concept is a useful guide to the types and proportions of foods we should try to consume at meal times; apply it when shopping, cooking, or eating out, to help you eat a varied, nutritious range of food.

It isn’t essential to achieve the balance of food groups outlined here at every meal; just aim for it over the course of your day or week. A healthy adult’s diet should contain carbohydrates, protein, and fat – in five key food groups. Hydration is also important; it helps you absorb nutrients and feel full.

WHAT’S ON A BALANCED PLATE?

• Starchy carbohydrates like rice, pasta, potatoes, spelt, and barley should form the base of the meal and about one-third of your daily intake. Choose higher-fibre wholegrain versions of these foods wherever possible, with reduced or no salt or sugar.

• Vegetables and fruit are just as important, if not more so; aim to eat at least five portions every day and exceed this wherever possible. Try to eat as wide a range as you can – this can include fresh, frozen, dried, and canned (in water or juice without salt or sugar). Include a higher ratio of vegetables to fruit and regularly change your combinations.

• Protein-rich foods include pulses (such as kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas), quinoa, soya bean products like tofu and tempeh, nuts, eggs, fish, and meat. It’s best to limit the amount of red and processed meat.

• Dairy is a good source of many nutrients including calcium and phosphorus; it includes hard and soft cheese, yogurt, and cow’s milk.

• Unsaturated oils and fats like olive oil or rapeseed oil should be used in small amounts for cooking or to enhance flavour.

A good day’s eating

Try to eat a range of foods from these groups daily, and a small amount of high-fat, sugar, or salt foods only occasionally. Portion amounts shown here are based on an average woman, so they can vary; use your hands as a rough guide.

1 PORTION = 1 handful/80g/3–4 heaped dessertspoons cooked spinach/green beans = 1 medium tomato = 1 medium apple/orange/banana = 150ml of fruit juice (maximum per day)

1 PORTION = 2 handfuls dried rice/pasta/couscous (less for 4 portions) = 1 fist-sized baked potato = 2 slices bread

1 PORTION = half a handful salmon/chicken/steak = 120g cooked beans/lentils = 20g/palm-sized nuts or seeds = 80g tofu

1 PORTION = 30g/2 thumbs cheese = 200ml semi-skimmed cow’s milk or unsweetened dairy alternative (125ml on cereal) = 120g low-fat yogurt

= 1 dessertspoon (10ml) to cook a meal

124 sats \ 6 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Feb

If calories are not scarce, I don't think any emphasis should be given to eating starchy carbohydrates. They tend to be much less nutrient rich than other foods.

When eating lots of fresh produce, it's not very important to hydrate, either, since those foods are very water rich.

I'd also say that there's really no need to limit fat or salt intake, as long as they're healthy sources, like olive oil and unrefined sea salt.

23 sats \ 5 replies \ @NovaRift OP 13 Feb

Your first and third points are great and correct, but for the second one,

I think we should still drink water as usual since it's not enough to keep the body fully hydrated. We even lose water constantly, even by just breathing

24 sats \ 4 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Feb

Agree to disagree, then.

Hydration is very overrated, unless you're engaged in strenuous activity or otherwise losing tons of water through sweat (saunas/hot tubs). Under normal conditions, our bodies can produce sufficient water endogenously, by metabolizing body fat and dead cells.

32 sats \ 3 replies \ @NovaRift OP 13 Feb

Interesting take, thanks!

33 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 13 Feb

I have heard that sources of protein matter: animal vs plant

Animal protein has more efficacy than plant protein

9 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Feb

I think that may be true for peak performance, but there are other tradeoffs. I've noticed many older athletes adopting plant based diets for longevity reasons.

For ordinary health purposes, I don't think anyone who's eating a whole food type diet will be struggling for protein, as long they're eating some beans/nuts/seeds/eggs/dairy/meat/etc.

reply on another page

24 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 13 Feb

Since you have such an interest in health science, I suggest looking into "endogenous water".