Healthy Eating

Following a healthy, balanced diet helps make sure that our bodies get all the nutrients needed to work well and feel good, by giving us enough energy and nutrients to keep our bodies working, allowing growth and repair of our body tissue and by giving us the best protection against the risk of disease by keeping our immune systems working.

In the UK, our healthy eating model is called the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions that each of the food groups should make up in our diet and is designed to apply to most of us, whether we are a healthy weight or overweight, whether we eat meat or are a vegetarian, and no matter what our ethnic origin. The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under 2 years old as their dietary needs are different. You can use the Eatwell Guide when shopping, planning meals, cooking or eating out.

Remember: Healthy eating is about progress, not perfection. Small steps can make a big difference.

There is also a Scottish Eatwell Guide, which uses the same concept as the standard Eatwell Guide but reflects foods grown and produced in Scotland. While the proportions of food groups and healthy eating messages remain the same, examples include Scottish fruits and vegetables, oats, barley, venison, and crowdie cheese. It helps show how local, nutritious foods fit into a balanced diet.

The links below provide more information on different topics -