The Eatwell Plate

healthyfutures.nhs.uk/llb A balanced diet is important Comparing what you have eaten in Yellow Group for good health. It can help you the last few days with The Eatwell to manage your weight and Plate groups and proportions should Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta increase your wellbeing, whilst help you to decide how balanced your and other starchy foods also reducing the risk of heart current diet is. disease, stroke, diabetes and Foods in this group include bread, some cancers. breakfast cereals, pasta, rice, oats, Eating Well for Weight Loss noodles, couscous, potatoes, sweet This leaflet will introduce you to The potatoes, yam and barley. Starchy Eatwell Plate, which can help you To lose weight you will need to foods are naturally low in fat. to understand what a balanced diet consider the amount of food you are Weight Loss Tips looks like and how to introduce it into eating and the types of foods you Try to include at least one food from your meals. choose to eat. Most food and many this group at each meal. Wholegrain drinks give us energy in the form of varieties contain fibre, which we digest Are your portion sizes of starchy The Eatwell Plate consists of five food calories. The key to weight loss is to more slowly helping us feel fuller for food too large? If you think your groups and shows the different types take in less energy/calories from your longer. portion size is wrong try and of food we need to eat for health food than you are using each day in begin cutting down, starting and wellbeing, and the portion size activity and to maintain your body. Here are some of our with a reduction of one third to of each food group we should be recommended choices: start with. incorporating into our daily diet. If you’re adding fats to your • Wholemeal and wholegrain breads starchy foods before or after The eatwell plate • Wholemeal pasta cooking them, you will be • Brown rice increasing the calories within your Use the eatwell plate to help you get the balance right. It shows how • Wholegrain breakfast cereal much of what you eat should come from each food group. meal e.g. butter on bread and • Oats potatoes, fried rice, chips and Bread, rice, Fruit and potatoes, pasta Yorkshire puddings. Try to keep vegetables and other starchy foods this to a minimum. Speciality breads such as croissants and cheesy breads can be higher in fat. Choose savoury crackers carefully as many of these are high in fat.

Meat, fish, Milk and eggs, beans dairy foods and other non-dairy sources of protein Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar Crown copyright 2013 © 2 Public Health England in association with the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland 3 Green Group Pink Group

Fruit and vegetables Meat, fish, eggs and beans (and other non dairy sources of protein) Fruit and vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet and with so much You should include a food from this colour and variety you never need to group in at least two meals each day. get bored. Fruit and vegetables should make up at least one third of the foods Foods include we eat each day. • Fresh meats, fish and eggs Weight Loss Tips Try choosing leaner cuts of meat Fruit and vegetables are low in fat • Processed varieties of meats and and cut off any excess fat and and packed full of nutrients which fish including bacon, sausages and While dried fruits like apricots skin. Watch out for meat and help our bodies to function and they fish fingers and raisins count towards your 5 fish products in pastry, batter or also protect us against a range of • Vegetarian sources of protein a day, once fruit has been dried breadcrumbs as these all tend to diseases. Fresh, frozen, dried and come from foods such as nuts, it also becomes a concentrated be high fat options. canned varieties all count towards your source of sugar and calories so try tofu, Quorn, beans and pulses (red daily intake. You’ve probably heard to stick to one portion a day. kidney beans, lentils, baked and Avoid frying your foods and about the ‘5 a day’ guidance which butter beans) instead try grilling, baking, boiling, is the minimum amount of fruit and Avoid butter, cream and cheese steaming or poaching. vegetables we should be enjoying sauces. Fruit and vegetables each day. are low in calories but this will Eating beans and lentils in the be increased if you use butter, place of meat or adding to a Here are some handy examples of cream or sauces which are high in dish can help you to reduce what one portion looks like: fat. They may be low in calories your calorie and fat intake as but as soon as you add extra they are lower in fat than many Weight Loss Tips A medium apple, orange, pear or elements you could lose some of meat options. banana / A dessert bowl of mixed the benefits. Think about your portion size. Try to eat two portions of fish salad or vegetables / Two satsumas, Limit the amount of fruit juice Many of us eat much more of each week and make one of plums or similar sized fruit / One these foods than we need for your portions an oily fish such as handful of cherries, grapes or berries or smoothies you drink to one small glass a day. These can be a health. salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines / Three heaped tablespoons of or fresh tuna. vegetables / A small glass of fruit juice concentrated source of calories Meat can be high in fat and / Three tablespoons of fruit salad or and it can be easy to drink a lot. processed meats such as bacon, stewed fruit / One tablespoon of sausages, burgers, pies and salami dried fruit should only be eaten occasionally.

4 5 Blue Group Purple Group

Milk and Dairy Foods High fat, sugary foods

Foods within this group include milk, These sorts of foods give us a lot of cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. calories from fat and/or sugar but not a Butter, eggs and cream are not in- lot of other nutrients – most of us need cluded in this group. These foods help to eat less of these sorts of foods. to provide us with calcium, which we need to build and maintain our bones. Foods which are high in fat include: Margarine, butter, spreads, Weight Loss Tips Weight Loss Tips These sorts of food can be high cooking oils, mayonnaise, salad in fat but you can get all the calcium dressings and cream. Use cooking oils, margarine, you need from three servings per day. Choose low fat versions when butter and low fat spread you can such as skimmed, 1% Other high fat foods include: sparingly. A serving equals: or semi-skimmed milk; low fat or Chips, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, cakes, natural yoghurt; cottage cheese puddings, ice cream, pastry, rich sauces and reduced fat hard cheese. Try to think of foods like cakes, • 200mls or 1/3 pint milk and gravy. biscuits, crisps and pudding as • A small pot of yoghurt or Portion sizes of cheese are often too big. Try using stronger tasting occasional treats rather than fromage frais Examples of high sugar everyday items. • A matchbox size piece of cheese cheese in a smaller portion or foods include: (30g or 1oz) grate cheese to make it go further. Non-diet soft drinks, sweets, jam, Avoid sugary, fizzy drinks and • A small pot of cottage cheese honey, sugar, cakes, biscuits, puddings, juices. Also try to reduce the Trade in your cream or crème ice cream and pastries. amount of sugar you add to your fraiche toppings for a healthier hot drinks and breakfast cereal. alternative of yoghurt or fromage frais. Compare the labels on food and choose ones that have less sugar and/or fat.

6 7 Some More Little Ways to Eatwell

• Compare the way you eat to The • Drink plenty of low sugar fluids. Eatwell Plate – are you getting the Water, no-added sugar squashes, balance right? tea or coffee with low fat milk are all good options and if you can’t • Eat regular meals and always have resist fizzy drinks choose a diet breakfast. Planning ahead will help option. you choose healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. • Only eat as much food as you need, take a look at our Hunger Scale • Include one food from the yellow leaflet for more advice on how to section of The Eatwell Plate at recognise when you’re full. each meal. • Eating from smaller plates and • Enjoy the wide variety of fruit and bowls can help you control your vegetables on offer to fill your plate portion size. Use a dinner plate that with nutrients and colour. is 10 inches or 25cms across and a shallow dessert/cereal bowl that is 6 • Reduce your fats and sugars to help inches or 16cms across. you on your weight loss journey.

• Too much salt can raise your blood pressure. Cut down by adding less to food and having high salt foods like cheese, processed meat, ready meals and crisps less often.

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