How to eat a healthy balanced diet

What is a balanced diet?

We often hear the terms “balance” and “moderation” when discussing healthy eating, yet many of us struggle to find that sweet spot.

A healthy balanced diet is one that includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods in the right proportions, providing the body with essential macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals to support overall health, energy, and wellbeing. It emphasises moderation, variety and portion control to maintain long-term health and prevent disease.

What are macro and micronutrients?

When it comes to eating healthy, understanding the role of nutrients in our diet can help us make informed choices about what we put on our plates.

There are different categories of macronutrients. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and are the building blocks of our diet. They provide us with the energy to fuel our daily activities, support growth, and keep our bodies functioning properly.

Lauren Hewitt, a Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, explains: “Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body and are most associated with foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, and cereal. But they are also found in other foods such as fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened foods and drinks such as cookies and fizzy drinks. There are two types of carbohydrates – simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates generally include refined, ‘white’ food like white bread, pasta and rice; these break down quickly into energy. Complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your intake as they release energy more slowly and these include wholegrains like brown rice and wholewheat bread, beans, lentils and vegetables.

“Fats are the body’s second source of energy, and these are used up when we have depleted our carbohydrate stores or when we are consuming a very low-carbohydrate diet. Consuming fat is essential, without fats you wouldn’t be able to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, which are fat soluble and can only be digested when there is fat present. Fats also provide essential fatty acids that the body can’t make itself; these help your body to regulate the immune and central nervous systems as well as help with skin health, brain function and heart health. Choose heart-healthy fat sources such as those coming from nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocados and olive oil.

Lauren continues: “Protein is the body’s last resort for energy, used when carbohydrate and fat stores are depleted. While it’s best known for helping repair and rebuild muscle after exercise, it also supports overall health. Protein is essential for the growth and maintenance of tissues, keeping bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin strong and healthy. It supports the immune system by forming antibodies to fight infections and helps keep you feeling fuller for longer. Healthy, high-protein foods include lean meats, fish, eggs and reduced-fat dairy. We can also obtain protein from plant-based sources like chickpeas, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. It’s a good idea to include both animal and plant-based options.”

Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals and are needed in smaller amounts than macronutrients, but they are just as important for maintaining overall health, supporting immune function, bone health, energy production, cognitive health and much more. The key to ensuring we consume enough micronutrients is to eat a variety of foods.

How can you achieve a balanced diet?

Eating a varied diet full of different colours can ensure nutrient diversity. Try to include all the colours of the rainbow over the course of each week.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, said: “It’s important to understand that we don’t need to cut entire food groups from our diet to eat well and be healthy. All foods can be enjoyed in appropriate amounts, and we should avoid extreme diets that vilify certain foods or whole food groups.

“Eating healthily doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the foods you enjoy, it just means that you should aim to eat everything in moderation.

“By swapping some of your unhealthier choices for healthier ones, you can still enjoy tasty food and keep your heart healthy. You should start by making one or two swaps, and once these become part of your routine then add in a few more. By doing this gradually, you’re more likely to stick to it, form a new healthy eating habit, and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle goals.”

You can swap to lower sugar versions of your sauces to get started, or you can swap from white bread, pasta, cereal, and rice to wholegrain varieties. Take a look at our Healthy Food Swap Cards for some inspiration.

Even if the food we are eating is healthy, we can still eat too much. We’ve created a handy Portion Size Guide to help you understand what healthy portion sizes look like.

Mindful Eating follows on nicely from the one above. Slowing down and paying attention to our hunger cues can help us avoid overeating and make better food choices.

What does a healthy meal look like?

Building a healthy plate is a simple way to ensure you’re getting the right balance of nutrients. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

• Fill half your plate with vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts and mushrooms.
• Fill a quarter of your plate with healthy proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, tofu and legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans.
• Fill a quarter of your plate with wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown or wild rice, wholewheat pasta, quinoa and buckwheat and/or starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, sweetcorn, peas, butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, beets and parsnips.
• Include a small portion of healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, or nuts.

Achieving a balanced diet is a gradual process and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Experiment with different foods to see what works best for your lifestyle, and remember that small, consistent changes lead to lasting results.