Healthy living

The Healthy Living Pyramid should provide you with a simple guide to planning the types of foods you should eat and in what proportions.

It’s pretty simple really – you eat more of the types of foods at the bottom and eat less of the foods at the top. Keep it balanced and try to eat a bit of everything. Just think of it like your dinner plate and how you would fill it. Plant foods and whole grains which are at the bottom on the pyramid should take up most of your plate, with  meat, dairy and eggs in the middle of the pyramid to take up a third of your plate with really limited amounts of your oils, fats,  salt, sugar and junk food!

You also need to drink plenty of water (about 6-8 glasses a day) and do plenty of exercise.

On the bottom – eat the most

This base layer of foods includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, dried peas, beans and lentils, breads and cereals (preferably wholegrain). These foods contain all the good stuff that your body needs to be healthy so it should make up most of the food that we eat.

In the middle – eat moderately

Foods in the middle include fish, lean meat, eggs, chicken (no skin), milk, cheese and yoghurt. Eating meat, fish or eggs and three of dairy foods each day will provide protein, minerals and B vitamins.

At the top – limit your intake

This is your sugars and fats. These foods should be limited because they lack a good supply of the nutrients needed for growth, good health and quick energy.

When choosing fats and oils it is better to choose the ones that have low levels of saturated fat and better levels of omega -3 fats.

Thanks to Nutrition Australia for their helpful tips here – check out their website for more info www.nutritionaustralia.org