CARBOHYDRATES
Bread, cereals and potatoes
This food group also contains pasta, rice and noodles and is full of starchy carbohydrates - your body's main source of energy.
Apart from potatoes, all the foods listed in this group began life as a grain, such as wheat, rye, corn, rice or barley. Potatoes and grains are very healthy and filling; however, you can be even healthier if you choose unrefined versions of these foods over refined versions.
Refined carbohydrates refers to foods where machinery has been used to remove the high fibre bits (the bran and the germ) from the grain. White rice, white bread, sugary cereals, and pasta and noodles made from white flour are all examples of refined carbohydrates.
These are often confused with refined and unrefined carbohydrates, but the terms simple and complex refer to how complicated the chemical structure of a carbohydrate is rather than to whether it's wholegrain or not. Complex carbohydrates are the most common and there are three kinds:
Glycogen. This is your body's major fuel source and is sometimes referred to as blood sugar. It's formed from glucose, which is found in almost all foods, and is converted into energy.
Starch. This is only found in plants and, contrary to popular belief, isn't fattening (it's the rich sauces, fats and oils often added to pasta, potatoes, rice, noodles and bread that are the culprits!).
FIBRE is an important component of a healthy balanced diet. We get fibre from plant-based foods, but it's not something the body can absorb. This means fibre is not a nutrient and contains no calories or vitamins. If you decide to increase the amount of fibre you eat, try to drink more water too. Your body doesn't digest fibre, so you need the extra water to help it flow through your digestive system with ease. 
- Fibre helps your digestive system to process food and absorb nutrients.
- Fibre lowers blood cholesterol.
- Fibre helps to control blood sugar levels, which in turn controls appetite.
- Insoluble fibre
- Insoluble fibre is found in the following foods:
- beans
- brown rice
- fruits with edible seeds
- lentils
- maize
- oats
- pulses
- wheat bran
- wholegrain breads
- wholegrain cereals
- wholemeal breads
- wholemeal cereals
- wholemeal pasta
- wholewheat flour.
Soluble fibre contains gums and pectin. This type of fibre lowers cholesterol levels and controls blood sugar. It can be found in all fruit and vegetables, but the following are rich sources:
- apples
- barley
- citrus
- guar gum
- legumes
- oats
- pears
- strawberries.
Fibre (non-starch polysaccharide). This is abundant in unrefined carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, and is important because it helps your body to process waste efficiently and helps you to feel fuller for longer.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet.
- One handful of grapes or two handfuls of cherries or berry fruits
- One tablespoon of dried fruit
- A glass (roughly 100ml) of fruit or vegetable juice
- A small tin (roughly 200g) of fruit
- A side salad
- A serving (roughly 100g) of vegetables - eg, frozen or mushy peas, boiled carrots or stir-fried broccoli
- The vegetables served in a portion of vegetable curry, lasagne, stir-fry or casserole
VITAMINS Eating a wide variety of fruit and vegetables means you're more likely to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. But what are vitamins - and why are they so important to your good health? 
- Vitamins are organic substances - this means they're found in plants and animals.
- Most vitamins can't be made by your body, so they must be sourced from your diet. Vitamin D and the B vitamin niacin are exceptions to this.
- Nutritionists have divided vitamins into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble.
- The fat-soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K - are transported through your body by fat. They can also be stored in your fat and liver cells for a limited period of time.
- The water-soluble vitamins - B and C - are absorbed by and transported through your body in water. They need to be eaten every day, as you can't store them for any length of time.
Fat-soluble vitamins
| Vitamin | Why important? | Where found? | Daily Recommendation |
| Vitamin A | It looks after your eyes, the lining of your nose, throat and lungs, and your skin cells. | Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, red chillies, tomatoes, 'orange' fruits, such as apricots and mango, and dark green leafy vegetables. | 600µg for females, 700µg for males. |
| Vitamin D | It helps your body to absorb calcium, needed to ensure strong bones and teeth. | The most important source is the sun, but it's also found in tiny amounts in dairy products, cod liver oil and oily fish. | No recommendation as sunlight is the main source. |
| Vitamin E | It fights free radicals - unbalanced molecules that can cause damage to your cells. It also contributes to the healthy condition of your skin. | Vegetables, poultry, fish, fortified breakfast cereals, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. | Up to 4mg for adult males and up to 3mg for adult females is considered a safe intake. |
| Vitamin K | It helps your body to make a number of proteins, one of which helps your blood to clot. | Dark green leafy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, spinach and asparagus. It's also found in soya oil and margarine. | 1µg for every kg of body weight is considered a safe intake for both men and women. |
Water-soluble vitamins 
| Vitamin | Why important? | Where found? | Daily recommendation |
| B-complex Vitamins | They help you to metabolise your food and help your blood cells to form and flow. | Green vegetables, wholegrains, meat, such as liver, kidneys, pork, beef and lamb, vegetable extracts, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals. | Eight vitamins make up the B-complex family: |
| Vitamin C | It helps your body to produce collagen (important for skin and bone structure) and to absorb iron. | A wide variety of vegetables and fruit, including spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, citrus fruit and potatoes. | 40mg for both adult male and female. |
MINERALS Vitamins aren't the only nutrients to be gained from fruit and vegetables. Minerals also have an important role to play in your good health.
- Minerals are inorganic substances. This means they're found in the rocks and soil.
- Vegetables absorb mineral goodness as they grow, while animals digest it through their diet.
- Like vitamins, minerals can also be divided into two groups - those that are needed in minute quantities and those that are needed in larger quantities.
- Minerals needed in larger amounts - the major minerals - include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus.
- Minerals needed in tiny amounts are called trace minerals. This group includes iron, zinc, iodine, selenium and copper.
Major minerals
| Mineral | Why important? | Where found? | Daily recommendation |
| Calcium | It's essential for healthy bones and teeth. | It's in abundance in milk and dairy products. Very small quantities can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and watercress. | 700mg for males and females. |
| Phosphorous | It contributes to healthy cells, bones and teeth. | You'll find it in milk, cheese, fish, meat and eggs. | 550mg for males and females. |
| Magnesium | It helps your body to use energy and your muscles to function effectively. | Dark green leafy vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli. | 300mg for males and females. |
| Sodium | It helps your body to regulate its water content and your nerves to function effectively. | As table salt, added to food for flavour. | 1,600mg for males and females. |
| Potassium | It helps your cells and body fluids to function properly. | In most foods, apart from fats, oil and sugar. | 3,500mg for males and females. |
Trace minerals
| Mineral | Why important? | Where found? | Daily recommendation |
| Iron | It helps in the formation of red blood cells; deficiency can lead to anaemia. | Red meat, fortified cereals and bread, some fruit and vegetables. | 8.7mg for males. 14.8 for females, but more if you experience a heavy menstrual flow. |
| Zinc | It helps the body to reach sexual maturity and aids the repair of damaged tissue. | Meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs. | 9.5mg for males. 7mg for females. |
| Copper | It helps your body to use iron properly. | Green vegetables and fish. | 1.2mg for both males and females. |
| Selenium | It ensures healthy cells. | Meat, fish, cereals, eggs and cheese. | 75µg for males. 60µg for females. |
| Iodine | It helps to make thyroid hormones, which control metabolic activity. | Seafood and dairy products. | 140µg for both males and females. |
This food group includes poultry, pulses, beans, nuts, seeds, soya products and vegetable protein foods such as quorn and seitan. They're grouped together because they're all rich in protein.
Types of protein
Protein plays an essential role in building and repairing your body. But whether it helps a fingernail to grow or heals a sore muscle, for example, depends on the make-up of the protein.
Proteins consist of smaller units called amino acids, which can link together in many combinations to form chains. Some amino acid chains are created by your body, but those called essential amino acids must come from your diet. Although all animal and plant cells contain some protein, the amount and the quality of the protein varies a lot.
High biological value foods contain enough indispensable amino acids for an adult diet and are considered to be good quality protein. Meat, fish and eggs sit in this category.
Low biological value foods don't contain enough indispensable amino acids. Plant foods, such as pulses, nuts and seeds, are in this group.
Foods such as eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, vegetable protein foods and soya products all contain protein. There are also small amounts in grains and dairy products.
Eggs contain all eight essential amino acids, making them a perfect source of protein.
CALCIUM
Milk and dairy
Calcium is a mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth, and ensures everything runs smoothly with your muscles and nerves. It's especially important for growth. Calcium can continue to add to the strength of your bones until you reach the age of 30 to 35, when peak bone mass is reached.
After this point, as a natural part of the ageing process, your bones lose their density and grow weaker. If you haven't had enough calcium in your diet prior to this, there's an increased risk that your bones won't be strong enough to cope with any weakening, which can result in the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis.
Health professionals estimate that one in three women and one in 12 men over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. There's also concern that the diets of teenage girls and young women, in particular, aren't high enough in calcium. Some experts predict the future could bring an osteoporosis epidemic in women.
Calcium for vegans and the lactose intolerant
Of course, if your diet excludes milk and dairy products or if you can't tolerate the milk sugar lactose, then you need to look for calcium alternatives. You can keep your bones healthy by:
- buying soya milks, yoghurts and cheeses enriched with calcium
- eating lots of dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and watercress
- using almonds or sesame seeds as topping on salads, cereals or desserts
- snacking on dried fruits - apricots, dates and figs all contain small amounts of calcium
- if you're not vegan, adding sardines, prawns or anchovies to a main meal
- Fat transports fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K through your body.
- It cushions your internal organs.
- It makes food taste nicer.
- It can contain essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are thought to have a positive effect on the health of your heart and immune system.
- It's a concentrated source of energy.
It's this last point that has given fat such a bad reputation. Just 1g of fat provides 9 calories - more than double the calories in 1g of protein or carbohydrate. This means if you eat a lot of fatty foods, you're likely to put on weight. However, understanding the difference between unsaturated and saturated fats can help.
Saturated and unsaturated
Fat can be divided into two groups - saturated and unsaturated.
Saturated fat is generally solid at room temperature and is usually from animal sources. It's found in lard, butter, hard margarine, cheese, whole milk and anything that contains these ingredients, such as cakes, chocolate, biscuits, pies and pastries. It's also the white fat you can see on red meat and underneath poultry skin. The less saturated fat you eat, the better - a high intake has been linked with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Unsaturated fat is usually liquid at room temperature and generally comes from vegetable sources. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are both included in this group. Unsaturated fat is a healthier alternative to saturated fat and can be found in vegetable oils such as sesame, sunflower, soya and olive; oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines, pilchards and salmon; and soft margarine.
Sugary foods
Like fat, sugar is a concentrated source of energy and also has a bad reputation. The psychological benefits of eating foods such as jam, sweets, cakes, chocolate, soft drinks, biscuits and ice cream are fairly obvious. They taste lovely and feel like a special treat. However, it's important to keep them as just that - an occasional, special treat. Why? Because...
- Sugary foods often go hand in hand with fatty foods. Think cakes, biscuits, chocolate and pies.
- Sugar interacts with the plaque on your teeth and has been proven to cause tooth decay.
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