Despite what you see in some diet books and TV programmes, healthy eating can be really straightforward.
A diet based on starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, rice and pasta; with plenty of fruit and vegetables; some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and lentils; some milk and dairy foods; and not too much fat, salt or sugar, will give you all the nutrients you need.
When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Most adults in England are overweight or obese. That means many of us are eating more than we need, and should eat less. And it's not just food: some drinks can also be high in calories. Most adults need to eat and drink fewer calories in order to lose weight, even if they already eat a balanced diet.
Food groups in our diet
The eatwell plate shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to eat:
plenty of fruit and vegetables
plenty of starchy foods, such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta
some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
some milk and dairy foods
just a small amount of food and drinks that are high in fat and/or sugar
Try to choose a variety of different foods from the four main food groups.
Most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish and fibre. Read our page on understanding calories.
It's important to have some fat in your diet, but you don't need to eat any foods from the "foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar" group as part of a healthy diet.