What's on your plate ?
A balanced diet starts with choosing the right foods
In a balanced
diet, there are no forbidden foods. It’ s how we combine ingredients that’ s
important. To make balanced meals, we should have plenty of salad, vegetables
and fruit on hand, preferably in season. Starchy foods are also important.
Choose wholegrain varieties, as they fill us up for longer and prevent us from
snacking. Sources of protein that are low in fat, like dairy products (quark,
yoghourt and cheese), meat, fish and chicken breast, should also be part of a
balanced diet. Each day, be sure to have 3 portions of dairy and 1 portion of
meat, poultry, fish, eggs or plant-based products like tofu or seitan.
Alternatively, have a fourth portion of dairy. Drink still or sparkling water
and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea.
Discover the variety that a balanced diet has to offer.
Unprocessed foods
Vegetables, salad,
fruit, eggs, milk, meat, fish, nuts
Natural foods like
fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, milk and eggs often have a higher nutritional
value than processed ready-made products. Natural foods provide the nutrients
your body needs.
Fruit and vegetables
Fresh or frozen
Fruit and veg are
packed with nutrients. They have lots of vitamins and minerals and also contain
water and fibre. This fills our plate and helps us feel full for longer. Go for
a range of colours and aim for 5 portions a day: 3 of veg and 2 of fruit. Every portion is about 120 g.
Starchy foods
Grains, potatoes & pulses
Starchy foods are
also part of a balanced diet and we should have 3 portions a day. Choose foods
like wholegrain bread, brown rice and wholegrain flakes. Wholegrain products
contain lots of fibre, vitamins, minerals and plant matter. They fill us up,
regulate digestion and improve health in different ways. As the term wholegrain
suggests, the husk is ground in together with the grain, which makes for a
darker flour.
Experiment! Starchy foods have very different tastes and are an essential
part of a balanced diet.
Sources of protein
Dairy products, meat, fish, eggs & tofu
All of these foods
have one thing in common: they all contain a lot of protein. Protein is an
important nutrient for the body, particularly for the muscles and immune
system. Each of these foods also include important nutrients like:calcium (milk
and dairy products),iron (meat and eggs),vitamin B12 (various animal sources of
protein),omega 3 oil (fish).Another great thing about protein is that it keeps
us fuller for longer.
Protein intake
Fish, tofu, soy milk, eggs
Have 3 portions of
milk or dairy products per day and another portion of high-protein foods (meat,
poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, seitan, cheese, quark). Alternate between these
different sources of protein. Consume meat (and poultry) in moderation: 2-3
portions of 100-120 g per week is enough. When not eating meat, substitute with
other high-protein foods, remembering to have a wide variation.
Foods that aren’ t part of a balanced diet
Foods that are
high in fat and sugar like sweets, soft drinks, and salty snacks are high in
energy and low in nutrients – they should be eaten in moderation and not every
day. Wholegrain keeps us fuller for longer than white flour products and can
prevent unnecessary snacking. Make it a habit to look at the ingredients on
food packaging and avoid highly processed foods.
The shorter the ingredients list, the better!
Sugary foods
Jam, sweets, ketchup, soft drinks, honey
Foods that contain
a lot of sugar should only be enjoyed in moderation. Sugar provides what we
call empty calories: although it gives us energy, it does not contain important
nutrients. Sugary foods also don’ t keep us feeling very full for long. They can
even cause the body to produce too much insulin, which makes us feel hungry
again shortly after eating.
Sugar is also bad for our teeth and can cause tooth decay.
Foods high in fat
Sausages, cold cuts, cheese, avocado, olives
These foods
contain a lot of fat. Fat is the nutrient with the highest energy content and
delivers twice as much calories than carbohydrates and protein. Fats and foods
that are high in fat should be eaten in moderation. Since they deliver
essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, it’s important
not to cut fat out entirely from our diet. Go for vegetable oils like rapeseed
oil for salad dressing. Try to reduce hidden sources of fat which can be found
in sausages, ready-made meals, and certain types of cheese.
Check for hidden fat in the list of ingredients and nutrition table.
Highly processed foods
Crisps, ready-made meals, hazelnut spread,
sweets, pizza
Flavour enhancers
and carriers like fats and sugar make industrially processed foods particularly
tasty. Their long lists of ingredients and nutritional value tables show us
exactly what we’ re eating. Highly processed foods are generally low in
nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, but are high in energy. Keep these foods
to a minimum.
White flour products
Rolls, toast, biscuits, pasta
Our body can
easily break down carbohydrates from white flour products and use them for a
quick source of energy. But they don’ t keep us full for very long. White flour
products increase the risk of cravings because after raising blood sugar, it
falls just as quickly. White flour also contains less vitamins and minerals
than wholegrain foods.
Do your best to opt for wholegrain!
High-calorie drinks
Soft drinks, alcohol, fruit juice
The role of drinks
is to deliver fluids and not energy, which means healthy drinks shouldn’t
contain any calories. Quench thirst with still or sparkling water, fruit or
herbal tea. Fruit juice contains lots of sugar and should be watered down or
had in moderation. Alcoholic beverages should be consumed minimally, as they
contain many calories, as well as lead to other health risks.
Did you know that alcohol delivers as many calories as fat?