The simple message is to eat a well balanced diet with a variety of different foods and in the right portions.

The five food groups are:

• Starchy foods such as rice, pasta, bread, cereals and potatoes (wholegrain is best!)
• Fruit and vegetables
• Milk and dairy
• Meat, fish and alternatives such as beans and eggs
• Foods containing fat and sugar.

For healthy eating, you need plenty of fruit and vegetables aiming to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. For example, one portion is the equivalent to

1 apple, 1 pear, 1 banana or 1 peach
1 small bowl of salad
2 large tablespoons of vegetables
2 plums, 2 kiwi fruit or 3 apricots
1 glass of fruit juice

A healthy diet is rich in a variety of different foods every day to make sure you get all the nutrients you need.

Try to eat fish at least twice a week to maintain a healthy heart. Go easy on fats and fatty foods, butter, hard margarine, fatty meats, crisps and fried foods. Try to go for low fat versions of yoghurts and cheese and switching to semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead of full fat. Always check the label, as a lot of processed foods have high levels of salt and sugar so watch your intake of cakes, biscuits, sweets, peanuts, crisps and pre-prepared products.

Avoid too much salt on your food - be inventive with your seasoning such as trying freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice, wine or balsamic vinegars, herbs, spices, garlic and lemon.