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The plate shows each food group, protein(beans and lentils), carbohydrates (grains & starchy vegetables), fats(seeds and nuts) and fruit & vegetables as a proportion of a balanced diet.

As part of a healthy balanced diet, we should all be trying to do the following:

– Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and veg every day, choose fruit and veg of different colors and have a mixture of cooked and fresh produce.

Starchy foods (carbohydrates) such as pasta, rice, cereals supply a great energy source and pulses, soya, tofu, dairy products, eggs and nuts such as beans, peas and lentils provide a great protein supplement.

Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products.

Choose fats that are rich in omega oils such as vegetable oils including sunflower, grape- seed, avocados, nuts and seeds. Cooking oils such as almond oil, corn oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and sesame oil are better suited for cooking at higher temperatures and have a high smoke points (400 degrees F and higher) include avocado oil (refined). Some cooking oils and fats will reach what is referred to as the smoking point before reaching temperatures required for a good fry. Olive oil is not one of them.

Cut down on sugar (supplement sugar for raw honey) Remove sugar (white and brown), syrup, honey and molasses from the breakfast table — out of sight, out of mind! Cut back on the amount of sugar added to things you eat or drink regularly like cereal, pancakes, coffee or tea. Try cutting the usual amount of sugar you add by half and wean down from there.

Reduce your salt intake. Try not to add salt to your food at the table. If you eat too much salt, the extra water stored in your body raises your blood pressure. So, the more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure. The higher your blood pressure, the greater the strain on your heart, arteries, kidneys and brain. This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

Drink about (6 to 8 glasses) of water a day; more if you exercise. The benefits are increased energy & relieves fatigue, promotes weight loss, flushes out toxins, improves skin complexion, maintains regularity, boosts immune system, natural headache remedy, and prevents cramps & sprains.