The benefits of healthy eating

It can be helpful to think about what a "healthy balanced diet'' means. This is especially true if you're unsure about whether you want to start changing what you eat or the way you eat.

Along with cutting back on alcohol, smoking less and being more active, eating well is one of the best things you can do to prevent certain diseases and maintain your overall health. But there are other benefits too.

What is a healthy balanced diet?

Having a healthy balanced diet means eating a variety of foods. It also means getting lots of essential vitamins, minerals, fibre and healthy fats.

This helps you stay in good health and feel your best. You can find out more about this topic at The Eatwell Guide.

What are the benefits?

There are so many benefits you can get from eating well, compared to a poorer quality diet high in processed or fast foods. These can include:

• Having more money to spare. Cooking at home with healthy ingredients can be more affordable than regularly buying takeaways or fast food, especially when meals are planned and made in batches.
• More energy - eating balanced meals helps regulate your blood sugar and energy levels.
• Better sleep - if you're struggling with sleep, a healthy diet can help. For further guidance on how to enhance sleep.
• Improved mood
• Nutrient rich foods can support healthier skin, nails and hair from the inside out

This can all lead to increased confidence and a better sense of well-being.

Also, a healthy diet can improve your body's ability to fight infection. You're less likely to pick up infections like coughs and colds.

If you're eating a minimum of 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day, as recommended in the Eatwell Guide, you'll get a good amount of fibre and this helps with digestion. This can lead to:

• Having a healthier gut, fighting against digestive problems 
• Less chance of problems like constipation or bloating
• Less risk of developing some cancers such as bowel cancer

Feel the benefits for longer

If you start to eat in a healthier, more balanced way, you might notice positive changes quite quickly. Maintaining these small lifestyle changes can lead to huge differences over time, as your new habits become a way of life. Maintaining these changes can lead to:

• Achieving and maintaining a weight that supports your overall health and wellbeing
• Having better long-term mental health and mood
• Having stronger bones and teeth
• Having improved brain function, including better focus and memory
• Reducing the risk of diseases associated with obesity and lifestyle behaviours, such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. 

Influencing others

If you start to make small changes to what and how you eat, it can have a positive effect and inspire those around you.

You may motivate friends and family to make changes themselves or join you in trying new foods.

If you have children at home, they may be more open to trying different foods when they see you enjoying them.

What's next

Continue learning more about following the Eatwell Guide at home

Finished learning for now then take action to eat healthier