What is a healthy diet? >
A healthy diet provides essential nutrients from nutrient‑dense foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy, while balancing caloric intake with expenditure. It limits saturated fat, added sugars, sodium, and alcohol, and focuses on variety from all food groups to reduce chronic disease risk.
How many portions of fruit and vegetables should you eat a day? >
Aim for at least five portions, about 400 g of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. This supports fiber intake, essential vitamins, minerals, and reduces the risks of heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
What type of fat should you limit? >
Limit saturated fats to under 10% of daily calories and avoid trans‑fats. Prioritize unsaturated fats, olive oil, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, oily fish, or heart health. This aligns with WHO and Dietary Guidelines recommendations to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Is it better to take fish oil or eat fish? >
Eating fatty fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel, sardines) at least twice weekly provides omega‑3s and high‑quality protein. While fish oil supplements offer benefits, whole fish is preferable for nutrients and lower saturated fat.
Do carbohydrates always cause weight gain? >
Carbohydrates don’t inherently cause weight gain; it’s excessive calories overall. Focus on minimally processed carbs like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, as part of a balanced diet including proteins and fats.
