The Eatwell Plate
The eatwell plate is a visual representation of how different foods contribute towards a healthy balanced diet.
The plate model has been tested extensively with consumers and health professionals and this approach was found to be the best understood among UK consumers.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The key learning objectives for this section are that you will
Recognise the Eatwell Plate and know the five food groups which we need for a balanced diet
Recognise food from each of the five groups and sources of them
Learn about the nutrient benefits of each group
Understand the proportions of each group which make up a balanced diet
About the Eatwell Plate
The eatwell plate encourages you to choose different foods from the first four groups every day, to help ensure you obtain the wide range of nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and function properly.
Choosing a variety of foods from within each group will add to the range of nutrients you consume. Foods in the fifth group – foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar are not essential to a healthy diet.
The size of the segments for each of the food groups is consistent with Government recommendations for a diet that would provide all the nutrients required for a healthy adult or child (over the age of two).
The eatwell plate is not meant to represent the balance required in any one specific meal or over a particular timescale – rather it represents the overall balance of a healthy diet.
No single food contains all the nutrients needed for health so we should try to eat a balanced diet. By choosing a variety of foods from the five food groups, most people will get all the nutrients they need to stay healthy and active.
Livestock & Meat Commision for N. Ireland © 2010
