The EatWell Guide, How to Eat Well
- Becki Warner
- 10 hours ago
- 5 min read
We're told to "eat a balanced diet" all the time — but what does that actually mean?
If you've ever stared at your plate wondering if you've got it right, you're not alone.
The UK's Eatwell Guide is designed to answer that question.
It's a simple visual tool that shows how different types of food should fit together to make a healthy, sustainable diet.
But like most things in nutrition, the reality is more interesting —
and more personal than a pie chart.
What the Eatwell Guide Shows
Imagine your daily diet as a circle divided into colourful segments.
According to the Eatwell Guide, your ideal plate should include roughly:
Fruit and vegetables – 40% of your diet at least 5 portions a day.
Aim for a rainbow. Each colour provides a different blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried all count (though watch out for added sugar or salt).
Starchy carbohydrates – 38%
Wholegrain bread, rice, potatoes, oats, and pasta.
These give you steady energy and fibre to keep your gut happy.
Protein – 12%
Meat, fish, eggs, beans, pulses, and plant proteins like tofu.
These are the body’s building blocks — essential for repair, strength, and immune function.
Dairy and alternatives – 8% milk, yoghurt, cheese
A source of calcium, iodine, and protein.
Choose low-sugar options when you can, and remember that fortified plant milks can be excellent too.
Oils and spreads – small amounts
Choose unsaturated fats such as olive oil.
Your brain and hormones rely on them.
And finally: water. Six to eight glasses a day. (Tea and coffee count. Wine, sadly, doesn't.)
Pretty simple, right? But here’s where most people get tripped up — sugar and fat.
Let’s Talk About Free Sugars
“Free sugars” are the sneaky ones — not the natural sugars in an apple or milk, but the added sugars in biscuits, cereals, sauces, and even smoothies.
The NHS recommends adults limit free sugar to no more than 30g per day —
That’s about seven teaspoons.
To put that in perspective:
A can of regular cola? 35g of sugar.
A single flavoured yoghurt? Often 15–20g.
Your “healthy” breakfast granola? It might hide another 10–15g.
Once you start reading labels, you realise how quickly sugar sneaks in.
Try keeping track for a few days — you'll be amazed how much it adds up.
Simple swaps make a huge difference:
Switch sugary drinks for sparkling water or unsweetened herbal or fruit tea.
Choose plain yoghurt and add your own fruit.
Check cereals for sugar per 100g — aim for less than 5g.
It's not about being perfect — it's about being aware.
Carbs Aren’t the Enemy — But Choose Wisely
Carbohydrates are your body's preferred energy source, but not all carbs are equal.
Go for wholegrain and high-fibre versions like oats, brown rice, and wholemeal pasta.
These release energy slowly, keeping blood sugar and appetite steady.
Refined or processed carbs — white bread, pastries, sugary snacks — can spike blood sugar and leave you tired or craving more.
It’s not about cutting carbs out, just choosing ones that work for you rather than against you.
Fats: Small but Mighty
Fats are essential — your brain, hormones, and cells depend on them. But they're also calorie-dense — about twice as many calories per gram as protein or carbs.
Here's a simple rule:
Prioritise healthy fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, oily fish.
Limit saturated fats: butter, cheese, processed meats, baked goods.
Avoid trans fats altogether (often in cheap fried foods).
Think of fats as a power tool: incredibly useful, but best handled with care.
A drizzle of olive oil on your salad — yes.
Half a block of cheese on your pasta — maybe not.
Why the Eatwell Guide Still Matters
In a world full of diet trends, the Eatwell Guide remains refreshingly boring — and that's its strength.
It’s not trying to sell you a "superfood” or a shortcut. It's a foundation built on decades of nutritional research.
For many people, just seeing this visual breakdown is a lightbulb moment. You start to realise how easy it is to slide into imbalance — breakfast all carbs, lunch no veg, dinner heavy on protein but missing colour.
Download the Eatwell Guide here
When the Eatwell Guide Isn’t Enough
Here’s the thing: the Eatwell Guide is a public health tool, not a personalised one.
It's designed for the general population — not for people living with chronic fatigue, gut issues, histamine sensitivity, or metabolic dysfunction.
For someone rebuilding after a long illness, like my son Elliot, the ratios might need adjusting. You may need higher protein for repair, more healthy fats for fuel, or a gentler reintroduction to certain fibres.
That's where tools like Cronometer come in — helping you tailor the Eatwell balance to your body.
The Eatwell Guide gives you the map.
Cronometer gives you the compass.
A Simple Way to Start
Try this for one week:
Take a photo of one meal each day.
Ask yourself — can I spot all the colours from the Eatwell Guide?
If not, what could I add? Maybe a handful of spinach, a slice of avocado, a spoonful of lentils.
You don't need to overhaul your diet overnight. Just tilt the balance, one plate at a time.
Food as Construction Material
When I was caring for Elliot, every mouthful mattered. We didn’t have the luxury of empty calories — every bite had to build.
And that's what the Eatwell Guide is really about:
Construction materials for the body.
It gives your cells the ability to repair, generate energy, and defend you.
When you eat well, you're not following rules — you're writing better instructions for your biology.
Putting It All Together
When you look at your plate, imagine the Eatwell Guide as your blueprint:
Half filled with colourful vegetables and fruit.
A quarter with wholegrain carbs.
A quarter with protein-rich foods.
A small thumbprint of healthy fats.
And don't forget hydration — water, herbal teas, or milk are great daily choices.
The Bottom Line
Healthy eating doesn't mean restriction — it means balance.
The Eatwell Guide isn't a set of rules, it's a roadmap —
flexible enough to fit any lifestyle, whether you're cooking from scratch or grabbing something quick between meetings.
If you start with awareness — tracking sugar, choosing better carbs, and respecting fats — you're already living the spirit of the Eatwell Guide.
If you’d like to learn more about rebuilding energy through real food, join my free 5-day course on the HOME page.
It’s designed for people who are tired of being told “everything looks normal” and want to understand their bodies better.
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