Eating well shouldn’t feel like a chore. At its core, a healthy diet is about balance, variety, and providing your body with the fuel it needs to thrive.
While “superfoods” get all the headlines, the secret to longevity lies in mastering the fundamentals.
In this guide, we break down the 7 essential components of a healthy diet based on the latest World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, while keeping it realistic for modern life.
Calories are simply a measure of energy. To maintain a healthy weight, the energy you take in should roughly match the energy you burn.
The Benchmarks: Generally, men need about 2,500 calories a day, and women need about 2,000. We all need different amounts of energy (or calories) from food to be a healthy weight.
The Reality Check: These numbers fluctuate based on your age, metabolism, and activity level. A marathon runner needs more fuel than someone with a desk job.
Most of us are not eating enough fruit and vegetables. They should make up just over a third of the food we eat each day. Fruit and vegetables are also a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
These are your primary sources of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.
The “5-a-Day” Rule: Aim for at least 400g (five portions) of fruit and vegetables daily.
What Counts? Berries, leafy greens, lentils, beans, and nuts are nutritional powerhouses.
Note on Starch: While delicious, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cassava are considered “starchy roots” and don’t count toward your 5-a-day.
Whole Grains: Opt for unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat, and brown rice.
Sugar provides energy, but in excess, it leads to inflammation and weight gain.
The Limit: Less than 10% of your total energy should come from “free sugars”—ideally, try to keep it under 5% (about 12 level teaspoons).
The Hidden Culprits: It’s not just the sugar you add to your coffee. Watch out for sugars hidden in pre-packaged sauces, fruit juices, honey, and syrups.
These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream.
They’re not needed in our diet, so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.
Fat is essential for brain health and hormone production, but the type of fat matters immensely.
The “Good” (Unsaturated): Found in fish, avocados, nuts, and oils like olive, sunflower, and soybean.
The “Bad” (Saturated): Found in fatty meats, butter, cheese, and palm oil. Keep these to less than 10% of your daily intake.
The “Ugly” (Trans-fats): Found in many fried “fast foods” and pre-packaged snacks (like frozen pizzas and biscuits). These should make up less than 1% of your diet.
Protein is vital for repairing tissues and maintaining muscle mass.
Protein is found in meat, fish, milk, cheese and other dairy products, and eggs. These foods are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils, are good alternatives to meat because they’re low in fat and they’re a good source of fibre and protein, too.
The Calculation: Most adults need approximately 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Portion Control: For the average person, this is roughly 45g (women) to 55g (men) per day. This can be achieved through two portions of meat, fish, tofu, or pulses.
High salt intake is a leading contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease.
The Limit: Try to stay under 5g of salt (roughly one teaspoon) per day.
Quick Tip: Most of our salt intake comes from processed food (including bread), tinned food and ready meals, not the salt shaker. Check labels for ‘sodium’ levels when shopping.
There is a lot of “health-speak” about drinking gallons of water to “flush the kidneys,” but the science is simpler.
The Target: Drinking 2–2.5 litres a day is a solid average for most humans. But, many (especially older) peopele drink 1.5L a day (or less) – and they are fine.
Listen to Your Body: There is no evidence that forcing extra water “cleanses” the system. Your body is highly efficient; drink when you are thirsty, and stay hydrated to maintain focus and energy.
A diet you hate is a diet you won’t stay on. Eating and drinking are among the greatest pleasures of being human. It is perfectly okay—and even healthy for your mindset—to deviate from these guidelines occasionally.
Whether it’s a celebratory dinner, a takeaway on a Friday night, or a glass of wine with friends, moderation, not deprivation, is the secret to a long-term healthy lifestyle.
| Component | Daily Target (Adult) |
| Calories | 2,000 (F) / 2,500 (M) |
| Fruit & Veg | 5 Portions (400g+) |
| Sugar | < 10% of total energy |
| Salt | < 5g (1 teaspoon) |
| Protein | ~0.75g per kg of body weight |
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