Science
What is healthy eating?
Quick answer
Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods from all the main food groups, with plenty of fruit and vegetables and water to drink, so your body gets everything it needs to grow.
In one sentence
Healthy eating means eating a mix of different foods, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, so your body gets the energy and building materials it needs.
Explained
Food is your body's fuel and building kit. Different foods help in different ways, so the best plan is variety: a bit of everything, rather than lots of one thing.
Scientists sort food into groups:
- Fruit and vegetables give vitamins, minerals and fibre, which help your body work properly and keep your digestive system moving.
- Starchy foods such as rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, yam, cassava and maize give you energy.
- Protein foods such as beans, lentils, eggs, fish, meat and nuts help you grow and repair.
- Dairy and alternatives, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese, give calcium for bones and teeth.
- Fats and oils are needed in small amounts.
A car needs fuel, oil and water, not just one of them. Your body is similar: it needs a mix.
Foods high in sugar, like sweets, cakes and fizzy drinks, are fine as an occasional treat. Too much sugar can damage your teeth. Water is the best everyday drink.
Healthy eating is not about "good" and "bad" foods, and it is not about dieting. Everyone's body is different. Families eat all sorts of meals around the world, and almost any food culture can give a healthy mix.
Examples
A balanced plate might look like:
- jollof rice with chicken and a side of salad
- a lentil curry with chapati and vegetables
- a jacket potato with beans and cheese, plus an apple
- porridge with banana, and a glass of milk
apple
carrot
rice
egg
milk
Common mistakes
- "Fats are always bad." Your body needs some fat. The aim is not too much, especially fried or processed food.
- "Fruit juice counts the same as fruit." Whole fruit has more fibre. Juice is high in sugar, so it is best in small amounts.
- "Healthy means eating less." Growing children need plenty of energy. Healthy eating is about variety, not going hungry.
Quick quiz
Healthy eating
Check what you know with 4 quick questions.
Question 1 of 4
Which food group gives your body lots of energy?
Practise it
Try it
Draw your own balanced plate with food from each group, then print a body and food worksheet.
Healthy body activities
For grown-ups
Related topics
Digestive system
The digestive system is the long tube and organs that break food down into tiny pieces your body can absorb for energy and growth, then get rid of what is left as waste.
Teeth
Teeth bite, tear and grind food so it can be swallowed and digested. Children have 20 baby teeth, which are replaced by up to 32 adult teeth.
The human body
The human body is made of trillions of cells that form organs, such as the heart, lungs and brain. Organs work together in systems that keep you moving, breathing, eating and thinking.
The heart
The heart is a muscle about the size of your fist that pumps blood around your body, carrying oxygen and food to every cell and taking waste away.
Skeleton
The skeleton is the frame of bones inside your body. It holds you up, protects soft organs like the brain and heart, and works with muscles so you can move. Adults have 206 bones.
Lungs
The lungs are two spongy organs in your chest that take oxygen from the air into your blood and remove carbon dioxide when you breathe out.