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You are in: Home > Stroke Information > Reduce Your Risk Of A Stroke > Eat Healthily

Eat Healthily

• What is a healthy, varied diet?
• The eatwell plate
• Tips for healthier eating

What is a healthy, varied diet?

Eating a more healthy diet really only means making small changes in meals you already eat – eating a little more of some things and less of another. Some changes particularly apply to people with contributing factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The general healthy eating message is to eat a variety of high fibre, low fat foods, with saturated fats replaced with unsaturated oils and five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

This variety should include all foods groups including:

• Carbohydrates (such as pasta, rice, potatoes, vegetables and bread)
• Proteins (such as meat, eggs, fish, poultry)
• Dairy products
• Fruit and vegetables

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The eatwell plate

This is the eatwell plate showing how much of what you eat should come from each food group. This includes everything you eat during the day, including snacks.

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Tips for healthier eating

• Reduce saturated fat: saturated fat in your diet contributes to high cholesterol levels. Replace saturated fat with unsaturated oils (more detailed advice is covered in the section about controlling cholesterol).
• Increase omega 3 fats: it may help to eat at least two portions of fish a week. One of which should be oily fish e.g. mackerel, herring, sardines, trout, salmon or pilchards.
• Reduce your salt intake: too much salt (sodium) in the diet can contribute to high blood pressure which increases the risk of heart disease (more detailed advice is covered in the section about reducing salt).
• Increase fruit and vegetables: aim for a minimum five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day.
  • One portion could be a banana, two plums, a couple of broccoli florets, one carrot, a handful of strawberries or two tablespoons of peas.
  • All dried, canned and frozen fruit and vegetables also count.
  • Fruit juice counts as a serving once a day.
  • Beans and pulses also count as a serving once a day.
  • Potatoes do not count as they are carbohydrates.
• Increase soluble fibre: fibre is found in vegetables and cereals such as oats, corn, wheat and bran. Increase the amount of fibre rich foods and choose wholemeal bread and pasta. Fibre may help to lower cholesterol.

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