A balanced diet for women
Women have different daily nutritional requirements to men, and below are recipe ideas for women seeking a balanced diet for good health - but what exactly is meant by a 'balanced diet'?
The NHS Eat Well Guide sets out to define different types of foods we should be eating and in what proportions. These include some simple rules to follow like getting a minimum of five fruit and veg a day, including whole-grains and choosing more fish, poultry, beans and pulses and less red meat while opting for low-fat, low-sugar dairy foods. But that's not the whole story - how much should you be eating and is there a best time to eat protein, carbs or fats? Read on for our guide to healthy eating around the clock.
Reference Intakes (RI) – the new term for Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) Nutritional needs vary depending on your sex, size, age and activity levels so use this chart as a general guide only. The chart shows the Reference Intakes (RI) or daily amounts recommended for an average person to achieve a healthy, balanced diet for maintaining rather than losing or gaining weight.
The RIs for fat, saturates, sugars and salt are all maximum amounts, while those for carbs and protein are figures you should aim to meet each day. There is no RI for fibre, although health experts suggest we have 30g a day.
| Men | Women | |
| Energy (kcal) | 2500 | 2000 |
| Protein (g) | 55 | 50 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 300 | 260 |
| Sugar (g) | 120 | 90 |
| Fat (g) | 95 | 70 |
| Saturates (g) | 30 | 20 |
| Salt (g) | 6 | 6 |
Perfect Portions
Numbers and figures are all very well but how does this relate to you? Personalise your portions with our handy guide to finding the right serving size:
| Foods | Portion size |
| Carbs like cereal/rice/pasta/potato | Your clenched fist |
| Protein like meat/poultry/fish | Palm of your hand |
| Savouries like popcorn/crisps | 2 of your cupped hands |
| Bakes like brownies/flapjacks | 2 of your fingers |
| Butter & spreads | The tip of your thumb |
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