Most of us realise we should be eating a healthy balanced diet. Eating healthily doesn’t just make us look and feel better, it can also help reduce our risk of a range of medical problems. Despite this, experts believe many people don’t eat as healthily as they should.

“Poor diets are all too common in this country and, along with obesity, are now one of the leading causes of disease such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” says Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England.

According to Dr Tedstone, a healthy balanced diet is the foundation of good health. But what is a healthy balanced diet exactly?

These days there’s so much information available on diet and nutrition, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or confused about what you should – or shouldn’t – be eating. However, following a healthy diet doesn’t have to be difficult. Here’s what you should know about the types of foods that make up a healthy diet, and how much and how often you should eat them.

Your guide to healthy eating helpsheet