The Eatwell Plate is designed to help you understand the balance of nutrients needed for the body to function properly. It features five different food groups:

1. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods

2. Fruit and vegetables

3. Milk and dairy

4. Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

5. Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

The Eatwell Plate shows that you don't have to give up some of the foods we enjoy for the sake of our health. We just need to include them in smaller quantities and eat them less frequently.

Eating a variety of food choices from groups one to four will give you the wide range of nutrients important for maintaining a healthy balanced diet. Although some fat is crucial, the majority of foods in group five are not essential for a healthy diet.

The Eatwell Plate provides a comprehensive guide to the foods you should eat and the proportion of different food groups you should aim to consume daily. It can be applied to everyone, whether you're young, old, healthy or overweight. It should not, however, be applied to children under the age of two and, if you have special dietary requirements, make sure you check with your doctor before changing your diet.

By following the guidance of the Eatwell Plate, drinking plenty of fluids and being physically active you can ensure you achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

* In the Republic of Ireland our Healthwise programme follows the Food Pyramid model www.foodpyramid.org.uk and the Irish Government's nine-point recommendations.