The main recommendations of healthier eating are:

DOs

• eat a variety of foods each day
• eat breakfast every day
• eat regular meals throughout the day to ensure you stabilise your blood sugar levels
• eat 3-4 fruits a day
• eat at least 5-7 different coloured vegetables a day
• eat 1-3 servings of dark-green, leafy vegetables each day (these servings should be part of the 5-7 servings of vegetables)
• ensure most of the servings of vegetables each day are raw, although steaming is okay as that keeps the nutrients in
• try to cook tomatoes in olive oil, which releases the antioxidant lycopene from the tomatoes - studies have found that cooked tomatoes (especially if they have been cooked in olive oil) have a higher antioxidant content than raw tomatoes, although raw tomatoes are still very good for you too
• eat lean cuts of meat 3-4 times a week - meat is a good source of quality protein
• eat eggs a few times a week - eggs are highly recommended as an excellent source of protein and the yolk is full of antioxidants
• eat oily fish (such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) three times a week - if you are pregnant, there are certain fish (and shellfish) that need to be avoided: shark, swordfish, sea bass, tile fish, tuna steaks (these are fish that may have high mercury levels, which can cause health problem for the unborn baby)
• eat plenty of wholegrain or wholewheat breads, cereals or non-wheat alternatives (for gluten intolerance), such as quinoa, tapioca, soy, semolina
• ensure you include plenty of legumes such as barley, lentils and chickpeas in your diet each day
• use olive oil , sunflower oil or canola oil (check to make sure the canola oil is not genetically modified - if it is not, it will usually say so on the label) when cooking or in salads - the best of these are cold pressed oils which retain all of their flavour, aroma, and nutritional value
• eat a handful of nuts and seeds each day - they contain essential fatty acids and various vitamins and minerals necesarry for good health

DONTs

• limit intake of sugar and sugary foods
• limit intake of fried foods
• limit alcohol intake - women are advised to have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day and men advised to have no more than 3 alcoholic drinks per day, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week
• limit intake of processed foods - most of the nutrients in these foods have been stripped away by processing, so you are eating empty calories which do nothing to enhance health

DIETARY GUIDELINES AROUND THE WORLD

• review the dietary guidelines for your country (most guidelines will be similar), listed below are some of the main western dietary guidelines:
  • Dietary Guidelines for Australians