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This group should make up one third of your diet. Foods in this group are a good energy source and contain fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins. Wholegrain varieties should be chosen where possible e.g. wholegrain and granary bread, brown rice, pasta and noodles. Wholegrain varieties are higher in fibre. Fibre keeps you fuller for longer and promotes regular bowel movement.
12% of your diet should come from this group. This group is a good source of protein, iron and vitamin B12. Some meats are high in fat and in particular saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fat can increase your cholesterol level which in turn can raise your risk of developing heart disease.
Remove skin and visible excess fat from meat. Aim to choose lean meats where possible. Limit processed meats, meat pies and pastries as these are high in fat. Beans, peas and lentils can be used as an alternative to meat. Fish is also included in this group. The government recommends that you aim for two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily. Examples of oily fish include salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout.
8% of your diet may come from this group. Foods in this group are not essential and should be limited for example butter, cakes, crisps, biscuits, sweets, chocolate, full sugar fizzy drinks and squashes.
* In the Republic of Ireland our Healthwise programme follows the Food Pyramid model.