Food group 4

Now let's see what's in food group 4........

Meat, fish and alternatives

This food group includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs and alternatives such as soya, nuts, beans and lentils. Meat products include bacon, sausages, burgers, chicken, turkey, and pork. Fish includes fresh, frozen and canned fish such as mackerel, haddock, salmon, tuna, sardines, fish fingers and fishcakes.

How much meat and fish should you eat?

You should choose something from this food group every day but eat moderate amounts. Choose low fat options where possible. Some meat products, eg beefburgers and sausages, can be high in fat. Trim visible fat off meat where possible. You should aim to eat two portions of fish each week, one of which should be an oily fish (eg salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines or fresh tuna). Choose lower fat versions whenever you can.

Alternatives

These include kidney beans, baked beans, lentils and soya etc. These foods provide protein, fibre and iron, but unlike those listed above are not a rich source of zinc and generally provide no vitamin B12 (unless fortified).

Why eat these foods?

These foods provide:

• protein needed to help your body grow and repair
• iron, especially in red meat, needed for healthy red blood cells
• B vitamins especially vitamin B12 which help your body make protein and energy
• vitamin D, required for healthy bones
• zinc needed for tissue growth and repair
• omega-3 in oily fish, which may help protect against heart disease