Nutrition education
Healthy eating basics
Before any therapeutic diet, the ordinary foundations — which most special diets are simply a variation on.
PatientCaregiverFamily
The plate
- Half the plate vegetables or salad.
- A quarter protein: beans, eggs, fish, chicken, meat, tofu, dairy.
- A quarter starchy food: rice, potatoes, ugali, bread, pasta, plantain — whole grain where possible.
- A little healthy fat: oil, nuts, seeds, avocado.
- Fruit once or twice a day, whole rather than juiced.
The five habits that matter most
- Eat regularly rather than in one large evening meal.
- Get protein at every meal, not only at dinner.
- Drink water rather than sweetened drinks.
- Cook more of what you eat, even simply.
- Eat enough fibre — most people get around half of what they need.
When illness changes the rules
During treatment, weight loss or frailty, the usual advice reverses: full-fat, energy-dense and frequent is right, and 'clean eating' is wrong.
Always follow the condition-specific guidance over the general advice, and ask a dietitian when the two conflict.
Where to go next
Afya Companion offers education and self-help support. It does not diagnose, treat or replace care from your doctor, nurse, psychologist or dietitian. If something in your health changes, speak to your care team.