Eating a well-balanced diet can help you feel better. It can also lower the risk of stroke, heart disease and some cancers. 

Here we offer advice on the easiest way to make sure you are eating enough vegetables and fruit, oily fish or plant alternatives. We also offer some tips on regulating your intake of salt, fats and alcohol.

Vegetables and fruit

It is a good idea to eat plenty of different vegetables and fruit every day.

Try to gradually increase the amount you eat, so that you are having between 5 and 9 portions daily (including some at every meal).

Portion size

A portion of fruit or vegetables usually means a small handful (approximately 80g).

For example, this could be any of the following:

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of vegetables
  • a large bowl of mixed salad
  • 1 medium fruit (eg an apple)
  • 2 small fruits (eg plums)
  • 2 to 3 glasses of fruit juice (50 ml per glass)
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit (30g).

Some people choose to have vegetables as snacks on-the-go. You can try any of the following:

  • broccoli florets
  • cherry tomatoes
  • cucumber slices
  • celery sticks
  • carrot sticks.

Oily fish or plant alternatives

Oily fish

Oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help to prevent the formation of blood clots.

Try to include at least 2 portions of oily fish per week (140g each).

Oily fish includes mackerel, pilchards, trout, salmon, sardines, herring, swordfish, anchovies, fresh tuna (not tinned) and sprats.

Plant foods rich in omega-3

Some plant foods are rich in a particular type of omega-3 fat. For example:

  • some oils including flax (also known as flaxseed oil and linseed oil), walnut, soya, pumpkin and algal oil
  • edamame beans
  • nuts, especially walnuts
  • seeds, especially flax (linseed), pumpkin, chia and hemp seeds.

These are a good source if you are vegetarian or do not usually eat fish.

Check the food label for the amount/type of omega-3. Foods fortified with EPA or DHA are the best choice for heart health. (Some foods are fortified with ALA instead.)

Salt

Current NHS guidelines recommend a maximum of 6g salt per day for an adult. This is about 1 teaspoon. 

Most of the salt we eat is already added to the manufactured or processed foods that we buy. Check food labels to find out how much salt each food contains.

Cooking at home with salt

  • Prepare your meals at home using fresh ingredients. Avoid adding salt.
  • Use a variety of fresh or dried herbs and spices, such as garlic, rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, chilli or ginger etc.
  • Avoid adding salt or high-salt condiments to your food at the table.
  • Try adding black pepper, vinegar, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice to your meals for extra flavour.
  • Foods without added salt may taste bland at first. Your taste buds will adapt after 2 to 3 weeks. You may even find that high-salt foods taste unpleasant.

Fats 

Try to eat fewer saturated fats and more unsaturated fats.

Saturated fats

Processed foods contain most of the saturated fats that we eat.

Examples include ready meals, meat pies, sausage rolls, pastries, cakes, biscuits, processed meats (eg burgers), fatty cuts of meat, butter, ghee, lard, cream, hard cheese and foods with coconut oil or palm oil. 

Unsaturated fats

Plant oils usually contain unsaturated fats. 

Examples include rapeseed oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

Cooking at home with fats

Try to do the following:

  • Use rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil instead of animal fats.
  • Use a spread high in polyunsaturated fats (eg sunflower or olive spreads) instead of butter or margarine.
  • Use leaner cuts of meat such as chicken, turkey, or low-fat mince.
  • Cut the visible fat off meat and remove any skin.
  • Use healthier cooking methods, for example grill, boil, bake, steam or poach instead of frying.
  • Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat.

Alcohol

  • Try not to drink more than 14 units per week.
  • Spread the units evenly over at least 3 days.
  • Try to have a few alcohol-free days every week.

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Aim for a healthy weight

It is a good idea to check whether you are a healthy weight. Even achieving a 5 to 10% weight loss can reduce your health risks significantly.

You can find out if you are a healthy weight by checking your waist-to-height ratio.

Waist to height ratio

You can use the NHS waist to height ratio calculator to check this.

To use this calculator you will need to know:

  • your height in metres or feet/inches
  • your waist measurement (in cm or inches).

More information

Stroke Association: a guide to eating well after a stroke 

British Heart Foundation: eating after a stroke