Nutrition

Is my diet varied enough?

I think I have a pretty good diet – I eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and I rarely touch junk food or processed slop – but I do have a tendency to eat the same things every week. Is this a problem? How important is variety?
Martyn Bennett, by email

Extremely important. Different foods provide the body with different nutrients and the range of these nutrients in the diet is important for good health. Green leafy vegetables tend to be high in folate, potassium and iron, while colourful fruit and veg tend to be high in vitamins A and C. The same goes for the protein foods because red meat, oily fish, eggs, nuts, beans and lentils all differ in their vitamin and mineral content. Incorporate as many different types of food into your diet as you can and don’t be afraid to experiment with new foods, such as tofu. You may not like every new food, but if you don’t try it, you’ll never know.