The Carbohydrates food group contains starchy foods such as pasta, rice, oats, potatoes, noodles, yam, green bananas, sweet potato, millet, couscous, breads, breakfast cereals, barley and rye.

Carbohydrates give you energy, (which young people need a lot of) calcium and B vitamins. Wholegrain carbohydrates provide lots of fibre to help keep your digestive system healthy. Many breakfast cereals are also boosted with extra iron.

A healthy diet would include 3-5 servings of carbohydrate a day. These portions should be spread throughout the day and eaten with every meal, including snacks.

One Portion of Carbohydrates equals :

• One slice of bread, one roll or half a pitta bread.
• Six tablespoons of breakfast cereal or porridge.
• Four whole wheat crisp breads.
• Six tablespoons of pasta, rice, millet or couscous.
• Two small new potatoes.
• Two tablespoons mashed sweet potato.

Carbohydrates should form the main part of every meal. Wholegrain carbohydrates are a better choice as they are higher in fibre. These are ones like

• wholemeal bread and pasta,
• brown rice,
• bran flakes,
• porridge,
• rye crispbread.

Refined carbohydrates have had the high fibre bits removed and therefore a lot of the goodness is gone. These include

• white rice,
• white bread,
• noodles,
• white pasta,
• sugary breakfast cereals.