The Department of Health (DoH) is promoting bread as a way to ‘bulk up’ meals and swap out more sugar and fat-laden foods. 

A new Eatwell plate developed by the DoH is encouraging consumers to add carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and potatoes to their diet, while ditching products high in sugar and fat, according to British Baker’s sister title The Grocer.

A panel organised by Public Health England discussed the model in response to Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s (SACN) call to cut the nation’s recommended sugar intake by half. The model proposes that consumers should eat more starchy foods, such as rice and cous cous as well as more fruit and vegetables. Its call for a reduction in intake of foods high in sugar and fat does not include milk and dairy. A lower intake of meat, fish, eggs and beans was instead urged.

Experts involved in laying out the model admitted it would be controversial following the growing belief that sugar, not fat, is at the centre of the UK’s obesity crisis.

An expert involved told The Grocer: “...under this model the amount of food with a high fat content in the plate has decreased, while there is an increase in the proportion of foods high in starchy carohydrates.

“We would have to get across that consumers should eat products such as wholegrain rice and wholewheat pasta, which are high in fibre and lower in sugar.”

As of November just 1% of consumers followed diets that met the SACN’s suggested targets on sugar and fibre, according to The Grocer.

The SACN has yet to make its final report.