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A dietitian has revealed a "perfectly balanced" meal that she regularly recommends to her patients - and it may come as quite a surprise.

Opinions on what constitutes healthy eating vary considerably, with some people defining it as preparing food from scratch using organic ingredients.

Others consider healthy eating to mean consuming sufficient fruit and vegetables daily, while many choose to monitor their calorie intake and portion sizes.

However, Olivia Molyneux, a gastro dietitian based in London, has unveiled one "perfectly balanced" meal she encourages her patients to prepare.

She posted a video on her TikTok account, @olivia_the_dietitian, to inform followers about the dish, which boasts five portions of vegetables.

She said: "If I said healthy balanced meal, I very much doubt you'd think of a lasagne, but I'm a dietician and I recommend meals just like this to my clients all the time.

"It's time to reframe things, because this isn't just comfort food. This lasagne contains five vegetables, that's five of your five a day. We're talking carrots, onions, tomatoes, courgettes, all layered up into one.

"This lasagne is packed full of protein, tastes amazing, and leaves you feeling genuinely satisfied. Healthy eating doesn't have to look a certain way, it can look like this.

"Warm, cheesy, comforting, and satisfying. When your plate includes carbs, proteins, fats, and fibre, that's a balanced meal. This is a reminder that you can eat meals like this, and still be eating in a way that supports your health."

The NHS states that a healthy and balanced diet involves consuming a wide range of foods in the correct proportions, alongside the right quantity of food and drink to attain and sustain a healthy body weight.

The NHS recommends:

• Eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day

• Basing meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta

• Having some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)

• Eating some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein

• Choosing unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts

• Drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day