Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is Australia’s new guide that provides ‘healthy and balanced nutrition’ information for Australians four years and over.

It was developed as a result of increasing rate of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease due to bad nutrition.

• Vegetables and fruits are two different groups.

• Fats are not included separately but foods in certain groups include saturated or unsaturated fats.

• Eat a variety of foods from each of five food groups, daily and weekly.

• Plenty of plant foods and moderate amounts of animal foods.

• Extra foods only in small amounts- high in fat, salt and sugar; low in fiber; high calorie density.

• Drink plenty of water– at least 8 glasses per day.

• Enjoy healthy foods and make a habit of eating well.

• Healthy eating will help you maintain your ideal weight, give you moreenergy to go through the day and prevent many diseases.

• Good and balanced diet is needed for your brain and your mood as well as your physical health.

 

The latest ‘Australian Guide to Healthy Eating’ that was issued in 1998 and funded by Department of Health focuses on six major food groups:

1. Cereals, bread, rice, and pasta are from grains- rye, barley, oats, corn and wheat. They are rich in carbohydrates and fibre, with a wide range of minerals and vitamins- iron, folate, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. Choose wholegrain varieties as they provide even more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

(4 to 9 servings)

2. Vegetables and legumes- pulses are rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Legumes include chick peas, red kidney beans, lentils, split peas and baked beans. They are quite nutritious and cheap and easy to prepare. Choose the no salt or sugar varieties. Feel free to use frozen vegetables and tinned or frozen legumes.

(2 to 8 servings)

3. Fruits: Fresh fruit juices also belong to this group, they maintain the vitamins but are low in fiber unlike whole fruits. Please avoid canned fruits in syrup or sugar added fruit juice drinks. Whole / raw fruit is your best bet as a glass of orange juice is made from about 4-5 oranges.

(1 to 4 servings)

 4. Dairy products– milk, cheese and yogurt: Reduced fat varieties- semi or skimmed milk and low fat cheese and yogurt are recommended. Full cream dairy products contain saturated fats and it is recommended that you have very little saturated fat in your diet. The dairy group is an excellent source of calcium that is essential for strong, healthy bones and teeth.
(2 to 3 servings)

5. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and nuts are rich in protein, iron and zinc minerals as well as B vitamins. Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, red meats are great for iron and zinc. If you are a vegetarian, you should eat a variety of plant foods that are good sources of protein: eggs, nuts and pulses- legumes.

(1 to 2 servings)

Extra foods include biscuits, cake, chocolate, mayonnaise, butter, oil, ice cream, potato chips, alcohol, cakes, meat pies and doughnuts. They only add to the enjoyment of your healthy diet, do not have much nutritional value and are better avoided as they contribute to weight gain- being high in calories.

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