Fact Files : The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

‘The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating’ is a food guide that is recommended to all Australians. Dietitians use this guide to teach people about eating a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of food. In the past it was a pyramid shape, but now it is a plate model. What the plate shows us is the five core food groups needed for good health. It also shows us the proportion of each core food group needed to make up a healthy diet.

As you can see…..

 The majority of Australians should eat most foods from the larger portions (plant based foods) breads, cereals, rice and pasta (preferably wholegrain/low GI); vegetables (including legumes) and fruit.

 To that base moderate quantities of animal foods such as dairy foods (preferably low fat varieties) and lean protein foods (such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes) should be added.

 It should be noted that when meat and dairy products are excluded from one’s diet - as with vegetarianism, protein, iron, calcium and B12 rich foods such as legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, iron fortified breakfast cereals and calcium fortified soy products must be included so that the variety of nutrients required for health are available. If a vegan does not have a regular intake of these foods supplementation may be required.

Down below is…..

Water which is the best drink to quench thirst and 8 glasses per day are needed by adults for good health.
And ‘extras’ (including sugar, fats and salt) which don’t rank a proportion in our intake (because they are not essential
to provide the nutrients the body needs), but do contribute to the overall enjoyment of eating. Their inclusion on the guide allows them to be considered in the context of selecting a healthy eating pattern.

On this guide, foods have been grouped together primarily on the basis of their nutrient similarity. The greater the foods eaten depart from this pattern, the greater the possibility that nutrient needs may not be met.

In general a healthy, balanced diet is:

High in plant based foods
High in fibre
Moderate in good fats
Low in bad fats, sugar and salt.

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