Australian Dietary Guidelines

Australian Dietary Guidelines

1. Guideline 1- To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs

   • Children and adolescents should eat sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally. They should be physically active every day and their growth should be checked regularly. Older people should eat nutritious foods and keep physically active to help maintain muscle strength and a healthy weight.
     • Benefits: High energy levels to last the day, reduces CVD, diabetes, obesity etc because of a healthy body weight, nutrients reduce the risk of disease

2. Guideline 2 Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from these five groups every day:

   • Plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans Fruit Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties, such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat (reduced fat milks are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years) And drink plenty of water.
     • Benefits- individuals consume required nutrients essential for good health, provides energy, reduces risk of some diseases thanks to nutrients, wide variety of nutrients

3. Guideline 3 Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol

   • a. Limit intake of foods high in saturated fat such as many biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks. Replace high fat foods which contain predominantly saturated fats such as butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut and palm oil with foods which contain predominantly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats such as oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado. Low fat diets are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years. b. Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added salt. Read labels to choose lower sodium options among similar foods. Do not add salt to foods in cooking or at the table. c. Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as confectionary, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks. d. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake. For women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeedi
     • Benefits- a- identify foods that are risks for disease, outlines what types of food you can replace with, keeps arteries clear and body healthy by preventing disease such as obesity b- regulates blood pressure, sodium intake, encourages people to read the labels c- limits sugar intake to risk of chronic disease, outlines that you should only limit energy intake to when you use it d- limit sugar intake- help babies develop- grow

4. Guideline 4 Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding

   • Benefits- encourage and promote breastfeeding among mothers so that babies get proper nutrients , growth and development

5. Guideline 5 Care for your food; prepare and store it safely

   • Benfits- ensures that all food consumed is healthty and fresh