Analysis of The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating shows the types and amounts of food we should be eating. Food is sorted into five main categories - vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein. The amount of food you need from each group is dependent on your age, gender and activity levels. The groups are determined by what they provide. To give you an idea, milk, yoghurt and cheese, which are all foods in the dairy group, are all great sources of calcium and so, they are grouped.

Eating a well-balanced diet, meaning you eat a variety of foods from each group, in the recommended amount, comes with several benefits. Every food in each group contains different amounts and types of nutrients, so it’s also important to have a range of foods from within each group.You will consume different types of important nutrients, see an improvement in your health and have a reduced risk of disease. The bottom layer of the food pyramid includes fruits and vegetables. According to Nutrition Australia, 70% of the food we eat should come from these two food groups.Fruits, such as apples, bananas and oranges, help protect you from many chronic diseases as they provide a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.A standard serving of fruit is about 350kJ - some examples of this would be one medium banana, two small plums or one cup of diced fruit. Both women and men aged between 19-50 need two servings of fruit a day.

Vegetables, such as carrots, mushrooms and lettuce, provide you with a wide range of nutrients such as fibre, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. This helps in reducing the risk of coronary artery disease, having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect (for women) and it contributes to maintaining healthy blood pressure. A standard serving of vegetables is approximately 100-350kJ. This could be a cup of green, leafy vegetables, half a cup of broccoli or half a medium potato.The recommended daily serving size for women is 5 serves. For men, it is 6 servings.

The next layer up is grains. This includes foods such as bread, breakfast cereals and pasta. Whole grains can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases, heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, lower blood cholesterol levels, help with weight loss and management and prevent constipation.The fibre in whole grains makes you feel full, even though you haven’t eaten much.A standard serving of grains is 500kJ. Some examples of this could be one slice of bread, half a cup of cooked porridge and one crumpet. It is recommended that both women and men ages 19-50 consume 6 servings of grains every day.

The third layer is dairy and protein. The foods in both groups in this layer are often over-consumed and therefore, it is important to limit the amount you eat each day. Dairy products, like milk, yoghurt and cheese, provide you with calcium and protein.  This can improve bone health, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes as well as lower your blood pressure.A standard serving of dairy contains 500-600kJ. This could come in the form of two slices of hard cheese, half a cup of ricotta or a third of a cup of yoghurt. Both men and women aged between 19 and 50 are recommended to eat 2 ½ servings of dairy daily.

Proteins, such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, nuts and legumes, contain iron, zinc, magnesium, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E and clearly, protein. This acts as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, blood enzymes, hormones and vitamins. They also help build tissues and red blood cells, release energy, assist the function of the nervous system and immune system, carry oxygen to the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease. A standard serving of proteins is 500-600kJ. Some examples of this are one cup of lentils, one small can of fish and two large eggs. Women aged 19-50 need 2 ½ daily servings of proteins, while men need 3. The top layer of the pyramid is for healthy fats, such as olive oil. The food we eat provides us with three types of macronutrients - carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Meals that include all three macronutrients are typically more satisfying and filling, so there’s less of a chance of you overeating at your next meal. Including all the different food groups in your diet helps you to develop an assortment of healthy bacteria in your gut. This can protect you against obesity, reduce your allergies and enhance your immune system.

Having diversity in what you eat can also make your meals more exciting. If you eat the same thing every day, it can feel restrictive and boring, making it even harder to eat healthily. You’ll start looking for different foods to eat that may not be as healthy.Not following a strict diet and instead just focusing on including the right amount of food from the food groups, regardless of what they are, can eliminate this problem.