Healthy eating and diet
Curious about the best foods to include in your diet? Wondering how much to eat and how frequently?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines offer the latest advice on the types and recommended servings of foods essential for good nutrition and health, as illustrated in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
Developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council with input from independent nutrition experts, these guidelines are based on the best available scientific evidence. They highlight the types and quantities of foods and dietary patterns that promote health, enhance wellbeing, and lower the risk of diet-related conditions and chronic diseases.
Eat a Variety of Foods for Optimal Health
Healthy eating involves enjoying a wide variety of foods from each of the five major food groups in recommended amounts. This ensures your body gets a range of essential nutrients, promotes good health, and helps reduce the risk of disease while keeping your diet interesting with diverse flavors and textures.
Many commonly consumed foods in modern diets do not belong to these five groups. These are often referred to as ‘junk foods,’ ‘discretionary choices,’ or ‘occasional foods.’ While they can be enjoyed occasionally, they should not be a regular part of a healthy diet. Fats and oils, though high in kilojoules (energy), are necessary in small amounts for a balanced diet.
Regardless of your current eating habits, it’s easy to make small changes to align more closely with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. Focus on incorporating more foods from the five major food groups and reducing your intake of occasional foods for better health.
Understanding the 5 Major Food Groups
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating categorizes daily diet essentials into five major food groups. These groups ensure you get a balanced intake of key nutrients for optimal health.
The 5 food groups are:
- vegetables and legumes or beans
- fruit
- lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes or beans
- grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain or high cereal fibre varieties
- milk, yoghurt, cheese or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.
Foods within each group are combined because they provide similar key nutrients. For instance, the milk, yoghurt, cheese, and alternatives group is rich in calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a great source of vitamins, particularly vitamin C.
To maintain a well-balanced diet, it is crucial to eat a variety of foods from each of these groups in the recommended amounts daily. Different foods offer different types and amounts of key nutrients, so varying your choices within each group ensures comprehensive nutrition. Plus, a diverse diet keeps your meals interesting and prevents dietary boredom.
Focus on incorporating these five food groups into your daily meals to align with the Australian Dietary Guidelines for better health and nutrition.
Occasional Foods: What You Need to Know
Certain foods do not fit into the five major food groups because they are not essential for a healthy diet. These foods, known as ‘discretionary choices’ or ‘junk foods,’ should be consumed sparingly.
Discretionary foods are typically high in saturated fat, added sugars, added salt, or alcohol, and low in important nutrients like fiber. They also tend to be high in kilojoules (energy), and regularly consuming more kilojoules than your body needs can lead to weight gain.
Examples of discretionary choices or occasional foods include:
- Sweet biscuits, cakes, desserts, and pastries
- Processed meats and fatty, salty sausages, savory pastries, and pies
- Takeaway foods like hot chips, hamburgers, and pizza
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Alcoholic drinks
- Ice cream and other frozen confections
- Confectionery and chocolate
- Commercially fried foods
- Potato chips, crisps, and other fatty and/or salty snack foods, including some savory biscuits
- Cream, butter, and spreads high in saturated fats
- Sugar-sweetened soft drinks, cordials, sports drinks, and energy drinks
Occasional consumption of these foods as a treat is acceptable. However, if they regularly replace more nutritious and healthier options in your diet, your risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers increases.
To maintain a balanced diet and good health, focus on limiting these discretionary choices and prioritizing nutrient-rich foods from the five major food groups.
Restaurant Meals and Takeaway Foods: Healthier Choices
Restaurant meals and takeaway foods often contain high levels of saturated fat, added salt, added sugars, and kilojoules. Consider how frequently you consume food and drinks prepared outside the home. If this is a regular habit, think about cutting back and focusing more on the five major food groups. This doesn’t mean you have to stop entirely.
Here are some tips for reducing saturated fat in takeaway food options:
- Order a takeaway meal without the fries
- Choose bread-based options like wraps, kebabs, souvlaki, or hamburgers
- Avoid deep-fried and pastry options
- Include extra vegetables and salad
- Opt for smaller portions or share with someone and add a green salad to reduce kilojoules
- Limit high-fat, high-salt sauces and toppings like cheese, fatty meats, and mayonnaise – you can ask for less
- Choose tomato-based pasta sauces instead of cream-based sauces
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid upsizing unless it's with a side salad
Fast foods with relatively low levels of saturated fat and added salt include:
- Pizzas with less cheese and meat
- Grilled chicken burgers or wraps
- Grilled, lean meat hamburgers without cheese or bacon additions
- Grilled fish burgers
By making these smarter choices, you can enjoy restaurant meals and takeaway foods while maintaining a healthier diet. Focus on incorporating more foods from the five major food groups and reducing your intake of high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods.
High-Sugar Foods and Drinks: What You Need to Know
Foods and drinks like soft drinks, cordials, biscuits, cakes, and confectionery are high in added sugars and kilojoules. While sugar itself doesn’t directly cause diabetes, consuming added sugars can lead to weight gain, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sugar-sweetened drinks are the largest source of sugars in Australian diets. There is strong evidence linking increased consumption of these drinks to the development of childhood obesity and tooth decay. Therefore, it’s essential to limit foods and drinks with high sugar content.
Sugar-free versions can be consumed occasionally, but sugar-free fizzy drinks are still acidic and can negatively impact bone and dental health. Water remains the healthiest drink choice – try adding a slice of lemon, lime, or orange for flavor.
By reducing your intake of high-sugar foods and drinks, you can improve your overall health and reduce the risk of obesity and related conditions. Focus on healthier options to maintain a balanced diet and better well-being.
Drink Alcohol in Moderation
Alcoholic drinks are considered ‘occasional foods’ in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating because they are high in energy (kilojoules). If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
To minimize the risk of alcohol-related diseases or injuries, healthy men and women should limit their intake to no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any single day. The less you drink, the lower your risk of alcohol-related harm.
A standard drink equals 375 ml of mid-strength beer, 100 ml of wine, or 30 ml of spirits. If you consume more than this, consider reducing your intake by increasing the number of alcohol-free days each week or alternating alcoholic drinks with water.
Children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women should not drink alcohol.
By moderating your alcohol consumption, you can significantly reduce your risk of health issues and promote a healthier lifestyle.
High-Salt Foods: Reduce Your Intake for Better Health
Consuming too much salt is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, a known risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
For adults with normal blood pressure, it’s recommended to consume less than 5 grams of salt per day (less than a teaspoon). However, many Australians consume twice this amount daily.
Most of our salt intake comes from packaged and processed foods, such as bread, processed meats, and soups. Reducing your consumption of takeaway foods can significantly lower your salt intake.
To improve your health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, focus on cutting back on high-salt foods and incorporating more fresh, whole foods into your diet.
Healthy Fats: Essential for a Balanced Diet
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend a small daily allowance for healthy fats—around 1 to 2 tablespoons for adults and less for children.
Incorporating unsaturated (healthy) fats in small amounts is crucial for a healthy diet, as they aid in:
- Absorbing essential vitamins (A, D, E, and K)
- Reducing the risk of heart disease
- Lowering cholesterol levels when replacing saturated (bad) fats
There are two main types of unsaturated fats:
- Monounsaturated fats: Found in olive and canola oil, avocados, cashews, and almonds.
- Polyunsaturated fats: Includes Omaga-3 fats found in oily fish and Omega-6 fats which are found in Safflower and soybean oil, and Brazil nuts.
To include healthy fats in your diet, replace saturated fats (such as butter and cream) with unsaturated fat options like olive oil or polyunsaturated margarine.
Learn more about fats and oils to make healthier choices.
Daily Servings from Each Food Group: How Much Do You Need?
The amount of each food group you need daily varies based on your age, gender, and activity levels. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating provides detailed recommendations on the number of servings required for each food group, along with standard serving sizes for foods and drinks.
For personalized dietary guidance, consult the guide to determine the appropriate servings for you and your family to maintain a balanced and healthy diet.
