AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating provides practical advice to help people choose a healthydiet which will help to reduce the incidence of diet related diseases in Australia.

The guide provides information about the amounts and kinds of food that you need to eat each day to get enough nutrients essential for good health and well-being.

The model represents a plate on a table.

Why do you think this has been done?

THE AUSTRALIAN GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING.

THE FIVE FOOD GROUPS•Breads, cereals rice, pasta noodles

•Vegetables, legumes

•Fruit

•Milk, yoghurt, cheese

•Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes

These foods provide the important nutrients the body needs.

Extra foods that may be eaten sometimes or in small amounts.

VARIETY

Why is variety so important?

Eating a wide variety of foods has a very positive effect on health.

Variety amount the groups

If you eat from each of the five groups in the amounts recommended, it is likely that your diet will contain all the nutrients that you need.

Variety within the groups

Different foods provide more of some nutrients than others. If you eat a variety of foods from within each groups, it likely that you will get all the nutrients provided by the foods in that group.

BREAD, CEREALS, RICE, PASTA, NOODLESFoods in this group come from grains like wheat, oats,

rice, rye, barley, millet and corn.

Nutrients provided by the foods in this group include carbohydrates, protein, fibre and a range of nutrients and minerals including folate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and iron. Wholemeal or wholegrain varieties provide more fibre, vitamins and minerals.

What is a sample serve?

A serve is:

2 slices of bread, 1 cup of cooked rice, pasta, noodles

1 cup porridge, 1 & 1/3 cup breakfast cereal flakes

Or ½ cup muesli

How much bread, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles is needed every day?

The range for 12 -18 years is 4 – 7 serves

VEGETABLES, LEGUMESVegetables come from many different parts of plants.

Some vegetables like tomatoes and pumpkin are the fruit of the plant, but are included in this group because they are used as a vegetable. Legumes are the seeds from peas and, beans- dried peas, beans , lentils and chick peas.

Vegetables and legumes are a good source of vitamins – A and C, minerals – folate, dietary fibre, and carbohydrate.

What is a sample serve?

A sample serve is:

75 g or ½ cup cooked vegetables,

75 g or ½ cup dried beans, peas, lentils

1 cup salad vegetables or 1 potato

How much vegetables and legumes are needed every day?

The range for 12 -18 years is 5 – 9 serves.

FRUIT Fruit is a good source of Vitamins including C and folate. It also Provides carbohydrates, particularly sugars and fibre, especially in the edible skins. Juices belong to this group, but they have a much lower fibre content than fresh fruit.What is a sample serve?A serve of fruit is:1 medium piece eg. Apple, banana, orange, pear.2 small pieces, eg apricot, kiwi fruit1 cup dried pieces or canned fruit½ cup juiceDried fruit eg. 4 dried apricot halves1 ½tablespoons sultanas

How much fruit is needed every day?The range for 12 -18 years is 3 - 4serves.

MILK, YOGHURT, CHEESE

Milk, yoghurt and firm cheeses are the three important foods in this group. Choices of milk, yoghurt, and cheese can be made on the basis of fat content and flavourings used. For most people over 5 years of age, choices of low fat milk, yoghurt and cheese is best.

The foods in this group are an excellent source of calcium, good source of protein, riboflavin, and vitamin B 12.

What is a sample serve?A serve of milk, yoghurt, cheese is:

250 ml milk, ½cup evaporated milk,

40 g ( 2 slices) cheese, 200g (1 small carton) yoghurt

150 ml (one cup) custard

How much milk, yoghurt, cheese is needed every day?The range for 12 -18 years is 3 – 5 serves or approx. 750 ml to 1 litre.

MEAT, FISH, POULTRY, EGGS, NUTS & LEGUMESThis group consists of all kinds of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts

and nut pastes Such as peanut butter, legumes and some seeds such as sunflower and sesame seeds.

Foods in this group are a good source of protein, iron, niacin, and vitamin B12. Red meats are a good source of iron and zinc. The iron in animal foods is more easily absorbed by the body than the iron in plant foods.

What is a sample serve?

A serve is:65 – 100g cooked meat , chicken, eg ½ cup lean mince, 2 small chops or 2 slices roast meat.½ cup cooked dried beans, lentils, chick peas, split peas or canned beans80 – 120 g cooked fish fillet2 small eggs1/3 cup peanuts or almond or ¼ cup sunflower or sesame seedsHow much meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts legumes are needed every day?

The range for 12 -18 years is 1 -2 serves per day

EXTRA FOODS

Some foods do not fit into the five food groups. They are not necessary to provide the nutrients the body needs and some contain too much fat, salt and sugars. However they can add to the enjoyment of eating a healthy diet. Alcoholic drinks are not essential to provide the nutrients the body needs. They should be only consumed sometimes, in small amounts or not at all. Alcohol is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women. What is a sample serve?

A sample serve is:1 doughnut, 4 plain sweet biscuits, 1 slice plain cake, ½ small bar chocolate, 200mls wine, 1 can soft drink, 1/3 meat pie, 12 (60g) hot chips, 1 ½ scoops ice cream.

How much extra food is needed every day?

The range for 12 – 18 years is 1 -3 serves per day.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

For good health, adults need to drink 8 glasses of water every day. They need more during physical activity and in hot weather. All fluids, other than alcoholic drinks, contribute to this requirement. Water is the best drink to quench your thirst.

HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES

What can we swap the following items for?

Cooked breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausages and white toast)

Fruit and cereal, high in grains and fibre

Filled croissant Plain bagel or raisin toast

Glass of fruit juice Piece of fruit and a glass of water

Ham and cheese toasted sandwich

Multigrain toasted sandwich with lean ham and cheese

HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES

What can we swap the following items for?

Handful of lollies Handful of berries

Large coffee Small coffee

Large portion of milk chocolate

Small portion of dark chocolate

Spread of margarine Small spread of avocado

HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES

What can we swap the following items for?

Cream Low-fat yoghurt

Fried eggs Poached or boiled eggs

Fruit straps Piece of fruit

Spread of margarine Small spread of avocado

CASE STUDY - JESSICA

Jessica is a 17-year-old Year 11

student. She plays netball in the

state and local teams four to five

times a week and trains twice a

week. She is busy studying for her

VCE and often stays up late in order

to complete her homework after she

finishes netball training.

Below is a sample of Jessica’s food

intake for a typical weekday.

Breakfast:

‘Up and Go’

Morning snack:

Krispy Kreme doughnut

Banana

Lunch:

1 cheese and salad sandwich – carrots, lettuce, cucumber, sliced beetroot, sliced ham – using wholemeal bread

Coffee scroll

Orange Juice

Afternoon snack:

Packet of 2 minute noodles

Orange Juice

Dinner:

Lasagne

Garden Salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, oil-based salad dressing).

1) Evaluate the nutritional adequacy of this one-day food intake using the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (10 marks).

• What I am looking for!• Reference is made to the case study

• Reference is made to the 5 food groups, water intake and extra foods

• Reference is made to the number of servings she has and the number of servings needed

• Reference is made to the nutritional quality of the foods

Jessica is a very active student who appears to consume a variety of foods throughout her day. She is able to reach the required 5-9 serves of vegetables through her salad sandwich at lunch and the Garden Salad at dinner. The use of wholemeal bread on her sandwich improves the nutritional content of her meal to provide more vitamins, minerals and fibre. This along with the consumption of lasagne and noodles as a snack brings her close to the recommended serves of 4-7 per day. The only fruit Jessica eats is a banana in the morning, although she consumes two cups of orange juice throughout the day, it does not contain the same fibre and vitamins that a piece of fruit would. She should be aiming to get at least 3 serves a day of fruit. Calcium is important for the growth of Jessica’s bones and she should be having 3-5 serves a day of dairy foods. However, in her sample food intake she only has a piece of cheese on her sandwich and an ‘Up-and-Go’. During the day she consumes a piece of ham on her sandwich and most likely mince meat in the lasagne. Through these items she is able to reach the required 1-2 serves of meat. Jessica does also consume some extra foods in the coffee scroll and Krispy Kreme doughnut. These foods are okay to eat 1-3 times per day, and as she is so active she will most likely burn off any unwanted calories. Jessica does not drink any water during the day. She should aim to drink 8 glasses and swap the orange juice for water and eat the real fruit instead.

2) Make suggestions on how Jessica could improve her food intake in order to meet her daily nutritional requirements. Use the table below to organise your response (6 marks).

Food Intake Major nutrients provided by the food or drink

Suggestions for improvement

Breakfast

Snack

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Snack

2) Make suggestions on how Jessica could improve her food intake in order to meet her daily nutritional requirements. Use the table below to organise your response (6 marks)

Food Intake Major nutrients provided by the food or drink

Suggestions for improvement

Breakfast Up and Go Wholegrain Cereal with low-fat milk and strawberriesGlass of water

SnackKrispy Kreme doughnutBanana

Banana 200g low-fat yoghurtGlass of water

Lunch1 cheese and salad sandwich – carrots, lettuce, cucumber, sliced beetroot, sliced ham – using wholemeal breadCoffee scrollOrange Juice 

1 cheese and salad sandwich – carrots, lettuce, cucumber, sliced beetroot, sliced ham – using wholemeal breadHandful of almondsGlass of water

SnackPacket of 2 minute noodlesOrange Juice

Small bowl of unbuttered, unsalted popcorn1-2 pieces of dark chocolateOrangeGlass of water

DinnerLasagneGarden Salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, oil-based salad dressing). 

Lasagne (made with lean-mince and low-fat cheese)Garden Salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrot, oil-based salad dressing).2 glasses of water

Snack Nothing Fruit Salad – tinned in natural juice with low-fat yoghurt Glass of water

3) What factors could be influencing Jessica’s food selections?

(4 marks)

•Food availability

•Food preferences

•Family

•Social considerations

•Cost

•Convenience

•Mood

•Allergies or food intolerances