Australian dietary guidelines
What foods should you put on your dinner plate? How much and how often should you eat?
Die Australian dietary recommendations provide the most up-to-date advice on the type and number of servings of different foods we should eat to maintain good health and nutrition. The Australian Guide to Healthy Food shows these.
The National Health and Medical Research Council developed the guidelines in collaboration with independent nutrition experts. They are based on the latest science on what foods, amounts, and dietary patterns are believed to be the most beneficial for health and well-being and for reducing the risk of chronic diseases and diet-related conditions.
Try a wide variety of food.
Healthy eating is about eating foods from all five major food groups in the recommended amounts.
Eating foods from all five major food groups will provide a wide range of nutrients, improve your health and reduce your risk of illness. It can also keep you interested in the kitchen and its different tastes and textures.
The five food groups do not include many of the foods we eat regularly. The foods that are sometimes called ‘junk foods’, ‘discretionary foods’, or ‘occasional food’ can be eaten occasionally, but they should not be a regular part of a healthy diet.
Oils and fats are high in energy (kilojoules) but essential for a balanced diet.
No matter where you start, it’s simple to make small changes to your diet to align it with Australian dietary guidelines. Focus on the five major food groups and reduce your intake of other foods.
5 major food categories
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating groups foods into five major food groups.
There are five main food groups:
- vegetables or legumes
- fruit
- Nuts, seeds, tofu and nuts, poultry and lean meats, fish, eggs and legumes.
- Foods containing grains (cereals) – mainly wholegrain varieties or cereals with high fibre content
- Milk, yoghurt and cheese are all low-fat alternatives.
Foods are grouped because they contain similar amounts of nutrients. Calcium and protein are key nutrients in the Milk, yoghurt, and cheese alternatives group, while vitamin C is found in the fruit group.
A varied and well-balanced eating plan involves consuming a variety of foods from the five food groups every day in the recommended quantities. It is important to select a wide variety of foods within each food category because different foods contain different amounts and types of nutrients. As a bonus, a variety will keep your diet interesting and prevent you from getting bored.
Foods for special occasions
Some foods are not included in the five food groups, as they are not essential for a healthy eating plan. These foods are referred to as “discretionary foods” (sometimes called junk foods) and should only be consumed occasionally.
These foods are often high in sugar, salt, alcohol or added sugars and low in fibre.
The kilojoules in these foods and beverages can be excessive. Eating more kilojoules (energy) than your body requires will cause weight gain.
Some examples of “discretionary foods” or “occasional food” are:
- Sweet biscuits, cakes and desserts
- Processed meats and sausages; savoury pastry and pies with high salt or fat content
- Takeaway foods such as hamburgers, hot chips and pizza
- Sweetened condensed Milk
- Alcoholic drinks
- Ice cream and other ice desserts
- Chocolate and confectionary
- Commercially fried foods
- Potato chips, crisps, and other salty and/or fatty snacks, including some biscuits
- Cream, butter and spreads that are high in saturated fatty acids
- Sports and energy drinks, as well as soft drinks with added sugar.
You can enjoy these foods occasionally as a treat. Suppose you regularly substitute these foods with more nutritious and healthy foods. In that case, you increase your risk of obesity and chronic diseases, including heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer.
Take-out food and restaurant meals
Takeaway food and restaurant meals are often high in saturated fats, sugars and salt.
Consider how often you eat and drink food prepared outside of your home. Consider cutting back on your consumption and focusing on the five major food groups. This doesn’t mean that you should stop eating.
You can reduce saturated fats in food items that you order from take-out by:
- Order a takeaway meal without fries.
- Choose from a variety of bread-based dishes such as wraps, kebabs or hamburgers.
- Choose a pastry or deep-fried option instead.
- Include more vegetables and salad.
- Reduce the calories by choosing smaller portions or sharing with others. Add a green salad.
- Remember, you can always ask for less.
- Select tomato-based pasta sauces over cream-based ones.
- Water is essential for your health.
- Do not upsize your meal unless you are eating it with a salad.
Fast foods with relatively low saturated fat levels and added salt include
- Pizzas with less meat and cheese
- Grilled chicken burgers and wraps
- Grilled hamburgers with lean beef, without bacon or cheese.
- Grilled fish burgers.
High Sugar Foods
Sugar added to foods and drinks such as soft drinks, cordials (cordials), biscuits, cakes, and confectionery is high. Sugar does not cause diabetes. Sugar added to foods can lead to weight gain. Being overweight also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sugar-sweetened beverages are the main source of sugar in Australian diets. It is well-established that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity in children and tooth decay. It is important to limit the consumption of foods and beverages with high sugar levels.
It’s okay to drink sugar-free drinks occasionally, but acidic fizzy drinks can still have an adverse effect on dental and bone health. Try adding a lemon, lime, or orange slice to water for some flavour.
Drink alcohol in moderation.
According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, alcoholic drinks are “occasional foods”. Alcohol contains a lot of energy (kilojoules). Moderation is key if you decide to drink alcohol.
Healthy men and women who want to reduce their risk of alcohol-related illness or injury should limit themselves to no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four standard drinks in a single day.
Alcohol is harmful to your health if you consume alcohol.
A standard drink is either 375ml of mid-strength ale, 100ml of wine, or 30ml of spirits. Consider reducing your intake if you consume more than that. This can be done by increasing the days of the week that you do not drink alcohol or by alternating alcoholic drinks and water.
Alcohol is not recommended for children, pregnant women or nursing mothers.
High-salt foods
High blood pressure is associated with too much salt, and this condition is known to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Adults with normal blood pressure should consume less than 5 grams of salt (less than one teaspoon) per day. Most Australians consume twice as much salt each day.
Most of the salt we consume comes from processed and packaged foods that we eat on a daily basis, such as bread, meats, and soups. Reduce your salt consumption by reducing the amount of take-out food you consume.
Healthy Fats
Australian dietary guidelines allow a small amount of healthy fats per day (between one and two tablespoons for adults but less for children).
A healthy diet includes consuming unsaturated fats (healthy fats) in small quantities. It can help with:
- Vitamins A, D, E, and K: Absorption
- Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
- If you replace bad fats with healthy fats, your cholesterol level will drop.
Unsaturated fats are classified into two main categories:
- Monounsaturated fatty acids – can be found in avocados, cashews, almonds, olive oil and canola.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as
- Omega-3 fats are found in oily fish
- Omega-6 fats are found in Brazil nuts, safflower oil and soybean oils.
Replace saturated fat (such as butter or cream) in your diet with an unsaturated option (such as olive oil or polyunsaturated margarine).
Find out more about oils and fats.
How many calories do I need each day from each food group?
The amount of food you should consume each day is determined by your age, gender, and level of activity. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating outlines the number of servings you and your family require each day and standard portion sizes for food and beverages.
