As a bonus, choosing a variety of foods will help to make your meals interesting, so that you don't get bored with your diet. Because different foods provide different types and amounts of key nutrients, it is important to choose a variety of foods from within each food group. For example, key nutrients of the milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives group include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C.Įating a varied, well-balanced diet means eating a variety of foods from each of the 5 food groups daily, in the recommended amounts.

milk, yoghurt, cheese or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.įoods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients.

grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain or high cereal fibre varieties.

lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, legumes or beans.

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating groups the foods that should make up our daily diets into 5 major food groups. Just focus on eating foods from the 5 major food groups and reducing your intake of occasional foods. No matter where you're starting, it's easy to make little changes to bring your eating closer in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

Fats and oils External Link are high in kilojoules (energy) but necessary for a healthy diet in small amounts.

These foods, sometimes referred to as 'junk' foods, 'discretionary choices' or 'occasional foods' can be enjoyed sometimes, but should not feature regularly in a healthy diet. Many of the foods that often feature regularly in modern diets do not form part of the 5 food groups. Healthy eating means eating a wide variety of foods from each of the 5 major food groups, in the amounts recommended.Įating a variety of foods from the 5 major food groups provides a range of nutrients to the body, promotes good health and can help reduce the risk of disease - as well as keeping your diet interesting with different flavours and textures. They are based on the best available science about the types and amounts of foods and the dietary patterns that are thought to promote health and wellbeing, and reduce your risk of diet-related conditions and chronic disease. The Guidelines are developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council, working with independent experts in nutrition. These are shown in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating External Link. The Australian Dietary Guidelines provide up-to-date advice about the types and recommended number of serves of the different foods that we need to eat for good nutrition and health. Do you know what foods are best to put on your plate? Or how much you should eat and how often?

Healthier food alternatives