Fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which are essential for maintaining a healthy intestine and preventing digestion problems. It is recommended to eat at least five servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. However, potatoes do not count towards the five daily meals, since they are a starchy food. Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and juices) are excellent for our diet.
They are full of healthy vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, which make us feel full and that our digestive system is healthy. Additionally, they are low in calories. By consuming a wide range of fruits and vegetables, you'll get a variety of the important nutrients they contain. Healthy eating means consuming a wide variety of foods from each of the five major food groups in the recommended amounts.
Eating a variety of foods from the five main food groups provides a variety of nutrients to the body, promotes good health, and can help reduce the risk of diseases. This also helps maintain an interesting diet with different flavors and textures. No matter where you start, it's easy to make small changes to make your diet more in line with Australian dietary guidelines. Just focus on eating foods from all five major food groups and on reducing your occasional food intake.
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating groups the foods that should be part of our daily diet into five main food groups. Foods are grouped together because they provide similar amounts of key nutrients. For example, the key nutrients in the milk, yogurt, cheese and alternatives group include calcium and protein, while the fruit group is a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. Think about how often you eat foods and beverages prepared outside the home.
If you do it regularly, consider reducing your intake and focusing more on the five main food groups. That doesn't mean you have to stop completely; however, if these foods regularly replace the more nutritious and healthy foods in the diet, the risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases increases. Each food group includes a variety of foods with a similar nutritional composition, and each group plays an important role in an overall healthy eating pattern. Because the fats used in oils and spreads are high in calories, you should only eat a small amount to maintain a healthy weight.
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating describes how many servings you and your family need each day and the standard serving sizes of food and beverages. These types of foods can be enjoyed occasionally in small portions as part of a healthy diet; however, most people eat too much food too often. These foods, sometimes referred to as “junk food” or “discretionary options” or “occasional foods” can sometimes be enjoyed but should not be included regularly in a healthy diet. Try to choose a variety of foods from each group to help you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
