Dietary Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Australians promote good health and good nutrition for all Australians. An Accredited Practising Dietitian can help to tailor these guidelines to individual needs.
The Dietary Guidelines for Australians are designed to help people choose foods for a healthy life. The guidelines are:
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods
- Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits.
- Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain.
- Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives.
- Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties should be chosen, where possible.
- Drink plenty of water.
and take care to - Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake.
- Choose foods low in salt.
- Limit your alcohol intake if you choose to drink.
- Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars.
Prevent weight gain: be physically active and eat according to your energy needs.
Care for your food: prepare and store it safely.
Encourage and support breastfeeding.
It is important to choose a diet from a variety of healthy foods to make sure the body gets all the nutrients it needs to stay fit and healthy. Limiting food choices can mean missing out on important nutrients.
There are also specific Dietary Guidelines specific for children and adolescents and for older Australians.
An Accredited Practising Dietitian can provide practical, expert and individual advice on how to incorporate the Dietary Guidelines into every day eating.
