How much should we be eating?
The "Australian Guide to Healthy Eating" indicates the amount of food from each of the five food groups required each day for good health.
Grains are represented in the "Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles" food group. Since pulses are eaten as both a source of protein and as a vegetable, they feature in the "Vegetables and legumes" food group as well as the "Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts and legumes" food group.
The number of serves of food recommended in each food group varies according to age, gender and physical activity level. For instance, four serves of "Bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles" are recommended in sedentary adolescents aged 12-18 years, whereas 11 serves are recommended in adolescents who are physically very active.
Minimum number of daily serves of bread, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles recommended for a healthy diet
|
Population group |
Age |
Number of serves |
|
Children |
4–7 years |
2 |
|
8–11 years |
3 |
|
|
Adolescents |
12–18 years |
3-4 |
|
Adults |
19+ years |
4 |
A sample serve of bread, cereal, rice, pasta, noodles
2 slices (60 g) bread, 1 medium bread roll;
1 cup (180 g) cooked rice, pasta, noodles;
1 cup (230 g) cooked porridge, 11/3 cups (40g) cereal flakes or ready-to-eat
cereal;
½ cup (65 g) untoasted muesli;
1/3 cup (40 g) flour.
A sample serve of legumes/pulses (as part of vegetable group)
½ cup (75 g) cooked dried beans, peas or lentils.
A sample serve of legumes/pulses (as part of meat group)
½ cup (80 g) cooked (dried) beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas and
canned beans.