Nutrition Australia has reshuffled its iconic Healthy Eating Pyramid for the first time in 15 years by cutting down on carbs, bumping up the veg and eliminating sugar altogether.
Vegetables feature strongly, taking up the larger base of the new pyramid, with a reduced focus on carbohydrates - although in a modern twist, quinoa and soba have been added to the grains group
With just seven per cent of Australians getting their recommended daily serves of vegetables, the adapted dietary pyramid has pleased nutritionists.
The update has been made in an effort to combat growing nutrition confusion and risky fad diets. It offers clearer advice on the five core food groups consumers should aim to eat every day, consistent with Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Nutrition Australia (VIC) executive officer Lucinda Hancock said health professionals were concerned about conflicting and confusing information about food and nutrition.
“The new pyramid cuts through the misleading information and fad diets that are getting so much attention, and provides Australians with a credible, flexible and realistic guide to eating well,” she said.
Hancock said there had been increasingly high rates of diet-related diseases of late.
“The latest health survey data shows that the average Australian is getting more than a third of their daily energy intake from junk foods, while less than seven per cent of people eat enough vegetables and only half of us eat enough fruit,“ she said.
“We want to get the message across that for most people the simplest way to eat healthier is to cut down on junk food and sugary drinks and to eat mostly from the core food groups – especially fruit and vegetables.
“You don’t need to follow a restrictive diet or cut out entire food groups to eat healthier, because this can also lead to other issues such as yoyo dieting or nutrient deficiencies.”
The previous pyramid grouped all foods in three layers: The Eat Most layer containing plant-based foods (fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes); the Eat Moderately layer containing dairy foods (and dairy alternatives) and meat (and meat alternatives); and a small top layer with added fats and sugars.
The new pyramid separates each layer into the five specific food groups, to provide clearer information about how much each one contributes to a balanced diet. Plant-based foods still take up the largest amount of space, with fruit, vegetables and legumes emphasised in the bottom layer, followed by grain foods, then moderate amounts of dairy and protein foods (lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes) and finally small amounts of healthy fats.
It also encourages drinking water, limiting salt and added sugar, and to enjoy herbs and spices to flavour foods without using salt.
Australia’s changing dietary patterns and cultural diversity are also reflected in the new pyramid, with a wider range of foods included within each group.
“For instance, the grains food group now includes quinoa and soba noodles and the dairy section includes soy milk to represent calcium-fortified dairy alternatives,” said Hancock.
"As well as being a reflection of changing dietary patterns, including a wider range of foods is an important way to encourage greater variety in the diet.
