Now that you know about healthy foods, it's important to get
your portion sizes right - too much of a good thing is still too
much!
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Vegetables & salad
Salads and vegetables should make up the biggest proportion of
your plate.
Vibrant salads and vegetables add colour and texture, making
meals interesting as well as healthy. We are encouraged to eat at
least five serves of salads and vegetables and should choose a
variety of colours for maximum health and nutrition.
One serve is equal to:
- ½ cup raw or cooked carrots, pumpkin, cauliflower or
cabbage
- 1 cup of raw or cooked green leafy vegetables
- 1 cup raw green salad vegetables
- 1 small to medium tomato
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Protein
Eating a source of protein with your
meals, will promote strong muscles, provide important vitamins and
can help you feel full for longer.
Depending on your gender and activity levels, two to three
serves of protein each day is sufficient to meet your nutritional
needs.
One serve is about one small palm size.
This could be 65g cooked lean meats such as beef or lamb, 80g
cooked poultry such as chicken or 100g cooked fish.
Non-meat protein foods include eggs, cooked beans, lentils,
chick peas and nuts.
Dairy foods are also an important source of protein as well as
carbohydrate.
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Carbohydrate
Aim to fill about a quarter of your
plate with carbohydrate-based foods. The inclusion of a healthy
source of carbohydrate at each meal will help manage your blood
glucose levels and keep your energy levels up.
You need to eat a variety of carbohydrates each day, including
cereals, whole grains, and starchy vegetables to get the right
balance of nutrients.
Looking at the portion plate as a guide, your carbohydrate serve
could include 1 cup of cooked rice, pasta or noodles, a medium
potato, 1 cup of corn kernels, or 2 slices of bread or a bread
roll. Add in a piece of fruit or yoghurt for a fresh and healthy
dessert.