Get straight to the facts and find out how you can look after your health. With the right nutrition information, staying in shape and feeling great is easy.
- Breakfast
-
We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact, breakfast can improve your attention, mental performance and memory – and has been shown to improve learning, memory and academic performance for school children. But why is this so? Find out why a healthy breakfast matters, how to make time for breakfast, and get some quick and healthy breakfast ideas.
Read more about the importance of a Healthy Breakfast
- Caffeine
-
What exactly is caffeine and how much is it recommended that we consume on a daily basis? Find out how much caffeine is in things like coffee, tea and cocoa, and which people should exercise caution when consuming caffeine.
Find out more about Caffeine
- Children's Nutrition
-
Good nutrition, along with physical activity, is essential for children's healthy growth and development.
Healthy eating patterns start in childhood and lay the foundation for a healthy life, and the avoidance of nutrition related disease. Learn more about the proteins, vitamins and minerals children need to eat, how much they should eat, and why.
Read more on Children's Nutrition
- Decoding Food Labels
-
Food labels carry a range of important information – including a nutrition information panel (which details the amount of energy, carbohydrates, sugars, sodium, saturated fat etc), ingredient list, allergens, additives, a product's country of origin and advisory statements. This fact sheet provides a handy guide to reading nutrition panels so you can make the healthiest choices.
Find out more about Food Labels
- Diabetes
-
This fact sheet provides an overview of the three different types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus and gestational diabetes; plus a similar condition in Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT). It also outlines risk factors like overweight and smoking, types of treatment, and the role of nutrition in achieving good blood glucose control.
Read more about Diabetes
- Dietary Fibre
-
Learn more about what dietary fibre is and the role it plays in the body in keeping the gut healthy, reducing cholesterol and reducing the risk of diseases. Also find out about the different types of fibre (soluble fibre, insoluble fibre, resistant starch), and which foods are good fibre sources – plus fibre's role as prebiotics and supporting probiotics (friendly bacteria) which are essential for digestive health.
Read more about Dietary Fibre
- Eating for Heart Health
-
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is Australia's greatest health problem – potentially leading to heart attack and stroke. Learn about the effects of fats (including saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, omega 3 fats, omega 6 fats), salt, fibre and antioxidants on your health. Plus how you can help prevent atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease, heart attack and stroke, and the role that a healthy diet can play in minimising risk.
Read more on Eating for Heart Health
- Fats and Your Health
-
Learn more about the different types of fat and oils (like fatty acids, essential fatty acids, omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids, saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats), what they do, how much fat we need for growth and development, and energy – and get some handy tips for eating a low-fat, balanced diet.
Read more on Fats and Your Health
- Food Allergens
-
While many people have adverse reactions to certain foods, true food allergy only affects a small percentage of the population. Here, you can read about the most common allergens (like peanuts, tree nuts, milk products, egg, sesame seeds, fish and crustaceans, cereals containing gluten) and associated conditions and adverse reactions (including coeliac disease, lactose intolerance and anaphylaxis).
Read more about Food Allergens
- Glycaemic Index (GI)
-
The Glycaemic Index (GI) of a food can be an important consideration when it comes to choosing healthy foods that will keep you feeling full for longer, and sustain your energy. Find out more about high GI and low GI and why a low GI diet is better for the management of blood glucose levels, plus a quick overview of the GI of some common foods.
Discover more about Glycaemic Index
- Healthy Eating
-
Did you know that to function properly, the human body needs over 50 nutrients? Find out how to get the nutrients you need, and how to incorporate healthy foods – like vegetables, legumes, fruits, cereals, lean meat/fish/poultry and reduced fat dairy – into your lifestyle.
Discover more about Healthy Eating
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
-
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids which means they cannot be made by our bodies as we cannot make the double bond which gives them their name of Omega-3. So we must get them from the food we eat.
Find out what Omega-3 Fatty Acids are, how much you need and which foods are a good source.
Read more about Omega-3 Fatty Acids here
- Antioxidants
-
Antioxidants occur naturally in our bodies and in food (dietary antioxidants) and act as part of the natural defence and repair systems of the body. The human body is exposed to unstable compounds called free radicals, of which too many can have a damaging effect. Dietary antioxidants stabilized these compounds to help keep the balance right and therefore, maintain a healthy body. Fruit, vegetables, dark chocolate, red wine, tea and coffee all contain antioxidants.
Discover more about where to get antioxidants from, how much you need, and tips for boosting antioxidants in your diet.
Read more on Antioxidants here
- Healthy Eating on a Budget
-
Healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. With some smart shopping, clever meal ideas, recipes and planning – and the right food storage – you can eat a healthy, balanced diet and save money at the same time.
Read more on Healthy Eating on A Budget
- Healthy Weight
-
Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of several health problems – including backache, syndrome X, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Find out more about healthy weight ranges, your BMI, how to lose weight, and get some tips on introducing more physical activity into your life.
Read more on Healthy Weight
- Iodine
-
Iodine is an essential nutrient that is needed to regulate the metabolism – through its role in thyroid function. It's also essential for the development of the brain and nervous system – especially during pregnancy and in the first three years of life. Find out more about which foods are sources of iodine, and the role iodine plays in our diet.
Read more about Iodine
- Lactose Intolerance
-
What is Lactose Intolerance? Find out who is affected by Lactose Intolerance, how to diagnose it, tips for managing it, and how to ensure a healthy and balanced diet if you do have the condition. Plus a guide on how much lactose is present in common foods like milk, yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products.
Find out more about Lactose Intolerance
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
-
MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate, is a flavour enhancer that is added to food to bring out its savoury taste (or 'umami'). However, glutamate is also found naturally in some protein-containing foods like meat, peas, yeast extracts, soy sauce, mushrooms and cheese. But is MSG really that bad? Here are the facts.
Find out more about MSG
- Osteoporosis
-
Osteoporosis (which means porous bones) is caused by a loss of calcium from the bones. It affects many more women than men and is a particularly distressing problem for older people. Find out what osteoporosis is, what causes it, and how you can reduce your risk by increasing calcium containing foods and weight bearing exercise.
Read more about Osteoporosis and Calcium Requirements
- Plant Sterols
-
What are plant sterols and plant stanols? Find out more about how they can help combat high cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption, the amount of plant sterols you need in your diet, and some good, natural plant sterol enriched sources on the market.
Read more about Plant Sterols
- Smart Snacking
-
Snacking between meals doesn't have to be a bad thing. In fact, for some people, snacking in between meals can be quite healthy and sensible. This fact sheet provides some tips on smart snacking and healthy snacking for children, slimmers, teenagers, active children, and adults – and how to balance 'treats'.
Find out about Smart Snacking here
- The Gluten Free Diet
-
A gluten free diet is followed by individuals with coeliac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis or non-coeliac gluten intolerance. Wheat, rye, barley, oats and most ingredients derived from these grains must be avoided. This fact sheet provides an overview of gluten intolerance, how to understand food labels, common sources of gluten, and gluten free foods and cooking.
Read more about the Gluten Free Diet
- The Heart Foundation Tick
-
The Heart Foundation Tick is a handy symbol that helps people make healthier food choices. The Tick program aims to lower the levels of 'negative' nutrients and increase the level of 'positive' nutrients in foods. Find out how a food gets allocated a Tick, and why it's so important to choose Tick-approved foods.
Read more about the Heart Foundation Tick
- Vitamin D
-
Vitamin D is often called the 'sunshine vitamin' as it can be obtained both through the food we eat and by producing it in our skin when we're exposed to sunlight (UVB rays). This fact sheet explains Vitamin D deficiency, its effects (like soft bones, osteomalacia and osteoporosis) and how it can be treated. It also outlines who is at risk, and includes a table with recommended daily Vitamin D intake.
Discover more about Vitamin D
- Calcium
-
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and is particularly important for growing children and pregnant women, as it is an essential mineral for maintaining strong bones. The richest sources of calcium are from dairy products such as milk and cheese. Other good calcium sources include nuts, canned fish with bones, leafy vegetables and dried fruits. Alternative sources of foods with fortified calcium include soy or rice milk.
Find out more on where to get your calcium from, how much you need and how to include it in your diet.
Read more about Calcium here
|