Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods
In Australia we enjoy an abundance of food choices. There are thousands of different food products on supermarket shelves, most fruits and vegetables are available all year round instead of brief seasons, and we can dine out on the cuisine of any country we fancy. Despite this, many of us think there are only two types of food, 'good' foods and 'bad' foods. Some people think that a 'good diet' means giving up all the foods that are 'bad' for us – often the foods they enjoy most.
The good news from sports dieticians is that no foods are 'good' or 'bad' by themselves, and no food needs to be completely banished from the winning diet. The first rule of a winning diet is to explore and enjoy the variety of foods around us. Variety helps us enjoy what we eat and makes sure that we can meet our nutrient needs from a range of good food sources. Priority should be given to nutrient-rich foods that best look after the special needs of training and keep us healthy. However, there is room for all foods, especially those that are fun to eat or part of eating out socially.
Although some popular diet books have spread the myth that certain foods shouldn't be eaten together, the truth is that meals are improved by mixing and matching foods together. In fact, many foods cleverly combine to enhance the nutritional value of the total meal. Make your meals colourful, interesting and nutrient-rich by combining different foods.