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Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is important for all of us. Good nutrition can help in the management of many chronic conditions, including diabetes. It may also plays an important part in preventing many lifestyle related conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
The Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults (brochure or A4 booklet 
) recommends that we enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods:
- Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
- Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain
- Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
- Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties should be chosen, where possible
- Drink plenty of water
- Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake
- Choose foods low in salt
- Limit your alcohol intake if you choose to drink
- Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars
Prevent weight gain by being physically active and eat according to your energy needs. There is no secret to preventing weight gain. It's a matter of finding the balance between food intake and physical activity. The best approach is to make permanent changes to both food and activity habits. Increasing physical activity burns off body fat. Aim to be active every day. A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day is recommended.
Food must be prepared and stored safely
Breastfeeding is encouraged and should be supported
We can all make changes to our food choices. Here are some tips to get started:
- Swap white bread for wholegrain or wholemeal
- Choose skim or low fat dairy products
- Add an extra serve of vegetables to your dinner or some salad to your lunch
- Use fruit as a snack
- Replace butter with a polyunsaturated or monounsaturated margarine
- Buy lean cuts of meat or trim any visible fat off before cooking
- Remove skin from chicken
- Replace sugary soft drinks and juices with water
Still hungry for more information?
- Our fact sheets cover a variety of nutritional information for people with and without diabetes.
- Diabetes ACT holds several regular groups focused on healthy eating, led by an Accredited Practising Dietitian who can answer your questions.
- Diabetes ACT offers individual appointments with a dietitian for people with diabetes.
- Measure Up is part a national program which aims to reduce risk factors for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
- Go for 2&5 has tips and recipes to help you eat more fruit and vegetables.
- Find thirty is an ACT program with information about physical activity for good health - including free 'Come and Try' sessions.
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults and Older Australians
- Check out our useful links page for further information.
