| Water The first and foremost requirement of the body, even above food, is water. The daily requirements are approximately 2.5 litres for an adult, half of which comes from food. Recommended to drink 1.5 litres of water per day. |
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| Cereals, starchy products and dried vegetables These are energy based foods, they include bread, pasta, couscous, rice, potato, dried beans and pulses. They’re high in complex carbohydrate or sugar and form part of the requirements of vegetable proteins. Recommended to consume dry & starchy foods at least once per day and bread can be eaten at each meal. |
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| Fresh vegetables and fruit This group is packed full of minerals, vitamins, fibre, carbohydrate and water. They can be eaten raw or cooked and have similar nutritional value so you can easily replace one with another. Recommended to consume at least 5 servings per day. |
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| Dairy products Dairy products provide protein, calcium, vitamins A, D and B’s. With such high nutritional benefits, a dairy-free diet should be supplemented in order to avoid deficiencies in the above. Recommended 2-3 servings per day. |
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| Meat, poultry, fish and eggs This group is our principle source of protein and iron. So, as with dairy-free diets, excluding any foods in this group from your diet could lead to deficiencies without other sources. Recommended that foods from this group be consumed twice per day. |
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| Fats Oils, butters and margarines supply saturated fatty acids, a source of energy; unsaturated fatty acids and essential fats for manufacture and repair of cells; liposoluble vitamins A,D, E,K. Recommended as part of a balanced diet but should be consumed in moderation, use sparingly. |
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| Sweetened products Sugar and sweetened products differ from the previous groups because they are not essential for a balanced diet. For those with diabetes it is even advised that they be excluded altogether. Recommended that foods in this group only be consumed in moderation. |
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