8 October 2021
It’s National Nutrition Week and NT Health is encouraging people living in remote communities to ‘Eat Like a Rainbow Snake’.
NT Health’s Senior Public Health Dietitian in the Central Australia Region, Daniel Shyhun, said the Australia Dietary Guidelines indicate that everyone should be eating two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables a day.
“We know that only five per cent of Australian adults and six per cent of children are meeting these guidelines, but fruit and vegetables offer many benefits to our health and provide us with essential vitamins and minerals,” Mr Shyhun said.
“We not only want people to eat more fruit and vegetables but also ensure they are eating a wide variety.
“Eating all the colours of the rainbow helps us maximise the health benefits of fruit and vegetables and can reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.”
Mr Shyhun said fibre was also found in fruit and vegetables, which is important for gut health.
“Research tells us that our gut health plays a role in fighting infections, brain functioning and mood so eating your 2&5 can help support this. For those people looking to manage their weight, including lots of vegetables in meals can help as they are generally low in energy and keep us feeling fuller for longer,” he said.
Top tips to increase your fruit and vegetable intake include:
1. Aim for at least three different colours on your plate at mealtimes.
2. Try a new fruit or vegetable you wouldn’t normally eat once a week.
3. Halve the amount of meat you use in dishes like pasta sauces, curries or stews and adding in lentils or chickpeas instead.
NT Health and the NPY Women’s Council Nutrition Teams will be visiting Docker River during the week in Central Australia to promote healthy eating to all age groups. The team will be conducting activities such as store tours, cooking classes and education sessions at community services, including the school and aged care.
National Nutrition Week runs from Sunday 10 October to Saturday 16 October 2021.
