How much do I need to eat?

At Healthy Food Guide we show you how to eat well every single day – without having to compromise on taste, spend hours in the kitchen, or more money at the checkout.

Every recipe we share is nutritionally analysed so you can devise a daily meal plan that falls within the recommended nutrition intake guidelines:

• Sodium: If you have heart disease or are at high risk of this condition, aim to consume less than 2000mg of sodium per day.
• Calcium: Women over 50 years, and men over 70 years, should increase their intake to 1300mg of calcium per day.
• Iron: Women under 50 years should aim for 18mg of iron each day. If pregnant, your iron intake should increase to 27mg each day.

Your individual daily nutrition intake will vary depending on age, gender, height, weight and level of physical activity.

We use 8700kJ (2100cal) as the recommended average daily energy intake because this is the figure prescribed by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. While tracking numbers is one way to healthy eating, focus on the quality of the foods you eat, too. Enjoying a wide variety of whole foods will make it easier to meet your daily nutrition needs, as well as balance energy intake.

Use our recommended daily nutrition intake as a guide only. For personalised advice, visit the following websites to locate an accredited practising dietitian near you:

• Australia –  dietitiansaustralia.org.au
• New Zealand – dietitians.org.nz
• UK – British Dietetic Association
• US – Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• South Africa – Association for Dietetics in South Africa