Did you know that adult males need to eat less red meat? Yet many children and some women may need to eat more?
Generally however, this food group is an important component of Australian meals, culture and lifestyle and a wide variety of foods are eaten from this food group. This group includes all kinds of lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.
Traditionally, the foods from this food group are considered ‘protein rich’ and most Australians have no trouble eating enough protein each day. More importantly however, this food group also provides a wide variety of other nutrients such as: iodine, iron, zinc, vitamins, especially B12, and essential fatty acids.
Lean red meats are a particularly good source of iron, zinc and B12 and are easily absorbed. Iron is especially important during infancy and for adolescent girls, pregnant women, menstruating women and endurance athletes.
The iron and zinc in animal foods is more easily absorbed by the body than in plant foods such as nuts, seeds and legumes/beans. However, the vitamin C found in fruit and vegetables will help the absorption of iron from these non-animal foods.
Legumes provide many of the same nutrients as lean meats, poultry, fish and eggs and because of this they have been placed in this food group as well as the vegetable food group. They are essential in vegetarian and vegan eating patterns to get enough of the key nutrients found in this food group.