People choose specific foods or change their diet for a variety of reasons. To improve health, to lose weight, to save money, or because of concerns about sustainability and how foods are made.
Consider the trend towards low-fat products in the 1980s and low-carb diets in the 1990s. And now, consider the increase in plant-based protein products and ready-to-eat meals.
However, it is important to consider nutritional trade-offs before abandoning traditional food choices. Are you getting the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need, even if you replace one food with another?
In a recent paper, I sought to raise awareness of nutritional differences between foods by creating new Australian-specific indicators. It aims to enable Australians to make informed dietary choices and receive recommended nutrients for their health.
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Nutrients: Are you getting enough?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics publishes a table showing the normal intake of selected nutrients for the entire population. The table also shows the percentage of Australians whose normal nutritional intake is below what is known as the “estimated average requirement.”
Adults in Australia eat in a variety of ways, but regardless of their diet, they generally get enough nutrients.
For example, most people seem to be taking the right amount of nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) and phosphorus. And the table suggests that 97% of Australians get enough vitamin C.
However, inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and zinc is common.
About two-thirds of adults in Australia consume less calcium than recommended (range 840 to 1100 mg / day, depending on age). Worryingly, 90% of women over the age of 50 do not get enough calcium.
Inadequate zinc intake is most common among Australian men – more than half of people over the age of 50 consume below recommended levels.
So what about free sugar? These include added sugar, the sugar component of honey and fruit juices, but not the natural sugar found in intact fruits, vegetables and milk.
Australians are advised to limit free sugar to less than 10% of their dietary energy intake. However, nearly 50% of Australian adults exceed this recommended limit.
Read more: Don’t you drink milk?Here’s how to get enough calcium and other nutrients:
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Pay attention to underconsumed nutrients
All foods have different nutrient compositions. And as Australian dietary guidelines indicate, we should eat a variety of foods to stay healthy.
Particular attention should be paid to foods, which are important nutrient sources that many Australians do not adequately consume. If possible, Australians should try to include more of these foods in their diet.
At the same time, foods containing free sugar should only be eaten in moderation.
The new food index I created aims to help Australians achieve this. It provides an overall nutrient composition score tailored to Australia’s dietary situation.
This index includes 8 vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, A, C), 8 minerals (calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, iodine, selenium, molybdenum), proteins, and free sugars. Contains sugar.
These 18 factors are weighted in proportion to the degree of inadequate or excessive intake in Australia. The higher the score, the better than the low score.
Therefore, for foods that are low in free sugar and rich in the elements that many Australians need more (calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc, vitamin A), this index gives the food a higher score.
Foods that contain few nutrients but are sugared have a very low score. For example, a 35-gram chocolate chip cookie scored 0.004 and a sugar-sweetened cola-flavored beverage scored less than 0.
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Exchanging food may not be achieved as well
This index can be used to compare foods that may be considered alternatives for pursuing an eco-friendly diet at a healthier, more affordable price.
For dairy products, 250 ml of full cream milk was 0.160 and low fat milk was about the same height as 0.157.
This index shows potential nutritional trade-offs in choosing dairy alternatives. The 250ml serving of calcium-fortified oat beverages recorded 0.093. Without calcium fortification, the score dropped to 0.034.
Looking at the meat, 100g of raw lean diced beef was 0.142 points. The equivalent serving of plant-based burgers made from pea protein, with the addition of many vitamins and minerals, scored about the same at 0.139. This indicates that plant-based alternatives do not always have low nutrient densities.
The index also shows the different nutritional needs of women and men. For example, the scores for the two large eggs were higher in females (0.143) than in males (0.094). This, in part, reflects the high prevalence of inadequate iron intake among young women.
Read more: How Australia can promote grain production while reducing carbon dioxide emissions
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Understand the trade-offs
To date, comprehensive nutritional information about foods eaten in Australia can only be found in databases used by scientists and nutrition experts.
For the average consumer, packaging of raw foods such as fruits and vegetables, fresh meats, and some cheeses usually does not contain nutritional information.
Consumers can see the nutrition information panel when purchasing processed foods, but only some nutrients are displayed.
I hope my research will enable manufacturers to produce more nutritious foods and foods formulated to meet the nutritional needs of specific subgroups.
In the future, we hope that the index will be transformed into a user-friendly format or app that will allow everyday Australians to consult, and that changing food preferences will lead to healthier choices.
Read more: Meat and masculinity: Why can’t some men get plant-based foods in their stomachs?
