Draft Australian Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 3MB) - Eat For Health

2.2 Plenty of vegetables, including differenttypes and colours, and legumes/beans, and eatfruit2.2.1 Setting the sceneThere are many nutritional, societal, culinary and environmental reasons to ensure that vegetables,including legumes/beans, and fruit are a major component of Australian dietary patterns. As agroup, these foods are nutrient dense, relatively low in energy (kilojoules) and are good sources ofminerals and vitamins (such as magnesium, vitamin C and folate), dietary fibre and a range ofphytochemicals including carotenoids. Many of the sub-components of foods and theirrelationships have not been studied in detail, and it is expected that other sub-components, andtheir biological effects, are still to be discovered.The inclusion of a variety of vegetables, including legumes/beans, and fruit provides a diversity ofcolours, textures and flavours, adding to the enjoyment of eating. Vegetables, includinglegumes/beans, and fruit should be eaten in their whole food forms to maximise the impact on arange of health benefits. Fruit should mostly be eaten fresh and raw because of the low fibrecontent of fruit juice and the high energy density and ‘stickiness’ (which may have implications fordental caries) of dried fruit [10]. Some vegetables are suitable to eat raw, while it is best to cookothers to make them more palatable and digestible. Legumes should always be cooked. Someprocessed fruits and vegetables are nutritious alternatives as long as they are produced withoutadded salt, sugar (including concentrated fruit juice) or fat.Different fruits and vegetables are rich in different nutrients. For example, green leafy and Brassica(or cruciferous) vegetables are generally high in folate, and starchy vegetables are a good source ofcomplex carbohydrates. Legumes/beans provide a valuable and cost efficient source of protein,iron, some essential fatty acids, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre and micronutrients for allAustralians, but particularly for those consuming vegetarian meals [10].The health benefits of consuming diets high in vegetables, including legumes/beans, and fruit havebeen reported for decades and are consistently recognised in international dietary guidelines [36,37, 143, 144].2.2.2 The evidence for ‘plenty of vegetables’The scientific evidence of the health benefits of consuming vegetables (including legumes/beans)has been strong for several decades and has generally continued to strengthen over recent years,particularly the evidence for a protective effect against cardiovascular disease. Recent research onDRAFT Australian Dietary Guidelines- December 2011 32