Meat based diet
You may find your appetite increases when you start breastfeeding. This is because your body has a greater need for most nutrients. You need to produce more energy (kilojoules) when you are producing breast milk. Some of the energy comes from body fat stored during pregnancy.
To meet the extra needs of breastfeeding, it is important to eat a variety of nutritious foods. Eat at least the recommended serves from each of the five food groups. “Extra” foods should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight.
Eat at least the following serves from the five food groups:
|
Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
|
5-7 serves
per day
|
A serve is:
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 medium bread roll
- 1 cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles
- 1 cup porridge
- 1 1/3 cup breakfast cereal
- 1/2 cup muesli
|
| |
|
|
|
Vegetables, legumes
|
7 serves
per day
|
A serve is:
- 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
- 1/2 cup cooked or canned beans, lentils, chick peas or split peas
- 1 cup salad vegetables
- 1 small potato
|
| |
|
|
|
Fruit
|
5 serves
per day
|
A serve is:
- 1 medium piece (eg. apple, banana, orange, pear)
- 2 small pieces (eg. apricots, kiwifruit, plums)
- 1 cup diced or canned fruit
- 1/2 cup 100% juice
- dried fruit (eg. 4 apricot halves, 1 1/2 tbsp sultanas)
|
| |
|
|
|
Milk, yogurt, cheese
Choose reduced fat varieties
|
2-3 serves
per day
|
A serve is:
- 250 mL (1 cup milk)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 40 g (2 slices) cheese
- 200 g (1 small carton) yogurt
- 250 mL (1 cup) custard
|
| |
|
|
|
Meat, fish, poultry,eggs, nuts, legumes
|
2 serves
per day
|
A serve is:
- 65-100 g cooked lean meat or chicken (eg 1/2 cup mince, 2 small chops, 2 slices of roast)
- 1/2 cup cooked or canned beans, lentils, chickpeas or split peas
- 80-120 g cooked fresh fillet
- 2 small eggs
- 1/3 cup peanuts or almonds
- 1/4 cup sunflower or sesame seeds
|
| |
|
|
Limit Extra Foods. Some foods do not fit into the five food groups. They contain too much fat, sugar and/or salt and very few essential nutrients. Choose carefully – only eat these foods sometimes or in small amounts. Avoid sugar substitutes and drinks high in kilojoules, sugar or artificial sweetners (eg. soft drinks and diet drinks).
Healthy Eating recommendtations sourced from The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating © Commonwealth of Australia, 1998.
Reproduced with permission.