The Ministry of Health nutrition guidelines say that carbohydrates should make up about half of our dietary intake. What's important though, is to think about the type and balance of carbohydrates (and other foods) we are eating.
Some carbohydrates are better for you to eat on a regular basis than others as they are less processed and contain more nutrients. Read more about some healthy carbohydrate-rich foods and how to use them.(external link)
A carbohydrate portion size is about the size of your closed fist – which means that a portion size for a child is different to a portion size for an adult, and a portion size for a small adult is different to that of a large adult.
A general rule when thinking about how to fill your plate is to divide it into quarters and have about a quarter of it filled with starchy vegetables (eg, potato, taro, taewa, corn) and grain foods (eg, rice, pasta, bread).
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When deciding what types of carbohydrate to have here are some guidelines:
- Eat the most of whole, unprocessed, non-starchy vegetables: Lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, cucumber, broccoli.
- Eat some of whole, partly processed carbohydrates: Intact grains, whole grain bread, corn, green peas, kumara, pumpkin, lentils, chickpeas, apples, strawberries, blueberries.
- Try to limit or avoid very processed foods: Sugary drinks, processed grains (eg, white bread), white rice, sugary cereals, cakes, biscuits, sweets.
Read more about the adult nutrition guidelines recommended by the Ministry of Health(external link).