RESOURCE
Simple principles for a more conscious approach to food, nourishment and everyday eating.
How we choose, prepare, combine and consume food can influence how we experience nourishment.
These Food Rules bring together simple principles for approaching everyday eating with greater awareness. They are reminders, not restrictions, and can be adapted to your individual needs.
THE PRINCIPLES
Simple reminders to help you bring more awareness to what, how and why you eat.
Slow down. Chew well. Give your body time to experience the food.
Choose fresh, whole fruit and enjoy variety in your everyday diet.
Choose dairy consciously and understand your own tolerance.
Bring colour and variety to your plate through vegetables.
Make water your everyday drink and stay mindful of hydration.
Choose whole and minimally processed foods more often.
Eat a variety of colours, foods, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds.
Slow down, notice your food and pay attention to hunger and fullness.
VEGETABLE RULE
Your daily health mantra.
Think of the colours of the rainbow when choosing vegetables and other plant foods. Different colours are often associated with different plant compounds, making variety an important part of a nourishing diet.
THE CHEWING RULE
Chewing is the first stage of digestion. Taking time to chew your food helps break it down mechanically and mixes it with saliva before it reaches the digestive tract.
EXPLORE THE RULES
Fresh. Simple. Whole.
Choose fresh, whole fruits as part of a varied diet. Whole fruit provides fibre along with vitamins, minerals, water and naturally occurring plant compounds.
Fruit can be enjoyed on its own, particularly if you find that simple food combinations feel more comfortable for you. Pay attention to how different fruits and combinations make you feel.
Juicing changes the structure of fruit and can reduce the amount of fibre consumed while making it easier to drink a larger quantity. Where possible, choose the whole fruit.
Choose dairy consciously.
Milk and dairy foods can provide nutrients such as protein and calcium, but they are not essential for everyone.
If you consume dairy, consider the quality and source of the product and pay attention to your own tolerance. Fresh curd or yoghurt can be included as part of a balanced diet and may provide live cultures when present.
Ghee is a clarified milk fat and should be considered separately from milk and other dairy foods. It can be part of cooking and traditional food practices when used appropriately.
Colour your plate.
Vegetables provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and a range of beneficial plant compounds.
Think variety rather than one perfect vegetable. Include different colours, textures and types across your meals and throughout the week.
Vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked depending on the food, preparation method and individual tolerance. Gentle cooking methods such as steaming or blanching can make many vegetables easier to incorporate into everyday meals.
A FINAL THOUGHT
These principles are intended to encourage curiosity rather than create fear around food.
There is no single way of eating that works for every person. Use these principles as a starting point for becoming more conscious about what you eat, how you prepare it and how you experience it.