The new Australian Dietary Guidelines for healhty Eating were launched on Monday 18th February and the much anticipated publication (due out in second year of my Nutrition studies...I am now in my fourth) has attracted truckloads of comments, some anguished, some scathing and a few mild (that's the most positive level of commentary.)  My favourite comment:  It's all rather hauntingly reminiscent of Michael Pollan's gnomic seven word guidelines: 'Eat food; not too much; mostly plants.'

55,000 peer reviewed evidence based articles are said to have been considered in the writing of the guidelines.

Australians are advised to reduce the consumption of added sugar, saturated fat especially cakes, pies, confectionary, alcohol, cream, chips, salami and soft drinks.

The food industry is outraged...all except the Dairy industry whose piece of the nutritional and presumably therefore financial pie has not changed one iota.

Food sustainability experts are cranky - there is still apparently too much food on the plate to be eaten.  I think fruit and veggie growers will be happy - no change there so we still need to eat two and a half cups of veggies or 5 cups of salad day (or mix it up a little).

If you are interested here is the conversation and here are the guidelines for adults and children.

Ponder and enjoy.