Fast Facts
The top 5 things you really must know about your food
- There are 328 E number additives approved for use in Australia's food supply2
- Most food additives are tested in isolation rather than in combination with other additives2
- The long term effects of consuming a combination of different additives are currently unknown2
- 50 of the currently approved additives in Australia have been associated with adverse reactions2
- 83% of Australian adults have concerns with food additives/E numbers and more than two thirds are trying to avoid buying foods that contain them3
The Nutritional Importance of Bread
Breads are an Australian staple contributing significantly to
the nutritional intake of Australian adults and children. The
release of a bread range without food additives provides the
public with a valuable alternative when making their purchase
decision.
Nutritionally, breads play a major role in the Australian diet providing carbohydrates, fibre, energy as well as protein, B group vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc.
Did you know?
An apple and a slice of bread contain around the same amount of carbohydrate.
Carbohydrates in Bread
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body
and the Australian Government recommends that a diet that
provides between 45% and 65% of our total energy in the form of
carbohydrates can help reduce the risk of chronic disease.11
Grain-based carbohydrates like bread, breakfast cereals, rice,
pasta and noodles, plus legumes, contain many essential
vitamins and minerals. It is these forms of carbohydrates that
we need to include in the diet.13
How Much Bread Do We Need?
Australia's peak health authority, the National Health and
Medical Research Council9 recommends that we eat plenty of
cereals, including breads and that we aim for at least...
...4 serves of grain based foods each day
What is a serve16?
According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, a serve is:
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 medium roll
- 1 cup of rice or noodles or pasta
- 1 cup of cereal
- 2 wheat biscuits
The actual number of serves of grain based foods varies depending on your age and gender as well other factors like pregnancy (see table below).
Recommended Serves of Grain Based Foods each day9,16:
| Children and Adolesents | Server per day |
|---|---|
| 4-7 years | 5-7 |
| 8-11 years | 6-9 |
| 12-18 years | 5-11 |
| Women | |
| 19-60 years | 4-9 |
| Pregnant | 4-6 |
| Beastfeeding | 5-7 |
| 60+ years | 4-7 |
| Men | |
| 19-60 years | 6-12 |
| 60+ years | 4-9 |
Just one serve of regular multi-grain bread provides an 8 year old with almost 20% of their fibre requirement for the day.
Please note that all substantiation of references made in the above can be found on the last page of the Better Bread Report housed on this site.
