Nutrition information

The amount of energy (kJ) you need to consume each day differs depending on whether you are wanting to maintain weight, lose weight or gain weight. This is a basic guide on how many kilojoules (calories) you need each day, along with information regarding what nutrients are needed for a healthy diet.

Approximate recommended dietary intakes (RDI) for an average adult

The information below shows you what to look for in our recipe analysis. We’ve based our guidelines on an 8700kJ day for an adult. Individual requirements will vary.

Per serve

Always note the recommended serving size. If the recipe is analysed for 6 serves, but you divide the recipe between 4, you’re getting half as much again. When reading nutrition information on food packaging, check how many serves they claim. Sometimes it’s realistic and sometimes it’s not.

Energy

Needs vary depending on your height, weight, gender and activity levels. See ‘How much do I need to eat’ below for guidelines.

Protein

A minimum of 15% energy from protein is recommended. This equates to 78g in an 8700kJ day.

Total fat

20-35% of energy from fat is recommended. This equates to 45-80g in an 8700kJ day.

Saturated fat

Aim for less than 10% of your total daily energy from saturated fat. In an 8700kJ day, that’s up to 23g.

Carbohydrate

Ideally, 45-65% of our energy will come from (good quality) carbohydrates – between 235-340g in an 8700kJ day.

Sugars

Ideally, less than 15% of our energy will come from sugars – that’s a maximum of 78g in an 8700kJ day.

Fibre

Women: 25-28g/day
Men: 30-38g/day

Sodium

The ideal is 920-1600mg each day. This may be lower for people on low-sodium diets. Most of us get much more than the ideal.

Calcium

Women 50+ and men 70+: 1300mg/day
All other adults: 1000mg/day

Iron

Women 19-50: 18mg/day
Women 50+ and all men: 8mg/day

Per 100g

We don’t have this on our recipe analysis, but food packaging will have a ‘per 100g’ column. This is useful to compare similar products.

How much do I need to eat?

The amount of energy you need each day to maintain your weight depends on your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity level. Your weight history can also influence your daily requirements. The information in this table is for ‘average’ adults, so may need to be adjusted.

• If you are older, you’ll need to reduce your kilojoule intake by around 500kJ (women) and 1200kJ (men) – this will vary depending on how active you are.
• If you are younger, men will need around 800kJ more, while women should have around the same number of kilojoules as for 31 to 50-year-old women.

Females

Males

*Sedentary – seated work with little or no strenuous leisure activity.

**Moderate – standing or walking work, or sedentary work with regular exercise of at least 30 minutes.

Note: Individual needs vary a lot, so use this as a general guide only. If you want help to interpret and apply this information, consult a dietitian or nutritionist for personalised advice and guidance.