Could eating more help you feel better?

For years, we’ve been told to cut back. But when it comes to energy, mood and feeling good, could more actually be the answer?

Eat less. Cut carbs. Skip breakfast. Watch your portions.

For a long time, the conversation around eating well has focused on what we should be taking away…. But what if we’ve been looking at this the wrong way around?

Feeling your best isn’t about what you don’t eat. It’s about making sure your body is getting enough of what it needs to feel like the best version of yourself.

Enough food. Enough plants. Enough protein. Enough fibre. Enough variety.

And for many of us, adding more of the good stuff might be a much more useful and easy place to start, rather than restricting or taking things away.

Eating enough matters

Food is fuel, but it’s also so much more than that.

The food we eat provides the energy and nutrients our bodies need to move, think and get through the day. And how much we need isn’t a fixed number, it changes depending on our body, age and how active we are.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines put it simply: choose enough nutritious food to meet your energy needs.

So perhaps the question we need to ask is: “Am I giving my body enough of what it needs to feel my best?”

More plants is a good place to start

Most Australians eat only around half the recommended number of vegetables each day. And vegetables and legumes bring plenty to the table, including fibre, vitamins, minerals and a whole range of naturally occurring plant compounds.

Variety matters too

Pumpkin brings something different to spinach. Chickpeas bring something different to cauliflower. Nuts, seeds, wholegrains, legumes, herbs, vegetables and fruit all have their own nutritional strengths.

Which is why eating well doesn’t need to mean eating the same salad every day.

You can enjoy roasted pumpkin and eggplant with chickpeas, almonds and fresh coriander in our Pumpkin & Pulse Tagine. Or roasted eggplant, golden chickpeas, Mediterranean vegetables, olives, dill and almonds in our Vibrant Eggplant Caponata. Lots of plants, plenty of colour and, most importantly, plenty of flavour.

More plants, more colours, more variety and more flavour.

That’s an approach to nutrition we get behind.

More protein. More fibre. More staying power.

Rather than making a meal smaller, think about what you can add to make it work harder for you.

Could it use a good source of protein?

Could you add some legumes, vegetables or wholegrains for fibre?

Could you sprinkle over some nuts or seeds?

Foods such as tofu, legumes, nuts and seeds provide protein, while legumes, nuts and seeds can contribute fibre too.

Our Peanut Satay Noodles with Spiced Tofu is a good example: tofu and vegetables, tossed through noodles and a rich peanut satay sauce. Because adding more of what your body needs can also mean a meal you genuinely look forward to eating.

Sometimes eating better isn’t about completely rethinking what’s on your plate.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as adding more goodness to your plate

Because food is meant to be savoured and enjoyed. We think that there is no greater feeling than sitting down to a meal you have been looking forward to all day. Filled with flavour, texture, colour, crunch and comfort.

Even the Australian healthy-eating guidance recognises that variety can increase the pleasure we get from food.

Because food isn’t a nutritional equation to solve perfectly every day. It’s one of life’s great pleasures, and perhaps that’s the real shift.

So, instead of thinking about what you should cut out, start thinking about what you could add in.

More plants. More protein. More fibre. More colour. More variety. More food that makes you feel good.

Because eating well shouldn’t leave you feeling like you’re missing something. It should leave you feeling nourished, satiated and joyful.

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