The Updated Five Food Groups — What’s New?
The Dutch Nutrition Center (Voedingscentrum) recently launched the updated version of the Schijf van Vijf — the national healthy eating guidelines.
But what exactly has changed?
The new version of the Five Food Groups was developed based on revised dietary guidelines issued by the Health Council of the Netherlands in October last year.
Here’s a quick overview of the most notable updates:
More vegetables
Previously, the recommendation was 200 grams of vegetables per day.
The new guideline now advises increasing this to 250 grams.
In addition, it’s now recommended to eat legumes (such as beans, lentils, chickpeas) at least once a week.
Legumes are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients.
More variety in meat and fish
The Health Council also recommends adding more variety to your consumption of meat and fish — not only to promote a more balanced diet but also because meat tends to be more processed than fish.
Many types of fish, especially white fish, are naturally leaner and lower in fat.
Drink 3 cups of tea per day
This is perhaps one of the more surprising recommendations!
In addition to drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily, the Health Council suggests adding 3 cups of black tea per day.
The point here isn’t just about tea itself, but rather about encouraging people to replace sugary drinks (like fruit juices and soft drinks) with healthier options.
These sugary drinks are often high in sugar and not beneficial for health.
A shift in focus
One interesting change in the new guidelines is the emphasis on whole food groups, rather than just individual nutrients.
The revised Five Food Groups doesn’t focus on specific vitamins and minerals, but instead looks at the overall impact of foods on health and well-being.