The R.E.A.L.

Food Pyramid
This information is designed to provide you with a guideline for healthy eating. If you have a special
condition or are under medical supervision, you should discuss your eating plan with your doctor.
The Recovery from Eating Disorders for Life Food Pyramid
The REAL Food Pyramid has been created as a meal planning guide for individuals with eating
disorders. It is ideal if it is used in collaboration with a dietitian, as every person is unique, and
there may be foods or amounts that need to be adjusted for you.

Carbohydrates
Choose a variety of whole grains
and carbohydrate foods for
dietary fibre, thiamine, folate and
iodine. Carbohydrate is needed
to stabilise your blood glucose
level, and provide fuel for your
muscles and your brain. Not
eating enough carbohydrate can
lead to tiredness, fatigue,
dizziness, irritability, and low
blood glucose levels. It can also
precipitate binge eating,
particularly at mid-afternoon
(around 3-4 pm) when blood
glucose levels naturally drop and
cravings commonly kick in.
Good sources of carbohydrates
include: cereals, rice, oats, bread,
noodles, potato, quinoa, pasta,
cous cous, tortillas.

Protein
Protein rich foods provide iron,
zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3.
Protein is needed for growth and
repair of body tissues and plays
an important role in all functions
of your body. If you are
vegetarian, it is important to
replace animal proteins with iron
-rich substitutes.
Good sources of protein include:
meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese,
tofu, chickpeas, lentil, baked
beans, ham, nuts, kidney beans.

C entre for
Developed in conjunction with dieticians Susan Hart and Caitlin McMaster
This document is for information purposes only. Please refer to the full disclaimer and copyright statement available at http://
CI linical
nterventions
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au regarding the information from this website before making use of information •Psychotherapy•Research•Training
See website www.cci.health.wa.gov.au for more handouts and resources. Last updated 25/01/18.
 The R.E.A.L.
Food Pyramid
Vegetables Some foods that fit into this food group include:
Choose a variety of vegetables with different colours chocolate bar, cupcake, lollies, biscuits/cookies, muffins,
which provide vitamin C, folate, potassium, beta- potato chips, donut, and cake.
carotene and dietary fibre. It is important to not eat
excessive quantities of these foods as they can fill you Fluids
up, and push nutritious carbohydrate and protein foods Research has shown that fluid or drink choices that
from the diet. individuals with eating disorders make are often related
Some foods that fit into this food group include: to eating disorder beliefs. Some reasons include using
salad, pumpkin, cabbage, leafy greens, tomato, broccoli, fluid as a weight control method, such as to suppress
mushrooms, peas, and capsicum. appetite, or to aid vomiting. Other reasons include to
warm up, to rehydrate after vomiting or because of
Fruit excessive thirst. Research shows that most people drink
Choose a variety of different fruits including different more fluid than they need while some restrict their fluid
colours which provide vitamin C, potassium, and intake to far less than the body requires. Neither of
dietary fibre. Try to include fruit in different forms, that these extremes is ideal. As a general rule, aim for 1 glass
is, tinned and dried fruits, which are just as healthy as of fluid (e.g. water, tea, coffee, juice) at each meal and
fresh fruit. It is important to not eat excessive snack. More fluid is required if it is a hot day, you are
quantities of these foods as they can fill you up, and exercising or you have increased fluid losses.
push out more nutritious foods from the diet.
Some foods that fit into this food group include: Nuts, Oils, and Fats
fresh fruit (e.g., apple, orange, banana, grapes, fruit Many people believe that all fat is bad or “the less fat I
salad), dried fruit (e.g., sultanas, dried apricots, raisins), have the better”. However, diets that are too low in fat
and fruit juice. may be detrimental to health, as our body needs some
fat to function normally. Ideally, aim to eat more foods
Calcium that contain essential fatty acids found in nuts, seeds,
Choose a variety of calcium containing foods for unsaturated fats and oils such as sunflower, olives, and
protein, riboflavin, and calcium. In eating disorder olive oil. Foods that contain fat are more tasty or
patients, it is common to have a fat intake much lower “satiating” than low fat foods. Adequate amounts of
than ideal, with possible fatty acid deficiency and a low dietary fat signal the brain that you have had enough to
intake of fat soluble vitamins D and E. Therefore it is eat, and helps to give you the signal to stop eating.
not recommended you eat light/low fat/skim varieties of Some foods that fit into this food group include:
calcium rich foods. butter, olive oil, avocado, margarine, nuts, mayonnaise,
It is also common for eating disorder patients to have peanut butter, olives, hummus.
poor bone health, meaning adequate calcium intake is
vital for improving and maintaining strong bones. Diet Foods and Fillers
Some foods that fit into this food group include: These foods are commonly consumed by individuals with
milk, yoghurt, calcium fortified soy milk, custard, eating disorders. There is nothing really wrong with
cheese, and Up & Go. them from a nutrition standpoint; though when they
make up a significant part of your daily intake, your
Fun Foods nutrition needs are unlikely to be met. They often push
The reason to include ‘fun foods’ in your day is similar out more nutritious foods from your diet, and some
to the reasons why low fat calcium foods are not individuals will use them to suppress their appetite. They
recommended, and nuts/oils/spreads are included daily. may also keep you focussed on dietary rules and
Contrary to this being unhealthy for you, research has restricting food.
shown that there are many benefits, as already listed Some foods that fit into this food group include:
above. Mostly people with eating disorders have long diet soft drink, artificial sweeteners, very large servings
lists of “bad” foods which they refuse to allow of fruit and vegetables, sugar free sweets, excessive
themselves to eat. This can lead to rigid eating patterns, quantities of sauces or condiments, and chewing gum.
social isolation, and high levels of dietary restraint, all of
Visit our website, cci.health.wa.gov.au for more
which are unhelpful when trying to recover from an
information on specific food groups.
eating disorder.
C entre for
Developed in conjunction with dieticians Susan Hart and Caitlin McMaster
This document is for information purposes only. Please refer to the full disclaimer and copyright statement available at http://
CI linical
nterventions
www.cci.health.wa.gov.au regarding the information from this website before making use of information •Psychotherapy•Research•Training
See website www.cci.health.wa.gov.au for more handouts and resources. Last updated 25/01/18.