DIG

The DI values are based on an average adult's daily requirement of 8700kJ.  Your DIs may be higher or lower depending on your energy needs.

DIs are not recommendations, but rather an acceptable intake which provides a benchmark suitable for the majority of people.

The DI values are not a target for your day's intake nor are they an average. The DI values should be used as a guide to help you make informed choices about the foods you eat.

Learn About Energy

Learn About Nutrients

Energy in


If you are putting on weight, it's because the amount of energy you take in exceeds the amount you use. The body stores the excess as fat.

If you are losing weight, it's because the amount of energy you use exceeds the amount you take in. The body draws on its own fat reserves to keep up.

A healthy diet should aim to balance the amount of energy and nutrients we take in with the amount of physical activity we do.

Energy out


Our bodies use energy from food and drinks to fuel basic bodily functions like breathing, pumping blood, digestion, maintaining body temperature and producing hormones and enzymes.

This constant, unconscious activity is called Basal Metabolism. The amount of energy needed for these activities over a set time is called the Basal Metabolic Rate, or "BMR". It makes up between 45% to 70% of your total energy expenditure.

The remaining 30% to 55% of your body's energy is used for physical activity, from simply moving around in our daily lives to dedicated athletic activity.