‘Fried egg with rice, beans and parsley’: How does this breakfast rate with a dietitian?

Liesl Tesch AM is a paralympian and NSW state MP. The 55-year-old shares her day on a plate.

5am I am often up at sunrise for media interviews, followed by a long dog walk and then basketball training at the local PCYC. Breakfast is a fried egg, fresh from my chickens, with rice, beans and freshly picked parsley from my garden.

11am Between my morning meetings I drink hot water with fresh lemon slices.

1pm Lunch is usually leftovers: today is Thai vegie curry with chickpeas. I also treat myself to a large soy chai during a meeting at a local cafe and snack on an orange on the road.

7pm Most nights I am out at community functions, meetings or dinners, so I often have little control over what’s available, although I usually choose carefully. Tonight, though, I’m at home so I make pumpkin tacos with Mexican bean salad.

Dr Joanna McMillan says

Top marks for… All those beans! These are five-star foods, especially for vegetarians, being one of the best sources of plant proteins. They’re also rich in fibre and slowly absorbed carbohydrates, and contain an impressive array of vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds known for having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

If you keep eating like this you’ll… Have to boost your calcium intake as requirements jump substantially for women after the age of 50, when menopause causes a drop in bone density. With no dairy foods in your day, you need to include plenty of other calcium-rich choices while also ensuring you get enough sunlight on your skin to activate the vitamin D necessary to absorb and utilise calcium.

Why don’t you try… Ensuring your soy milk is fortified with calcium and include an extra cup a day. Add dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale to meals – broccoli is also an excellent choice. Snack on a mix of almonds and dried figs.

Liesl Tesch is one of six inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2024.

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