Healthy Diet

The first principle of a healthy diet is simply to eat a wide variety of foods.This is important because different foods make different nutritional contributions.

Secondly,fruits,vegetables,grains, and legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates,fiber,vitamins,and minerals,low in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you consume.The rest should come from low-fat dairy products,lean meat and poultry, and fish.

The following basic guidelines are what you need to know to construct a healthy diet.

1. Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the “good” carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day.

2. Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits.

3. Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products such as white bread, and salty snack foods.

4. Cut down on animal fat. It’s rich in saturated fat, which boosts blood cholesterol levels and has other adverse health effects.

5. Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast foods.

6. Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

7. Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy products, and egg yolks.

8. Eat a variety of foods. Don't try to fill your nutrient requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. 9. Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources, such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt.

10. Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals.

11. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.

back to diet