Eating a Healthy Diet: The Basics

Our nutrient intake does not always match our nutrient need. Most of us take in too many calories, too much fat, sugar, and sodium, and not enough of the vitamins and minerals our body needs to function properly. Eating a healthy diet can help minimize the risk of developing nutrition-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity.

When thinking about how to eat well, there are three basic ideas to keep in mind: balance, variety, and moderation. Balance means choosing foods from all of the food groups. Variety means choosing different types of foods within each food group. Moderation means controlling portion sizes of the foods we eat.

Balance

A balanced intake includes items from all of the food groups. Each food group provides our bodies with different nutrients. Grains provide fiber, iron, and B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6). Vegetables provide fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamins A, E, C, and K. Fruits provide us with fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. Fats and oils contain essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Dairy products provide calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. Meat, beans, eggs, fish and other proteins provide B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Variety

Balance and variety go hand in hand when it comes to eating a healthful diet. Whereas balance encourages us to choose foods from all of the food groups, variety tells us to choose different foods within each food group.

No one food can give us the nutrition that our bodies need to run smoothly and to help prevent disease. Choosing a variety helps ensure that your food selections are providing you with all of the nutrients you need. Opting for broccoli as your sole vegetable every day will provide you with much-needed folate, but you will be missing out on the vitamin A that a vegetable such as carrots provides.

Variety in your diet also keeps things interesting. If you eat the same meals every day you will eventually become bored and may stray from your healthy eating pattern. Try new fruits and vegetables depending on what is in season, make a healthy recipe using new foods, or jazz up an old favorite by adding new foods to an existing dish.

Phytochemicals are another reason to eat a plethora of foods every day. These are substances found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that have been shown in numerous studies to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It is important to get phytochemicals through foods because they are not found in dietary supplements.

Moderation

Moderation comes into play in a healthy diet because there are no “good” or “bad” foods. As you have already seen, all of the food groups are important because of the different nutrients they provide. In addition, if you deprive yourself of your favorite foods, you will most likely want them even more and end up eating more than you should. The key is to focus on moderating intake instead of eliminating foods. Balance a lunch of a cheeseburger with a dinner of a grilled chicken salad with some fat-free or low-fat dressing.

Moderation also means watching portion size. Remember that a serving of meat should be 3 ounces which is about the size of a deck of cards, a serving of regular mayonnaise is 1 teaspoon, and a serving of milk is 8 ounces or 1 cup. One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to eat properly is overestimating portion sizes. It is also important to watch portion sizes in restaurants as most dishes can serve two to three people.

Is It Difficult to Eat a Healthy Diet?

Eating balanced, wholesome meals and snacks does not have to be difficult. It takes planning like having an apple on hand instead of a candy bar when you need a quick snack on the run. Pay attention to what you’re eating. Keeping a food journal may help you monitor food choices and portion size. You may find that if you have to write it down, you’d rather choose a healthy food over a less nutritious food. Most importantly, stick with it! Before you know it eating more healthfully will become second nature and your mind and body will thank you.