Diets are simply the eating habits of a person or a culture, and it reflects on the health and fitness of that population. Most diets are plant-based, with foods such as whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables. Meat and animal-based foods, including beef, fish, chicken, milk and cheese, supplement plant-based foods and should be eaten in moderation. According to registered dietitian Mary Grosvenor, adopting long-term healthy eating should involve choosing the right kinds of food and how much of each food group you should consume.
Variety
Select a wide range of foods in any food group so you do not eat the same things every day. Eating only one type of food from one food group may deprive you of other nutrients that another food provide. For example, if you only eat lettuce as your main source of vegetables, you won't get the carotenoids and much vitamin A that you would get from a carrot or vitamin K from spinach. Different foods in any group have different nutrient ratio content.
Moderation
Moderation refers to portion sizes of foods and how much of each food you are eating. This is an important factor in weight management and disease treatment, such as from cancer and diabetes because it reflects on how many calories you are consuming and the nutrients you are getting. If you eat a high-fat, sugary lunch, such as a cheeseburger, onion rings and a soda, then you should eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are low in fat and calories and high in fiber, for your afternoon snack and dinner. Even healthy foods contain calories, and eating too much of them can cause weight gain.
Balance
Balance means you do not overeat any one food group, such as too many dairy products or meats, in one meal. One way to balance your diet is to eat a variety of foods from the major food groups daily. Choose a small portion from each food group. A breakfast may include a bowl of bran cereal mixed with 1 percent milk, blueberries, whole-wheat toast with cream cheese spread and sliced tomatoes.
Also, overeating any food group causes an overdose of a nutrient. For example, too much potassium-based food, such as bananas, can cause hyperkalemia, a condition that slows the heartbeat. Too much food with vitamin A, such as liver and carrots, can cause hair loss, liver damage and severe headache.
Physical Activity
Having a healthy diet alone is not enough to keep you healthy and maintain a healthy body fat composition and lean muscles. Do physical activities daily to keep your heart, joints and muscles strong and improve nutrient and oxygen delivery to your cells. George Mateljan, a biologist and author of "World's Healthiest Foods," recommends doing various types of exercises daily that you enjoy doing and are accessible. These include hiking, swimming, dancing, weight-lifting, running on the beach and playing recreational sports.
References
- "World's Healthiest Foods"; George Mateljan; 2006
- "Nutrition From Science to Life"; Mary Grosvenor; 2001
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