According to the Weight-control Information Network, more than two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Healthy eating offers an antidote to this epidemic of overweight people as well health benefits for everyone. A good balanced diet, especially when combined with exercise, not only helps with weight loss and maintenance, but reduces your chances of contracting a variety of life-threatening diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Food Guide Pyramid
A healthy diet includes a balanced meal plan with foods from all of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid's groups, including grains, vegetables, fruits, meat or beans and dairy products. The USDA suggests choosing whole grains for at least half of the servings in your grain group. The Food Guide Pyramid suggests different amounts of food based on your age, body and activity level. You can personalize your own plan by visiting the Food Guide Pyramid Planner.
Fresh Fare
On your path to healthy eating, choose fresh food over processed foods whenever possible. According to Help Guide, fresh food such as fruits and vegetables and meats are usually found around the perimeters of the grocery store, and more processed foods such as chips, refined grains and pre-packaged snack foods are usually in the middle aisles. Processed foods tend to be low in nutrients and high in salt, additives and harmful fats such as saturated fat and trans fats, which should only be consumed in limited amounts.
Good Fats
A balanced diet is low in harmful, artery-clogging saturated and trans fat, but it does not exclude fat all together. So-called "good" fats, such as unsaturated fats found mainly in plant sources and fish, have the opposite effect of so-called "bad" fats, as they lower cholesterol. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, Dutch researchers found in trials that when polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats were eaten in place of carbohydrates, these good fats decreased levels of harmful LDL and increased protective HDL in the blood, helping lower cholesterol. According to Help Guide, unsaturated fats such as the fatty acids found in oily fish-salmon, tuna and herring can help improve mood and prevent dementia. Harvard School of Public Health states that the omega-3 fats cannot be produced in the human body and must come from diet. Avocados, nuts and vegetable oils are also rich in unsaturated fats, as they contain monounsaturated fat. Although there are no current guidelines on the amount of unsaturated fats to include in your diet, the Harvard School of Public Health recommends 10 to 25 percent of calories from monounsaturated fats and 8 to 10 percent of calories from polyunsaturated fats.
Fruits and Vegetables
The body needs a wide range of vitamins and minerals to function smoothly, and fruits and vegetables provide a rich source of nutrients. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least four and a half cups of fruits and vegetables a day for a heart-healthy diet. Harvard School of Public Health recommends including a variety of colors in your diet, as each color offers different nutrients. For instance, green vegetables are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and orange vegetables are rich in beta carotene, folate and vitamin C.
Protein and Dairy Foods
A balanced diet includes sources of protein as well as foods high in calcium and vitamin D. Many foods from animals are rich in protein, but some of them, such as red meat, are also high in saturated fat. Healthy sources of protein include leans meats, fish, beans, tofu, nuts and poultry. When cooking meat, avoid frying as that packs on fat and calories. For dairy products, choose low-fat versions of yogurt, milk and cheese. Dark, leafy greens, dried beans, fortified breakfast cereals and legumes are also rich in calcium.
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