A healthy nutrition plan offers far-reaching benefits. Following a healthy diet will lower your risk of such diseases as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It also will help you slim down and maintain a healthy weight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid Food Guidance System provides free tools and advice to help you create a healthy plan that includes the nutrients your body needs.
Nutrition Basics
Healthy Americans should include grains, fruit, vegetables, milk, meat and beans in their daily diets, according to MyPyramid.gov. Get at least half your grains from whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal. Whole grains offer more nutrients than refined grains, which include white bread and white rice. Create your own diet with the USDA's MyPyramid Plan, which offers serving suggestions based on your age, sex, weight, height and physical activity.
Fruits and Vegetables
Eat at least 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables a day, recommends the American Heart Association. Choose different colors, which tend to offer a variety of vitamin and mineral combinations. For instance, orange fruits and vegetables often are rich in vitamin A, whereas green fruits and veggies are high in fiber, vitamin C and calcium. Eat raw fruits and vegetables as snacks; throw them in salads; add them to smoothies; and use them as ingredients in your main and side dishes.
Types of Fats
Eliminating all fat from your diet isn't healthy. A nutritious diet should include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are the "good" fats. Limit your consumption of "bad" fats, or trans and saturated fats. Twenty to 35 percent of your daily energy should come from fats, with less than 10 percent of your total energy coming from saturated fat, according to HealthCastle.com. Vegetable oils, avocados, fish, nuts and seeds contain healthy fats. Saturated fats mainly come from such animal products as meat, eggs and dairy. You'll find trans fats in processed snacks and dessert foods, as well as many fast foods. Cut trans fats from your diet completely and limit your intake of saturated fats--both can clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart problems.
Dairy
Add calcium-rich foods to your nutrition plan, recommends MyPyramid.gov. Skim milk, low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese are good examples. Milk-based desserts, such as pudding, ice cream and frozen yogurt, also work well as part of a balanced diet. Use low-fat dairy products to reduce your saturated fat intake. Limit your consumption of butter, cream and cream cheese--such dairy products are low in calcium.
Prevention/Solution
Circle your grocery store's perimeter when you go shopping, suggests HelpGuide.org. This will help you avoid temptation. Stores usually place healthy foods on the outer aisles, while processed foods--such as cookies, chips and high-sodium canned foods--often are on inside shelves. Stock your pantry and refrigerator with healthy foods so you always have ingredients for a nutritious meal or snack. Plan ahead--prepare more food than you need for a meal. Save the leftovers for days when you don't have time to cook so you're less likely to pick up a pizza or greasy fast food.
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