Your questions about healthy food and diet should include which foods are most healthy and how much of those foods you should eat. The answers to those questions depend on whether you want to maintain or lose weight, your age, gender and activity level. The facts about good nutrition for any age, gender or activity level involve eating the right amounts of the right carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber while ensuring you get enough vitamins and minerals.
A Question of Ratio
A healthy food diet should consist of a ratio of 2:1:1 for the calories you eat of carbohydrates, protein and fat. MayoClinic.com says you should maintain that ratio among the three basic food types for a typical healthy diet, for just about any age, in which no special health issues are present.
The Calorie Question
The number of calories you should take in daily to maintain or lose weight depends on gender, age and activity level. The University of Maryland Medical Center says a man who exercises can eat 15 calories per pound of body weight, but only 13 calories per pound if he doesn't exercise. For a woman, you can eat 12 calories per pound with exercise, but only 10 calories per pound if inactive. Girls from 4 to 8 years old can take in 1,200 to 1,800 calories daily, while boys can eat 1,400 to 2,000 calories depending on how active they are. By the teen years, those upper limits go to 2,400 for girls and 3,000 for boys who are active.
Protein vs. Fat
To get enough protein and minimize fat, focus on poultry, fish, legumes and low-fat dairy products while steering away from red meat and whole milk products. Fish such as salmon provide comparable protein to red meat with about a quarter of the fat. Fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as seeds and nuts, also contain heart-healthy oils along with high protein totals.
Healthy Carbs
Healthy carbs are found in whole grain foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. MyPyramid.gov says the complex carbs in whole grain breads, cereals, pastas and brown rice provide complex carbs for long lasting energy, as well as lots of fiber for proper digestion. Simple healthy carbs for quick energy are found in fruits and veggies. Choose a wide variety of colors of veggies to get the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and trace elements you need for proper cell function.
Member Comments