A nutritional diet nourishes your body by providing essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients to keep you healthy. It should include a variety of foods from each of the food groups to help you meet those needs. In addition, following a nutritional diet will help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your risk of developing a chronic illness and improve your energy levels.
Carbohydrates
A nutritional diet should contain 45 to 65 percent of its calories from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates in food provide your body with energy. Most of your carbohydrate intake should come from complex carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, beans, potatoes and corn. Simple carbohydrates include milk, fruit and foods with added sugar. Milk and fruit make healthy simple carbohydrate choices because they contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. When following a nutritional diet, you should limit your intake of foods with added sugars such as candy and baked goods because these high-calorie foods offer little nutritional value.
Protein
Your body uses the protein in your diet to form the proteins that make up your skin, muscles, tissues and cells. A healthy diet should include 10 percent to 35 percent of its calories from protein. Protein can be found in meat, fish, eggs, milk, beans, nuts and seeds. To vary your nutrient intake, include legumes, nuts and seeds a few times a week, and fish twice a week.
Fat
Fats are an essential component of your nutritional diet plan. Fats provide energy and help you absorb essential nutrients. A balanced diet should contain 20 to 35 percent of its calories from fat. Most of your fat choices should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as olive oil, soy oil, margarine, nuts, seeds and oily fish such as salmon. High intakes of saturated fat and trans fat can increase your blood cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends saturated fat intake be kept to less than 7 percent of total calorie intake, and trans fat to less than 1 percent.
Fiber
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables and grains. Your body does not digest or absorb fiber. Increasing fiber in your diet can improve bowel function, control hunger and lower blood cholesterol levels. Daily fiber needs range from 21 g to 38 g a day.
Sodium
Sodium is an essential nutrient your body uses to balance fluids, relax and contract muscles and transmit nerve impulses. However, most people get more sodium than they need. High intakes of sodium can increase your blood pressure and risk of heart disease. Limiting your intake of processed foods, such as luncheon meats, snack foods and soups, can help you limit your sodium intake. You should limit your daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day.
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