If you want to eat healthy, but you don't want to stress over what to put on your weekly menus, form a diet plan that will carry you throughout your life. Many nutritional concepts apply to everyone, no matter your age or the state of your health. Balance your calorie intake with energy output, increase beneficial nutrients and decrease detrimental foods. When you make these healthy dietary habits your top priorities, they will soon become second nature.
Grain Choices
Start your days with fortified whole-grain cereal to get a jump on your beneficial fiber intake for the day. Many cereal brands offer complete iron, calcium, folate and vitamin B-12, to meet the needs of adults over 50 and pregnant women. Alternate bran flakes with oatmeal for increased soluble fiber content to protect heart health. One-half of your remaining five to seven daily servings of grain should come from brown rice, wild rice, whole-wheat breads and pastas, barley or rye products, as opposed to refined white breads, pastas and rice. Recommended servings are ½ cup or single slices of bread.
Fruits and Vegetables
Four to five servings each of different fruits and vegetables every day will provide lots of dietary fiber and nutritional variety in vitamins and minerals. Fruits offer vitamin C and other plant-based chemicals that protect your immune system. Vegetables contain a wide array of vitamins A, B, C, E and K, along with iron, potassium, magnesium and other minerals. Vegetables other than potatoes and fruits other than avocados are naturally low in calories and detrimental fat and cholesterol. Serve ½ to 1 cup of most items, except for ¼ cup dried fruits.
Preferred Dairy Varieties
Dairy products are convenient sources of essential protein, calcium, potassium and B vitamins. Milk, in particular, is fortified with vitamins A and D. Two to three servings of dairy items can come from milk, yogurt, cheese and foods made with milk, such as pudding or soup. Eat 1 cup fat-free or 1-percent milk or yogurt or 1 to 2 oz. of cheese, instead of cream or sour cream, to avoid unhealthy amounts of saturated fat.
Superior Protein Foods
Reach your daily values of protein with two daily servings of lean meat or fish plus one serving of nuts, seeds or legumes on most days. This offers a revolving array of vitamins, minerals and beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. To reduce your fat and cholesterol intakes or to allow indulgence in occasional rich desserts, substitute fish, beans, rice or pasta for meat a few times a week. Keep meats and fish to 3-oz. servings and limit nuts to 1/3 cup, seeds to 2 tbsp. and cooked beans or grain foods to ½ cup.
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