What Needs To Be In A Healthy Diet?

What constitutes a healthy diet is the topic of hundreds of books, research projects and lectures. Most nutrition experts agree that all individuals should avoid foods that have a lot of calories but no nutrients. They disagree, however, on the amount of key macronutrients that should be consumed, particularly from animal-based foods, and fat content of the diet.

A Plant Base

Most dietary guidelines have plants as the basis for proper nutrition. Fruits, vegetables and grains such as rice, oats, barley and wheat should make up the majority of calories. Beans, peas, soy products, nuts and seeds provide vegetable sources of protein. These foods also provide the added benefit of fiber, vitamins and minerals. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans say to get at least half of your grains from whole sources, but half can come from refined foods such as white rice, white bread and pasta. Other experts, like those at the Harvard School of Public Health, say refined grains should be avoided altogether. The bottom line: Eat plenty of whole plant foods with as little processing as possible.

Animal Meat

Meat, poultry and fish are areas of dispute among nutrition experts. The dietary guidelines for meat-eaters suggest consuming between 19 oz. and 26 oz. of meat, poultry and eggs per week, 6 to 8 oz. of seafood per week and 3 to 4 oz. of nuts, seeds and soy products each week. Other experts, including Dr. Dean Ornish and the Harvard group, suggest eating animal meats sparingly. The bottom line: If you choose to eat animal meat, choose lean cuts and keep portion sizes small.

Dairy

Dairy products -- which include fluid milk, cheese and yogurt -- are another area of controversy among health experts. Ornish and the Harvard School of Public Health suggest consuming no more than two servings of dairy products each day. The dietary guidelines suggest 2 1/2 to 3 cups daily. The bottom line: If you choose to consume dairy, stick with the low-fat or skim versions. If you do not eat dairy, choose foods such as collards, baked beans and fortified soy products that contain calcium, and ask your doctor about supplementation.

Fats

Most nutrition experts now agree that saturated fat and trans fats should be avoided. The dietary guidelines suggest keeping total fat below 35 percent of the total calories. Ornish suggests keeping total fat below 10 percent of the total calories if you have heart disease or are at risk of cardiovascular disease. Harvard School of Public Health says the total fat from calories is not as important as the source of the fat. The bottom line: Get most of your fat from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which come from nuts, seeds and vegetable sources such as olive oil and canola oil. Avoid solid fats that include butter, margarine, lard and shortenings.