What Is Healthy Food?

By definition, a healthy food is a food that provides essential nutrients and supports health, according to the Washington State Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan. While there are different definitions based on whether it is a food label or item, there are different levels of healthy. It is important to know the difference and what is best for each you.

Healthy Food

While nutritionists rarely use the term "healthy food," the definition is still a food that provides essential nutrients. How healthy it is depends on how much of it is eaten, how often and in what form as in processed, cooked or raw. The European Food Information Council states that no one food provides everything the body needs so eating a variety of foods and watching food portions are the best choice as even a "healthy" food can be harmful in large quantities.

Food Labels

The USDA and the FDA allow labels such as "healthy" to be put on food packaging. Both agencies are involved in what can be stated since each organization has different foods to regulate. Under the FDA, a food can be labeled healthy if it is low in total and saturated fat. It also has to be low in sodium and cholesterol, and it can provide at least 10 percent of the daily value of one or more of vitamin A, C, iron, calcium, protein or fiber. When the product is raw, frozen or canned fruits or vegetables, it can be labeled "healthy," if it does not contain ingredients which change the nutritional profile of the main ingredient and does not exceed 360 mg of sodium for individual food items. Depending on the product, the claims have to follow many different guidelines which can be further separated. The information is publicly available in electronic format.

Whole Foods

"Psychology Today" published an online article by Michelle Lelwica on Feb. 25, 2010, addressing the issue of healthy food. This article and author push the idea that "healthy" should not just be based on a food label but rather based on how whole the food is or how close it is to its original form versus how low-fat and low-calorie it is. Many times, healthy food labels indicate how little the food will add to the waist line versus how much the food will provide in terms of nutrients. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins with minimal processing will be better overall than processed low-fat, low-sodium foods mainly due to a better essential nutritional profile.

Balancing Act

Not everyone grew up in a household that pushed whole fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Eating healthy is not just avoiding fast, highly processed foods; it is also about adding more whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. The daily recommendation for fruits and vegetables is five to nine servings, with each serving being approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup. Hillary Wright, R.D., states that you should follow the 80/20 rule -- as long as you are eating well 80 percent of the time, the occasional late night pizza or slice of birthday cake will not cause havoc in the body. If, on the other hand, you frequently skip meals and do not eat at regularly spaced time frames and grab food on the go, a major makeover is needed. Following the basics, such as adding whole grains, lean proteins and fruits and vegetables, is a good start.