What Will A Diet In Fruits, Veggies, Whole Grains & Fish Do?

A healthy diet should help you meet your daily caloric needs, include adequate intake of the three macronutrients, include an abundance of vitamins and minerals, and generally satisfy your taste buds and hunger pangs. Assuming you enjoy the taste of fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish, a diet composed of these foods will help you accomplish all of your dietary needs.

Promote Nutrient Balance

According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, a balanced diet for adults should comprise about 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, 20 to 35 fat and 10 to 35 percent protein. Grains, fruits and veggies can help you meet your carbohydrate needs, fish can provide plenty of protein and fat, and both fish and whole grains are naturally high in protein. A diet of fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish helps you meet four of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's five food groups. The milk group is included in the USDA's food pyramid in large part because of its calcium content, although you can find a rich supply of calcium in enriched grain products, vegetables such as collards and rhubarb, and several varieties of fish.

Control Caloric Intake

The easiest way to accumulate loads of unnecessary calories is to eat foods that are high in fat and sugar. Fat contains 9 calories per 1 g, while the other two macronutrients contain 4 calories per 1 g. Eating more than the IOM's suggested fat intake can increase your caloric intake exponentially beyond what increased protein and carbohydrates could. Sugar is an empty calorie and provides little nutritional value. Even if you meet your caloric needs through sugar, you'll have to consume other foods to meet your nutrient needs, greatly increasing your caloric intake. Fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish are all low in fat and sugar.

Promote Micronutrient Intake

Consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure adequate intake of all the micronutrients your body needs. Micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, are substances the body typically cannot produce on its own that play central roles in all of its cellular and metabolic processes. Fruits and vegetables generally have among the highest and most diverse vitamin and mineral profiles of any food source. Whole grains have much higher nutritional value than refined grains and contain just slightly more calories.

Improve Cardiovascular Health

Fish, nuts, seeds and vegetable oils are full of polyunsaturated fats, which can lower unhealthy cholesterol levels in your bloodstream, increase healthy cholesterol, reduce fatty buildup in your arteries, and generally reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes and heart attacks. Whole grains and vegetables are high in fiber, which can also reduce unhealthy cholesterol in your bloodstream and improve cardiovascular health. On the other hand, red meat and dairy products tend to be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which adversely affect cardiovascular health.

Improve Digestive Health

If you suffer from digestive problems, most doctors will suggest you avoid eating red meat, dairy products and foods that are high in sugar. The high amount of unhealthy fat in red meat and dairy and the lactose in dairy can wreak havoc on digestive health, often resulting in irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive disorders. The fiber in whole grains and vegetables, however, can promote bowel regularity and prevent constipation.