To maintain a healthy diet, you should make smart choices from all food groups, as outlined in the U.S. government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A diet of only fruits and vegetables, or of only meat and milk, omits a number of food groups and thus deprives your body of essentials nutrients --- to the detriment of your health. Consult your doctor before beginning any new diet.
Milk and Meat
Though you might think of poultry and fish as kinds of meat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives them their own categories. Primary sources of meat are beef, pork and lamb; other sources include bison and venison. These encompass fresh cuts of meat, processed meats such as bacon, hamburger and sausage and cooked meats such as ham. Meat is a source of complete protein --- delivering the eight essential amino acids, which your body cannot synthesize --- and also contains saturated fats. Meat provides minerals such as iron and calcium. Milk also contains the eight essential amino acids and saturated fats and is a source of calcium, sodium and vitamin A.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables come in a wide variety and are sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Some fruits and vegetables also contain protein, but these often lack a number of essential amino acids. Fruits also provide simple carbohydrates, which the body can use as a quick source of energy.
Smart Choices
Your diet should contain meat and dairy products --- which includes milk --- in addition to fruits, vegetables and grains. This ensures you provide your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain health and proper function. Protein is essential for growth and repair and fats provide energy and play a pivotal role in hormone production. Carbohydrates from grains and fruits are the body's preferred energy source. Vitamins and minerals are vital for body processes such as ensuring proper assimilation of nutrients from food. Fiber from fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains are essential for proper function of your digestive tract and ensures efficient elimination of waste. The American Cancer Society recommends you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Negatives
A meat-and-milk-only diet would be high in protein, but lacking in a number of vitamins and minerals and fiber. Following such a diet would also raise your intake of saturated animal fats, which elevate your risk of heart disease and some cancers. And because such a diet would severely limit your intake of vitamins and minerals, you'll miss out on the disease-fighting, free-radical-scavenging antioxidants your body relies on for health. A fruit-and-vegetables-only diet, meanwhile, provides little protein for growth and repair and a lack of complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. You would get less iron and calcium on such a diet, boosting your risk of anemia and brittle bones. Iron and calcium are present in vegetables, but these minerals are typically leached away in boiling water and other cooking methods.
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