"You are what you eat." This truism reflects the fact that food is quite literally fuel for the human body. However, establishing healthy eating habits and eating well-balanced, nutritious meals doesn't mean sacrificing taste or experiencing pleasure from eating. There are many delicious options for healthy meals that allow you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Specialized meal plans allow you to meet special dietary needs while achieving balanced nutrition.
Everyday Meal Plans
Three food groups comprise nearly 25 percent of all the calories consumed by the average American: desserts and sweets, soft drinks and alcohol. Fruit-flavored drinks and salty snacks make up another 5 percent, according to a 2004 post at the UC Berkeley News website. Such an unwholesome diet is a major contributing factor to the ever-expanding American waistline. By contrast, a healthy general meal plan focuses on fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products; includes a lower proportion of lean meats, fish, poultry and eggs; and is low in saturated fats, sodium and sugar, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.
Meals Without Meat
The term "vegetarian" generally refers to someone who does not consume meat. However, some people who call themselves vegetarians only omit red meat from their diets, while others include fish, eggs or dairy products. Strict vegans limit their diets only to foods with a plant origin. A major challenge for vegetarians is obtaining sufficient protein and vitamin B12, according to the Loma Linda University School of Public Health.
A healthy vegetarian diet features an abundance of fortified whole grains containing vitamin B12, normally only found in animal products. Protein-rich legumes, fresh vegetables and fresh fruits are also essential elements in a healthy vegetarian meal plan. Nuts and seeds, along with limited amounts of vegetable oils, eggs and low-fat dairy products round out the recommended vegetarian diet.
Controlling Hypertension
More than 65 million Americans -- about a third -- suffer from hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, defined as 140/90 mmHg or higher. Another 59 million Americans have blood pressure between 120/80 and 140/89 mmHg, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, plan is designed to lower hypertension without the need to follow complex diet plans. Following the DASH diet can lower your blood pressure within 14 days, and may eliminate the need for medication if your blood pressure is only moderately high. DASH can also help you lose weight and reduce insulin resistance, claims the DASH Diet Eating Plan website. Substituting lower-sodium alternatives to high-sodium foods, such as canned soups, processed entrees or smoked meats, is a major component of DASH. Flavoring foods with spices, herbs, fruits or wine limits the need for added salt, advises the University of San Francisco Medical Center.
References
- UC Berkeley News: Nearly One-Third of the Calories In the US Diet Come From Junk Food, Researcher Finds, June 1, 2004
- CDC: Which Eating Plan Should I Choose?
- Loma Linda University School of Public Health: The Vegetarian Food Pyramid
- University of California at San Francisco Medical Center: Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet
- The DASH Diet Eating Plan: Home
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