In an era when just about anyone can write a popular diet book, regardless of background or motive, it can be difficult to determine what comprises a nutritionally sound diet. The choices available at restaurants and in the supermarket don't help the matter, as they can be devoid of most nutrition. Your best bet is to eat wholesome foods that you have prepared yourself, while being careful not to eat too little or too much.
Balance
A nutritionally sound diet provides balance between carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats, instead trying to eliminate one of these macronutrients almost entirely, as is the case with many popular diets. The USDA recommends you get 130 g carbohydrates per day, along with 12 to 17 g fat, depending on your gender. Protein is also gender-specific, as the USDA recommends 46 g protein for most women and 56 g for most men. Watch out for sugar, however, as the American Heart Association recommends that you get no more than 100 calories from sugar if you are female, 150 if you are male. Since sugar is a nutritional black hole, the less you consume, the more nutritious your diet is.
Whole Foods
Whole foods provide considerably more fiber and nutrients than processed foods. Processed foods often lose vitamins during processing, and fiber is often deliberately eliminated, as in the case of degerming wheat. While the foods may be fortified, if you want the nutrients in their original form, you must eat whole foods. Choose brown rice over white, sauteed fresh vegetables over canned and fruit instead of fruit juices and drinks. Make sure that the cheese you eat is real cheese and is not "cheese food," which is an entirely different -- and less nutritious -- entity.
Calories
To be nutritionally sound, your diet needs to provide the right number of calories for your weight and activity level. You can use an online calorie calculator to determine how many calories you need each day to maintain, lose or gain weight. For example, a sedentary 45-year-old woman who weighs 140 lbs. needs 1,747 calories to maintain her weight, while a 20-year-old man who weighs 190 lbs. and is fairly active requires 3,062 calories to maintain his weight. Eating an appropriate number of calories each day helps to prevent unwanted weight loss or gain. If you are trying to lose weight, never eat below 1,200 calories a day, as you can end up being short on essential nutrients.
Examples
If you're looking for a preplanned diet to help you lose weight, there are several nutritionally sound choices available. Bob Greene's "The Best Life Diet" is a sensible plan that includes enough nutrients and calories, as is Dr. Michael Roizen and John La Puma's "The Real Age Diet: Make Yourself Younger With What You Eat." Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz also wrote "You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management," which is a science-based approach to sensible weight loss. Each of these diets include recipes and meal plans to ensure that you are eating foods rich in nutrients while meeting your calorie goals.
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