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Healthy Eating
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- 5 to 8 one-ounce-equivalents of grain products each day. Get at least half of your grain requirements from whole grains. A one-ounce-equivalent is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal.
- 1½ to 2 cups of fruits each day.
- 2 to 3 cups of vegetables each day.
- 3 cups of nonfat or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products each day. An equivalent for 1 cup of milk is 1 cup of yogurt, 1½ oz of cheese, or 2 oz of processed cheese.
- 5 to 6½ one-ounce-equivalents of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, nuts, or eggs each day. A one-ounce-equivalent is ¼ cup of tofu (soybean curd), 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, ½ oz (1 Tbsp) of nuts or seeds, 1 egg, or ¼ cup of cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils.
- Less active women and older adults need between 1,600 and 2,000 calories.
- Active women and most less active men need between 2,000 and 2,400 calories each day.
- Active men need between 2,400 and 3,000 calories each day.
- Use whole wheat bread instead of white bread.
- Eat brown rice instead of white rice.
- Try whole wheat pasta instead of pasta made with white flour. Or try a mixture of the two.
- Use skim (nonfat) or 1% (low-fat) milk instead of whole milk or 2% milk.
- Try low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt.
- Add more fruits and vegetables to meals, and/or have fruits and vegetables for snacks.
- Add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion to sandwiches.
- Add fruit to cereal.
- Fat: Learn the differences between types of fats. Saturated and trans (hydrogenated) fats can raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk for coronary artery disease. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may reduce your risk of developing coronary artery disease.3 And omega-3 fatty acids are part of a heart-healthy diet. They are found in fish, such as trout, tuna, and salmon, as well as in plant foods, such as walnuts, flaxseed, and canola oil.
- Carbohydrate:Learn the differences between types of carbohydrate. Choose whole-grain sources of carbohydrate found in unprocessed cereal grains, such as brown rice instead of white rice and whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Whole-grain sources of carbohydrate add fiber and reduce the risk of heart disease.3 Other high-fiber carbohydrate sources include vegetables and cooked dry beans.
- Sugar: Milk and fruits contain naturally occurring simple sugars along with many other vitamins and minerals. Foods with added sugar, such as granola bars and fruit drinks that are not 100% real fruit juice, often are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals. Added sugars can make food taste better, but too much added sugar can fill you up and leave less room for other more nutritious foods.
- Add apple chunks, pineapple, and raisins to tuna salad.
- Add lots of colorful vegetables, such as red cabbage, carrots, and spinach, to green salads. Top with orange, nectarine, or grapefruit slices.
- Add green, red, or yellow pepper strips, carrots, cucumber, and broccoli to a pasta or potato salad.
- Add vegetables to pizza and sandwiches, and add fruits to yogurt and cereals.
- Order a veggie pizza with a whole wheat crust or add lots of veggies to your pepperoni pizza. Order a veggie pizza with grilled chicken instead of sausage or pepperoni. Ask for less cheese on your pizza.
- Order a pasta with roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, or marinara sauce. Choose cream-based sauces less often.
- Order a vegetable wrap or a grilled chicken wrap.
- Order vegetable soup or other broth-based soup, if available. Choose cream-based soups less often.
- Choose a variety of vegetables from a salad bar.
- Order foods that are broiled or poached rather than fried or breaded.
- Cut back on butter or margarine used on bread. Another healthy choice is to dip bread in small amounts of olive oil instead.
- Order sauces, gravies, and salad dressings on the side so you can control how much you use.
- Share appetizers, desserts, and even entrees with your dining partner.
- Ask for salsa with a baked potato instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or bacon.
- Order a child's portion or take half of your meal home.
- Order the smallest portions at fast-food restaurants (resist the big meal at a reduced price). Try a salad or a broiled chicken sandwich.
- Buy packaged, prewashed, ready-to-eat fresh vegetables, such as baby carrots, salad mixes, and chopped or shredded broccoli and cauliflower.
- Buy packaged, presliced fruits, such as melon or pineapple.
- Find recipes using foods that don't require a lot of cleaning and preparation, such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, or grapes.
- Blend low-fat yogurt, fruit juice, and canned or frozen fruit to make a smoothie for breakfast or a snack.
- Use frozen vegetables to make a stir-fry with skinless chicken. Serve on top of a quick brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
- Add frozen vegetables to a jar of marinara spaghetti sauce and serve on whole wheat pasta.
- Cook potatoes or other vegetables in a microwave.
- Cook vegetables and fruits over the grill. Drizzle them with olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Or put them on a skewer and cook directly on the grill.
- Make a fast fruit salad with sliced bananas, apples, blueberries, and a can of mandarin oranges.
- Quick Tips: Making Fast, Healthy Meals.
- Healthy eating: Making healthy choices when you shop.
- Quick Tips: Making Healthy Snacks.
- Quick Tips: Healthy Eating on a Budget.
- Balance:A balanced diet helps ensure that you get all the nutrients you need. Use the USDA MyPyramid to learn how.
- Variety: Eat a wide variety of foods. No one food provides all the nutrients you need. Choose a wide variety among and within the food groups.
- Moderation: Use moderation as your guide for everything, including the calories you eat each day, your exercise and other activities, your desserts and sweets, and even your restrictions. Moderation lets you eat all foods.
- Heart disease and stroke. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products that are high in fiber may lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.3 For more information, see the topic Coronary Artery Disease.
- High cholesterol. Eating less saturated and trans fat and cholesterol can lower your risk of high cholesterol and coronary artery disease (CAD).3 For more information, see the topic High Cholesterol.
- High blood pressure. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, following a low-fat diet, eating low-fat dairy products, and reducing salt intake can lower high blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.5 For more information, see the topic High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) or:
- Osteoporosis. Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D contributes to bone thinning. Try to eat foods with calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is found in dairy products, some leafy green vegetables, and in foods that are calcium-enriched. Vitamin D is found in vitamin D-fortified milk, egg yolks, liver, and saltwater fish. For more information, see the topic Osteoporosis.
- Spina bifida. Pregnant women should eat foods that contain folate—such as leafy green vegetables or folic acid-enriched grains—before and during pregnancy, to help protect babies from this birth defect. All women of childbearing age should get 400 micrograms of folic acid from fortified foods or supplements each day.2 For more information, see the topic Spina Bifida.
- Eat 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
- Eat 3 servings of low-fat dairy products each day.
- Eat foods low in total fat and saturated fat.
- Reduce the amount of salt you eat.
- Vegans, or total vegetarians, eat only plant foods. They do not eat red meat, poultry, fish, milk products, eggs, or other foods that come from animals, such as honey and gelatin.
- Lacto-vegetarians include milk products—such as milk, cheese, and yogurt—in their diet.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarians include milk products and eggs in their diets.
- Semi-vegetarians may include poultry and fish in their diets, but they do not eat red meat.
- Lower cholesterollevels.
- Lower BMIs (body mass index).
- Less risk of dying from coronary artery disease (CAD).
- Less risk of getting high blood pressure.
- Less risk of getting prostate or colorectal cancer.
- Less risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
- Beans and tortillas.
- Black beans and rice.
- Chili and corn bread.
- Pita bread with hummus (ground garbanzo beans and sesame seed paste).
- Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is found only in foods from animal sources, such as milk, eggs, and meat. Vegans either need to eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 (such as fortified soy milk) or take a supplement that contains vitamin B12.
- Iron. Vegetarian iron sources include cooked dry beans, leafy green vegetables, and iron-fortified grain products. Iron from plant foods is not absorbed as well as iron from meats, so it is important for vegetarians to regularly eat iron-rich foods. Eating foods that contain vitamin C will improve the absorption of iron from a meal.
- Calcium. Vegetarians who do not use milk or milk products need to get calcium from other sources. Soy milk and orange juice fortified with calcium are good sources. Other nonmilk sources of calcium include seeds, nuts, and certain green vegetables.
- Zinc. Zinc from plant foods is poorly absorbed, so it is important for vegetarians to get enough zinc. Good sources of zinc include leavened whole grains (such as whole wheat bread), legumes (beans and lentils), soy foods, and vegetables.
- Vitamin D. Vegetarians who do not use milk or milk products may not get enough vitamin D. But soy milk is often fortified with vitamin D, as are some cereals. Your body can also make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight on a regular basis. Supplements may be needed if you don't consume a source of vitamin D and don't get adequate sunlight.
- In the meat and meat substitutes group, use the following as a substitute for 1 oz (28 g) of meat:
- ¼ cup cooked dry beans, peas, or lentils
- 1 egg or 2 egg whites
- ½ oz (1 Tbsp) nuts or seeds
- ¼ cup tofu or tempeh
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- In the milk and milk products group, use the serving sizes listed in MyPyramid. If you do not use milk, use soy milk fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Count 1 cup (8 fl oz) as one serving. Fortified soy cheese or soy yogurt also may be used.
- Eat a variety of foods. Include whole grains and a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Use soy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds to replace meat and, if desired, dairy products and eggs.
- Choose plenty of grain products, vegetables, and fruits. Use foods closest to their natural state, fresh and unprocessed, and minimize your intake of heavily processed foods.
- Choose foods moderate in fat and low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. If you eat animal foods, such as dairy products, choose lower-fat versions of these foods. Try not to use these foods as your main sources of protein, because they may replace plant sources of protein in your diet—such as legumes, nuts, and seeds—which contribute the iron you need.
- Do not restrict dietary fat in children younger than 2 years old. For older children, include some foods that are higher in unsaturated fats (such as nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters, avocado, and vegetable oils, and milk products and eggs, if desired) to help meet their nutrient and energy needs.
- Choose beverages and foods that limit your sugar intake. Minimize your intake of highly sweetened and heavily processed foods.
- Infants who are consuming only breast milk should have supplements of iron after the age of 4 to 6 months. (This is not necessary if you add iron-fortified infant cereal to the child's diet at this age.)
- If your child does not get much sun exposure, add a food source or a supplement of vitamin D to the child's diet. Most doctors suggest daily vitamin D supplements for children and teens, starting by age 2 months. Talk with your doctor about how much and what sources of vitamin D are right for your child.
- Breast-fed infants of vegan mothers need vitamin B12 supplements if the mother's diet is not fortified.6
- Infants and children, who may need supplements such as iron, vitamin D, and fluoride.
- Girls and women, who may need iron, folic acid, and calcium supplements, for example.
- People who are recovering from an accident or an illness, have a chronic disease, or are unable to eat a variety of foods. People with these problems may need a dietary supplement to help meet their nutrition needs.
- People older than 50. Because people older than 50 tend to have trouble absorbing enough vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D, it is recommended that they take a supplement or eat more of the foods that contain these nutrients.
- High cholesterol.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Coronary artery disease.
- Kidney disease.
- Ulcerative colitis.
- Cystic fibrosis.
- Hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Osteoporosis.
- Food allergies.
- Food intolerances (including lactose intolerance).
- Celiac sprue/gluten intolerance.
- Cancer.
- Avoiding Mercury in Fish
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans—2005
- Fitness
- Healthy Aging
- Healthy Eating for Children
- High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- Obesity
- Organic Foods
- Osteoporosis
- Vegetarian Diets
- Weight Management
Simon HB (2003). Diet and exercise. In DC Dale, DD Federman, eds., Scientific American Medicine, Clinical Essentials, chap. 4. New York: WebMD.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture (2005). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, 6th ed. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Also available online: http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.
American Heart Association (2006). Diet and lifestyle recommendations revision 2006. Circulation, 114(1): 82–96. [Erratum in Circulation, 114(1): e27.]
American Cancer Society (2006, revised 2008). American Cancer Society guidelines on nutrition and physical activity for cancer prevention. Available online: http://documents.cancer.org/6753.25/6753.25.pdf.
Appel LJ, et al. (2006). Dietary approaches to prevent and treat hypertension: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Hypertension, 47(2): 296–308.
Mangels AR, et al. (2003). Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Vegetarian diets. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103(6): 748–765. Also available online: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm.
Havas S, et al. (2007). The urgent need to reduce sodium consumption. JAMA, 298(12): 1439–1441.
American Dietetic Association (ADA) (2005). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Fortification and nutritional supplements. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(8): 1300–1311. Also available online: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_932_ENU_HTML.htm.
American Dietetic Association (ADA) (2005). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Nutrition across the spectrum of aging. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(4): 616–633. Also available online: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_1735_ENU_HTML.htm.
Escott-Stump S, Earl R (2008). Guidelines for dietary planning. In LK Mahan, S Escott-Stump, eds., Krause's Food, Nutrition, and Diet Therapy, 12th ed., pp. 337–361. St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier.
Gallagher ML (2008). The nutrients and their metabolism. In LK Mahan, S Escott-Stump, eds., Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy, 12th ed., pp. 39–143. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.
Katz DL (2008). Dietary recommendations for health promotion and disease prevention. In Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 2nd ed., pp. 434–447. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Thorogood M, et al. (2005) Changing behaviour. Clinical Evidence (14): 90–110.
- name:Matthew Hopkins address: 2549 Noriega Street #203 San Francisco,CA 94122 Phone:4083296722
Overview
How can I start eating healthier?
Healthy eating means choosing a variety of foods from the basic food groups: meat and meat substitutes; dairy; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as breads and pasta; and a limited amount of fats and sweets. As simple as this sounds, it’s not always easy to get the nutrition you need. You may eat more of your favorite foods from only one food group, and as a result, get less of other food groups. Or perhaps you opt for convenience over quality when you are hungry.
Healthy eating requires some planning and purpose and an effort to include a variety of foods in your meals. If you look closely at how you eat, you might find you aren't getting enough nutrients because you don't get the recommended number of servings from each food group.
So, not only is it important to pay attention to what you eat but also to what food groups you may not eat enough of. To accomplish this, keep a food diary of everything you eat and drink for 1 week. Pay attention to serving sizes, and check to see if you are eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups. You don't need to meet the minimum number every day, but try to get the recommended intake on average over a week. If you are not getting the recommended amount of servings from each food group, you may be missing important nutrients. For example, if you rarely eat fruits or vegetables, you may not get enough vitamin C, beta-carotene, or potassium. Making a few small changes can help ensure that you're eating a variety of healthy foods.
Do I have to make dramatic changes in how I eat?
After you are aware of food groups that you may be missing or other ways that your eating is out of balance, you can begin to make a few small changes toward healthier eating habits. For example, simply adding a yogurt as a snack might be enough to meet your milk servings. Adding a sliced banana to your cereal will take care of a fruit serving.
Paying attention to serving sizes is also important. You may not know that a serving size of cereal is only 1 oz (28 g), which is ½ to 1 cup for most cereals. That means a typical bowl full of cereal is usually far more than a serving. So instead of a big bowl of cereal and milk for breakfast, have one or two servings (1 to 2 oz) of cereal with a sliced banana, and have a small glass (1 cup) of juice. Try low-fat or nonfat milk or soy milk instead of whole milk on your cereal to reduce the amount of fat you take in.
If you find that you rarely eat fruits or vegetables, make it a goal to include a serving or two at each meal. Only ½ cup of a cooked vegetable or 1 cup of salad greens counts as one serving. Drinking a small can of tomato juice, adding lettuce to your sandwich, putting tomato sauce on your pasta—these are all ways to boost your vegetable servings.
As you make changes, continue with your food diary. Set a weekly goal as you add or change what you are eating. For example, this week make it your goal to order a salad instead of french fries, add vegetables to your pizza, or bring a yogurt to work every day.
Just remember, food is one of life's greatest pleasures. All foods, if eaten in moderation, can be a part of healthy eating. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt, sugar, and calories, limit how often you eat them, eat smaller servings, or look for healthy substitutes. Your key to healthy, balanced eating is moderation. Eat a wide variety of foods, especially those high in nutrients, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, poultry, cooked dry beans, nuts, and seeds.
Can eating healthier protect me from diseases?
Healthy eating can actually help you lower your risk for disease.
To prevent disease, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. The guidelines also emphasize balancing the food you eat with your activity to maintain your weight, drinking alcohol in moderation (no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women), and limiting foods high in salt, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and added sugar.
Do I need to follow a low-salt, low-carbohydrate, or low-fat diet?
Everyone can benefit from eating healthy foods, but not everyone has the same nutritional needs. Pregnant women, growing children, and older adults will have different needs for certain nutrients. People who have high blood pressure need to watch how much salt they eat. Those who have high cholesterol may be on a cholesterol-lowering diet that restricts saturated and trans fats and cholesterol. And people who have diabetes will need to spread the carbohydrate that they eat throughout the day.
If you are generally healthy and don't have health issues that require a special diet, it's still wise to watch how much salt, fat, and added sugar you eat, in order to prevent diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Limit the amount of salt you get by eating as many fresh foods as possible. Processed foods, fast food, and restaurant foods are the major sources of dietary sodium. Prepared foods, such as soups, snack foods, and canned foods, are also extremely high in salt. Also watch the amount of fat you eat. Replace saturated and trans fats with monounsaturated fats such as olive oil and canola oil. Include healthy omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, walnuts, flaxseed, and canola oil.
Low-carbohydrate diets may help some people lose weight initially, but they may not be healthy over a long period of time. Low-carb diets are high in total fat and saturated fat and are low in fiber. They also restrict grains, fruits, and vegetables, which protect against disease and provide important nutrients. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans list fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat milk products as food groups to choose from, for the greatest benefit.
Does eating healthier mean I have to go on a diet?
Eating healthier does not mean that you need to go on a restrictive diet. Eating healthier means making changes that you can stay with over time. Consistently eating foods that are low in saturated fats and trans fats and that include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (such as olive oil) will lower your risk for disease.
Being physically active along with healthy eating will improve your health even further. Regular physical activity significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and cancers of the breast and colon.1
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Start Eating Healthier?
Step 1: Look at how you eat
To eat healthier, you first need to know what makes up a balanced diet. A nutritional guideline such as MyPyramid will show you how many servings of each food group you need for a healthy, balanced diet. The guidelines stress whole grains and fruits and vegetables, and limited fat and sugar. After you know what foods make up a balanced diet, you can figure out what changes you need to make.
Keep a food diary
(What is a PDF document?) for a week or two and record everything you eat or drink. Make sure to track the number of servings you get from each food group.
Most people need:
Click here for information on serving sizes.
After the first week, review your food diary. Ask yourself a few questions: Are you getting the minimum number of servings from each food group, on the average? Do you get plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day? Are most of the foods you eat low in fat, sugar, and salt? Do you prepare meals at home, or do you eat more fast foods or convenience foods? Do you drink beverages that contain a lot of sugar? Do you drink plenty of water?
The number of calories you need each day depends on your age, whether you are male or female, and your activity level. In general:2
These calorie amounts may vary from day to day, and are meant to be an average over several days. Pay attention to how hungry you are, and how full you are, instead of counting calories. Eating regular meals can help you be more aware of hunger and fullness.
Step 2: Start thinking about changes
Look over your food diary.
Do you find that you eat out a lot? If so, you may be getting more fat, salt, and calories than you need. Do you eat a lot of meat but not many vegetables? Your diet may be too high in saturated fats and low in fiber. Do you rely on packaged convenience foods for a lot of your meals? If so, you may be getting more salt and sugar than what is healthy for you.
Start reading labels on convenience foods that you eat, to see the amount of nutrients they contain. Fast-food and convenience-food meals often contain few or no fruits or vegetables. Adding some fruits and vegetables on the side will make the meal more nutritious.
Guidelines, such as the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, provide tips for eating well to prevent diseases, such as heart attack and stroke.
To learn more about eating healthier, see:
Step 3: Start small
Don't try to make big changes in your eating habits all at the same time. You will likely feel overwhelmed and deprived of your favorite foods and, therefore, will be more likely to fail. Start slowly, and gradually change your habits. Try any of the following:
Step 4: Know your ingredients
To make healthy choices, you need to know how certain foods affect your body.
Learn how to read food labels and how to understand health claims that can legally appear on food packaging.
How Do I Continue Healthy Eating?
Enjoy food and practice moderation
Food is one of life's greatest pleasures. All foods can be a part of a healthy diet. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt, sugar, and calories, limit how often you eat them, but don't cut them out entirely. Eat smaller servings, eat them less often, or look for healthy substitutes. The key to a healthy, balanced diet is moderation. Eat a wide variety of foods, especially those high in nutrients, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, cooked dry beans, nuts, and seeds.
Find creative ways to add fruits and vegetables to meals
For more information, see the topic Quick Tips: Adding Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet.
Make healthy choices when eating out
There are usually healthy options at every restaurant, even at fast-food places. The type of restaurant you choose can help you make healthy choices. Ethnic restaurants, such as Indian, Thai, or Japanese, have lots of healthy dishes on the menu. Many fast-food chains are now offering healthier choices on the menu.
If you eat out a lot, try the following:
For more information, see:
Preparing Healthy Meals
What if I don't have time to cook?
Eating healthy doesn't have to take a lot of time. You can prepare a healthy meal just as quickly as an unhealthy one. It's just a matter of planning ahead, having the right foods on hand, and learning how to cook quick, healthy meals.
Ask friends or coworkers who eat healthfully how they manage to find time. Get family members involved and ask them to help prepare meals or do other tasks. Find a cookbook or collect recipes that feature time-saving ideas.
To help make preparing meals more fun, take a cooking class with a friend or loved one. Learn to prepare healthy ethnic dishes—such as Mediterranean, Indian, and Japanese foods—that you can share with your family and friends.
Try following these tips for making fast, healthy meals and snacks:
Click here for more meal planning tips(What is a PDF document?) .
For more information, see:
Why Is Healthy Eating Important?
Healthy eating is important for many reasons.
A. Healthy foods supply nutrients.
Healthy, balanced eating habits provide nutrients to your body. Nutrients give you energy and keep your heart beating, your brain active, and your muscles working. Nutrients help build and strengthen bones, muscles, and tendons and also regulate body processes, such as blood pressure.
As you plan healthy meals, keep these three points in mind:
Three essential nutrients (macronutrients) are protein, carbohydrate, and fat. They provide energy (as measured in calories) to the body.
| Nutrient | Function | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Provides energy; builds and repairs body cells; is part of various enzymes, hormones, antibodies |
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes (such as lentils), milk and milk products, vegetables, grains |
| Carbohydrate | Provides energy needed by the brain, nervous system, red blood cells, and other cells |
Breads, cereal grains, pasta, rice, fruit, vegetables, milk, sugar |
| Fat | Provides energy and essential fatty acids; carries other fat-soluble nutrients (vitamins); is part of cell membranes, membranes around nerves, hormones, bile (for fat digestion) |
Meat, poultry, fish, milk and milk products, nuts and seeds, oils, butter, margarine, salad dressing |
Vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients. They play many important roles in the structure and function of your body, such as making new cells and promoting wound healing. See a table of vitamins and their functions and sources. See a table of minerals and their functions and sources.
In addition to the essential nutrients, foods also contain nonnutrients that can affect your body. These include fiber and phytochemicals (found in plants), many of which are protective against disease. Some of these compounds act as antioxidants, which protect the body's cells from damage. For example, lycopene is an antioxidant that is found in tomatoes and tomato products.
B. Healthy eating can lower your risk for disease.
Healthy foods can help you prevent and treat disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables as part of a heart-healthy diet can help lower blood pressure. Eating more fruits and vegetables may also lower your risk of lung, oral, esophageal, stomach, and colon cancer. And eating less saturated fat may also lower your risk for cancer and heart disease.4 For more information, see:
Healthy eating also may reduce the risk of:
C. Healthy eating can help you manage certain diseases.
Diabetes
If you have diabetes, healthy eating can help you control your blood sugar, and prevent or reduce complications of diabetes. For more information on the role of nutrition in treating diabetes, see the topics Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes.
High cholesterol
You may be able to lower your cholesterol levels by eating foods low in saturated and trans fats and cholesterol and high in soluble fiber. For more information about nutrition's effect on cholesterol and heart disease, see the topic High Cholesterol.
High blood pressure
Making changes in the way you eat may help lower blood pressure.
For more information, see the topic High Blood Pressure (Hypertension).
Vegetarian Diets and Organic Foods
Vegetarianism
Some people choose to follow a vegetarian diet, which means they eat mostly plant-based foods (grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds). For more information, see the topic Vegetarian Diets.
There are several different forms of vegetarian diets:
If properly planned, vegetarian diets are healthy and can provide all the nutrients a person needs. As a group, vegetarians have:6
When considering a vegetarian diet, many people are concerned that they will not get enough protein. This nutrient is made of building blocks called amino acids. Although the human body can make some of these amino acids, nine of them (the essential amino acids) must be obtained from food. Soy foods and animal sources of protein (milk, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, and seafood) contain all the essential amino acids in the amounts our bodies need.
Most plant foods contain the essential amino acids in varying amounts, so vegetarians need to eat a variety of plant foods to make sure they get enough of all nine essential amino acids. For example, legumes (cooked dried beans, dried peas, and lentils) are low in sulfur-containing amino acids (such as methionine), but they are high in another amino acid called lysine. Grains are just the opposite. So if you eat both foods during the course of a day, you can get all the essential amino acids your body needs.
When the amino acids from two or more foods add up to make a complete protein, those foods are called “complementary proteins.” Examples of complementary proteins are:
You do not need to consciously combine these foods at every meal. Eating them throughout the course of a day will provide your body with adequate protein.
Protein is not the only nutrient of concern in a vegetarian diet. Vegetarians also need to make sure they are getting the following nutrients:
As a vegetarian, you can still use MyPyramid. Use the following guidelines:
Eat according to the pyramid for the other food groups. Use whole grains as much as possible, and eat at least 1 cup of dark green vegetables each day to help meet your iron needs.
You can fit a vegetarian diet into the dietary guidelines quite easily:
Vegans need to include a source of vitamin B12 (fortified foods or a supplement) in their diets. They also need to include a source of vitamin D if their exposure to sunlight is limited. People who live in the northern half of the United States do not get enough sun exposure during the winter months.
If you are raising an infant or child to eat a vegetarian diet, consider the following:
Organic foods
Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that eat organically grown feed, and they are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, genetic engineering, or radiation, and its production emphasizes using renewable resources and conserving soil and water.
Organic foods are not free of pesticide residues, but they do contain smaller amounts than found in foods that are not organic. Organic foods are an alternative source of foods for those who are concerned about pesticides in foods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets guidelines for the production of organic foods and for when the organic-food label can be used.
There is debate over whether organic foods are more nutritious than conventionally produced food, and the USDA makes no claims that organic foods are safer or more nutritious.
For more information, see the topic Organic Foods.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
Certain groups of people need to pay attention to specific nutrients, including:
Dietary supplements can't make up for poor eating habits. They don't contain all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals found in food. For most healthy people, a balanced diet can provide all the nutrients needed for good health, and supplements are not necessary. Ask a registered dietitian or other health professional whether you need to take vitamin or mineral supplements.
For more information on vitamin and mineral supplements, see the topic Choosing a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.
Special diets
Conditions for which nutrition plays an important part in treatment include:
You may get more information about diets for these conditions by contacting a registered dietitian in your area.
Other Places To Get Help
Organizations
| American Dietetic Association | |
| 120 South Riverside Plaza | |
| Suite 2000 | |
| Chicago, IL 60606-6995 | |
| Phone: | 1-800-366-1655 |
| E-mail: | knowledge@eatright.org |
| Web Address: | www.eatright.org |
The American Dietetic Association sets standards for all types of prescribed diets. The Consumer Nutrition Hot Line is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (CST), in both Spanish and English. The organization produces a variety of consumer information, including videos and CD-ROM products, and will help you find a registered dietitian in your area who provides nutrition counseling. | |
| Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition | |
| 5100 Paint Branch Parkway | |
| College Park, MD 20740-3835 | |
| Phone: | 1-888-SAFE FOOD (1-888-723-3366) |
| TDD: | 1-800-877-8339 |
| Web Address: | www.cfsan.fda.gov |
|
The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) is a part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CFSAN is responsible for promoting and protecting the nation's food supply. Its mission is to make sure that the food supply is sanitary and wholesome, and that both food and cosmetics are safe and honestly labeled. The Web site has information on recent news, national food safety programs, and program areas such as color additives, dietary supplements, and infant formula. It also provides info on areas of special interest and selected non-FDA resources. The "Bad Bug Book" can be found here in the food-borne illness section. | |
| Food and Nutrition Information Center | |
| 10301 Baltimore Avenue | |
| Suite 105 | |
| Beltsville, MD 20705 | |
| Phone: | (301) 504-5414 |
| Fax: | (301) 504-6409 |
| Web Address: | www.nal.usda.gov/fnic |
This U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site has information about nutrition, food labels, weight, dietary guidelines, food safety, supplements, nutrition research, and more. | |
| National Agricultural Library: Nutrition.gov | |
| 10301 Baltimore Avenue | |
| Beltsville, MD 20705 | |
| Phone: | (301) 504-5414 |
| Fax: | (301) 504-6409 |
| Web Address: | www.nutrition.gov |
This Web site has information on nutrition, healthy eating, exercise, and food safety. You can use an e-mail form to ask a food-related question. | |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture: MyPyramid | |
| 3101 Park Center Drive | |
| Suite 1034 | |
| Alexandria, VA 22302 | |
| Phone: | 1-888-7-PYRAMID (1-888-779-7264) |
| E-mail: | support@cnpp.usda.gov |
| Web Address: | www.mypyramid.gov |
The MyPyramid food guidance Web site provides many options to help people make healthy food choices and to be active every day. Enter your age, gender, and activity level to get a food plan specific to your needs. You can also print out worksheets for tracking your progress and goals. On this Web site, you'll find answers to many of your questions about healthy eating. | |
Related Information
References
Citations
Other Works Consulted
Credits
| Author | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator |
| Last Updated | February 6, 2009 |
