Developing healthy eating habits isn’t as confusing
or as restrictive as many people imagine. The first principle of a healthy diet
is simply to eat a wide variety of foods. This is important because different
foods make different nutritional contributions.
Secondly, fruits, vegetables, grains, and
legumes—foods high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, low
in fat, and free of cholesterol—should make up the bulk of the calories you
consume. The rest should come from low-fat dairy products, lean meat and
poultry, and fish.
You should also try to maintain a balance between
calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your
body can utilize. Otherwise, you will gain weight. The more active you are,
therefore, the more you can eat and still maintain this balance.
Following these three basic steps doesn’t mean that
you have to give up your favorite foods. As long as your overall diet is
balanced and rich in nutrients and fiber, there is nothing wrong with an
occasional cheeseburger. Just be sure to limit how frequently you eat such
foods, and try to eat small portions of them.
You can also view healthy eating as an opportunity to
expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole
grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat. A healthy diet doesn’t have to
mean eating foods that are bland or unappealing.
The following basic guidelines are what you need to
know to construct a healthy diet.
1 Eat plenty of high-fiber foods—that is, fruits,
vegetables, beans, and whole grains. These are the “good”
carbohydrates—nutritious, filling, and relatively low in calories. They should
supply the 20 to 30 grams of dietary fiber you need each day, which slows the
absorption of carbohydrates, so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar,
and provides other health benefits as well. Such foods also provide important
vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant chemicals essential to good
health).
2 Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and
vegetables—such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, and citrus fruits. The
antioxidants and other nutrients in these foods may help protect against
developing certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat five or more servings
a day.
3 Limit your intake of sugary foods, refined-grain products
such as white bread, and salty snack foods. Sugar, our No.1 additive, is added
to a vast array of foods. Just one daily 12-ounce can of soda (160 calories) can
add up to 16 pounds over the course of a year. Many sugary foods are also high
in fat, so they’re calorie-dense.
5 Cut way down on trans fats, supplied by hydrogenated
vegetable oils used in most processed foods in the supermarket and in many fast
foods.
6 Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated
fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.
7 Keep portions moderate, especially of high-calorie foods.
In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants.
Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t
order supersized anything.
8 Keep your cholesterol intake below 300 milligrams per
day. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, such as meats, poultry, dairy
products, and egg yolks.
9 Eat a variety of foods. Don’t try to fill your nutrient
requirements by eating the same foods day in, day out. It is possible that not
every essential nutrient has been identified, and so eating a wide assortment of
foods helps to ensure that you will get all the necessary nutrients. In
addition, this will limit your exposure to any pesticides or toxic substances
that may be present in one particular food.
10 Maintain an adequate calcium intake. Calcium is
essential for strong bones and teeth. Get your calcium from low-fat sources,
such as skim milk and low-fat yogurt. If you can’t get the optimal amount from
foods, take supplements.
11 Try to get your vitamins and minerals from foods, not
from supplements. Supplements cannot substitute for a healthy diet, which
supplies nutrients and other compounds besides vitamins and minerals. Foods also
provide the “synergy” that many nutrients require to be efficiently used in the
body.
12 Maintain a desirable weight. Balance energy (calorie)
intake with energy output. Exercise and other physical activity are
essential.
13 If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That is one
drink a day for women, two a day for men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of
beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Excess alcohol
consumption leads to a variety of health problems. And alcoholic beverages can
add many calories to your diet without supplying nutrients.
For more details about these and other keys to a
healthy diet, consult the 60-page report Eating for Optimal Health by the
editors of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, which has been updated for 2012. It
is available in print or,
for immediate access, as a PDF.
