Your guide
Consider these seven basics
of a healthy diet. The tips are as sound as they
are simple.
1. Mix it up.
“A varied diet gives you the best odds of getting adequate amounts of
all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need for good health,” says Joan Salge
Blake, RD, MS, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokeswoman.
Choose foods from all the major food groups—fruits; vegetables; dairy products; cereals
and grains; and lean meat, poultry, fish and other sources of protein. And vary your food
choices within each group.
2. Eat sugar and salt sparingly.
Sugar adds calories without nutrients, and
sodium in salt can raise blood pressure.
3. Go lean with protein.
Pick fish,
poultry, nuts and lean meats.
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7. Concentrate on calcium-rich foods.
Aim for 3 cups
of low-fat or fat-free milk daily—or an equivalent amount of
low-fat or fat-free yogurt or cheese. If you can’t consume dairy
products, choose lactose-free milk or calcium-fortified foods.
6. Swap bad fats for good
ones.
Choose heart-healthy fats, such
as olive, canola and peanut oils, instead
of unhealthy ones, such as butter or
margarines that contain trans fats.
4. Focus on fruits and
veggies.
Most of us need
to eat the daily equivalent of
2 cups of fruit and 2
½
cups of
vegetables. When adding fruits,
concentrate on whole or cut-up
fruits rather than fruit juices. As
for veggies, think colorful. Enjoy
dark green and orange ones—for
example, broccoli, kale and sweet
potatoes.
5. Make half
of your grains
whole.
Eat at
least 3 ounces of
whole-grain cereal,
bread, crackers, rice
or pasta daily. One
ounce is about a
slice of whole-wheat
bread, 1 cup of
breakfast cereal or
½
cup of cooked
brown rice or whole-
grain pasta.
Looking for tips to help you
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