Eating Healthy
How do you get started on healthy eating? Healthy eating starts with learning new ways to eat, such as adding more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and cutting back on foods that have a lot of fat, salt, and sugar.
A change to healthier eating also includes learning about balance, variety, and moderation.
vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It will help you feel your best and have plenty of energy.
Healthy eating is one of the best things you can do to prevent health problems, such as:
Diets are temporary. Because you give up so much when you diet, you may be hungry and think about food all the time. And after you stop dieting, you also may overeat to make up for what you missed.
Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is far more satisfying. And if you match that with more physical activity, you are more likely to get to a healthy weight-and stay there-than if you diet.
How do you make healthy eating a habit? First, think about your reasons for healthier eating. Do you want to improve your health? Do you want to feel better? Are you trying to set an example for your kids?
Next, think about some small changes you can make. Pick ones you can keep doing.
Eating the right food goes a long way toward health and happiness Eat more plant food
Eat real food
Eat low fat food
Eat nutrient dense food
A change to healthier eating also includes learning about balance, variety, and moderation.
- Aim for balance. Most days, eat from each
- Look for variety. Be adventurous. Choose different foods in each food group. For example, don't reach for an apple every time you choose a fruit. Eating a variety of foods each day will help you get all the nutrients you need.
- Practice moderation. Don't have too much or too little of one thing. All foods, if eaten in moderation, can be part of healthy eating. Even sweets can be okay.
Healthy eating is one of the best things you can do to prevent health problems, such as:
- Some types of cancer.
Diets are temporary. Because you give up so much when you diet, you may be hungry and think about food all the time. And after you stop dieting, you also may overeat to make up for what you missed.
Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is far more satisfying. And if you match that with more physical activity, you are more likely to get to a healthy weight-and stay there-than if you diet.
How do you make healthy eating a habit? First, think about your reasons for healthier eating. Do you want to improve your health? Do you want to feel better? Are you trying to set an example for your kids?
Next, think about some small changes you can make. Pick ones you can keep doing.
- Don't try to change everything at once.
- Set an easy goal you can reach, like having a salad and a piece of fruit each day.
- Make a long-term goal too, such as having one vegetarian dinner a week.
Eating the right food goes a long way toward health and happiness Eat more plant food
- Simply put, eat more plants.
- No matter what type of diet you follow, try to include more plant food, like raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, leafy greens, seeds and whole grains.
- Eat a wide variety of plants to ensure you are receiving the best food for your body.
Eat real food
- Go with foods that are whole, fresh, natural, organic, local, seasonal and unprocessed.
- Eliminate the intake of refined, highly processed food, such as artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats.
Eat low fat food
- Get your healthy fats from plant sources, such as nuts, coconuts and avocados.
- Minimize greasy oils and processed fats. Go light on salad dressing.
- Choose leaner meats and seafood as well as low-fat dairy products.
Eat nutrient dense food
- Pick foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins when compared to their total caloric content.
- Build your eating habits around plant-based foods to ensure highly nutrient-dense meals.
- Choose foods with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants.
