7 Tools for Achieving a Healthy Diet

Good nutrition means eating the right foods, in the right amounts, to receive enough (but not too much) of the essential nutrients so that the body can remain free from disease, grow properly, work effectively, and feel its best. The phrase “you are what you eat” refers to the fact that the food you eat has cumulative effects on the body. And many of the nutrients obtained from food do become a part of us. For example, the protein and calcium found in milk can be used in the formation of bone. The foods we eat also impact how we feel—both today and in the future. Below we will discuss the key components of a healthy diet that will help prevent chronic disease (like heart disease and diabetes), maintain a healthy weight, and promote overall health.

Achieving a Healthy Diet

Achieving a healthy diet is a matter of balancing the quality and quantity of food that you eat to provide an appropriate combination of energy and nutrients. There are four key characteristics that make up a healthful diet:

1. Adequacy
2. Balance
3. Moderation
4. Variety

Adequacy

A diet is adequate when it provides sufficient amounts of calories and each essential nutrient, as well as fiber. Most Americans report not getting enough fruit, vegetables, whole grains or dairy, which may mean falling short in the essential vitamins and minerals found in these food groups, like Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium, as well as fiber.¹

Balance

A balanced diet means eating a combination of foods from the different food groups, and because these food groups provide different nutrients, a balanced diet is likely to be adequate in nutrients. For example, vegetables are an important source of potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C, whereas grains provide B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate) and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium). No one food is more important than the other. It is the combination of all the different food groups (fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, protein and fats/oils) that will ensure an adequate diet.

Moderation

Moderation means not eating to the extremes, neither too much nor too little of any one food or nutrient. Moderation means that small portions of higher-calorie, lower-nutrient foods like chips and candy can fit within a healthy diet. Including these types of foods can make healthy eating more enjoyable and also more sustainable. When eating becomes too extreme—where many foods are forbidden—this eating pattern is often short-lived until forbidden foods are overeaten. Too many food rules can lead to a cycle of restriction-deprivation-overeating-guilt.² For sustainable, long-term health benefits, it is important to give yourself permission to eat all foods.

Variety

Variety refers to consuming different foods within each of the food groups on a regular basis. Eating a varied diet helps to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of all essential nutrients required for health. One of the major drawbacks of a monotonous diet is the risk of consuming too much of some nutrients and not enough of others. Trying new foods can also be a source of pleasure—you never know what foods you might like until you try them.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines are published and revised every five years jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) as a guide to healthy eating for Americans.³

Purpose

The purpose of the Dietary Guidelines is to give Americans evidence-based information on what to eat and drink to promote health and prevent chronic disease. Public health agencies, health care providers, and educational institutions all rely on Dietary Guidelines recommendations and strategies.³ These agencies use the Dietary Guidelines to:

• Form the basis of federal nutrition policy and programs such as WIC and SNAP
• Help guide local, state, and national health promotion and disease prevention initiatives
• Inform various organizations and industries (for example, products developed and marketed by the food and beverage industry)

Process

Before HHS and the USDA release the new Dietary Guidelines, they assemble an Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of nationally recognized nutrition and medical researchers, academics, and practitioners. The Advisory Committee develops an Advisory Report that synthesizes current scientific and medical evidence in nutrition, which will then advise the federal government in the development of the new edition of the Dietary Guidelines.

The public also has opportunities to get involved in the development of these guidelines. The Advisory Committee holds a series of public meetings for hearing oral comments from the public, and the public also has opportunities to provide written comments to the Advisory Committee throughout the course of its work. After the Advisory Report is complete, the public has opportunities to respond with written comments and provide oral testimony at a public meeting.

2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines

The major topic areas of the Dietary Guidelines are:

1. Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.
2. Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.
3. Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits.
4. Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.

 

Several nutrients are of special public health concern, including dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. Inadequate intake of these nutrients is common among Americans and is associated with greater risk of chronic disease. People can increase their intake of these nutrients by shifting towards eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products, and beans. The Dietary Guidelines thus encourage the following nutrient-dense food choices:

 

• Vegetables, including a variety of dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy and other vegetables
• Fruits, especially whole fruits
• Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
• Dairy, including fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages and yogurt
• Protein foods, including seafood (8 or more ounces per week), lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), soy products, and nuts and seeds
• Oils, including those from plants, such as canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower oils, and those present in whole foods such as nuts, seeds, seafood, olives, and avocados.

 

The DGA explains that most of an individual’s daily caloric intake—about 85%—must be made up of nutrient-dense foods in order to meet nutrient requirements, leaving about 15% of calories available for other uses. Yet many Americans consume too much of foods with added sugars and saturated fat, in addition to excessive amounts of sodium and alcohol. Consuming too much of these dietary components is associated with development of chronic disease over time and can add calories without providing much in the way of beneficial nutrients. Therefore, the DGA recommends limiting the following:

 

• Added sugars – Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars starting at age 2. (Avoid foods and beverages with added sugars for those younger than age 2.)
• Saturated fat – Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fat starting at age 2.
• Sodium – Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium – and even less for children younger than age 14.
• Alcoholic beverages – If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed only in moderation (up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men). Drinking less is better for health than drinking more.

 

The United States is not the only country that develops nutritional guidelines. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has a website where you can search for dietary guidelines for different countries, such as Sweden’s guidelines, illustrated below.

Figure 1.18. “Sweden’s one-minute advice” by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The Swedish National Food Agency also has a great resource, “Find Your Way To Eat Greener, Not Too Much and Be Active” on how to put these guidelines into practice.

One way the USDA and other federal agencies implement the Dietary Guidelines is through MyPlate, which we will discuss next.

MyPlate (USDA Food Guide)

For many years, the U.S. government has been encouraging Americans to develop healthful dietary habits. For example, the food pyramid was introduced in 1992 as the symbol of healthy eating patterns for all Americans.

Figure 1.19. The food pyramid in 1992.

 

Figure 1.20. MyPyramid, introduced in 2005.

However, many felt this new pyramid was difficult to understand, so in 2011, the pyramid was replaced with MyPlate.

Figure 1.21. MyPlate, introduced in 2011.

MyPlate is a food guide to help Americans achieve the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For most people this means eating MORE:

• whole grains
• fruits
• vegetables (especially dark green vegetables and red and orange vegetables)
• legumes
• seafood (to replace some meals of meat and poultry)
• low-fat dairy

And LESS:

• refined grains
• added sugars
• solid fats: saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol
• sodium

 

Foods are grouped into 5 different groups based on their nutrient content. The following table summarizes the different food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group.

Food Group	Example of Foods	Nutrients Provided
	Whole grains: brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, cereal and pasta, popcorn. Refined grains: typically tortillas, couscous, noodles, naan, pancakes (although sometimes these products can be whole grains too). For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Grain Group Food Gallery.	dietary fiber, several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium)
	Dark green vegetables- broccoli, kale, and spinach. Red and orange vegetables- bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes. Starchy vegetables- corn, peas and potatoes. Beans and Peas- hummus, lentils and black beans. Other vegetables- asparagus, avocado, zucchini. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Vegetable Group Food Gallery.	potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C
	Fresh berries, melons, and other fruit as well as 100% fruit  juice. Fruits can also be canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Fruit Group Food Gallery.	potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate
	Meats, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, nuts and seeds. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Protein Group Food Gallery.	protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium
	Milk, yogurt, cheese and calcium-fortified soy milk. Foods such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not part of the Dairy Group as they have little/no calcium (they count as a fat). For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Dairy Group Food Gallery.	calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein

Table 1.4. A summary of MyPlate food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group.