Nutrition: What Healthy Eating Means — and What It Doesn't

Good nutrition helps keep people healthy through every stage of life — as babies, toddlers, children, adults and older adults. It can help people live longer and lower their risk of health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Good nutrition comes down to healthy eating: choosing healthy foods and drinks, regularly.

What a healthy eating plan does

It gives your body the energy and nutrients it needs every day. The nutrients are:

• proteins
• carbohydrates
• fats
• vitamins
• minerals
• water

A good plan also fits your tastes, cultural traditions and budget.

What it doesn't mean

Healthy eating is not a very strict diet, and it doesn't mean eating only a few kinds of food or never having your favorites. You can eat a variety of foods, less healthy favorites included — just not too much of them, or too often. Balance them with healthier foods and regular physical activity.

The keys

• Variety: vegetables, fruits and whole-grain products.
• Lean protein and low-fat dairy: lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and low-fat dairy products.
• Enough fiber.
• Plenty of water.
• Limits on salt, added sugars, alcohol and saturated fat.
• Enough of key nutrients — especially calcium, vitamin D and potassium.

Sources

Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Nutrition," National Library of Medicine, drawing on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain.