A healthy diet is a balanced diet. The basic components of a healthy, balanced diet include the right amounts of:

• Fats – found in nuts, oils and animal and dairy products

• Carbohydrates – found in vegetables, rice, pasta, grains, fruits, beans and legumes

• Protein – found in fish, poultry, meat, diary products, nuts, beans and eggs

• Water

• Vitamins, such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K

• Minerals, such as calcium, potassium, iron, among others

Of the six listed, calories are provided only by proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The amount of energy released as you digest food is measured in calories. Naturally, the more calories you eat, the more energy is provided to your body (all else being equal). Excess calories are stored as fat. Calories are even found in alcohol, though alcohol is not a nutrient.

Fats

Obesity is a problem in America. The more fat and calories we eat, the fatter we become. Some fat is necessary for health: grownups should get 20%-35% of their calories from fat. But an excessive intake of fat (and cholesterol), especially saturated and trans fat – raises the risk of heart disease. A gram of fat has twice the calories as a gram of carbohydrates and proteins.

Compounds of fatty acids (lipids) make up fat. These acids, depending on their chemical structure, are called monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, or trans fats. The unhealthiest fats are trans and saturated fats, such as when manufacturers turn liquid oils into solids, such as shortening and solid margarine. Many foods also contain trans fats: cereals, snacks, salad dressing, baked goods, fried foods and many others.

If you eat 10% or more saturated fats from high-fat dairy products, meats, butter or foods cooked or made with hydrogenated fats, problems such as weight gain result. Weight gain is implicated in several diseases and disorders, including heart disease, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and insomnia. Consuming any amount of trans fat is not recommended for a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important nutrients because when consumed they provide fuel for the body in the form of glucose. A sugar, glucose is the primary source of the energy the body needs. Adults should get around 45%-65% of their calories from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates can be found in high-nutrient whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes; also in low-nutrient pastries, flavored beverages such as soft drinks and fruit drinks, and candy. These so-called foods are calorie-rich, but not nutrient-rich, and should be consumed rarely, if ever.

Vitamins

Vitamins are important because they aid certain chemical reactions in the body. The body doesn’t make most of them, so they must be gained from the diet and supplementation. The 13 vitamins essential to the body are divided into two categories: water-soluble (B and C vitamins), and fat-soluble (A, D, E, K). The body does not need large amounts of fat-soluble vitamins for they are more easily stored. Excessive intake of fat-soluble vitamins can be dangerous.

We must consume water-soluble vitamins daily, as they are not stored for long. Large amounts of these vitamins won’t harm you, but it can be wasteful – excesses are eliminated in the urine, so it is important to know how much and how often to take water soluble vitamins so your body is making the most use of them.

Minerals

The body doesn’t make minerals, either, so they also must come from the diet and supplementation. Some minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium, should be taken in relatively large amounts. Trace minerals such as selenium, copper and zinc are needed in only small amounts.

Water

Water has no food value, but it is essential to survival. Water accounts for 55%-65% of our body weight, but it can’t be stored, so we must constantly replenish it. A lack of water, called dehydration, will soon make itself felt with extreme thirst, headache and other symptoms.

The USDA has published a “food pyramid” that makes it easy to see how much of each food category you should eat. Food groups are represented by sections of the pyramid. The lower section represents the grains: cereal, bread, pasta, and rice. It is recommended that you eat six-11 servings of this group each day. Vegetables appear in the next section up; you should eat three to five servings of vegetables and two to four of fruit per day. Vitamins, minerals and fiber are represented in this section. The next section up is protein: meat, poultry, dry beans, fish, nuts and eggs. We need two to three servings from the milk group per day, and the same from the meat, bean, egg and nut group. The top level – oils, fats, and sweets – should be eaten in small amounts.

What’s important is your average intake of foods like cholesterol, fat, and sodium. If you eat a lot of fat at one meal, try to eat lean the rest of the day. The same goes for cholesterol-laden food, and sodium. These amounts can be found on food labels, and you should pay attention to them.

To help in establishing a healthy diet, follow the food pyramid!