A good diet delivers everything you need and minimizes unnecessary elements.
A good diet is necessary for good health. Most adults are free to eat what they want but do not choose wisely. Fortunately, the modern guidelines for a healthful diet are easy to remember and easy to understand. These guidelines are recommended by the American Heart Institute, the Nation Institutes of Health (NIH), and the American Cancer Society. The guidelines consist of four parts: adequacy, calorie control, moderation and variety. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Adequacy
Adequacy means getting everything you need. Your body needs proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals -- every day. You should learn which foods supply which nutrients and the symptoms of the various kinds of deficiencies. A low protein diet usually means low energy, although the same symptom is caused by not enough iron. Carbohydrates are the easiest component of a good diet for most people to get, but a shortage can cause you to be hungry even though you have just eaten. Low fiber diets cause intestinal problems, and a shortage of vitamins usually shows up as skin or vision problems as well as getting sick too easily. A deficiency of minerals can cause a variety of problems.
Calorie Control
Calorie control means getting the right amount of calories -- or less than you need if you are overweight. High calorie foods include sweets, dairy products and fats -- although some dairy foods are low in fat including (unsweetened) yogurt, keifer and buttermilk. Calories are a must--they are a necessary part of a healthy diet, but most people consume too many. Calorie control is the one component of a good diet that is easy to diagnose: if you are overweight, you are consuming too many calories; if you are skinny, you are not consuming enough calories.
Moderation
Moderation means minimizing things you do not need. Almost everybody eats things that they should not eat and do not need. These include fats, sweets and salty foods. This may be for religious or ethnic reasons of simply because you like them. Moderation means keeping these foods to a minimum -- also not eating too much of these foods in any one day. Sometimes a little thought can help minimize this category of foods. For example, very dark chocolate is not as sweet as milk chocolate and is more satisfying -- so you will be content with less. Not all Mexican foods have cheese, and not all barbecue is made with fatty meats. You can enjoy these foods -- in small amounts.
Variety
Variety means not eating the same thing all the time. If you have eggs for breakfast every day, try oatmeal once in a while. If you have oatmeal every day, try eggs on the weekends. The best way to insure that you get all your vitamins and minerals is to eat a variety of foods. Try something new every week -- you may discover a new favorite. Foods that offer a variety of nutrients are mangoes, sweet potatoes, mixed salads and whole grain cereals with no fat milk.
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