What is a healthy diet?

"A healthy diet is based on eating a wide variety of high-quality foods that provide balanced nutrition. It is not achieved by simply cutting calories or reducing fat but rather by making informed choices about the type of foods we eat."

–Culinary Institute of America's
"Techniques of Healthy Cooking"

How many food items does an average American rotate through as a habit?

Fifteen. Shocking, huh? We think we eat more variety but the fact is the majority of us gravitate to same things over and over again.

Sadly, the "meat and potatoes" diet, consisting of an emphasis on meat and inadequate vegetables and grains, is still prevalent in many American populations.

Why do I get such large portions in restaurants?

Over the last fifty years, meal portions have steadily increased in size. A McDonald's hamburger today is twice the size it was in 1955. We want value for our money. Restaurants, in intense competition, are ready to accommodate and increase your waist size to make you happy. Many patrons expect large portions so they can have leftovers for the following day. This expectation of overabundance has contributed to an unbalanced view of food and eating. Your portion size should reflect your age, activity, and lifestyle.

What are the approaches to a healthy diet?

Think more variety with less emphasis on meats. Add more grain products, vegetables and fruits. Think fresh ingredients, flavors and seasonings. The dishes should be colorful not white, brown and gray like the old "meat and potatoes" plates.

Many traditional approaches, such as the Mediterranean and Asian diets are gaining acceptance because of the health benefits seen in the populations that practice them.

For more information, click over to Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust.

Do I have to eliminate food items from my diet?

No. Unless your doctor tells you to. Balance in all things is a good philosophy to have. There is a season for Brussels sprouts. There is a place for Death By Chocolate Cake. Those little indulgences will taste even sweeter if you have them occasionally and not regularly.

What do all weight-loss diet plans have in common?

They all operate on one simple principal - reduce your caloric intake. You burn more calories than you take in. Just forget all the before/after pictures and the meaningless marketing materials and ask one question when you consider going on one: Will this plan provide enough nutrition to keep me healthy while I lose weight?

What are the six classes of nutrients?

Carbohydrate, protein and fat provide energy. Vitamins, minerals and water are the catalysts and maintenance materials that keep your system running smoothly.

Should I be eating more carbohydrates?

Ideally, carbohydrates should be 55-60% of your calories. This percentage would increase if you are an athlete or have a very active lifestyle. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars and used as fuel. Naturally occurring sugars in fruits, grains and vegetables pack good nutrition and provide less calories in more volume than processed foods.

Can a low fat, high carbohydrate diet be a bad thing?

Well...yes, if your caloric intake is too high. Excess sugars from carbohydrates are converted into fat and stored in our fat cells.

Where are we getting our excess sugars?

An American consumes 32 teaspoons of sugar a day! Refined, processed, and added sugar account for half of the carbohydrates we consume. Soda is a chief source - 12 teaspoons in a 12 oz can. Commercial snacks, and junk foods are shock full of sugar-laden, low-nutrition calories. Energy bars should only be consumed by athletes during competition. They are mostly empty calories.

Isn't reducing fat intake a good thing?

The easy answer is yes. It is recommended that Americans reduce our fat intake because, as a population, we eat an excessive amount of it. There are good fats and they still play an important part in our diet. Our body, through millions of years of evolution, is designed to store fat as an energy reserve. The abundance of fat combined with what our biology does well has increased the rate of obesity. Fat should be used sparingly but not eliminated altogether. The USDA recommends that 25%-30% of your calories come from fat. Do not confuse calories with portion size.

What are the good fats?

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil and olive oil. Also beneficial are the fish oils, Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Where are we getting our excess fat?

Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in processed foods. They are used mainly to increase a product's shelf life. These trans fats and saturated fats are linked to heart disease and elevated cholesterol.

Fast foods taste good because of the amount of fat in them. Most chains use hydrogenated oils in their fryers.

What is the importance of proteins?

Proteins are the building blocks our bodies use for tissue growth, maintenance and repair; they are also important for hormones, enzymes, blood clotting and our immune system.

8 Essential proteins. These are the ones we can't make ourselves. We must find them in our food source. Animal sources have all essential amino acids.

12 Nonessential proteins. These are what we can make ourselves from other amino acids.

What should I be aware of with a strict vegetarian or vegan diet?

While there are many benefits, a strict vegetarian or vegan diet does have concerns. Plants do not contain all essential amino acids, except for soy. In order to obtain a complete set, one must eat a combination of grains and legumes. (black beans and rice, peanut butter sandwich, e.g.) Careful planning is required to obtain nutrients normally found in animal foods from other sources such as soy milk fortified with vitamins D, B12 and calcium.