Keeping on a diet

dropdown Eating a balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of foods and drinks from all the food groups. It also means eating certain things in moderation, namely saturated fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, and salt. The goal is to take in nutrients you need for health at the recommended levels. dropdown Your balanced diet must be planned at your own calorie level, and portion size is key. You want to get the most nutrients for the calories by choosing food with a high-nutrient density. Nutrient-dense foods provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals and relatively few calories, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat and fish, and whole grains and beans. dropdown Low-nutrient dense foods have few vitamins but lots of calories, such as candy bars, soda, donuts and onion rings. Necessary to the building, maintenance, and repair of body tissue like our skin, muscles, and internal organs, proteins are the major components of our immune system and hormones. dropdown Foods that are high in saturated fats will raise your blood cholesterol levels putting you at risk of heart disease or stroke. Vegetable sources of protein, such as nuts, beans, and whole grains are great choices and offer vitamins, minerals and healthy fibers. The best protein choices are poultry and fish.