Table 1.

Elements of healthy eating

Choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats.	Avoid trans fats, which are generally found in commercially baked products and deep-fried restaurant food. Limit intake of saturated fats, mostly from red meat, butter, milk, and other dairy products (under 8% of calories [17 grams*]) Emphasize polyunsaturated fats from olives and olive oil; canola, peanut, and other nut oils; almonds, cashews, peanuts, and other nuts and nut butters; avocados; sesame, pumpkin, and other seeds (10–15% of calories [22–27 grams*]) Emphasize polyunsaturated fats from vegetables oils such as corn, soybean, and safflower oils; walnuts; fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and anchovies (8–10% of calories [17–22 grams*])
Choose slowly digested carbohydrates over highly refined ones.	Limit intake of sources of rapidly digested carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice, pastries, sugary drinks, and French fries. In their place, emphasize whole grains (such as brown rice, barley, bulgur, quinoa, and wheat berries), whole fruits and vegetables, beans, and nuts. Aim for at least 6 servings of whole grains a day. Choosing a whole-grain breakfast cereal and whole grain bread are excellent starts.
Pick the best protein packages by emphasizing plant sources of protein rather than animal sources.	Adopting a “flexitarian” approach to protein has long-term health payoffs. Aim for at least half of protein from plants—beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Choose fish, eggs, poultry for most of the rest, with small amounts of red meat and dairy making up the balance. Aim for two servings of fish per week.**
Accentuate fruits and vegetables.	Consider 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a daily minimum; 9 a day is even better. Eat for variety and color. Each day try to get at least one serving of a dark green leafy vegetable, a yellow or orange fruit or vegetable, a red fruit or vegetable, and a citrus fruit. Fresh is usually best, especially if it is local; frozen fruits and vegetables are nearly as good.
Opt for low-calorie hydration.	Water is the best choice for hydration. Coffee and tea in moderation (with only a small amount of milk or sugar) are generally safe and healthful beverages. If milk is part of the diet, skim or low-fat milk is best. Avoid sugar-laden drinks such as sodas, fruits drinks, and sports drinks. Limit fresh juice to one small glass a day. Alcohol in moderation (no more than one drink a day for women) if at all.
Meet the daily recommendations for vitamins and minerals.	Taking an RDA-level multivitamin-multimineral supplement each day that contains folic acid and 1,000 IU of vitamin D provides an inexpensive nutritional safety net. Many premenopausal women need extra iron, and some women need additional calcium.
Daily exercise	Calories expended are as important for good health as the quality and quantity of calories consumed. Current recommendations call for 30 minutes of physical activity such as brisk walking on most, if not all, days of the week.

^*for a diet of 2,000 calories a day

^**low-mercury choices are best, especially for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

Adapted from Willett WC, Skerrett PJ. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating. New York: Free Press; 2005