Benefits of Eating Healthy
What you choose to eat can have a direct impact on your ability to enjoy life to the fullest. A healthy diet has been proven to have many positive benefits, including:
- promoting and maintaining good health
- maintaining a healthy weight
- preventing many chronic diseases (like heart disease, diabetes and cancer) and treating other diseases
What You Eat
To gain the maximum benefits of eating healthy, you should consider all of the food groups and what they contribute to your health. . . and your waistline! Visit www.MyPyramid.gov for more information about the following food groups and to customize a MyPyramid Plan just for you.
- Grains—especially whole grains—are important sources of many nutrients, including dietary fiber, several B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate), and minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium).
- Fruits and vegetables may help to reduce risk for stroke, type II diabetes, certain cancers and coronary heart disease. Read more about the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters campaign.
- Milk and milk products are the primary source of calcium in American diets. Calcium is used for building bones and teeth and in maintaining bone mass. Milk also provides an important source of potassium and vitamin D.
- Meats and beans offer proteins which function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. However, choosing foods from the meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seed food group that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol may have health implications such as high cholesterol.
How Much You Eat
Eating healthy is not only about what you eat but also how much you eat. Managing your portions is an important part of a healthy diet.
- Download and print a Serving Size Card to keep in your wallet or purse as a reminder to watch your portions.
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Eat your meals at home on a smaller plate. The smaller your plate, the smaller your portion.
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Before going back for seconds, wait 10 or 15 minutes. You might not want seconds after all.
