Basics of Good Nutrition

Eating well involves eating a variety of different foods that together provide a sufficient amount of each of the 40 essential nutrients. This at first would appear to be a very difficult task. However, if you are to be successful, all you need to do is to learn certain nutritional principles and then apply these principles consistently throughout your life. These principles relate to the following:

Variety

Since no food provides all the essential nutrients, it is important to eat small amounts of a wide variety of different foods rather than eating larger portions of just a few select foods from each of the five basic food groups from the Food Pyramid and consistently make different selections.

Adequacy

You must eat sufficient food to sustain your energy level throughout the day and to provide sufficient amounts of each of the essential nutrients. If you do not eat enough food you will not be able to get a sufficient amount of each of the nutrients.

Calorie Control

You must consistently select foods with high nutrient density - ones that provide lots of nutrients yet are not too high in calories - so that you can get a sufficient amount of each of the nutrients without getting too many calories. If you consume too many calories you will gain weight and accumulate body fat.

Consistency

You must develop consistent eating habits that you can live with for the rest of your life. Keep in mind that consistency applies to all seven days of the week. You will rarely be successful if you eat well and exercise regularly during the week, and then revert to poor habits at the weekend.

Moderation

You need to limit your intake of foods which are low in nutrients and high in calories. These include fat, sugar, and alcohol. You need to watch your portion sizes and limit second helpings of certain foods. Also keep in mind that too much of one food is not good for you.

Related Articles:

• Good Nutrition
• Food Pyramid
• Caloric Intake