Too much protein can be harmful to people with kidney disease, but the latest research suggests that many of us need more high-quality protein, especially as we age. That doesn't mean you have to eat more animal products—a variety of plant-based sources of protein each day can ensure your body gets all the essential protein it needs.

Learn more ». Not all fat is the same. While bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases, good fats protect your brain and heart. In fact, healthy fats—such as omega-3s—are vital to your physical and emotional health.

Including more healthy fat in your diet can help improve your mood, boost your well-being, and even trim your waistline. Eating foods high in dietary fiber grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

It can also improve your skin and even help you to lose weight. As well as leading to osteoporosis, not getting enough calcium in your diet can also contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties. Whatever your age or gender, it's vital to include calcium-rich foods in your diet, limit those that deplete calcium, and get enough magnesium and vitamins D and K to help calcium do its job.

Carbohydrates are one of your body's main sources of energy. But most should come from complex, unrefined carbs vegetables, whole grains, fruit rather than sugars and refined carbs.

Cutting back on white bread, pastries, starches, and sugar can prevent rapid spikes in blood sugar, fluctuations in mood and energy, and a build-up of fat, especially around your waistline.

Switching to a healthy diet doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition. You don't have to be perfect, you don't have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy, and you don't have to change everything all at once—that usually only leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan.

A better approach is to make a few small changes at a time. Keeping your goals modest can help you achieve more in the long term without feeling deprived or overwhelmed by a major diet overhaul.

Think of planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps—like adding a salad to your diet once a day. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices. BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more.

Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours. To set yourself up for success, try to keep things simple. Eating a healthier diet doesn't have to be complicated. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories, for example, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness.

Focus on avoiding packaged and processed foods and opting for more fresh ingredients whenever possible. Prepare more of your own meals. Cooking more meals at home can help you take charge of what you're eating and better monitor exactly what goes into your food. You'll eat fewer calories and avoid the chemical additives, added sugar, and unhealthy fats of packaged and takeout foods that can leave you feeling tired, bloated, and irritable, and exacerbate symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety.

Make the right changes. When cutting back on unhealthy foods in your diet, it's important to replace them with healthy alternatives.

Replacing dangerous trans fats with healthy fats such as switching fried chicken for grilled salmon will make a positive difference to your health.

Switching animal fats for refined carbohydrates, though such as switching your breakfast bacon for a donut , won't lower your risk for heart disease or improve your mood. Read the labels. It's important to be aware of what's in your food as manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food claiming to be healthy.

Focus on how you feel after eating. This will help foster healthy new habits and tastes. The healthier the food you eat, the better you'll feel after a meal.

The more junk food you eat, the more likely you are to feel uncomfortable, nauseous, or drained of energy. Drink plenty of water. Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many of us go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches.

It's common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices. What is moderation? In essence, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not stuffed.

For many of us, moderation means eating less than we do now. But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner—but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza.

Start by reducing portion sizes of unhealthy foods and not eating them as often. As you reduce your intake of unhealthy foods, you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences. Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently.

When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entree, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, visual cues can help with portion sizes. Your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.

By serving your meals on smaller plates or in bowls, you can trick your brain into thinking it's a larger portion. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, add more leafy greens or round off the meal with fruit.

Take your time. It's important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.

Eat with others whenever possible. Eating alone, especially in front of the TV or computer, often leads to mindless overeating. Limit snack foods in the home. Be careful about the foods you keep at hand. It's more challenging to eat in moderation if you have unhealthy snacks and treats at the ready.

Instead, surround yourself with healthy choices and when you're ready to reward yourself with a special treat, go out and get it then. Control emotional eating. We don't always eat just to satisfy hunger.

Many of us also turn to food to relieve stress or cope with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, loneliness, or boredom.

But by learning healthier ways to manage stress and emotions, you can regain control over the food you eat and your feelings. Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, while eating small, healthy meals keeps your energy up all day.

Avoid eating late at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for hours until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you're most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.

Fruit and vegetables are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Focus on eating the recommended daily amount of at least five servings of fruit and vegetables and it will naturally fill you up and help you cut back on unhealthy foods.

A serving is half a cup of raw fruit or veg or a small apple or banana, for example. Most of us need to double the amount we currently eat. While plain salads and steamed veggies can quickly become bland, there are plenty of ways to add taste to your vegetable dishes. Add color. Not only do brighter, deeper colored vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, but they can vary the flavor and make meals more visually appealing.

Add color using fresh or sundried tomatoes, glazed carrots or beets, roasted red cabbage wedges, yellow squash, or sweet, colorful peppers.

Liven up salad greens. Branch out beyond lettuce. Kale, arugula, spinach, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are all packed with nutrients. To add flavor to your salad greens, try drizzling with olive oil, adding a spicy dressing, or sprinkling with almond slices, chickpeas, a little bacon, parmesan, or goat cheese.

Satisfy your sweet tooth. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, bell peppers, and squash—add sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for added sugar.

Add them to soups, stews, or pasta sauces for a satisfying sweet kick. Cook green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus in new ways. Too many food rules can lead to a cycle of restriction-deprivation-overeating-guilt. Variety refers to consuming different foods within each of the food groups on a regular basis.

Eating a varied diet helps to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of all essential nutrients required for health. One of the major drawbacks of a monotonous diet is the risk of consuming too much of some nutrients and not enough of others.

Trying new foods can also be a source of pleasure—you never know what foods you might like until you try them. The Dietary Guidelines are published and revised every five years jointly by the U. Department of Agriculture USDA and Health and Human Services HHS as a guide to healthy eating for Americans.

The purpose of the Dietary Guidelines is to give Americans evidence-based information on what to eat and drink to promote health and prevent chronic disease. Public health agencies, health care providers, and educational institutions all rely on Dietary Guidelines recommendations and strategies.

Before HHS and the USDA release the new Dietary Guidelines, they assemble an Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of nationally recognized nutrition and medical researchers, academics, and practitioners. The Advisory Committee develops an Advisory Report that synthesizes current scientific and medical evidence in nutrition, which will then advise the federal government in the development of the new edition of the Dietary Guidelines.

The public also has opportunities to get involved in the development of these guidelines. The Advisory Committee holds a series of public meetings for hearing oral comments from the public, and the public also has opportunities to provide written comments to the Advisory Committee throughout the course of its work.

After the Advisory Report is complete, the public has opportunities to respond with written comments and provide oral testimony at a public meeting.

Several nutrients are of special public health concern, including dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. Inadequate intake of these nutrients is common among Americans and is associated with greater risk of chronic disease. People can increase their intake of these nutrients by shifting towards eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products, and beans.

The Dietary Guidelines thus encourage the following nutrient-dense food choices:. Yet many Americans consume too much of foods with added sugars and saturated fat, in addition to excessive amounts of sodium and alcohol.

Consuming too much of these dietary components is associated with development of chronic disease over time and can add calories without providing much in the way of beneficial nutrients. Therefore, the DGA recommends limiting the following:.

The United States is not the only country that develops nutritional guidelines. Figure 1. One way the USDA and other federal agencies implement the Dietary Guidelines is through MyPlate, which we will discuss next.

For many years, the U. government has been encouraging Americans to develop healthful dietary habits. For example, the food pyramid was introduced in as the symbol of healthy eating patterns for all Americans.

However, many felt this new pyramid was difficult to understand, so in , the pyramid was replaced with MyPlate. MyPlate is a food guide to help Americans achieve the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For most people this means eating MORE :.

Foods are grouped into 5 different groups based on their nutrient content. The following table summarizes the different food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group.

Whole grains: brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, cereal and pasta, popcorn. Refined grains: typically tortillas, couscous, noodles, naan, pancakes although sometimes these products can be whole grains too.

For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Grain Group Food Gallery. dietary fiber, several B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate , and minerals iron, magnesium, and selenium. Dark green vegetables- broccoli, kale, and spinach. Red and orange vegetables- bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes.

Starchy vegetables- corn, peas and potatoes. Beans and Peas- hummus, lentils and black beans. Other vegetables- asparagus, avocado, zucchini. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Vegetable Group Food Gallery.

Fruits can also be canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Fruit Group Food Gallery.

Meats, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, nuts and seeds. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Protein Group Food Gallery. protein, B vitamins niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6 , vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Milk, yogurt, cheese and calcium-fortified soy milk. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Dairy Group Food Gallery.

Table 1. A summary of MyPlate food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group. Some people have criticized the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate for being influenced by political and economic interests, as the meat and dairy industries and large food companies have a powerful lobbying presence that may override scientific consensus.

When the Dietary Guidelines were released in December of , for example, they were criticized for failing to address sustainability, climate change, and the potential benefits of eating less meat and processed foods. In addition, although the Advisory Committee, made up of nutrition science experts, recommended stricter limits on added sugars and alcohol consumption, the final version of the Guidelines ignored these recommendations and stuck with the same advice about sugar and alcohol given in the version of the Guidelines.

The Healthy Eating Plate HEP is based on the best available science and is not influenced by political or commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists. The message of the HEP is similar to MyPlate in that the focus is on diet quality—encouraging nutrient-dense whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans.

However, there are a few key differences between MyPlate and HEP. For example, MyPlate recommends 3 cups of dairy a day, whereas HEP recommends limiting dairy to cups per day, and instead encourages non-dairy sources of calcium like collards, bok choy, fortified soy milk, and baked beans.

The HEP encourages protein sources from fish, poultry, beans or nuts, and it encourages consumers to limit red meat and avoid processed meat,since these foods raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. MyPlate encourages people to take a balanced approach and to eat a variety of nutrient-dense, whole foods.

To help people control calories and prevent weight gain, the USDA promotes the concept of nutrient density and empty calories.

For example, in the screenshot below, a 90 percent lean 3-ounce ground beef patty is considered more nutrient-dense than a 75 percent lean patty. In the 90 percent lean patty, for calories you get protein, iron, and other needed nutrients.

On the other hand, the 75 percent lean patty has calories, but the extra 52 calories add only solid fats and no other appreciable nutrients.

Below we will discuss the key components of a healthy diet that will help prevent chronic disease like heart disease and diabetes , maintain a healthy weight, and promote overall health. Achieving a healthy diet is a matter of balancing the quality and quantity of food that you eat to provide an appropriate combination of energy and nutrients.

There are four key characteristics that make up a healthful diet:. A diet is adequate when it provides sufficient amounts of calories and each essential nutrient, as well as fiber.

Most Americans report not getting enough fruit, vegetables, whole grains or dairy, which may mean falling short in the essential vitamins and minerals found in these food groups, like Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium, as well as fiber.

A balanced diet means eating a combination of foods from the different food groups, and because these food groups provide different nutrients, a balanced diet is likely to be adequate in nutrients.

For example, vegetables are an important source of potassium, dietary fiber, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C, whereas grains provide B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate and minerals iron, magnesium, and selenium. No one food is more important than the other.

Moderation means not eating to the extremes, neither too much nor too little of any one food or nutrient. Moderation means that small portions of higher-calorie, lower-nutrient foods like chips and candy can fit within a healthy diet. Including these types of foods can make healthy eating more enjoyable and also more sustainable.

When eating becomes too extreme—where many foods are forbidden—this eating pattern is often short-lived until forbidden foods are overeaten.

Too many food rules can lead to a cycle of restriction-deprivation-overeating-guilt. Variety refers to consuming different foods within each of the food groups on a regular basis. Eating a varied diet helps to ensure that you consume adequate amounts of all essential nutrients required for health.

One of the major drawbacks of a monotonous diet is the risk of consuming too much of some nutrients and not enough of others. Trying new foods can also be a source of pleasure—you never know what foods you might like until you try them.

The Dietary Guidelines are published and revised every five years jointly by the U. Department of Agriculture USDA and Health and Human Services HHS as a guide to healthy eating for Americans.

The purpose of the Dietary Guidelines is to give Americans evidence-based information on what to eat and drink to promote health and prevent chronic disease. Public health agencies, health care providers, and educational institutions all rely on Dietary Guidelines recommendations and strategies.

Before HHS and the USDA release the new Dietary Guidelines, they assemble an Advisory Committee. This committee is composed of nationally recognized nutrition and medical researchers, academics, and practitioners.

The Advisory Committee develops an Advisory Report that synthesizes current scientific and medical evidence in nutrition, which will then advise the federal government in the development of the new edition of the Dietary Guidelines.

The public also has opportunities to get involved in the development of these guidelines. The Advisory Committee holds a series of public meetings for hearing oral comments from the public, and the public also has opportunities to provide written comments to the Advisory Committee throughout the course of its work.

After the Advisory Report is complete, the public has opportunities to respond with written comments and provide oral testimony at a public meeting. Several nutrients are of special public health concern, including dietary fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.

Inadequate intake of these nutrients is common among Americans and is associated with greater risk of chronic disease. People can increase their intake of these nutrients by shifting towards eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products, and beans.

The Dietary Guidelines thus encourage the following nutrient-dense food choices:. Yet many Americans consume too much of foods with added sugars and saturated fat, in addition to excessive amounts of sodium and alcohol.

Consuming too much of these dietary components is associated with development of chronic disease over time and can add calories without providing much in the way of beneficial nutrients. Therefore, the DGA recommends limiting the following:.

The United States is not the only country that develops nutritional guidelines. Figure 1. One way the USDA and other federal agencies implement the Dietary Guidelines is through MyPlate, which we will discuss next. For many years, the U.

government has been encouraging Americans to develop healthful dietary habits. For example, the food pyramid was introduced in as the symbol of healthy eating patterns for all Americans. However, many felt this new pyramid was difficult to understand, so in , the pyramid was replaced with MyPlate.

MyPlate is a food guide to help Americans achieve the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. For most people this means eating MORE :. Foods are grouped into 5 different groups based on their nutrient content. The following table summarizes the different food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group.

Whole grains: brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, cereal and pasta, popcorn. Refined grains: typically tortillas, couscous, noodles, naan, pancakes although sometimes these products can be whole grains too. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Grain Group Food Gallery.

dietary fiber, several B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate , and minerals iron, magnesium, and selenium. Dark green vegetables- broccoli, kale, and spinach. Red and orange vegetables- bell peppers, carrots and tomatoes.

Starchy vegetables- corn, peas and potatoes. Beans and Peas- hummus, lentils and black beans. Other vegetables- asparagus, avocado, zucchini. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Vegetable Group Food Gallery. Fruits can also be canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed.

For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Fruit Group Food Gallery. Meats, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, nuts and seeds. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Protein Group Food Gallery.

protein, B vitamins niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6 , vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Milk, yogurt, cheese and calcium-fortified soy milk. For more foods and what counts as a cup check out: The Dairy Group Food Gallery. Table 1. A summary of MyPlate food groups, examples of foods that fall within each group, and nutrients provided for each food group.

Some people have criticized the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate for being influenced by political and economic interests, as the meat and dairy industries and large food companies have a powerful lobbying presence that may override scientific consensus.

Support from health professionals, friends, and family can help older adults meet food group and nutrient recommendations. Eating enough protein helps prevent the loss of lean muscle mass.

But older adults often eat too little protein — especially adults ages 71 and older. These protein sources also provide additional nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and fiber. The ability to absorb vitamin B12 can decrease with age and with the use of certain medicines. Older adults should talk with their health care provider about the use of dietary supplements to increase vitamin B12 intake.

Healthy Beverage Choices for Older Adults. Unsweetened fruit juices and low-fat or fat-free milk or fortified soy beverages can also help meet fluid and nutrient needs. Health care providers can remind older patients to enjoy beverages with meals and throughout the day.

If older adults choose to drink alcohol, they should only drink in moderation — 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women. Remember that this population may feel the effects of alcohol more quickly than they did when they were younger, which could increase the risk of falls and other accidents.

Supporting Older Adults in Healthy Eating. Similar to other life stages, health professionals, family, and friends can support older adults in achieving a healthy dietary pattern that fits with their budget, preferences, and traditions. Additional factors to consider when supporting healthy eating for older adults include:.

Find Resources to Help Older Adults Eat Healthy. There are a number of government resources that health professionals can use to support older individuals in accessing and achieving a healthy dietary pattern.

Choosing healthy foods and actively using nutrition resources can help people make every bite count, no matter their age.

For more information about these resources for older adults, check out Nutrition Programs for Seniors from Nutrition.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

Nutrition as We Age: Healthy Eating with the Dietary Guidelines. Special Considerations for Older Adults The Healthy Eating Index HEI measures diet quality based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Supporting Older Adults in Healthy Eating Similar to other life stages, health professionals, family, and friends can support older adults in achieving a healthy dietary pattern that fits with their budget, preferences, and traditions. Additional factors to consider when supporting healthy eating for older adults include: Enjoyment of food — Sharing meals with friends and family can increase food enjoyment and provide a great opportunity to share a lifetime of stories, all while improving dietary patterns.

Ability to chew or swallow foods — Experimenting with different ways of cooking foods from all food groups can help identify textures that are acceptable, appealing, and enjoyable for older adults — especially those who have difficulties chewing or swallowing.

Good dental health is also critical to the ability to chew foods. Food safety — Practicing safe food handling is especially important for this age group.