Healthy nutrition

What is it?

According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet consists of minimally processed foods, and rests on four principles: adequacy, balance, moderation and variety.

MedlinePlus defines good nutrition as choosing foods and drinks that support your health, and identifies six classes of nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.

Why it matters

The World Health Organization states that a healthy diet protects against malnutrition in all its forms and against noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

MedlinePlus adds that good nutrition helps maintain a healthy weight, reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers, supports heart health and blood pressure control, improves mood, and supports growth and tissue repair.

Key points

Vegetables and fruit: for adults (10 years and over) at least 400 grams a day, for children aged 6 to 9 at least 350 grams, and for ages 2 to 5 at least 250 grams (World Health Organization).

Natural dietary fibre: for adults (10 years and over) at least 25 grams, for ages 6 to 9 at least 21 grams, and for ages 2 to 5 at least 15 grams (World Health Organization).

Free sugars: below 10% of total daily energy, equivalent to about 50 grams or 12 level teaspoons, and the organisation says reducing it to 5% or less gives additional benefit.

Salt: for adults below 5 grams a day (equivalent to 2 grams of sodium) according to the organisation. As for potassium, it mentions for adults at least 90 mmol a day (3,510 mg).

Fats: total fat from 15% to 30% of daily calories, saturated fat not exceeding 10% of energy, and trans fat not exceeding 1% (World Health Organization).

Carbohydrates about 45 to 75% of daily energy, and protein for adults 10 to 15% of it (World Health Organization).

According to the CDC: focus on vegetables, fruit and proteins (seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, legumes, soy products, nuts and seeds) and dairy without added sugar, healthy fats and whole grains, and reduce added sugars, sodium, saturated and trans fats and cholesterol.

How to put it into practice

The CDC suggests: cooking vegetables roasted or steamed with herbs, browning them with a little olive oil in a non-stick pan, and using frozen or canned vegetables with no added salt.

It also suggests choosing fresh, frozen or canned fruit (canned in water or its own juice), baking or grilling instead of frying fish and breading chicken, and replacing meat with legumes in some recipes.

MedlinePlus advises buying fresh and minimally processed foods, using recipes to plan meals, following food safety, and reading nutrition information labels.

The NHLBI describes the DASH diet as a flexible, balanced and heart-healthy eating pattern for life: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy, fish, poultry, legumes, nuts and vegetable oils, with little saturated and trans fat, and it requires no special foods.

The NHLBI mentions two sodium levels within DASH: 2,300 mg a day, and that 1,500 mg lowers blood pressure more than 2,300 mg. Determining the right target for you remains for your doctor.

Special groups

Infants and young children: the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months and continuing until the age of two and beyond, and from 6 months adequate, safe and nutrient-rich foods are offered without added salt or sugars.

Children: they have smaller amounts of fruit, vegetables and fibre according to age as in the points above (World Health Organization).

MedlinePlus says that nutrition needs differ by age, sex, activity level and health conditions, and the CDC stresses that daily calories are determined by age, sex, height, weight and activity level. This page does not cover detailed recommendations for pregnancy or older people, so please ask the doctor.

Risks and cautions

MedlinePlus mentions the need to get enough calcium, vitamin D and potassium, and to limit salt, added sugars, alcohol and saturated fats.

The sources' pages do not mention warnings specific to the DASH diet, but for anyone with a chronic disease (such as diabetes or kidney disease) or taking medicines, what applies is what their doctor or dietitian determines before changing their eating pattern.

Limits of this information

The figures mentioned are general guidelines for populations from the World Health Organization and health bodies, not an individual plan. Needs differ from person to person, and what applies is what your doctor or dietitian determines according to your condition.

MedlinePlus stresses that you do not need a strict diet to eat well.

This page does not cover a list of nutrition-related danger signs, so there are no warning symptoms listed on this page.

Common questions