Part 2: Choose Your Fuel

No one food has all the nutrients needed to sustain life and promote well-being. You need to eat a variety of foods to get all of the nutrients your body needs. Some foods provide more nutrients than others. Food can be a source of pleasure, but its main purpose is to provide nutrients that your body cannot make.

Choose foods that are nutrient dense. This means they give you a lot of nutrients per calorie. Examples are:

•  Fruits and vegetables

•  Whole grains

•  Fat-free or low-fat dairy foods and drinks

•  Seafood, lean meats, and eggs

•  Beans, nuts, and seeds

Some foods contain ingredients that may harm you or are difficult for your body to digest. Limit foods and beverages high in saturated fat, added sugars, or sodium. To do this, choose fewer of these foods:

•  Sugar-sweetened drinks and desserts

•  Refined grains (bread, chips, and crackers)

•  Red meat and high-fat dairy and cheese

•  Highly processed meats and cheeses

Everything you eat or drink does not have to be nutrient dense. One meal won’t make or break your health. The trends in your diet are more important.