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Nutrition

Healthy eating basics

A girl eating an apple.

You may be confused about what you should and shouldn't eat to stay healthy. In fact, making healthy food choices isn't hard at all. To help prevent heart disease and some other diseases, you should eat mainly:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Grains (at least half of your grains should be whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal, and brown rice)
  • Fat-free or low-fat versions of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products
  • Fish, skinless poultry, lean red meats, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
  • Unsaturated fats

If you’re active in sports, eating well is very important. Learn more in A guide to eating for sports

Also, you should limit the amount of foods you eat that contain:

 

Content last updated September 22, 2009

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health.

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