If only good nutrition were as easy as taking a multivitamin.

    To be healthy, our bodies need more than multivitamins. In addition to vitamins and minerals, we need naturally occurring substances such as fiber and phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables.

    Unless you are in a group recommended to consume fortified foods and vitamins to meet specific nutritional needs (people older than 50, women in the first trimester of pregnancy or women of childbearing age who may become pregnant), focus on getting your nutrients primarily through foods.

National Nutrition Month in March is a great time to check our eating habits. The Food Pyramid we remember as kids in school has changed. Check out the new food guide pyramid at http://www.mypyramid.gov, where you also can calculate your daily calorie needs and see how much food you should eat from each group for a healthy diet.

 

Portion sizes are also important. In today’s society, we eat out more often than we did in the past, and almost everything seems to be super-sized. One bagel, depending on its size, could be as many as four servings of grains. On the MyPyramid.gov site, you’ll also find My Food-a-Pedia, a searchable database for nutrition information and comparisons of foods.

    The good news is that no food is bad. All foods can fit into a healthy diet, although foods high in fat, sugar, and/or calories (for example, bacon or doughnuts) should be eaten in moderation or only on special occasions. And the Food Pyramid allows for some “discretionary calories,” which are “extras” that can be used toward solid fats, added sugars, alcohol or more food from any food group.

    A healthy diet for an adult who needs about 2,000 calories a day would be the following: 2 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 6 ounces of grains (at least half whole grains), 5.5 ounces of meat and beans, 3 cups of milk or its equivalent, 6 teaspoons of oil and 267 discretionary calories. Choices should focus on fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats and food low in saturated fats, trans fats, salt and added sugars.

    The better news is that eating a balanced diet will provide a variety of nutrients and dietary fiber which can help you reduce your risk of such conditions as heart disease, osteoporosis, kidney disease, hypertension, stroke, digestive diseases, diabetes and more.

Diana Ogden, R.D., is a registered dietician with John C. Lincoln Hospitals in Phoenix. Learn more about proper portion size with her video at facebook.com/jclhn. The information in “To Your Health” is provided by the John C. Lincoln Healthcare Network as general information only. For medical advice, consult your physician.