by Elizabeth Morrison

Created on: March 18, 2009   Last Updated: March 20, 2009

Dieting matters tremendously in maintaining proper health and nutrition. Many people mistaken dieting for eating less or exclusively avoiding certain factors like carbohydrates and fats. This is not true. Dieting is simply eating the right foods that our bodies constantly require and can benefit the most from in order to function and stay actively healthy.

A proper diet is one consisting of a variety of foods containing protein, calcium, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, carbohydrates, and some essential fatty acids. Adequate portions of lean meat, eggs, nuts, beans, fruits, vegetables, milk and grain are recommended ways to get those nutrients needed by your body. Foods that contain animal fat like whole milk and cheeses are better substituted with low-fat milk or low-fat cheeses. This reduces your consumption of the unnecessary fats that your body does not require.

Sugar on the other hand, is not a necessity to a healthy diet. However, natural sugar found in fruits and some vegetables are okay to consume especially since fresh fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and antioxidants. Table sugar or processed sugar should be avoided whenever possible as they are unnecessary "empty calories". They have no use in the functioning of the body, other than storing as unwanted body fat.

Certain carbohydrates and fats are actually a necessity to our muscles. Muscles feed off of those carbohydrates and healthy fats for energy and strength to stay active. In return, active muscles help in maintaining weight management as it uses these important factors in order to burn off the unnecessary fats and toxins stored in our body. Good fats include foods that are high in omega fatty acids such as fish. However, other fats do no good for the body and should be avoided whenever possible. These fats include butter, cooking oil, products containing animal fat and visible fat on meats. These fats store as unnecessary fat in the body. Obtaining the right carbohydrates is achieved by eating the foods that have them in their most natural and direct form rather than gaining them through foods that are processed and man-made. For example, carbohydrates found in beans are far more beneficial and healthy than gaining carbohydrates through some cooked pasta.

Variety is a key to a well balanced diet. It is important to break down and spread the total daily recommended servings of the different food groups into well balanced meals throughout the day. Many may not know what an adequate

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