Nutrition

On this page

Summary

Food provides the energy and nutrients you need to be healthy. Nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Healthy eating is not hard. The key is to

Eat a variety of foods, including vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products
Eat lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and low-fat dairy products
Drink lots of water
Limit salt, sugar, alcohol, saturated fat, and trans fat in your diet

Saturated fats are usually fats that come from animals. Look for trans fat on the labels of processed foods, margarines, and shortenings.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services)
ChooseMyPlate.gov (Department of Agriculture)
Let's Eat for the Health of It (Department of Agriculture) - PDF
MyPlate Food Guide (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
MyPlate: Build a Healthy Eating Style (Department of Agriculture)
Nutrition.gov (Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services)

Related Issues

4 Types of Foods that Boost Your Memory (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
Deciphering Media Stories on Diet: Nutrition in the News (Harvard School of Public Health)
Diet Choices to Prevent Cancer (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Enjoy Your Food, but Eat Less: 10 Tips to Enjoying Your Meal (Department of Agriculture) - PDF Also in Spanish
Fast Food: Tips for Choosing Healthier Options (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Healthy Cooking Techniques (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
How Do I Change Recipes? (American Heart Association) - PDF
How Many Calories? Look at the Menu! (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
Make Celebrations Fun, Healthy, and Active: 10 Tips to Creating Healthy, Active Events (Department of Agriculture) - PDF
Making Healthy Choices at Fast Food Restaurants (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Overview of Food Ingredients, Additives and Colors (Food and Drug Administration)
Plants: Partners in Health? Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and You (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
Sample Menus to Eat Right and Lose Weight (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits (Department of Agriculture) Also in Spanish
Smart Substitutions for Healthy Cooking (American Heart Association)
What's So Super about Superfoods? (American Heart Association)

Specifics

5 Top Foods for Eye Health (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
Add More Vegetables to Your Day: 10 Tips to Help You Eat More Vegetables (Department of Agriculture) - PDF Also in Spanish
Eat Seafood Twice a Week: 10 Tips to Help You Eat More Seafood (Department of Agriculture) - PDF - In English and Spanish Also in Spanish
Eating Healthy Ethnic Food (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Focus on Fruits: 10 Tips to Eat More Fruits (Department of Agriculture) - PDF Also in Spanish
Fresh, Frozen or Canned Fruits and Vegetables: All Can Be Healthy Choices! (American Heart Association)
Healthy Breakfast: Quick, Flexible Options to Grab at Home (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Liven Up Your Meals with Vegetables and Fruits (Department of Agriculture) - PDF
Make Better Beverage Choices: 10 Tips to Get Started (Department of Agriculture) - PDF
National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference - Find Nutrient Value of Common Foods by Nutrient (Department of Agriculture)
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Seafood (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Nutrition Facts for Raw Vegetables (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Soy Foods and Health (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Health Check Tools

Body Weight Planner (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Food-A-Pedia (Department of Agriculture)
Search Recipes (Department of Agriculture) Also in Spanish
SuperTracker: My Foods. My Fitness. My Health. (Department of Agriculture)

Statistics and Research

Caloric Intake from Fast Food among Adults: United States, 2007-2010 (National Center for Health Statistics)
Consumption of Diet Drinks in the United States, 2009‒2010 (National Center for Health Statistics)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Nutrition (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Nutrition Disorders (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Nutritional Physiological Phenomena (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Definitions of Health Terms: Nutrition (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
Find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
Food and Drug Administration
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Teenagers

Smarter snack ideas (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

Men

Nutrition for Young Men (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Women

Healthy Eating for Women (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)

Patient Handouts

Calorie count - fast food (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Eating extra calories when you are sick - adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Eating out (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Fast food tips (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Healthy grocery shopping (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
How to read food labels (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Managing your weight with healthy eating (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Nutrition Facts for Cooked Seafood (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Nutrition Facts for Raw Vegetables (Food and Drug Administration) - PDF
Snacks for adults (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish