Krislynn Sellers

William Loudermilk

ENG 1201

18 April 2020

A Literature Review of What We Should Consider While Choosing Healthy Food

Our nutritional needs differ at different stages of our lives and although there is not one

perfect diet for everyone, some general principles for choosing foods apply to most people.

Sociodemographic and medical history factors are influential when it comes to individuals

getting the most nutrients out of their diet. The ideal diet would result in excellent health,

providing energy, strength, and resistance to disease. Although much solid information on

optimal diets has emerged, the full picture of the relationships between diet and health will take

years to further research to fill in (Skerritt and Willett).

When the U.S. Department of Agriculture published its first dietary recommendations in

1894, specific vitamins and minerals had not even been discovered. In 1941, the Food and

Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences released the first set of Recommended

Dietary Allowances (RDA’s). These RDA’s listed specific recommended intakes for calories and

nine essential nutrients – protein, iron, calcium, vitamins A and D, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin,

and vitamin C. In the 1990’s, the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts Label were

released (Davis and Saltos 33). It’s important to be aware of what’s in your food as

manufacturers often hide large amounts of sugar or unhealthy fats in packaged food, even food

claiming to be healthy (Robinson et al.) Factors including sociodemographics, lifestyle, family

history, and nutrition knowledge all play a role when considering a healthy diet tailored to each

individual (Osadnik et al. 4).

 Even though some general principles for choosing foods apply to most people, there

really is not one perfect diet for everyone. Certain diseases such as coronary artery disease, high

blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, and celiac disease all tend to lean towards different dietary

needs. While Lawrence Robinson’s article “Healthy Eating” argues the simplicity of drinking

plenty of water, limit snack foods, and eat more fruits and vegetables, Scott Litin expands more

on the idea that people with celiac disease avoid foods that contain gluten while people with

kidney failure will probably want a diet that is high in carbohydrates. No single food provides

all the nutrients that your body needs to meet its energy needs. Eating a variety of foods ensures

that you get the nutrients and other substances associated with good health (Litin 18).

Weight is probably at least as important for long-term health as are dietary components.

There are general practices that everyone can do to start towards a healthy diet and a healthy

eating plan can be created in many ways. A healthy balance includes eating more fruits,

vegetables, and grains, reduce fat and cholesterol, limit sugar and salt, limit alcohol, and eat

moderate-sized portions. The USDA Food Guide Pyramid differs from the Mediterranean Diet

Pyramid which differs from the Asian Diet Pyramid and so on. A healthy lifestyle can improve,

or even eliminate significant important chronic conditions. To help prevent diseases, it is not

necessary that you follow a specialized diet, but it is important that you eat a healthy diet.
 Works Cited

Davis, Carole, and Etta Saltos. “Dietary Recommendations and How They Have Changed

Over Time.” Ers.usda.gov, United States Department of Agriculture,

www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/42215/5831_aib750b_1_.pdf.

Litin, Scott C. “Chapter 2: Eating Right.” Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, Jan. 2003, pp. 17–

36. Harper Collins, 2003.

Osadnik, Kamila, et al. “Metabolically Healthy Obese and Metabolic Syndrome of the Lean:

The Importance of Diet Quality. Analysis of MAGNETIC Cohort.” Nutrition Journal,

vol. 19, no. 1, Feb. 2020, pp. 1–13.

Robinson, Lawrence, et al. “Healthy Eating.” HelpGuide.org, 15 Apr. 2020,

www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/healthy-eating.htm.

Skerrett, Patrick J, and Walter C Willett. “Essentials of Healthy Eating: a Guide.” Journal of

Midwifery & Women's Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2010,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3471136/.