Make it a habit to eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein foods

Healthy eating is a habit. Eat vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods and protein foods as part of a healthy eating pattern to maintain your health.

Benefits of healthy eating patterns

Making healthy food choices can help you develop a healthy eating pattern. A healthy eating pattern helps you improve your overall health.

The term eating pattern refers to what you eat and drink on a regular basis. In a healthy eating pattern, all the foods and drinks work together to:

• help you feel good
• maintain your health
• meet your nutritional needs

Many of the well-studied healthy eating patterns include mostly plant-based foods.

Plant-based foods can include:

• vegetables and fruits
• whole grain foods
• plant-based protein foods

Eating plant-based foods regularly can mean eating more fibre and less saturated fat. This can have a positive effect on health, including a lowered risk of:

• cancer
• heart disease
• type 2 diabetes

Most healthy eating patterns include few or no highly processed foods.

How to develop a healthy eating pattern

You can develop a healthy eating pattern by:

• Eating more vegetables and fruits, especially those that are:
  • dark green such as broccoli and bok choy
  • orange such as carrots and sweet potato
• Selecting whole grain varieties of grain foods such as:
  • whole grain pasta
  • whole grain bread
  • whole oats or oatmeal
  • whole grain brown or wild rice
• Replacing dairy products that are higher in saturated fat, sodium, and sugars with healthier varieties such as:
  • lower fat unsweetened yogurt
  • lower fat and lower sodium cheeses
  • lower fat white milk and unsweetened plant-based beverages
• Replacing meats higher in saturated fat with leaner varieties such as:
  • eggs
  • wild game
  • skinless poultry
  • fish and shellfish
• Replacing some of the meat in your meals with plant-based protein foods such as:
  • tofu
  • nuts
  • seeds
  • legumes
• Limiting highly processed foods such as:
  • preserves like jams and jellies
  • desserts like ice cream and chocolates
  • salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels
  • processed meats like bacon and sausages
  • sugars and syrups like honey and molasses
  • bakery products like cookies and croissants
  • sauces, dressings, dips, gravies and condiments
  • sugary drinks like juice and sweetened coffee and tea

The best healthy eating patterns include foods that reflect your food choices related to:

• taste
• culture
• budget
• lifestyle