Nutrition Diet: What to start eating to get healthy?

October 20, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that an estimated 1.7 million deaths each year could be prevented by reducing salt intake to recommended levels? When considering what to start eating to get healthy, it's clear that small, simple changes to your daily diet can have a huge impact on your long-term health, protecting against numerous chronic diseases.

Quick Summary

Embarking on a healthier diet begins with foundational food choices, focusing on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, while reducing intake of processed items, sugar, and saturated fats to improve overall wellness. Small, consistent changes are more sustainable than drastic overhauls.

Key Points

Focus on Whole Foods: Prioritize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats as the basis of your diet.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support bodily functions and help with satiety.
Limit Processed Items: Cut back on foods high in saturated fat, salt, and added sugar, which offer little nutritional value.
Practice Portion Control: Learn to eat reasonable portions to manage calorie intake effectively and maintain a healthy weight.
Plan Ahead: Meal planning and prepping can prevent last-minute unhealthy choices, especially for busy individuals.
Read Labels: Check nutrition labels for added sugars, sodium, and trans fats to make informed decisions.
Learn New Cooking Methods: Use techniques like baking, grilling, and steaming to reduce reliance on unhealthy cooking fats.

Building Your Healthy Foundation

Starting a healthy eating plan doesn't have to be complicated. The foundation of a good diet is built on whole, unprocessed foods. These provide the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs to thrive. Instead of focusing on strict rules or deprivation, concentrate on adding more nutrient-dense foods to your daily meals.

Prioritizing Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are some of the most important components of a healthy diet. They are packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. Aim to make them a significant portion of your plate at every meal. A good practice is to aim for a variety of colors, known as 'eating the rainbow,' to ensure a wide range of nutrients.

Easy ways to include more fruits and vegetables:

Add a handful of spinach to your morning scrambled eggs or smoothie.
Snack on raw carrots, bell peppers, or cucumbers with hummus.
Top your cereal with berries, or add sliced fruit to yogurt.
Incorporate more vegetables into stews, sauces, and omelets.
Have a side salad with your dinner.

Embracing Whole Grains

Whole grains are an excellent source of dietary fiber and B vitamins, helping to lower cholesterol and improve heart health. Unlike refined grains, which are stripped of their nutritional value, whole grains contain the entire grain kernel—the bran, germ, and endosperm.

Examples of whole grains:

Oats
Quinoa
Brown rice
Whole-wheat pasta
Whole-wheat bread
Barley

Choosing Lean Protein Sources

Protein is crucial for building and repairing tissues and helping you feel full and satisfied after a meal. Focusing on lean sources helps you get the benefits of protein without excessive saturated fat. Lean protein sources should make up about a quarter of your plate.

Healthy protein options:

Fish (particularly oily fish like salmon and mackerel, rich in omega-3 fatty acids)
Poultry (skinless chicken and turkey)
Legumes (beans, lentils, peas)
Eggs
Nuts and seeds
Tofu and other soy products
Low-fat dairy products (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese)

Adding Healthy Fats

While excessive fat intake, especially saturated fat, can be detrimental, certain fats are essential for good health. Unsaturated fats can help lower bad cholesterol and protect your heart. The key is moderation.

Sources of healthy fats:

Avocado
Olive, canola, and sunflower oils
Nuts (almonds, walnuts)
Seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds)
Oily fish (salmon, sardines)

What to Limit or Avoid

Just as important as adding healthy foods is reducing or eliminating those that harm your health. Limiting intake of added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium is key to preventing chronic diseases.

Foods to limit or avoid:

Added Sugars: Sugary sodas, candy, baked goods, and many packaged snacks contain high levels of added sugar with little nutritional value.
Processed and Packaged Foods: Many processed meals and snacks are loaded with sodium, unhealthy fats, and preservatives.
Saturated Fats: Found in fatty cuts of meat, butter, and full-fat dairy, these should be consumed in smaller amounts.
Excessive Sodium: A high-salt diet can raise blood pressure. Most of the salt we consume comes from processed foods, not the salt shaker.

How to Make the Transition Easier

Making sustainable changes is about taking small, manageable steps. Here’s a comparison of easy healthy swaps to get you started on your journey to better nutrition:


Old Habit (Higher Sodium/Sugar)	Healthier Swap (Lower Sodium/Sugar)
White bread, white rice	Whole-wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa
Sugary soft drinks	Water with lemon, herbal tea, or unsweetened sparkling water
Fried chicken	Grilled or baked chicken breast
Creamy pasta sauces	Tomato-based or olive oil-based sauces
Chips or candy	A handful of unsalted nuts or a piece of fruit
Pre-packaged meal kits	Cooking at home with fresh, whole ingredients
Full-fat cheese	Low-fat or fat-free cheese in smaller quantities

Cooking and Preparation Tips

To make healthy eating a success, focus on how you prepare your food. Choose healthier cooking methods like steaming, baking, or grilling over frying. When cooking with oil, opt for healthier options like olive oil. Learning to season with herbs and spices instead of relying on salt is another great strategy.

Conclusion: A Journey, Not a Destination

Embarking on a healthier nutrition diet is a journey of small, consistent changes. The key to knowing what to start eating to get healthy is to focus on a balanced intake of whole foods, including plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, combined with lean protein and healthy fats. By limiting processed foods, added sugars, and excessive sodium, you can build a sustainable, nutritious diet that supports your long-term health and well-being. Focus on progress, not perfection, and enjoy the delicious journey to a healthier you.

For more information on balanced diets, visit the World Health Organization (WHO) website: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

Frequently Asked Questions

Focus on incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins like chicken, fish, or legumes into your meals. Starting with these fundamental food groups ensures you are getting a wide array of essential nutrients.

To reduce sugar intake, drink water instead of sugary beverages, use natural fruit to sweeten foods, and become a pro at reading nutrition labels to identify added sugars hidden in packaged foods.

Eating healthy on a budget is achievable by planning meals, buying generic brands, purchasing staples like dried beans and grains in bulk, and choosing less expensive plant-based proteins.

Managing cravings involves keeping healthy snacks readily available, staying well-hydrated throughout the day, and ensuring your main meals are balanced and satisfying to prevent hunger pangs.

A whole grain is a grain kernel that contains the entire grain—including the bran, germ, and endosperm—which provides more fiber and nutrients than refined grains. Examples include oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta.

The recommendation for staying hydrated is to drink about 6 to 8 glasses of fluids per day, with water being the healthiest and most crucial option.

Healthy fats are unsaturated fats that benefit heart health. You can find them in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts (almonds, walnuts), and oily fish like salmon and sardines.