By EatingWell Editors, "Balance Your Diet," EatingWell In
Season: The Farmers' Market Cookbook (2009) More Healthy Recipes
Recipes Fresh from the Farmers’ Market Recipes from the
Mediterranean Diet Side Dish Recipes for Whole Grains Low-
Calorie Dinners Packed with Produce Diet Meal Plans Vegetables
and fruits form the foundation of a healthy diet. But you can’t
live on produce alone. To get all your essential nutrients,
you’ll also need to eat whole grains, lean protein (fish, lean
meat, beans or low-fat dairy foods) and healthy fats, including
nuts and olive oil. How much do you need? Balance your diet in
three easy steps. Does your plate look more like A or B?
Whatever you answered, you should aim to model (or keep
modeling) your plate after B. Low-calorie—yet
satisfying—vegetables fill half the plate. The other half is
divided into two equal portions (quarters). One is filled with a
lean protein, the other with a whole-grain or starchy vegetable.