• A healthy balanced diet meets an individual's energy and nutrient needs.salad bowl with fresh salad and tomato image by Piter Pkruger from Fotolia.com
  
  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services make prescriptions about what Americans should eat in a report called the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In addition, they produce the food pyramid chart to provide examples of how to meet dietary guidelines based on personal preferences. In general, a healthy diet contains just enough food and beverages to provide the energy and nutrients individuals need over time.
  
  

A Model Diet

• Although your activity level may require more or less calorie intake, the USDA recommends the following amounts and types of food based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet:
  
  2 cups of fruit.
  
  2 1/2 cups of vegetables. Each week these should include at least 1 1/2 cups of dark green leafy vegetables, 5 1/2 cups of red or orange vegetables, 1 1/2 cups of beans and peas, 5 cups of starchy vegetables and 4 cups of other vegetables.
  
  6 oz. of grain, most of which should be whole grains. One ounce of grain is equivalent to 1/2 cup of cooked rice, pasta or cereal, a slice of bread or a small muffin.
  
  5 1/2 oz. of lean meat, fish or beans.
  
  3 cups of low-fat dairy, such as milk, cheese or yogurt.
  
  Up to 27 grams of oils.
  
  

Boost the Veggies, Fruit, Fiber and Calcium

• Eat breakfast every day.
  
  Ensure each meal contains the recommended amount of fruit, vegetables, lean protein and carbohydrate. The variety will keep you satisfied.
  
  In addition, we need to eat more of certain nutrients to ensure we aren't undernourished. The average American diet needs 15 percent more whole grains, 59 percent more vegetables, 42 percent more fruit and 52 percent more low-fat dairy to bring balance to our diets. In addition, we could use about 40 percent more fiber, 42 percent more vitamin D, and 75 percent more calcium.
  
  

Limit Solid Fats, Sugars and Empty Calories

• No more than 5 to 15 percent of all the calories we eat should come from added sugars and solid fats. Unfortunately, about 35 percent of the American diet comes from added sugars and fats. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) plainly states this is too much. Desserts are the major contributor of these extra calories. A balanced diet should severely limit grain-based desserts like cake and cookies; high-fat meats such as sausage, franks, bacon and ribs; french fries and hash browns; soda, fruit drinks; and candy.
  
  

Beverages

• People also consume far too many calories from the beverages they drink, especially sodas, sugary drinks and alcohol. The DGAC recommends that Americans consume beverages with their overall calorie intake in mind. The average adult can consume up to 394 calories per day in beverages according to the DGAC. This includes a moderate amount of alcohol, provided total daily calories are not exceeded and all nutrient needs have been met.