A Balanced Diet Is A Healthy Diet

More lies, damn lies, statistics and nutrition "information."

"People are confused about what foods they can eat and are not sure what a healthy balanced diet looks like, reveals a new survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

These findings coincide with the launch of the new eatwell plate, a practical tool that cuts through the array of conflicting messages around food and reminds us what a healthy diet is. It helps people make confident choices about what they eat by clearly showing the types and proportions of foods that strike a good balance."

A balanced diet is a balanced diet. No more, no less. It can be a healthy diet. It can also be an unhealthy diet.

In fact, just about all overweight/obese people got fat, i.e., less healthy, on a balanced diet.

By definition, a balanced diet is one where you get your Calories from all three of the macronutrient groups: fat, carbohydrate and protein.

This is to be distinguished from diets where you cut out some macronutrient, like the awful ketogenic diets, e.g., Atkins' or South Beach.

A healthy diet is one that results in a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 (for virtually all of us, some athletes appear to be exceptions).

No more, no less.

How you get there is your choice.

That is the state of the art.

That should be your goal.

As should avoiding all expert diet and fitness advice.