How can I start eating healthier?

A healthy diet is a balance between taking in enough calories and nutrients for your level of activity. Your health care provider or a dietician can help you understand goals for calories, nutrients and types of foods to eat.

One thing to consider is that each gram of fat has 9 calories. That's true for all fats. So calories can add up quickly, even with healthy fats. For example, walnuts are a healthy snack high in polyunsaturated fats. But just a dozen walnut halves contain about 160 calories — more calories than in one large apple.

The key message about fats is to focus on eating healthy fats and limiting unhealthy fats. Eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains that are rich in vitamins, nutrients and fiber.

Try these tips to reduce unhealthy fat in your diet:

• Use plant-based oils instead of butter or lard. For example, saute vegetables with olive oil instead of butter. Use canola oil for hot cooking, such as searing or stir frying.
• Add fish to your diet, especially oily fish.
• Choose lean meat and skinless poultry. Trim visible fat from meat. Remove fat and skin from poultry.
• Eat and drink low-fat dairy products.
• Reach for whole fruits and vegetables when you're hungry.
• Limit processed foods, which often contain saturated fat.
• Check labels on low-fat or fat-free processed food, which may have lots of added sugars and sodium (salt).