A good diet is central to overall good health, although it can sometimes be hard to eat well when cakes and snacks are so tempting. Follow these tips to stay on the healthy eating straight and narrow.

It seems like you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the television without hearing something about healthy eating. One day you hear that you shouldn’t eat eggs, the next day you hear that you should. Who can keep it all straight? The rules of good nutrition can get awfully confusing. But remember – a healthy diet is one of the keys to maintaining good health. This means making sure you regularly eat foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in saturated and trans fat.

When combined with exercise, a healthy diet can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol level and improve the way your body functions.

The facts about fats
You’ve probably heard that it’s best to avoid foods that are high in fat. But when you eat the right amount of certain fats, they may contribute to a healthy diet and lower your risk of disease. The key is to substitute “good” fats for “bad” fats.

The good fats:
Studies have shown that these fats, if used in place of saturated fat, can help you lower your total cholesterol level. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially beneficial — studies have shown that they can also decrease your risk of heart disease and lower your blood pressure.

Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, olive, avocado and peanut oils, as well as in fresh avocados.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils like corn, sunflower and safflower oil, as well as sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, corn, soybeans and many other kinds of nuts and seeds.

Omega-3 fatty acids are usually found in seafood, such as salmon, herring and mackerel. They can also be found in flaxseeds or flaxseed oil, as well as walnuts.

The bad fats:
Saturated fats are usually found in animal products, such as meat, poultry and dairy products made from whole milk. Palm, coconut and other tropical oils, as well as cocoa butter, also contain saturated fat. “Hydrogenated” is just another way of saying saturated.
A diet high in saturated fats can increase your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and can put you at risk for heart disease.

Trans fats are a type of hydrogenated man-made fat usually found in commercially baked goods, such as cookies, cakes and doughnuts, and in fried food, such as French fries and onion rings. Trans fat is especially bad for you. It lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol while raising your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. All food manufacturers are now required to list trans fat on nutrition labels.

Making the change
Changing your eating habits may be hard, but even small changes can improve your health. Here are a few suggestions to help you improve your eating habits.

Talk to your family doctor. He or she can offer suggestions that won’t require a complete overhaul of your current lifestyle. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a dietitian, especially if you have a medical problem that requires you to follow a special diet.

Find the strong and weak points in your current diet. Do you eat five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables every day? Do you get enough calcium? Do you eat whole-grain, high-fiber foods regularly? If so, good! Keep it up. If not, identify what changes you need to make.

Make small changes. Don’t try to change your entire diet at once. Small changes will be easier to make and stick with. Start by adding fresh fruit or vegetables to every meal, or by making sure you get more fiber in your diet.

Keep a food diary. Keep track of your food intake by writing down what you eat and drink every day. Include sauces and gravies. Don’t forget to write down “extras,” such as soda, salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, sour cream, sugar and ketchup. The information you record in your food diary will help you and your family doctor design an appropriate eating program.