Carbohydrates

Think fiber. Healthy carbs come from plants — veggies, fruits and whole grains. The closer to their natural state, the better. For example, fruits eaten with skins on, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and grapes, have more fiber, as well as important vitamins.

Try

• Whole-grain cereal for breakfast with a piece of fruit —fresh is best, but frozen works, too.
• Salad with lunch or dinner. Choose nutrient-rich greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, mustard greens and arugula. For an extra pop of fiber, add slivered almonds or whole-wheat croutons.
• Steamed veggies with dinner. Lightly steamed vegetables can be tastier and easier to digest than raw, while still packing plenty of nutrition. Try broccoli, kale or green beans, all rich in vitamin A and folate.

Proteins

The key word here is lean. And remember, not all protein comes from meat. Beans, peas, eggs, nuts and low-fat dairy have plenty of protein, too. So do certain grains, such as quinoa and wild rice, and even vegetables like asparagus, potatoes and broccoli.

Try

• Chicken — skinless is best.
• Fresh or frozen fish. For the most bang for the buck health-wise, choose salmon, tuna, sardines or mahi-mahi.
• Ground turkey and lean ground beef
• And other lower-fat options

Meats with higher amounts of fat (beef and pork ribs; strip, porterhouse, skirt and T-bone steaks; bacon; lamb; chicken with skin on) are unhealthy because that fat is saturated. Saturated fats can raise cholesterol levels, raising your risk for heart disease.

Fat

Your body needs fat to function. But too much and the wrong kind can lead to problems, so choose smart.

“Good fats” (see examples below) contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your cholesterol levels, reduce blood clotting and lower blood pressure.

“Bad fats” belong to the saturated fat crowd (see examples above) and have the opposite effect — higher cholesterol, higher risk for blood clots, higher blood pressure.

Try

• Tree nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans. Why no peanuts? Tree nuts are healthier than peanuts because they contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and more antioxidants, such as vitamin E.
• Healthy cooking and salad oils — olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil.
• Avocados, packed with good fats and fiber, along with nutrients like folate, magnesium, vitamins C and E, and potassium.
• Seeds, such as chia and flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds. They’re great sources of good fat, protein, fiber and antioxidants. Have pumpkin and sunflower seeds as a healthy snack, or sprinkle them on a salad. You can add smaller seeds, like chia and sesame, to yogurt, oatmeal and smoothies, or bake them into pancakes and muffins.