Back to Nutritional Basics: Adding Variety to Your Diet, Rather Than Limiting It
Published: July 3rd, 2025
In today’s world of conflicting diet trends, it can be difficult to know what's truly healthy. Many approaches focus on cutting foods out - whether it's carbs, fat, or meat. In a recent article by ScienceNews, according to leading experts at the recent American Society for Nutrition conference, optimal health may still come down to something remarkably simple: getting more whole foods on your plate.
The upcoming 2025–2030 U.S. dietary guidelines are expected to emphasize nutrient-dense, plant-based staples like beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. However, it is being found that most Americans are still falling short, with only about 10% consuming the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables, and less than half consume enough fiber daily.
Rather than fixating on restrictions, nutrition experts are focusing on what to include, not exclude. Furthermore, foods rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants not only nourish the body; they support the gut, increase energy, boost immunity and help prevent chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, among many other health benefits.
One of the most encouraging findings at the conference is the growing success of “culinary medicine” programs. These initiatives pair nutrition education with hands-on cooking classes in community settings, educating people not only on what to eat, but also how to prepare it. For those facing food insecurity or are simply unfamiliar with how to cook whole foods, this kind of support is transformative. As Jennifer Massa, a nutritional researcher at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health stated: “If we don’t teach folks how to make this food taste delicious, no one’s going to eat it.”
Even for those of us with access to fresh ingredients and decent kitchen skills can benefit from a mindset shift. Wellness doesn’t require expensive or rigid diet plans. Sometimes it’s as simple as adding lentils into your soup, having roasted veggies alongside your meats and pastas, or adding blueberries to your breakfast yogurt.
At its core, holistic wellness is about taking care of the body with nourishment that feels good, tastes good, and supports long-term health. Antioxidant-rich foods also help to reduce oxidative stress caused by processed foods, making it easier to stay balanced while still enjoying the occasional indulgence. Plus, the more variety in your diet, the more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants we get as well.
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“If we don’t teach folks how to make this food taste delicious, no one’s going to eat it.”
- Jennifer Massa, nutritional researcher at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Read more on this article at https://www.sciencenews.org/article/healthy-diet-nutrition-beans-fiber