There's no doubt about it. To have a healthy body, you must give it all the nutrients it needs to grow and develop. But how do you do that? First of all, you need to understand that there are no good or bad foods, only good and bad eating patterns. All foods supply substances that your body needs to grow, have energy, and stay healthy, and all foods can be part of a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes grain products, vegetables, fruits, low-fat milk products, lean meats, fish, poultry, and dry beans. Choose fewer foods that are high in fat or sugar. It's the total amount and types of foods you eat over several days that make up a healthy or unhealthy diet. So eat a variety of foods to get the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good health.

If you learn about nutrition now, you'll be less likely to do things to harm your body later, like overeating; eating lots of high-fat, high-calorie foods; or going on dangerous diets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture/Health and Human Services Food Guide Pyramid and the nutrition labels on food packages are good tools to help you choose the right foods.