When you think about healthy eating you think about fresh foods and portion control and while those are big parts of healthy eating there are other things to take into consideration as well.

1. Adequacy

Is your diet supplying you with enough nutrients to help your body be healthy?

For instance, are you lacking iron in your diet as iron is an essential nutrient? The fact that you lose some iron everyday means you also need to replace it each day. If you don't and do not eat enough iron rich foods you could develop iron-deficiency anemia and you may begin to feel week, cold, unhappy, exhausted, and suffer from headaches. All of that from not getting adequate iron in your diet. So you can see how your diet should be full of adequate amounts of nutrients to keep your body running physically and mentally.

2. Balance

If you eat a bagel for breakfast, lunch, and supper then you are missing out on a balance with other foods. You need a good balanced diet for good healthy eating.

For instance, consider calcium. Let's say you get enough iron in your diet but don't get much else. Many foods that are high in iron are poor in calcium and a diet lacking calcium can cause poor bone development and bone loss. So to obtain both iron and calcium you have to balance your food choices and eat a good amount of both.

3. Calorie Control

We all know this when we are trying to lose weight but we barely think of it when we are trying to maintain a healthy weight.

The amount of energy taken in should equal the amount burned off throughout the day to maintain a certain weight. Simple as that. This allows you to control your body fat and weight to your liking and not gain the weight and have to burn more calories than you take in just to lose it all.

4. Moderation

Moderation is the key to a healthy diet. This does not mean abstinence or self-denial, it just means moderation. So if you like a certain junk food you can eat it moderately, like once a week, for good health but if you start to eat it every day then it becomes a health risk.

Moderation doesn't just include junk food or fatty food it also includes food that is considered healthy as well. For instance, a good amount of fiber in the diet contributes to a healthy digestive system but too much can contribute to nutrient loss.

5. Variety

To go with moderation and balance, variety is using these talents to the fullest. You should not eat the same food every single day, even if it is highly nutritious food. You may miss out on some important nutrients in your diet that you could be getting if you mixed things up a little.

Also, eating the same thing every day may be doing more damage than good for your health by giving you larger amounts of toxins, additives, and preservatives.

And another reason is mixing up your food is fun and lets you look forward to and enjoy your meals!