• Bright and deeply colored vegetables have the most nutrients per serving.vegetables image by cherie from Fotolia.com
  
  As the Harvard School of Health points out, fads like the Atkins diet oversimplify our bodies' dietary needs. A healthy diet isn't based on avoiding certain foods in favor of others--instead, it's based on choosing a balanced variety of foods that give our bodies protein, fat, and carbohydrates in moderation.
  
  

Vegetables

• Vegetables offer our bodies fiber, complex carbohydrates and a variety of vitamins and minerals. Although all vegetables are nutritious, those with dark or bright colors have more nutrients per serving. Choose sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, peppers, squash, and dark greens like kale and mustard greens. The same rules apply to fruit, too: fruits such as mango, orange, apple, kiwi and strawberry reveal their nutritiousness through their bright colors.
  
  

Meat

• The healthiest meats are those lowest in saturated fat, like poultry, fish and buffalo. For variety and nutritional balance, Whole Foods Market recommends making meat a complement to a meal rather than its centerpiece. For example, serving grilled chicken on top of a salad makes the vegetables more filling and complements their vitamins and fiber with protein.
  
  

Whole Grains

• Carbohydrates are part of any balanced diet, but just as some vegetables are healthier than others, some carbohydrates are more nutritious than others. Whole grains offer more fiber and nutrients than bleached, refined grains like white bread and bagels. Choose whole-grain breads, oatmeal, whole-grain pasta, or brown rice for better health.