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While it might seem impossible to sift through myriad opinions and ambient noise, we can today say with confidence (and much evidence) what makes diets healthy regardless of circumstance.

Together with the World Health Organization (WHO), FAO has formulated four core principles to that effect. These principles are universal, derived from human biology and informed by decades of research.

A woman spoons rice onto bright-green banana leaves
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Re-imagining agrifood systems to enable healthy diets is possible
©FAO/Manan Vatsyayana
Adequate

1 Healthy diets are adequate

They meet, but do not exceed, our body’s energy and essential nutrient requirements to support all the multiple body and organ functions.

Diverse

2 Healthy diets are diverse

They include a variety of nutritious foods within and across food groups to help acquire sufficient nutrients and obtain the many dietary components that our bodies need.

Balanced

3 Healthy diets are balanced

They include energy in balance from the three primary sources (protein, fats, and carbohydrates) to promote healthy weight, growth and activity, and to prevent disease.

Moderate

4 Healthy diets are moderate

They include only small amounts (if any) of foods that are associated with negative health effects, such as those high in salt and sugars.

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No country can claim to have made healthy diets a reality for all of its population
©FAO/Fredrik Lerneryd

These universal principles translate into the unique healthy diets of individual countries and contexts. At this point in time, no country can claim to have made healthy diets a reality for most of its population.

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