A nutritious, well-balanced diet is the foundation of good health. 

If you’ve ever asked someone how to be healthy, you’ve probably heard this advice: Eat a healthy diet. Really, though, what does that even mean? If you ask many followers of the trendy ketogenic diet, it means shunning sweet potatoes and quinoa in favor of cheese and coconut oil. For another person, it might mean avoiding sugary foods like ice cream and candy at all costs. And someone else may tell you to avoid all dairy and nix gluten.

The problem is, this back-and-forth about what’s truly healthy can cause a whole lot of confusion, not to mention prompt people to try unsustainable and unnecessarily restrictive diets in the name of health. If that’s you, there’s no need for embarrassment: Just be relieved to learn that healthy eating is far simpler than you may think.

Here are the benefits of a healthy diet.

A healthy diet may help to prevent certain serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. It may also help to reduce your risk of developing some cancers. If you become sick, eating a healthy diet may help you to recover more quickly. Also, a main way of preventing obesity and overweight is to eat a healthy diet. If you are overweight or obese, eating a healthy diet can help you lose weight.

You might want to ask“What are the most healthful foods?”Here's a list of the 15 foods that sources and studies across the United States and Western Europe deem the most healthful.

Nuts, pulses, and grains、Brazil nuts、Lentils、Oatmeal、Wheat germ、Broccoli、Apples、Kale、Blueberries、Avocados、Leafy green vegetables、Sweet potatoes、Oily fish、Chicken、Eggs.

Adopting a healthy diet isn't as easy as it sounds.Fortunately, Emma Willingham, clinical dietitian at Houston Methodist, is here with a guide for how to start eating healthy.

1.Get help in creating a healthy eating plan that's right for you

If you're struggling to adopt a healthy eating pattern, get help from a dietitian. He or she can help offer the tailored guidance, tips and tricks needed to help you form lasting habits.

2.Know how to eat healthy when dining out or ordering in

"You can always alter a menu item, such as asking for a different protein, dressing on the side or swapping a starchy side for a vegetable," Willingham recommends. "Try to always include some type of colorful veggie on your plate."

And one last tip, eat your veggies before the rest of your entrée — this can help from both an appetite and digestive perspective.

3. Keep Unhealthy Foods Out of Sight

Purge your pantry and fridge of any unhealthy food, and start thinking about getting only the good stuff into your kitchen. 

4.Snack smart to stay full between meals

Another time when it's easy to make not-so-healthy food choices is between meals.

5.Start a Journal to Monitor Food Choices

A food diary is one way to eat healthier, says Heller. It’s not to track calories or carbohydrates — instead, writing down your food habits will help you better understand the why behind what you ate. Getting to this root reason is a critical step toward behavioral change. 

6.Be patient with yourself

Whether you hit a roadblock as you're just getting started or when the holidays come around, know that adopting a healthy eating pattern takes patience, compromise and balance.