How do people define variety and balance in eating?

[jamiepopeauthor]

The first assignment in my introductory nutrition course is to submit one nutrition related question to address during the semester. The most common question revolves around "just what is a healthy diet?". The media overflows with confusing and conflicting - and often unreasonable - information and advice. Bottom line, a healthy eating pattern revolves around balance, variety, adequacy, and moderation as addressed in Chapter 2 on Healthy Diets.  But how do consumers define these characteristics? This article provides details from a study that shows people view variety and balance differently - and not always in line with what nutrition experts and dietary guidelines intend. https://theconversation.com/food-variety-is-important-for...