A common misconception is that there is a best diet out there for everyone, that through some tweak we can make everyone live longer and achieve maximum physical condition by feeding them the perfectly optimized diet.
I imagine this as the food bar of the future that is closely related to meal bar often served in prison.
This may be somewhat of an iron curtain type view but it is fueled by numerous people trying to determine what they need to eat to loose weight but still not taking action.
My simple answer is that diet depends.
There are countless factors that go into choosing a healthy diet that maximizes a persons genetic profile and yes people respond to the same diet differently because of their particular genetic makeup.
An Alaskan Native who's ancestors have been subsisting on a diet heavy in whale blubber for the last few thousand years will have substantially different requirements than a hunter gather from Papau New Guinea.
It is asonine to think that everyone can thrive on a fast food standard American diet.
It is not the least bit surprising that we are plagued by health problems that can be easily solved by diet.
Enough about simple genetics.
Here are a couple more generalizations.
Old and young populations requires significantly different diets.
Heavily active individuals require more calories than their sedentary counterparts.
People attempting to add or gain weight can have extreme diet differences.
People recovering from sickness or disease have special requirements.
When selecting a healthy diet for yourself and yes you should give this some thought and forward planning in order to maximize health benefits.
You should first consider genetics and family history, the genetics part is a little more difficult but family history usually gives some pretty good clues about things that you may want to steer away from.
Next you need to evaluate your lifestyle.
If you are a highly active person don't try a high deficit diet, you will be setting yourself up for failure and heart ache.
Small simple changes are are the easiest to implement and the most likely to stick.
Last, consider your goals, what body are you trying t achieve? The answers to these questions should give you a clear picture of how to proceed and how to structure your diet program.
Don't be afraid to make changes and add and subtract things from your diet.
Variety is an excellent way to add different nutrients to your diet and find new and exciting flavors.
Be adventurous and enjoy trying new things and learning how to maximize your physical and metal potential through one of the most simple bodily requirements.