Is cutting out added sugar the 80/20 of a healthy diet? Where should a person go from there?
You’re on a pretty good track.
Eat a variety of vegetables of different colors. The colors aren’t just a nice addition, they denote different compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids.
Eat fruits, preferably ones that are low sugar like berries, they are more nutrient dense than things like apples
Transition your carbohydrate intake to low-glycemic foods. Instead of fluffy, white, finely-shaped bread, try to get real whole grain stuff, rolled oats, beans
Cut out needlessly fortified foods. Eating bread with enriched wheat or breakfast cereals etc. is not necessary if you eat a nutritious diet. It can actually be harmful if you aren’t mindful (too much iron, folic acid in combination with a good diet)
Eat fatty fish often for Omega 3. You want your ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 to be 1:4 or less. You are probably 1:10 or even 1:20 if you are the average person and don’t pay attention to it.
Reduce Omega 6 in diet. Still eat Olive oil, seeds, nuts, but don’t have it as an additive in every single thing you eat (no more packaged foods with Canola oil as the 3rd ingredient). Average american eats way too much Omega 6 even though having some is heart-healthy.
Cut out all processed seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower). They are NOT the same as eating soy or sunflower seeds. They are highly processed and oxidized and inflammatory.
Get enough micronutrients like iodine and zinc by eating seafood often.
Do not avoid fat in your diet, just keep your consumption at a reasonable amount of calories. Fat is not bad.
Exercise intensely, sleep, get good sunlight
Try to get all your nutrients from food and not from multivitamins. They suck. Only supplement as needed in addition.
“Superfood” are kinda gimmicky, but do try to add some extra foods that have other benefits like antioxidants or mood-raising effects, such as: Spirulina, Blueberries, Dark Chocolate, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, lots of other spices. These can greatly benefit your health over time by doing things like improving acne, digestion, gut health, skin quality, mood.
Eat lots of fermented probiotic foods like unsweetened yogurt, saurkraut, kefir, tempeh, etc.
Track your nutrition with an app like Cronometer to see what you’re missing. You are probably missing at least a handful of things.
I’m like the Harvard food guide
> Building a Healthy and Balanced Diet
Make most of your meal vegetables and fruits – ½ of your plate.Aim for color and variety, and remember that potatoes don’t count as vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate because of their negative impact on blood sugar.
Go for whole grains – ¼ of your plate.Whole and intact grains—whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, brown rice, and foods made with them, such as whole wheat pasta—have a milder effect on blood sugar and insulin than white bread, white rice, and other refined grains.
Protein power – ¼ of your plate.Fish, poultry, beans, and nuts are all healthy, versatile protein sources—they can be mixed into salads, and pair well with vegetables on a plate. Limit red meat, and avoid processed meats such as bacon and sausage.
Healthy plant oils – in moderation.Choose healthy vegetable oils like olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut, and others, and avoid partially hydrogenated oils, which contain unhealthy trans fats. Remember that low-fat does not mean “healthy.”
Drink water, coffee, or tea.Skip sugary drinks, limit milk and dairy products to one to two servings per day, and limit juice to a small glass per day.
Stay active.The red figure running across the Healthy Eating Plate’s placemat is a reminder that staying active is also important in weight control.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/
It’s good to reduce added sugar as much as possible.
Where to go from there really depends on the person’s current diet and lifestyle. Some basic advices would be to eat more vegetable and fruits, legumes, fishes, fermented products, drink enough water…