What Constitutes a Balanced Diet?

Written by: joey.sedivy.healthh
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010

We have all been told to eat a balanced diet, yet many of us are unclear as to what exactly a balanced diet is. A balanced diet is one which contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral salts and fibre in the correct proportions. A balanced diet is one that contains the right amounts of the different nutrients and energy – not too much and not too little. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups. A balanced diet is a very significant factor that contributes widely to a healthy body and mind. A balanced diet is very important for every individual to work and lead a healthy life.

It is believed that an individual should have less than l0 percent of the fat allowance from saturated fats, less the 10 percent should come from polyunsaturated fats, and the remaining should come from monounsaturated fats. Fats should account for at least 30 percent of our diet. Fats should not be excluded from the diet. Fat has twice as many calories as lean meat. Fats are also important in improving the taste and digestibility of food. Choose “good” fats such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils containing polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fat includes any fat that can become solid at room temperature, such as fat on meat, palm and coconut oils, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and all animal fats. A high protein diet (such as red meat, cheese, and full-fat dairy products) that is high in saturated fat and low in vitamins and minerals may increase the risk for heart disease. If the intake of saturated fats is reduced, your cholesterol level will also decrease, only if you reduce the intake of animal products in your diet. It is recommended that an individual eat less fat, especially saturated fats. Keeping your cholesterol through a healthy nutritional diet daily to 300 mg; eating low fat dairy products; and cutting down on fried foods, pastries, egg yolk, certain shellfish, and organ meats will make you healthier.


Don’t expect to remain healthy if you do not have a balanced diet. Balance your caloric intake with physical activity, so you can maintain a healthy weight. Avoid trans fatty acids, which are unhealthy fats. In normal, healthy individuals there is a desire for food and for great tasting food, sometimes in larger quantities than should be consumed. If you eat plenty of whole grains, seeds, fresh raw vegetables, or beans, you not only will lose weight or maintain your weight, but your heart and gastrointestinal tract will be healthy. To maintain a healthy body, it’s important to follow a balanced diet plan which comprises of all the basic nutrients required by our body. Experts say that no single food on its own is enough to keep us healthy.
You should also eat 2 to 4 servings of fruits and 5 or more servings of vegetables each day. The protein content of vegetables is, in general, lower than that of animal products. There are also 5 categories of vegetables: dark green, orange, dry beans and peas, starchy, and other. Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins as well as necessary fiber, fluid, electrolytes, and phytochemicals. Be sure not to overcook your vegetables. To keep valuable nutrients, microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them. The USDA recommends varying our intake of these vegetables every week because each category of vegetable has different nutrients and therefore has its own nutritional value.
A balanced diet is one that contains a wide variety of nutritious foods while taking care with the amount of foods consumed that contain fat, salt, added sugar and alcohol. A balanced diet is best way to safeguard health and to prevent disease rather than relying on nutrition supplementation, according to the American Dietetic Association. A balanced diet is very important for every individual to work and lead a healthy life. A balanced diet is a very significant factor that contributes widely to a healthy body and mind. The most important step to eating a balanced diet is to educate yourself about what your body needs, and to read the nutrition label and ingredients of all the food you eat. To help reduce your risk of chronic disease, a balanced diet is recommended.


To your good health

Stuart
Health Family Lifestyles

http://stuartbazga.com/blog/category/diet/

Health Family Lifestyles

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