What You Need to Have a Balanced Diet
You are what you eat.
We’ve heard that statement so often that it has become cliché. But that by no means lessens its importance. You literally are what you eat. Your body is made from the nutrients contained in food:
Water
Protein
Carbohydrate
Fat
Vitamins
Minerals
What A Balanced Diet Looks Like
Nutrition is the science of how our bodies utilise food. It boils down to two things:
Food’s ability to produce energy to allow us to function
The nutrients we need to build, maintain and repair the organs and systems in our bodies.
Everything that you put in your mouth will either make your body better or it will make your body worse. When you put ‘unhealthy’ foods into your mouth, your body will suffer. A lack of nutrients can cause your bones to become brittle, your gums to bleed and your blood to carry insufficient oxygen to your cells. Too much of certain types of food, such as simple, high glycemic index carbohydrates, will pack unwanted body fat onto your frame. This brings with it a whole host of related conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
If you ask people what a balanced diet looks like, you are likely to get all manner of responses. To some it means eating fewer sugary desserts, while others would contend that it involves eating more fruits and vegetables, eating less meat, or fewer carbs. This can all get very confusing, very quickly.
There are three important criteria that a balanced diet must meet:
A balanced diet must control energy balance
A balanced diet provides nutrient density
A balanced diet achieves healthy body composition
The Importance of Nutrient Density
Nutrient density refers to the ratio of nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals) to the total calorie count of a food. So, foods that contain large amounts of key health-giving nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, and the B-vitamins per 100 calories of food are the best choices for health and wellness.
Balanced Diet Guidelines
To achieve a balanced diet, follow these guidelines …
Eat plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Consume whole grains, replacing foods made with white flour with whole grain breads, cereals, and pasta.
Have a daily serving of nuts, such as cashews, almonds, and walnuts.
Replace butter with olive oil for cooking.
Use herbs and spices to add flavour while cutting back on salt.
Eat more fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and herring.
Reduce your intake of red meat.
Consume low-fat dairy products.
Summary
Incorporating the principles behind a balanced diet will allow you to enjoy a wide-ranging diet that is packed with nutrient dense foods that deliver the fuel your body needs to thrive.
So how does your diet stack up?
Why not go over the 8 underlying guidelines of a balanced diet and rate yourself from 1 to 5 on how well you are conforming to it? Then, for each guideline, jot down one thing you can do to raise that rating.
