Balanced nutrition is essential to optimal health and well-being. But what constitutes a balanced diet, and what are the benefits? Here’s the scoop.
“You are what you eat,” as the old saying goes. And there’s no better foundation for good health than making informed food choices and developing sound eating habits. A balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats in the right proportions provides the body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain optimum health.
On the other hand, making poor dietary choices can lead to numerous health issues, an overall lower quality of life, and even premature death. But despite the vital role of nutrition to our health, many people still don't understand the importance of a balanced diet – or even what constitutes one.
What is a balanced diet?
A balanced diet contains all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that the body needs to carry out vital functions. This includes carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and healthy fats in the right proportions.
Carbohydrates are the body’s main energy source, while proteins help build and repair tissues. Vitamins are essential for cell growth and immunity, and healthy fats like omega-3s lower the risk of stroke, heart disease, and chronic inflammation. To ensure that you’re getting the proper amounts of all of these crucial nutrients, make sure your diet contains the following:
- Fruits and vegetables: These important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber should make up a significant portion of your daily food intake. Excellent sources of vitamins and minerals include green leafy vegetables, dark-colored berries, cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower), citrus fruits, and legumes (beans).
- Whole grains: Refined grains are heavily processed and often stripped of essential vitamins and minerals. Instead, opt for whole-grain sources such as oats, quinoa, buckwheat, and brown rice. They’re all high in fiber, which promotes bowel movements, lowers cholesterol, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
- Lean proteins: Proteins are the building blocks of life, essential for muscle growth, organ function, and cell repair. Go for lean cuts of meats like poultry, fish, and lean red meat. For vegetarians, consider plant-based proteins such as legumes, soy products, and nuts.
- Healthy fats: These are essential for hormone regulation, metabolism, and growth. Healthy fats include those obtained from fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil.
You need about 2,000 calories daily, depending on your age and activity level. Fill your plate with various nutrient-rich foods to meet your daily calorie requirements. Avoid “empty calorie” foods such as sodas, cakes, donuts, ice cream, pizza, and processed meats with little nutritional value.
Benefits of eating a healthy and balanced diet
Developing sound eating habits and making informed food choices can significantly improve your overall health and well-being. Adopting a balanced diet can:
- Help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight
We all know that exercise is a key component of good health, but did you know that diet accounts for 75% of weight loss? A balanced diet helps reduce calorie intake, control cravings, and prevent overeating. You’ll simply have less room for unhealthy snacks, sugary drinks, and processed junk foods that can cause weight gain.
- Boost energy levels
Food is the source of the energy your body needs to function throughout the day, but the type of food you eat really makes a difference. The empty calories in junk food will give you a quick burst of energy – followed by an inevitable crash. You can avoid fatigue, exhaustion, and low productivity by consuming the right mix of nutrients in the right portions. A balanced diet with complex carbohydrates and lean proteins will provide sustained energy for longer periods, without the crash.
- Strengthen your immune system
A balanced diet helps to strengthen your immune system with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Poor nutrition, on the other hand, starves the body of essential vitamins and minerals, which can lead to impaired immunity and an increased risk of infection, something you really want to avoid in these days of global pandemics.
- Reduce the risk of chronic diseases
Diet-related chronic illnesses – including heart disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes – are on the rise, with 6 in 10 Americans living with at least one chronic disease. Genetics, lifestyle, and environment all play a part, but making informed food choices can help to reduce the risk of many of these ailments.
A diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats helps reduce cholesterol levels, balance blood sugar, and protect against chronic disease. If you have diabetes, watching your sugar intake, staying active, and controlling your weight can help prevent complications.
- Improve mood and cognitive function
The brain needs vital nutrients, including healthy fats (omega-3s, olive oil, avocados), B vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium. So it’s important to make sure your diet includes a healthy mix of these nutrients if you want to stay sharp. On the other hand, cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats are detrimental to brain tissue, so it’s best to cut them out of your diet as much as possible.
Eliminating processed foods and unhealthy fats from your diet can also help to improve mood, reduce stress, and sharpen memory and concentration. Eating more vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish, whole grains, and legumes reduces depression and anxiety.
- Maintain a healthy pregnancy
Proper nutrition is especially essential for pregnant women, as a healthy diet provides essential vitamins and minerals to mother and child. Eating the right foods also reduces the risk of complications, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight.
To make sure you and your baby are getting the nutrition you need, eat smaller, more frequent meals to maintain steady blood sugar levels and strive to get the recommended daily intake of folic acid, iron, and calcium. Limit sugar, salt, and saturated fats and instead opt for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Slow aging
Aging is unavoidable, but a balanced diet can help you slow the process. The antioxidants in berries, cruciferous vegetables, and nuts help boost the immune system, fight oxidative stress, and reduce inflammation. As a bonus, your skin will appear smoother and more youthful, void of wrinkles and lines.
A healthy diet also reduces the risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, heart disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Poor diet has been linked to 18% of all deaths in the United States, so eating right can help you live longer.
The benefits of maintaining a balanced diet are hard to ignore. So the next time you reach out for a bag of chips or a package of cookies, remember that your body deserves better. Opt instead for nutrient-dense foods for a healthier, longer life.
Start your journey to health today by eating right
Eating nutrient-rich foods, limiting processed or fast food, and getting the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables are positive steps you can take toward living a healthier lifestyle and avoiding chronic disease. But if you are diagnosed with a diet-related illness, ModRN Health can help you save up to 90% on your prescriptions. Our free tool helps you compare prices and find the most affordable medications in your area.
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