How to eat a balanced diet for Beginners
Eating a balanced diet is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and achieving optimal health. For beginners, it may seem daunting to create a balanced diet that includes all the necessary nutrients. However, with the right information and a few simple steps, eating a balanced diet is within reach.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of a balanced diet, the key elements you need to consider, and helpful tips for creating a nutritious meal plan. By the end, you’ll have the tools to begin your journey towards a healthier lifestyle through a balanced diet.
A balanced diet fulfils all of a person’s nutritional needs. It comprises foods from five groups — including vegetables, protein, and whole grains — and can help manage weight and reduce the risk of disease. Dietary guidelines evolve with scientific advances, so it can be challenging to stay on top of current recommendations and know what to eat.
What is Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is one that fulfills all of a person’s nutritional needs. Humans need a certain amount of calories and nutrients to stay healthy. A balanced diet provides all the nutrients a person requires, without going over the recommended daily calorie intake.
By eating a balanced diet, people can get the nutrients and calories they need and avoid eating junk food, or food without nutritional value.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) used to recommend following a food pyramid. However, as nutritional science has changed, they now recommend eating foods from the five groups and building a balanced plate. According to the USDA’s recommendations, half of a person’s plate should consist of fruits and vegetables.
The other half should be made up of grains and protein. They recommend accompanying each meal with a serving of low-fat dairy or another source of the nutrients found in dairy.
Importance of a Balanced Diet
Eating a healthy diet is all about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and boosting your mood. Good nutrition, physical activity, and healthy body weight are essential parts of a person’s overall health and well-being.
There’s no questioning the importance of healthy food in your life. Unless you maintain a proper diet for a healthy body, you may be prone to diseases, infection, or even exhaustion. The importance of nutritious food for children especially needs to be highlighted since otherwise they may end up being prone to several growth and developmental problems. Some of the most common health problems that arise from lack of a balanced diet are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
Being physically active manages many health problems and improves mental health by reducing stress, depression, and pain. Regular exercise helps to prevent metabolic syndrome, stroke, high blood pressure, arthritis, and anxiety.
Read also: 7 days Mediterranean Diet Meal Plans for Beginners
The 5 food groups of balanced diet
A healthful, balanced diet includes foods from these five groups:
- vegetables
- fruits
- grains
- protein
- dairy
Vegetables
The vegetable group includes five subgroups:
- leafy greens
- red or orange vegetables
- starchy vegetables
- beans and peas (legumes)
- other vegetables, such as eggplant or zucchini
To get enough nutrients and keep dietary boredom at bay, people should choose a variety of vegetables. Additionally, the USDA recommend that people eat vegetables from each of the five subgroups every week.
People may enjoy vegetables raw or cooked. However, it is important to remember that cooking vegetables removes some of their nutritional value. Also, some methods, such as deep-frying, can add unhealthful fats to a dish.
Fruits
A balanced diet also includes plenty of fruit. Instead of getting fruit from juice, nutrition experts recommend eating whole fruits.
Juice contains fewer nutrients. Also, the manufacturing process often adds empty calories due to added sugar. People should opt for fresh or frozen fruits, or fruits canned in water instead of syrup.
Grains
Whole grains usually contain more protein than refined grains. There are two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains include all three parts of the grain, which are the bran, germ, and endosperm. The body breaks down whole grains slowly, so they have less effect on a person’s blood sugar. Additionally, whole grains tend to contain more fiber and protein than refined grains.Refined grains are processed and do not contain the three original components. Refined grains also tend to have less protein and fiber, and they can cause blood sugar spikes.
Grains used to form the base of the government-approved food pyramid, meaning that most of a person’s daily caloric intake came from grains. However, the updated guidelines suggest that grains should make up only a quarter of a person’s plate.
At least half of the grains that a person eats daily should be whole grains. Healthful whole grains include:
- quinoa
- oats
- brown rice
- barley
- buckwheat
Protein
The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that all people should include nutrient-dense protein as part of their regular diet. The guidelines suggest that this protein should make up a quarter of a person’s plate. Nutritious protein choices include:
- lean beef and pork
- chicken and turkey
- fish
- beans, peas, and legumes
Dairy
Dairy and fortified soy products are a vital source of calcium. The USDA recommend consuming low-fat versions whenever possible. Low-fat dairy and soy products include:
- ricotta or cottage cheese
- low-fat milk
- yogurt
- soy milk
People who are lactose intolerant can opt for low-lactose or lactose-free products, or choose soy-based sources of calcium and other nutrients.
A balanced diet can help a person lose weight by:
- increasing their protein intake
- avoiding excessive carbohydrates or processed foods
- getting essential nutrients, including minerals, vitamins, and fiber
- preventing binge eating
People interested in losing weight should begin or enhance an exercise routine. For some people, adding 30 minutes of walking each day and making minor changes, such as taking the stairs, can help them burn calories and lose weight. For those that can, adding moderate exercise that includes cardio and resistance training will help speed weight loss. Eating a balanced diet means eating foods from the five major groups.
Dietary guidelines change over time, as scientists discover new information about nutrition. Current recommendations suggest that a person’s plate should contain primarily vegetables and fruits, some lean protein, some dairy, and soluble fiber. People interested in weight loss should also consider introducing moderate exercise into their routines.
Read also: Best Diets For People With Diabetes
8 tips for healthy eating
- Base your meals on higher fibre starchy carbohydrates.
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetable.
- Eat more fish, including a portion of oily fish.
- Cut down on saturated fat and sugar.
- Eat less salt: no more than 6g a day for adults.
- Get active and be a healthy weight.
- Do not get thirsty.
- Do not skip breakfast.
Conclusion
Eating a balanced diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle, and it doesn‘t have to be complicated or time consuming. With some simple steps like planning meals in advance, being mindful of portion sizes, and eating a variety of foods, you can easily create a balanced and nutritious diet that works for you.
Furthermore, don’t forget to listen to your body’s signals, such as when you’re full, and follow a regular exercise routine to help you reach your health goals. With the right knowledge and the right mindset, you can easily achieve a balanced diet, and start to reap the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.
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