A balanced diet is often recommended by dietitians and health organizations to help keep you healthy and manage your weight. Understanding what comprises a balanced diet can be confusing, especially when you are bombarded with news about super foods and diets that vilify entire food groups. Eating a balanced diet doesn't require you to perform elaborate preparation, weighing or measuring. Simply follow specific strategies daily.
Macronutrient Ratios
Macronutrients consist of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The Institute of Medicine recommends ranges for the intake of these primary nutrients. Every day, an adult should get 45 percent to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 35 percent from protein. Children and infants may need slightly higher amounts of fat in the diet. In addition to these macronutrient guidelines, the IOM recommends you limit added sugars to fewer than 25 percent of daily calories, obtain about 38 g of fiber as a man and 25 g as a woman---these numbers decrease as you age and take in fewer calories---and keep your intake of saturated fat in check.
Types of Foods
Lean proteins, fresh produce, low-fat dairy, whole grains and unsaturated fats comprise a balanced diet. Joanne Larsen, R.D. on Ask the Dietitian recommends following the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Pyramid to guide your daily choices. In general, go for two to three 3 oz. servings of proteins such as fish, poultry, beans or lean beef, three to five servings of vegetables, two to three servings of fruit, and six to eleven servings of unrefined breads, pasta, cereals or grains daily. At MyPyramid.gov, choose the tab "My Pyramid Plan" to devise your own, personalized recommendations. Unsaturated fats, found in nuts, seeds, avocados, and plant oils should be used to accent meals and not exceed the IOM recommendations of 35 percent of total daily calories. Highly processed foods like refined baked goods, fast food, snack chips and sweets should not play a primary role in a balanced diet.
Strategy
The best way to encourage balance in your diet is to take in enough calories to support your weight and energy needs. Overeating any foods can lead to weight gain and starving yourself can result in binges and a slowed metabolism. Strive to consume three meals and two snacks daily to keep blood sugar levels even and supply your body with a constant stream of nutrition to maximize daily function.
Considerations
You do not have to eat the exact recommendations for macronutrient ratios and the perfect amount of servings of each food group every single day. Rather, strive to include a variety of food in general---some days you may have more fruits and vegetables, and on others a bit more grains. The point is to strive for a general balance and to emphasize healthy foods the majority of the time.
Discretionary Calories
A balanced diet does not eschew all indulgences. You may enjoy discretionary calories on a balanced diet. The United States Department of Agriculture explains that discretionary calories are those foods that you can budget into your diet after your nutritional needs have been met. The more active you are, the more of these "fun" foods you can enjoy. Spend your discretionary calories on additional servings of dairy, proteins, carbohydrates or fats, or on foods like sweets, alcohol and solid fats. Discretionary calories make up roughly between 10 and 15 percent of your daily calorie needs.
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