Eating a balanced diet provides energy and keeps your body fit and healthy. The right types and amounts of food in your daily diet provide nutrients essential for growth, as well as for the maintenance of organs, body cells and tissues in your body.
Essential Nutrients
Eat whole-grain foods, fruit and vegetables and low-fat meat and milk products to provide your body with all the essential vitamins and minerals needed to perform important functions. These functions include provide heat, promote growth, repair body cells and regulate the body processes.
Food Groups
Grains provide energy as well as vitamins and minerals. They are found in whole-grain varieties of bread, rice and pasta, as well as other starchy foods. Eat a minimum of 3 oz. of whole grains each day.
Eat four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables each day to provide vitamins and minerals. One portion of fruit is equivalent to an apple or a handful of grapes. A portion of vegetables consists of a dessert bowl of salad or two serving spoons worth of cooked vegetables such as broccoli or carrots.
Consume three cups of milk and milk products as part of your daily food intake. This will provide vitamins, minerals, protein and fat. Good sources are skim milk, reduced fat cheese, low-fat yogurts and reduced-fat cream.
Eat 5 oz. of meat, fish, eggs and beans each day from low-fat sources. This will provide protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fats. Oily fish is especially good as it is a rich source of omega-3. Vegetarians will also find protein in tofu and unsalted nuts.
Health Benefits
By eating a healthy balanced diet, your overall health will improve. Plus, by maintaining a healthy weight, you will help to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. You will cut your risks of developing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and even some types of cancer. (See Reference 4)
Recommendations
Eat at least three meals each day, including breakfast. Eat foods from each of the main food groups, with the daily recommended amounts divided between each meal. Your total fat intake should be between 20 and 35 percent of your daily food intake, with less than 10 percent being saturated fat. Fluid intake is essential to maintain the water levels in your body as dehydration can lead to tiredness, headaches and irritability. Drink six to eight glasses of fluid each day--more in hot weather or after exercise. Fluid is vital to many functions in the body, including transporting nutrients around the body and eliminating waste.(See Reference 5)
Misconceptions
Be aware of common misconceptions when planning a balanced diet. Low-fat foods are an integral part of your daily diet, but some foods which are labeled low-fat are still relatively high in fat. They may also contain higher levels of sugar or salt to increase the taste. Vegetarian dishes are perceived to always be healthy, but vegetarian foods may contain creamy sauces, cheese or oil, which will increase your intake of saturated fat. Check food labels carefully.
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