A balanced diet provides you with all the nutrients to support growth, energy and health. While you may know that a balanced diet includes specific food groups, it is not always clear what these are or how many servings of each food you should strive to take in daily. To follow a balanced diet you do not have to spend hours in the kitchen weighing and measuring your foods. You simply need to become aware of the food you put on your plate and seek out a variety of tastes and colors.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the major nutrients that provide you energy in the form of calories, explains the McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Calories support physical activity as well as cellular growth, muscle development, lung and heart function, and digestion. The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats and protein. A balanced diet includes a daily ratio of 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, 10 to 35 percent protein and 20 to 35 percent fat, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Where to Find Macronutrients
While most foods contain a combination of macronutrients, some foods have a higher proportion of either fat, carbs or proteins. Carbohydrates are found in grains, cereals and baked goods as well as in vegetables, sugars and fruits. Proteins are foods like animal products, beans and legumes, dairy and soy. Fats are largely found in oils, butter, nuts, seeds and avocados. The U.S. Department of Agriculture categorizes food that supplies macronutrients into six groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, oils, proteins and dairy.
Amounts of Food
To achieve the recommended percentages of macronutrients to achieve a balanced diet, include a certain number of servings of each food group. The USDA suggests three to five servings of vegetables daily, two to three servings of fruits, six to 11 servings of grains or bread, two to three servings of protein and three servings of dairy daily. The exact amounts you need depend on your age, activity level, gender and size. Go to MyPyramid.gov and search under "My Pyramid Plan" to determine your individual numbers.
Best Choices
A balanced diet emphasizes orange and dark green vegetables and fruits without added sugar. Choose whole grains as often as possible when eating from the grain and bread group. Low-fat or non-fat dairy helps keep your saturated fat intake in check. Lean meats, like poultry, fish and beef with no visible fat, also help keep you healthy. While you do need fat for daily function, choose unsaturated versions found in plants--rather than animals or man-made snacks--which do not raise your cholesterol, notes the American Heart Association.
Discretionary Calories
A balanced diet does leave room for discretionary calories--or extra, "fun" foods. Sweets, solid fats--like butter--alcohol or extra helpings of the major macronutrients count as discretionary calories. The USDA recommends you take in only about 10 percent of daily calories in the form of these foods. Focus the rest of your balanced plan on nutritious whole foods.
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