With the increased awareness of the relationship between good nutrition and health, it is natural to wonder what constitutes a balanced diet. A balanced diet will provide you with enough nutrients to meet your body's needs without having too much of anything. It will not only include the right foods, it will have them in the right amounts for your particular needs. Your brain and nervous system require proper nutrition to function properly, and growth and development depend on an adequate nutrient supply to the body.
The Food Groups
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid divides food into six groups. Grains: Choose whole grains and whole-grain products over their more refined counterparts. Vegetables: Dark green and orange vegetables are highly recommended. Fruits: Go for variety, and limit your juice intake. Milk: Milk and milk products are calcium rich. If you cannot have milk, find a lactose-free substitute. Meats and beans: Vary your protein choices. Oils: Get most of your fat from fish, nuts and vegetable oils.
Grains
A female between 19 and 50 years old needs 6 ounce equivalents of whole grain per day; males 19 to 30 need 8 ounce equivalents, while those 30 to 50 need 7 ounce equivalents. "In general," the USDA reports, "1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent from the grains group."
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables include dark green products such as broccoli and spinach, orange ones like carrots and sweet potatoes, dry beans and peas, starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, and a myriad of others such as asparagus, cauliflower and green beans. Women 50 and younger need 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day; men in that age range need 3 cups. Women need 2 cups of fruit per day up to age 30, and 1 1/2 cups between 30 and 50. Men 19 to 50 need 2 cups. Choose a variety of fruits for maximum benefit.
Milk, Meats and Beans
Milk and milk products that contain calcium form another food group. From age 9 onward, both males and females require 3 cups per day of milk or milk products, preferably of the low- or non-fat variety. The next food group is your protein sources, and it includes meats, poultry, fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Women need 5 1/2 ounce equivalents per day until age 30, and 5 ounce equivalents after. Men need 6 1/2 ounce equivalents daily to age 30, 6 ounce equivalents to age 50 and 5 1/2 ounce equivalents thereafter. Choose lean meats and poultry, and bake, broil or grill them to keep the fat content down. The USDA definition of an ounce equivalent is as follows: "1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce equivalent from the meat and beans group."
Fats
Oils from vegetables, nuts and seeds remain in liquid form at room temperature, and are usually a good source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Palm oil and coconut oil have saturated fats. Women age 19 to 30 may have 6 teaspoons of oils daily, and 5 teaspoons thereafter. Men 19 to 30 are allowed 7 teaspoons, 6 teaspoons past age 30. Avoid saturated fats, found in meats and whole-milk dairy products, and trans fats, from many processed foods, desserts, snacks, vegetable shortening and some margarines.
Water
The body weight of a young adult is approximately 60 percent water. The body's water supply must be replenished daily, because there is no mechanism for storing water in the body. The USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion acknowledges the recommendation by scientists of 0.06 glasses of water per pound of body weight, and a daily minimum of 6.3 glasses per day; one glass is 8 ounces.
Putting It Together
A balanced diet means eating the right amount from each food group each day. To do this, you need to be aware of your personal caloric needs, which depend on your activity level. The numbers reported here for recommended daily intake of the various food groups are based on individuals who get less than 30 minutes of exercise per day. If you are more active, you could eat more and remain in the acceptable range, since you would be using up more calories. The correct portions of each food group will give you a balanced diet.
Member Comments