A balanced nutritious diet requires you to eat different foods -- in the proper amounts -- from a variety of food groups to provide your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain good health. This type of diet provides enough flexibility that each person can create a balanced diet based on his eating preferences and needs.
Significance
An unbalanced diet can have detrimental effects on your body tissues, your growth and development, your brain and nervous systems and your muscular systems, according to MedlinePlus. Poor nutrition increases your risk of many chronic diseases, including high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer. Even if your diet only lacks one or two nutrients, such as vitamin C, B-complex vitamins or protein, your body will not function at its optimal level.
Number of Servings
Each food group adds a wide variety of nutrients to your diet, making it important to eat food from each food group on a daily basis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide recommends that a person consuming a 2,000 calorie diet eat five servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, 6 oz. of grains, 3 cups of dairy products, 5 1/2 oz. of meat and 6 tsp. of oil each day. The exact number of servings in each food group you need depends on the number of calories your body needs. This number is determined based on your age, gender and activity level.
Portion Sizes
The average portion size in America has increased significantly over the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These large portion sizes can cause weight gain and unbalanced diets. To ensure you eat proper portion sizes, read food labels and eat only one serving of any given food. When learning to eat the correct portion sizes for different foods, you may have to weigh to measure everything you eat. However, once you get used to what a proper serving size looks like, you can begin to eyeball your servings.
Considerations
The type of food you select from each food group plays a role in the number of nutrients provided by your diet. Focus on eating fruits and vegetables that vary in color and that contain no added salts or sugars. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish as your source of protein twice a week, limiting your processed meats to less than two servings a week and eating at least four servings of nuts, legumes and seeds each week. At least half of your grains should come in the form of whole-grains. Finally, limit your saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of your daily calories.
Discretionary Calories
A balanced nutritious diet, when followed properly, allows for the intake of "fun" foods. Sweets, butter, alcohol and extra helpings of your favorite food fall into a category known as discretionary calories. Only consume about 10 percent of your daily calories in the form of "fun" foods; eating more than this can lead to weight gain and an unbalanced diet, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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