A nutritionally balanced lifestyle can enhance your health and ability to prevent disease. By consuming a balanced diet of healthy foods from each food group, you are able to obtain the recommended dietary intake for each nutrient. An unbalanced dietary lifestyle can affect your weight and increase your risks of chronic diseases, such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer. Consult your doctor about eating the best foods for a balanced lifestyle.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants relative to other types of food. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women should consume at least 1 ½ cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables, and that men should consume at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day. The USDA says that consumption of at least 2 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables every day is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, plus increased protection against cancer.
Whole Grains
The USDA recommends you consume whole grains as your primary source of carbohydrates. Whole grains, such as barley, rye and brown rice, contain the entire kernel of a plant that includes the bran, germ, and endosperm. Consuming whole grains can reduce your risk of chronic diseases, including type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and gastrointestinal conditions. The bran and fiber in whole grains slow down the digestive process of breaking down starches into glucose, the blood sugar that your cells use for energy. Soluble fiber helps you control blood sugar and reduces your blood levels of cholesterol and fat. Fiber also prevents the formation of blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke.
Legumes
A balanced diet includes legumes, a quality source of protein that is low in fat without any cholesterol and serves as a nutritious substitute for meat. (reference 5) Legumes are a nutrent-dense food that also contains vitamins and minerals, such as folate, potassium, magnesium and iron and is high in soluble and insoluble fiber. The legume family includes beans, lentils and peas, such as soybeans, adzuki beans, anasazi beans, red kidney beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, chick peas, edamame and fava beans. Soybeans contain all nine essential amino acids to make a complete protein plus healthy fats and isoflavone, an antioxidant that can reduce your risk of cancer.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are an integral part of healthy eating. Healthy fats include monounsaturated fatty aids that are found in olive oil and avocado, polyunsaturated fatty acids that are found in vegetable oils, such as safflower and corn and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and walnuts. A healthy diet avoids unhealthy saturated and trans fats from animal foods, such as meat and dairy.
References
- United States Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Many Fruits and Vegetables Do You Need?
- International Food Information Council Foundation Whole Grains Fact Sheet
- Harvard School of Public Health: Health Gains from Whole Grains
- MayoClinic.com: Beans and Other Legumes: Types and Cooking Tips
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