A balanced diet is a diet that contains a variety of foods in certain quantities and proportions so that calories, proteins, minerals, vitamins and alternative nutrients are adequate and a small portion is reserved for nutrients. In addition, a balanced diet should contain bioactive phytochemicals such as dietary fiber, antioxidants and nutraceuticals that have positive health benefits. A balanced diet should contain 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates, 10-12% from protein and 20-25% of total calories from fat.
Health benefits of a balanced diet
Eating healthy increases energy, improves the way your body functions, strengthens your immune system and prevents weight gain. There are other major benefits as well.
A balanced diet meets your nutritional requirement. A varied, balanced diet provides the nutrients you need to avoid nutrient deficiencies.
Prevents and treats certain diseases. Eating healthy can prevent the development of certain diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. It is also helpful in treating diabetes and high blood pressure.
Following a special diet can reduce symptoms, and help better manage the disease or condition.
Feel energized and manage your weight. A healthy diet will help you feel good, give you more energy, and help fight stress.
Food is a mainstay of many social and cultural functions. Apart from nurturing properties, it helps in facilitating relationships between individuals.
Here are some general guidelines for healthy eating
The most important rule of healthy eating is not to skip any meal. Sometimes skipping meals lowers your metabolic rate. A typical meal consists of 3 main meals and 2 snacks. Apart from this, never stop having breakfast in the morning. This is the most important meal of the day.
Learn simple ways to prepare food. Eating healthy doesn't have to mean having complicated meals. Keep meal preparation easy, eat more raw foods like salads, fruit and vegetable juices, and focus on eating healthy foods instead of calories.
It's important to stop yourself when you feel full. This will help you maintain your weight to an extent. This will also help you stay alert and feel better about yourself.
Drink lots of water. While working, watching TV, keep a water bottle with you.
A variety of foods should be used in the menu. No one food contains all the nutrients.
To improve the quality of cereal and pulse protein used for food, the minimum ratio of cereal protein and pulse protein used for food should be 4:1. In terms of cereals, it would be eight parts of the grain used for food and one part of pulses.
Eat five portions of fruits and vegetables every day.
Continue to eat healthy snacks. This will prevent you from eating an unhealthy snack when you are hungry.
Remove all visible fat before cooking – remove the skin from the chicken and the white fat from any meat.
Limit stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol and refined sugar.
Limit eating out to one day a week. Take self-packaged meals for work.
Eat only the things you love – see what is right for you and don't force yourself to eat those things just because they are good for you.
Healthy cooking tips
In today's part of life, cooking in the traditional style is getting extinct. People mostly choose to eat less healthy fast food, ready to eat packets etc. The most important thing to make a healthy meal is to cook it at your home, instead of relying on outside cooked food. Find healthy ways to have variety in your meals as repetition can lead to dullness. Infuse your diet with the zest and good taste you crave. Here are some tips for healthy cooking.
Choosing healthy foods doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Think about how you can turn your favorite into a healthier option. For example:
Minimize meat and add more vegetables to your dishes.
Use whole wheat flour instead of refined flour while baking.
Soak your fried foods to remove excess oil.
Use low-fat yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
Instead of flavored yogurt, add chopped fruits to your yogurt.
Use skim milk instead of regular milk.
Use non-sticky utensils to reduce the need for oil for cooking.
Microwave or steam your vegetables instead of boiling them to avoid loss of nutrients.
The amount of fat in your foods should be kept to a minimum.
Choose lean meats and skim dairy products. Almonds, seeds, fish, olives are good in the form of fats when it comes with other nutrients. Some amount of fat during cooking is good for helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
If you want to use oil, apply oil with cooking spray or a pastry brush. Cook in liquids (such as vegetable stock, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil. Use low-fat yogurt, low-fat soymilk, evaporated skim milk or cornstarch instead of cream to thicken.
Rub the vegetables instead of peeling them because the peel contains many nutrients. When you have to boil vegetables, keep the vitamin-rich water and use it as a stock for cooking others.
Start eating low-salt whole foods or whole grain breads.
Limit the use of excess saturated fats, such as butter and cream cheese, for sandwiches; Replace it with an alternative walnut spread or reduced-fat cheese spread or avocado spread. Choose low-fat ingredients such as low-fat cottage cheese or salad dressings.
Add lots of vegetables to make your sandwich healthier.
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