Importance of Balanced Diet in a Healthy Lifestyle

One can never emphasize enough the importance of a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet is a fundamental component of being healthy. The food choices that we make greatly influence the body’s health and habitual poor food choices increase the risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and others. So, a balanced and moderate diet, containing all the essential nutrients, is important for a healthy body and mind.

What is a Balanced Diet?

A balanced diet is a diet that has all the essential nutrients required for the normal functioning of the body. It is all about the right nutrition at the right time. Balancing the calories is one of the core elements of a balanced diet. The intake of energy (calories) through foods should balance the energy being used by the body to sustain its metabolic and physical activities. Also, consuming a wide variety of foods provides the body with all the essential nutrients.

Energy Balance

A balanced diet is more or less all about energy balance because an unbalanced diet causes hardships on the body. If the energy intake is too low (less amount of carbohydrates and protein in the diet) then the body starts using its reserves. Whereas, if the energy intake is too high, the body stores fat that increases the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Calories depend on age, gender, and physical activity. Men have higher calorie needs than women. However, generally, a person requires 2000kcal per day to maintain their body weight. It is also important to know the source of calories because some foods are empty calories. Empty calories are high in energy and have negligible nutritional value. Foods containing empty calories are:
– Sugar
– Cookies
– Cakes
– Energy Drinks

What is a Balanced Diet composed of?

The food groups included in a balanced diet are:

• Grain: Include whole grains such as oats, barley, wheat, maize and limit the intake of refined grains.
• Fruits: Include a variety of fresh or frozen fruits but limit canned fruits.
• Vegetables: Include dark green leafy vegetables, starchy vegetables, and beans and legumes. These should be fresh and frozen and not canned.
• Protein: Include lean beef meat, chicken, fish, beans, and legumes. Avoid red meat.
• Dairy products: Include low-fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and soy milk. Limit whole-fat and flavored dairy products.
• Fats: Include nuts, live oil, and avocados in your diet. Limit foods high in trans fat or saturated fat.

Importance of a Balanced Diet

Healthy eating and a balanced diet are essential for everyone. It makes one feel more energized and improves health. Good nutrition, healthy body weight, and physical activity are vital for a happy and healthy lifestyle. Some of the benefits of a balanced diet are mentioned below.

• The vitamins and minerals along with the essential nutrients in the diet boost up the immune system.
• It helps in preventing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, CVDs, and some types of cancer.
• A healthy balanced diet is important to attain and maintain adequate body weight.
• It is also important for mental health. Proper nutrition helps in combatting depression and anxiety.
• The cognitive development of children and adolescents is strongly influenced by the right nutrition. All the right and essential nutrients are required for proper growth and development.
• It also contributes to healthy skin and hair.

Importance of a Healthy Lifestyle

A balanced diet along with healthy dietary practices are important for a better life. Some of the healthy dietary practices are:

• Small portions – Instead of having 3 big meals have 6 small meals including snacks. Also, try eating in small bowls and plates.
• Take time to eat – Slow down when you eat and try chewing 20 times.
• Cut down on snacks and bad fats – butter, margarine, fried food, fatty meat, burgers, pastries, cakes, biscuits, puddings, chocolate.
• Try to cook meals at home to avoid unnecessary calories.
• Avoid binge eating food – Identify factors that trigger over-eating.
• Balance, moderation, and variety are important for healthy living.
• Include physical activity – Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
  

Conclusion

This article has outlined what a balanced diet is and its role in a healthy life. Healthy and clean eating are all about eating fresh food, including plant-based foods, and limiting processed, packaged food. You can enjoy a variety of foods and try different cuisine but keep the intake in moderation. Changing to a healthy lifestyle should not be a short-term change but a long-term change.

Consuming a healthy, balanced diet has many health benefits to offer. These include reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. However, consult your doctor or dietitian before making any changes in your diet.