Balanced Diet Chart
To maintain a healthy body, it's important to follow a balanced diet plan which comprises all the basic nutrients required by our body. Therefore, here is a daily balanced diet chart which contains food items to be included in your daily diet plan.

For maintaining the optimal body weight, one must keep a track of the daily calorie intake, which should neither be too low, nor too high. Hence, the healthiest combination for a balanced diet is low fat, low refined carb + healthy carbs + moderate protein i.e. approximately 50 percent of calories should come from complex carbohydrates, 20 percent from protein and remaining 30 percent from fat. Since most of us are unaware of the correct proportions of nutrients and minerals required in the body, our bodies consequently lack them. This eventually leads to various health related problems and debilitating diseases like cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. Following are some balanced diet charts containing the correct amount and variety of food items which provide the sufficient amount of nutrients for health and weight management.
Balanced Diet Chart for Adults
The chart contains a good combination of food items for a healthy diet, and hence it's a balanced diet chart for vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians.
| Food Group | Number of Servings Each Day | Example of One Serving |
| Grains | Breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, bread, and noodles. Emphasize on whole grains. 1 ounce equivalent equals: 1 slice of bread or small muffin, 1 cup of dry cereal and ½ cup cooked cereal, rice, pasta |
6-8 ounce equivalents (the lower number is the serving for a 2000 calorie diet, the higher number for 2400 calorie diet) |
| Vegetables | Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green peas, squash, broccoli, spinach, green beans, sweet potatoes. 1 cup raw leafy vegetables = ½ cup |
2.5 - 3.5 cups |
| Fruits | Apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, orange juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, plums, berries | 1.5 - 2 cups |
| Dairy | Milk, yogurt, and cheese The following count as 1 cup: 1½ ounces of natural cheese and 2 ounces of processed cheese |
3 cups |
| Meat, eggs, nuts, and beans | Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, and nuts. 1 ounce equivalent equals: 1 ounce of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish, 1 egg, ½ oz. of nuts or seeds, 1 tbsp peanut butter, ¼ cup cooked dried beans or tofu |
5.5 - 6.5 ounce equivalents |
| Oils | Soft margarine, low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oil (olive, canola, safflower, corn) | 27 - 31 grams |
| Discretionary Calorie Allowance | After selecting nutrient dense foods from the above list, there is still room for a few more calories. Fat and added sugar are always counted as discretionary calories | 267 - 362 calories |
Balanced Diet Chart for Children
| Food Group | Number of Servings Each Day | Example of One Serving |
| Bread & Cereal Group | At least 4 servings for 2-5 year olds. At least 5 servings for school children |
1 medium sliced bread or 1 small bread roll or muffin or 2 large or 3 small crackers ½ cup cooked cereal or ¾ cup ready to eat breakfast cereal ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or noodles |
| Fruits & Vegetables | At least 2 vegetable & 2 servings of fruit for 2-5 year olds At least 3 vegetable & 2 servings of fruit for school children |
A serving is what fits into the palm of your child's hand. Could be raw or cooked. |
| Meat, fish, eggs, chicken, dried beans & lentils | At least 1 serving every day for 2-5 year olds & school children | 2 slices cooked meat (approx 100 g) ¾ cup chopped beef or casserole 1 egg or 1 medium fillet of fish or 2 drumsticks or 1 chicken leg ¾ cup cooked or canned beans, peas or lentil |
| Dairy products or alternative (e.g. Soy milk fortified with calcium) | At least 2 - 3 servings each day for 2-5 year olds and school children | 250 ml milk 1 pottle yogurt or buttermilk (150 g) 40 g (2 slices) hard cheese 200 g cottage cheese or ricotta cheese |
Healthy Diet Tips
- Having a balanced diet comprising enough fiber, pulses, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Avoiding food items containing oil or sugar as they do no good, but increase the cholesterol level and calorie intake in the body.
- Controlling salt intake, as excessive intake proves to be harmful for the body.
- Restricting the consumption of processed food, which comprises calories, saturated fats, added sugar, refined cereal grains, and artificial additives.
- Limiting consumption of aerated drinks and alcoholic beverages and more of water, juices and soups.
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