Balanced Diet

Someone rightly said that, what you are is what you eat. And it stands true till today. A healthy body is determined by the food one consumes. Unhealthy junk food leads to obesity and related diseases. Unfortunately, today many people are suffering from obesity due to sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. This has led to the rise in number of diseases such as, diabetes, heart problems, and high blood pressure etc. To keep these diseases at bay it is important that one learns to follow a healthy diet.

Balanced Diet Menu

Are you wondering what is a balanced diet? Well it is nothing but a diet that consists of six important nutrients. These nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber etc. Before you design a good diet menu, knowing the importance of each of the nutrient is essential.

1. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are a rich source of energy that helps us remain active and healthy. Bread, rice, potato, cereals, and spaghetti etc. are some of the rich sources of carbohydrates that you must include in your daily diet.
2. Proteins: Proteins promote the growth of the body. They are also essential for repairing the tissues and cells of the body. Poultry food, milk, sea food, yogurt, cheese, and nuts etc, are full of proteins. You should include these food in your daily diet.
3. Fats: Fats are again a good source of energy. They should be consumed in moderate amounts everyday as they contain fat soluble vitamins. Fats are also important to absorb vitamins found in proteins. Oil, butter, cheese, meats, and cream are some of the food packed with fats.
4. Vitamins: There are different types of vitamins such as, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E etc. These vitamins are necessary and are required by different body systems in order to complete various processes in the body. Variety of fruits and vegetables are high on vitamins.
5. Minerals: Some of the important minerals are iron, calcium, sodium, and iodine etc. They perform some of the essential functions in the body. Fruits and vegetables are high on iron, milk and dairy products are rich in calcium, sodium and iodine is found in salts and some vegetables.
6. Fiber: Fibers are essential for the digestion and make a person full for a longer time. Fruits and vegetables are again rich sources of dietary fibers. You must include raw salads in your daily diet to get some roughage for the intestine.

A healthy diet must have the above nutrients in an adequate amount.

Balanced Diet Plan

A key to well-balanced diet is planning. Yes, planning all your meals and snacks in advance can help you stay fit and free of diseases. Given below is an ideal diet plan that everyone should follow.

Breakfast
A bowl of boiled oats with fruits and milk
Or
An egg with a toast and glass of milk
Or
Cereals or cornflakes with fruits and milk

Morning Snacks
A fruit
Or
Handful of peanuts
Or
A celery stick
Or
Flavored or unsweetened yogurt

Lunch
A vegetable or chicken sandwich with a bowl of rice
Or
Pasta with beans and peas
Or
Noodles and salads
Or
Fish or chicken with bread or rice

Evening Snack
A toast with peanut butter
Or
Low fat cheese cube
Or
Biscuits with a cup of milk, coffee, or tea

Dinner
A bowl of soup with rice or bread
Or
Sprouted bean salad and steamed fish or vegetables along with bread or brown rice

One can customize the above menu as per ones dietary needs and requirements. Diet for women must include more food high in iron as their requirements for iron are higher due to menstruation. The diet for children should be full of protein and carbohydrate food as they promote healthy growth of the body. Apart from this, children have a higher metabolism rate and need more energy. The diet for weight loss should be inclusive of all the nutrients but should include less of fatty food. One can go for low fat and low sugar food to reduce weight.

With these insights, you are sure to make healthy food choices that would help you maintain an ideal weight. Apart from this, it is advisable to follow a good exercise regimen and a healthy lifestyle to enjoy your life in a better way.