Diet is an integral component of living well. Make better food choices at each meal and avoid unhealthy ones that put your health at risk.
Build balanced meals that include the appropriate proportions of grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits and dairy or alternatives in order to meet your calorie needs.
What is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet gives your body all of the minerals, vitamins and nutrients it requires for peak performance, helping prevent chronic health conditions or diseases.
Daviess Community Hospital features Registered Dietitian Paige Schaefer as she discusses what constitutes a healthy diet and its significance.
The USDA recently implemented its Healthy Eating Plate, which recommends that half your meal should consist of vegetables and fruit. The remaining half should include grains such as pasta, brown rice or quinoa along with lean proteins like turkey breast. Dairy provides calcium and Vitamin D essential for bone strength – choose low-fat milk products to limit fat consumption.
Avoid highly processed foods that contain additional sugars, salt and unhealthy fats – such as fast foods, chips, cookies, frozen pizzas and deli meats.
The Basics
Your diet should consist primarily of whole, minimally processed foods and include high-fiber fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils and nuts; whole grains; low-fat dairy; as well as less red meat and sugary drinks and snacks.
Get a serving from each food group every meal. To do so, use The Eatwell Guide as a useful resource – this shows proportions for each food group that should be eaten daily or over several days/weeks based on individual dietary restrictions or health needs. The Eatwell Guide may be adjusted as necessary based on these concerns.
As always, remember the balance is key and take some time for yourself each and every now and then to indulge yourself with some treats – but only occasionally! A couple bites of dessert should suffice, though if sugary snacks or beverages become an everyday craving try cutting back or eliminating them completely from your diet.
An essential way to meet nutritional needs is through eating a wide range of healthy food, so plan ahead and make the most nutritious selections possible. Opt for local produce that’s in season for extra vitamins and minerals; use low-fat cooking methods like roasting or steaming; consider making meals that can easily be customized like tacos or grain bowls so each family member can meet their nutrient requirements easily while enjoying their food; don’t forget plenty of water too!
The Myths
Balanced diets have long been associated with reduced morbidity and premature mortality, yet several dietary myths (i.e., nutrition-related concepts that lack scientific support or contradict existing evidence) may prevent healthy eating patterns from emerging. Such myths could relate to micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats), non-nutrients and food energy; or be untruths about them all.
Some nutrition myths include the beliefs that soy milk is an adequate source of calcium compared to dairy, that avoiding carbohydrates leads to weight loss, that consuming too much protein may harm our bodies, and all calories equal pounds on body weight. Such beliefs can create confusion and unhealthy habits. By learning more about a balanced diet rich in whole foods can help dispel such misguided beliefs and support healthier living; also having an established plan can prevent short-term dieting strategies and promote long term weight loss success.
The Secrets
Balanced diet is key to leading a healthy life. It gives your body what it needs to function optimally, helping you meet physical, mental and emotional goals more easily. But it takes more than knowing the basics of nutrition in order to make this dream come true; meal plans must take into account individual lifestyle needs as well.
As with anything new, starting off right requires setting goals and developing a plan. Once this is in place, small changes should be implemented gradually over time – like starting your day with a protein-rich breakfast or switching out processed for whole foods. Another essential aspect is understanding portion sizes; one way of keeping track is using your hand as a measuring stick: palm size for protein servings, cupped hand for grains and however many vegetables you feel you need for each one!
As we enter 2019, don’t overlook the significance of mindful eating. Eating with intention requires paying attention to every bite you consume and eating slowly with satisfaction in mind. Avoid using food as an emotional comfort blanket as this could lead to unhealthy behaviors in later years.
With some effort and the right tools, it’s possible to design an individualized meal plan tailored specifically for yourself. So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!
