What is a balanced diet? example and components of balance diet

 

What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet provides nutrients to your body that are required for its proper functioning. To gain the nutrition which is required by your body mostly obtained by

o   Fresh vegetable

o   Fresh fruits

o   Legumes

o   All grains

o   Lean protein

o And nuts

All about calories 

The amount of calories in food indicates the amount of energy stored in that food. Your body uses calories from food for walking, thinking, breathing, and other important activities.

On average, a person needs about 2,000 calories a day to maintain weight, but this amount will depend on age, gender, and level of physical activity.

Men need more calories than women, and people who exercise need more calories than others.

Variation of calories with age

Gender type	Calorie required
Inactive children: 2–8 years	1000 to 1400
Energetic children: 2–8 years	1,000 to2,000
Woman/females: 9–13 years	1,400 to 2,200
Males/mens: 9–13 years	1,600 to 2,600
Energetic females: 14–30 years	2,400
Inactive females: 14–30 years	1,800 to 2,000
Energetic males: 14–30 years	2,800 to 3,200
Inactive males: 14–30 years	2,000 to 2,600
Energetic people: 30 years and over	2,000 to 3,000
Inactive people: 30 years and over	1,600 to 2,400

Foods having calories:

Calories

• processed meats
• energy drinks
• fruit drinks with added sugar
• ice cream
• chips and fries
• pizza
• cakes, cookies,

But it's not just the type of food that makes it nutritious, it's the ingredients.

Homemade pizza can be a healthy choice for whole grains and plenty of vegetables. In contrast, pre-packaged pizza and other processed foods often contain empty calories.

To stay healthy, reduce your empty calories and try to get calories from nutritious food instead.

Why a balanced diet is important

Importance of balance diet

A balanced diet effectively provides your body with the nutrients it needs. If your diet is not balanced then your body will more prone to disease caused by infection, fatigue, and low performance

Children who do not get adequate healthy food can develop developmental problems, poor school performance, and recurrent infections.

They can also develop unhealthy eating habits that can be maintained even by young adults.

If they do not exercise, they are at risk of obesity and various diseases that lead to metabolic syndromes, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

According to the Center for Public Benefit Science, four of the top ten causes of death in the United States are directly related to diet.

The diseases are;

o   Stroke

o   Diabetes of type 2

o   Cancer

What should we eat  for a balanced diet

A balanced diet  includes :

• Vitamins
•  Minerals
•  Antioxidants
• Carbohydrates
• Healthy fats

People who follow a completely vegetarian diet will focus on phytonutrients. They will not eat meat, fish, or dairy products, but their diet will include other ingredients that provide the same type of nutrition.

For example, tofu and beans are sources of plant-based protein. Some people suffer from milk intolerance but can choose a balanced diet by choosing different food options.

Foods you should avoid

• Foods that are highly processed
• Refined grains
• added sugar and salt
• red & processed meat
• Trans fat
• Alcohol

The food which is healthy for one person may not be suitable for another