The ABC’s Of A Balanced Diet
The ABCs Of A Balanced Diet
You’ve probably heard that one of the best ways to maintain good health is to follow a balanced diet.
But what does a balanced diet actually refer to?
A balanced diet basically requires that you consume foods from all of the main food groups in just the right proportions, while also avoiding foods that contain undesirable nutrients like sugar, saturated fats, and sodium.
However, know that everyone’s bodies are very different, so we can’t all follow the same diet.
Depending on gender, age, or illness, you may require a different amounts and types of certain nutrients.
You will need to adopt new eating habits if you want to achieve optimal health.
Basic Rules For A Balanced Diet:
• Reduce your salt intake, so that it doesn’t exceed 6 grams a day. If you’ve never paid attention to how much salt you ate, then you might get shocked when you find out how little 6 grams is compared to how much people are used to consuming on a daily basis.
• Cut down on saturated fat and sugar, as they are both very dangerous to your health.
• Drink six to eight glasses of water every day. If you’re used to drinking more soft drinks than water throughout the day, try squeezing a few drops of lemon in your glass in order to add a bit of flavor.
• Try to eat two portions (or more) of fish every week. Most fish are incredibly nutritious.
• Never skip meals, especially breakfast! Although you’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day about a million times, you should really listen to that piece of advice. Eating a nutritious breakfast will provide you with the energy you need to make it through the rest of the day.
• Eat five or more portions of vegetables and fruits every day. Not a lot of people actually manage to do this on a daily basis. However, if you want to live healthier, you will need to start including more fruits and vegetables into your diet.
• Starchy foods need to represent the base of your meals, as they should ideally serve as your fuel for the rest of the day.
The Importance Of A Balanced Diet:
In order for your tissues and organs to work properly, they need proper nutrition, and a balanced diet is the best way for them to get it.
When you don’t eat healthy, you’re more likely to get infections, suffer from diseases, and experience fatigue. If you’re a parent, make sure that your kids maintain a balanced diet, as insufficient nutrients may lead to developmental and growth problems in children.
Not to mention that bad eating habits you develop during childhood can be incredibly hard to change later on.
The constant rise of diabetes and obesity around the world, and especially in America, should serve as a wake-up call to all of the people who don’t really pay attention to their eating habits. Know that some of the deadliest diseases, such as stroke, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are all linked to poor nutrition.
If you’re tired of getting sick every couple of months or simply don’t know what to do to start feeling more energized throughout the day, then chances are that you simply need to start eating healthier.
Consulting A Professional About A Balanced Diet:
If you’re really serious about following a balanced diet, then making an appointment with a nutrititionist is a great next step. A nutritionist will help you develop your very own personalized diet plan.