Balanced diet

Balanced diet

What makes a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is based on the food pyramid of the basic food groups that everyone needs in order to have a healthy body. Choosing foods from one of the five food groups in the recommended servings specified in this pyramid will help you achieve and maintain a normal weight for your height. The main thing to consider when planning a balanced diet is to eat the right amounts of fat and fibre. Doctors complain that their patients are eating too much fat and not enough fibre to keep their bodies working properly. 

The five basic food groups you need to look at when planning a balanced diet are:

• Bread, potatoes, pasta, cereal, rice and noodles. These foods contain starch and should be the basis of any meal. You should look at the ingredients listed on the packaging and choose high fibre foods whenever possible.
• Fruits and vegetables. This includes all fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables including those that you use for your salads. Not only are these foods rich in vitamins, but they are low in fat and calories.
• Milk and dairy foods. These foods include cheese, yogurt, and milk. They are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals and most important for your bones, calcium.
• Meat, fish, and poultry. These foods are rich in protein. When you choose meats try to get the leaner varieties and remove the skin of the poultry because this contains the most fat and calories.
• Foods that contain fats and sugars. Some foods such as ice cream, butter, margarine coooking oils and salad dressings are loaded with fats, sugars and calories and will counteract the effect of eating the right amounts of foods from the other groups if you concentrate too much on this type of food.

 When you want to have a balanced diet, you should eat fish at least twice a week and eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables each day. If you drink alcohol, you need to keep down the amount you drink because all alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories. There is also a difference between saturated and unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats, when used in moderation, can help to lower your cholesterol. Saturated fats increase cholesterol and also increase your chances of having a heart attack.

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