What is a Balanced Diet? – Nutrients, Characteristic and Guidelines

What is a Balanced Diet?

When we chat about a balanced diet, we refer to eating healthily and diversely. It is a kind of diet in which the intake of any food is not allotted with, but slightly, the diet is organized to be nourished and in perfect situation.

A balanced diet is a healthy diet. For this reason, all those ingredients that are not very nutritious and that provide us with excessive amounts of fats, sugars or salts must be reduce from our weekly menu. Thus, we will bet on a natural, fresh and nutritious diet, and we will reduce the consumption of industrial pastries, fast food, fried foods, salty snacks, etc.

The Nutrients Of A Balanced Diet

To know the characteristics of a balanced diet, we must first understand the nutrients that should be part of our diet. As we have already said, this diet is based on organizing food intake but always betting on nutritious and beneficial ingredients for health. And within this great definition, the following foods are included:

• Carbohydrates: it is our primary basis of energy. It comes from cereals, legumes and, also (although to a lesser degree), from fruits and vegetables. They should be between 55 and 65% of our diet.
• Fruits and vegetables: they are a rich source of vitamins and minerals of all kinds; they also do not provide saturated fats and are rich in water. The ideal is to include 3 to 5 pieces of fruits and vegetables during our day to enjoy a body in perfect health.
• Good fats: good fats are unsaturated and are found in olive oil, avocado, nuts, etc. These fats should be part of our diet with between 25 to 30%.
• Proteins: they come from both meat, fish, dairy products, as well as legumes that are vegetable proteins. In a balanced diet, 10 or 15% of the daily intake needs to be protein.

Here, you will know what the nutritional pyramid is like, a way of distributing the food on which this balanced diet hovers.

 Characteristics Of A Balanced Diet

To know what the characteristics of a balanced diet are, we must consider some critical aspects of this diet. Here we discover the essential bases that will help you enjoy a balanced and healthy menu for your body.

Distribute Nutrients Well Throughout The Day

The first and essential thing is to keep in mind that our body does not need the same energy in the morning as it does at night. And it is that, at the beginning of the day, we need more nutrients to spend the whole day actively and energetically. At night, on the other hand, biological needs are lower because our body prepares for rest. That said, you have to keep in mind a premise that will help you understand how you should distribute food: eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. By following this simple rule, you will confirm that your body is treated as it requires.

The Ideal Nutrients for Each Moment

Because we don’t need the same energy load in the morning as at night, the food groups shouldn’t be the same either. Here we discover what ingredients are recommend to include depending on the time of day in which we find ourselves:

• Breakfast rich in carbohydrates: High carbohydrate intake that fruits, vegetables and proteins should accompany)
• Mid-morning: Fruits
• Food rich in protein: High protein intake that is accompanied by vegetables and few carbohydrates
• Snack: Fruits
• Vegetable dinner: Predominance of vegetables accompanying proteins. Carbohydrates better are limited to the maximum at night. In this other article, we tell you how to make light dinners.Healthy Fats, Essential In Your Balanced Diet

Another characteristic of a balanced diet is that you include good fats in your diet. Nowadays it seems that there is a “war” against fats and, the truth is that it is necessary to differentiate very well the good ones from the bad ones.

Good fats are unsaturated, and we find them in avocados, olive oil, oily fish, etc. It has to be part of our diet because they help us keep our cardiac system nourished and optimal. On the other hand, bad fats are saturated and transgenic from sweets, fried foods, process foods, fast food, etc. So these are the ones that should be eliminated.

The Amount Of Food Consumption Per Week

Another critical point to make a balanced diet is to know what the ideal consumption per day or week is. There are certain foods that, due to their nutritional contribution, consume to be taken daily and others that have to be taken in a more controlled way. Here we detail the main food groups so that you can concisely prepare your balanced diet:

• Dairy: 2 or 3 servings a day
• Meats: 4 or 5 times a week
• Fish : 3 or 4 times a week
• Eggs. 3 or 4 times a week
• Legumes and nuts: 1 or 2 servings a day
• Vegetables : 3 to 5 servings a day
• Fruits: 2 to 5 servings a day
• Cereals (carbohydrates) : 3 to 8 servings a day

Of course, with carbohydrates, you have to be careful if you want to control your weight and figure. Therefore, it is best to avoid treated carbohydrates and always opt for their integral version since it has a more excellent nutritional value. Also, we should not take them at night because our body does not need this energy injection.

Guidelines for A Healthy Diet

In addition to the main characteristics of a balanced diet that we have just indicated, it is suitable that you also know extra keys to enjoy a fit diet. For example, today, there are many foods in our diet that offer us a large number of fats and, therefore, it is essential to limit their consumption as much as possible.

Here We Discover Some Of The Food Guidelines To Have A Healthy Diet Every Day :

• Reduce animal fat consumption: sausages, processed meats, or red meats are foods rich in animal fats. Therefore, it is recommend that you reduce your consumption and bet on lean meats since they are lighter and healthier.
• Moderate soft drinks: the consumption of sugary soft drinks is also being a social scourge. In fact, in countries like the US, there is an increase in obesity cases, and, in part, it is due to the consumption of soft drinks rich in sugar. Of course, you can choose the light version to reduce sugar, but they are not healthy for the body anyway. Failing that, you better decide to prepare a homemade smoothie or fruit juice and enjoy a healthy and delicious drink.
• Skimmed dairy: milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc., can be part of your balanced diet. However, to reduce the presence of fat, there is nothing better than opting for the skimmed version, which gives you the same proteins but reduces the presence of fat as much as possible.
• Drink 2 litres of water a day: to get your body to eliminate the presence of liquids and stay hydrated, nothing better than drinking 2 litres of water a day. With this, you will be able to improve the functioning of your body and, in addition, reduce fluid retention as well as cellulite.
• Eliminate sweets and sugars: it is recommend to eliminate or reduce the consumption of sugary foods or pastries as much as possible. They are foods rich in fats and sugars that are hardly nutrients. Therefore, they shouldn’t be part of our diet.
• Watch the quantities: to have a balanced diet, it is essential that you eat what you need. Excess food can cause overweight and obesity because you have to eat what your body will burn. No more, no less. The practice of daily exercise will also help you enjoy a healthier life and a fat-free body.

Also Read: What Types Of Iron Are In Food