Important Guidelines for a Balanced & Nutritious Diet
JULY 26, 2018
A balance in nutrition is very vital for your body and all of its systems to function properly. Many scientific studies show that having good nutrition will help you maintain healthy weight levels, reduce your body fat, provide your body with energy & promote good sleep all of which will generally make you feel better. Furthermore, by having good nutrition it has been proven that you are less likely to develop many of the present-day diseases.
A balanced diet is viewed as having ‘a variety of foods, basing your meals on starchy foods and eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.’ A major recommendation of having a balanced diet, is to have moderate amounts of meats (a moderated amount of protein) and having small or occasional amounts of food high in fat or sugar content (this does not mean you binge chocolates and Ice creams)
- You should look into eating 5 portions or more of fruit and vegetables per day, in order to reduce the amount of processed food you consume.
- Ensure that you drink at least 2 litres of water a day,
- Have a balance between the amount of carbs, fats and protein you consume,
- Eat content high in proteins weekly
- Lastly, but most importantly reduce the amount of table salt you have (make sure it is below 6g) and the amount of sugar in your diet.
As we all know there are seven building blocks for a healthy diet, which include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Add water to this mix and you’re already shaping up nicely!
Here’s a breakdown of all the foods that fall under the umbrella of a balanced diet.
| Food Type | How does it help us? | Where can we find it? |
| Carbohydrates | Carbs provides us with ‘quick’ energy. 60% of our diet should consist of Carbs | Pasta, Wholegrain Cereals & Potatoes |
| Fats | Provides us with ’Slow’ Energy, 25% of our diet should consist of Fats | Oils, Dairy Products, Nuts & Fish |
| Protein | Proteins build and repair our muscles. Our diet should only consist of 15% of Protein | Meat, Pulses & Fish |
| Vitamins | Helps you with your concentration & help the body work. Vitamin A: For Vision Vitamin B: For energy production & Stress Reduction Vitamin C: For keeping your Skin Healthy Vitamin D: For keeping your Bones & Teeth Healthy | Fresh Fruit & Vegetables |
| Minerals | Helps release energy from foods you consume. Calcium: To strengthen your Bones Iodine: To produce more energy Iron: Prevents Fatigue | Fresh Fruit & Vegetables & Fish |
| Fibre | Help with Weight Control & Healthy Digestion | Fresh Fruit & Vegetables, Wholegrain Cereals |
While we absolutely do not want to repeat the sentiments of what your loving mother has said to you; but for the 101st time, A balanced diet really is essential for a clean bill of health!
