The importance of balanced diet in our daily lives cannot be overemphasized. Many believe that having a balanced diet is a luxury, which can only be afforded by the rich in the society. This is not true.
In this post, we shall bring out the meaning of a balanced diet, the required food to balance a diet, health implications of not maintain a balanced diet and conclusion.
A balanced diet is a diet that has or contains all the necessary nutrients needed for the optimal growth and development of the body. The organs and tissues in human body need adequate nutrition to work effectively. It is therefore important for us as human beings to eat the variety of foods choices from each of the six food classes namely:
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Fats
Foods like vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and lean proteins fall into these categories of the mentioned food classes.
Fruits: remain great source of nutrition. They are vital sources of vitamins and minerals; thus they should in large quantity to make up one-third of the food you eat each day.
Vegetables: are also the primary sources of essential vitamins and minerals. It is advisable to eat variety of vegetables and fruits every day. Good examples are leafy greens that contain great nutrients which can be eaten at every meal. A variety of it will help you obtain the abundant nutrients that all vegetables provide.
Meats and Beans: are other primary sources of protein essential for proper muscle and brain development. They are believed to be rich in soluble fibre. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That’s one reason beans are a useful food for people trying to lose weight. Beans are very versatile foods and highly recommended in this regard.
Medical experts advise that to maintain good health foods, we need food that are rich in protein to build our immune system and acts as body defense against diseases and infections.
Milk And Cheese: are rich in calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients. It is advisable to eat enough of these healthy foods, exercise yourself regularly for body needs and healthy living.
Water: is another good and required food to maintain a balanced diet and promote a healthy living.
Apples, Grapes Strawberries, Citrus fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that lowers LDL.
Barley and other whole grains: like oats and oat bran barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fibre they deliver.
What then are the health implications of not taking balanced diet?
Without good nutrition, your body is prone to diseases, infections, fatigue and poor performance. In other words, researches have shown that children with poor diet run a risk of growth and developmental problems and poor academic performance.
Firstly, in order to balance our diet, we must abstain from junk foods, also known as fast foods. This is so because these foods are highly processed and contain a lot of calories. When fast foods are frequently consumed, we run the risk of replacing nutritious foods in your diet which can lead to weight gain, poor health and general low performance.
Secondly, malnutrition becomes the order of the day. In the time of any disease or infection, a victim cannot withstand it.
Thirdly, not maintaining balanced diet could lead to a number of health hazards ranging from heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and even death.
In conclusion, we should try to avoid those foods we think are good for the body, which in the real sense of the word, are posing great danger to human health.
It is my earnest hope that you will begin exercise daily, eat rightly the above suggested meals to boost your immune system (self-healing mechanism) inside of you, to help you have wellness and balance your diet to live a healthy life.