Eat a Balanced Diet for a Healthy Lifestyle

A balanced diet refers to a combination of food aimed at giving the body with all the vital nutriments and amino acids necessary for healthy existence, which can be achieved from several plant and animal products. What matters is not the food that is consumed, but the nutritional value of the food consumed. In an average adult human body, the basic requirements of food can be broken up into various constituents. These components are known as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, amino acids and other minerals. A diet is not uniform for every human being and varies according to nutritional needs.

The nutritional needs of a human being depend on the kind of work they do and the general lifestyle they lead. Thus, the term “balanced diet” should ideally refer to a combination of nutriments required by an individual to live in their own healthy way. For example, for a person whose work involves a lot of physical labor, the appropriate diet should include more carbohydrates than would be recommended for a person who devotes their time to cerebral pursuits. Healthy eating is the key to healthy living and it can be attained only through a well-rounded diet.

Eat Wisely

The World Health Organization has a set of guidelines that help in understanding a well-rounded diet a little bit more. The WHO has five basic recommendations for healthy living:

1. One should consume calories to replenish it. That is to say, one must only consume as many calories as we burn off every day through physical exercise.
2. One should avoid the consumption of food rich in saturated fat or trans-fat.
3. It is advisable to consume more plant-based food than animal-based food. There are options of fruits, vegetables and legumes that can be chosen to replace an animal- based diet.
4. According to a 2003 health report, the consumption of simple sugar should be brought down to less than 10%.
5. Salt and sodium intake ought to be limited. Any salt that can be consumed should be iodized.

Live Well

Additionally, according to the National Institutes of Health, there are other recommendations for healthy eating that endorse a limited consumption of certain vitamins and minerals. The human body also needs protein in very small amounts; however, it is one of the most important components of a balanced diet. No diet can be called balanced if it does not include a sufficient intake of water. Water is the best source of liquid and should be consumed in adequate quantities on a regular basis. There is no substitute for water, as the body needs water to function properly; therefore, it is imperative to include watery fruits and vegetables to get a balanced diet for better health and a stronger immune system.