There is no such thing as a perfect diet, only the diet most suitable for yourself. Whatever the best diet for yourself turns out to be, there are certain things that all good diets have in common; mainly, they are all balanced and nutritious. It may seem daunting to achieve a balanced and nutritious idea at first, but it does not have to be. You just have to adhere to certain guidelines that can help you make the right meal planning decisions.
What Goes into a Balanced Diet?
Essentially, a balanced diet is a diet that provides your body with the proper nutrients so that it can properly function. A properly balanced diet should get the majority of its daily calories from the following type of foods:
- Fresh fruits
- Fresh veggies
- Legumes
- Lean proteins
- Whole grains
- Nuts
Calories
A nutritious diet is also dependent on the amount of food that you are eating. Ingesting too many calories can make your diet go from being nutritious and healthy to not healthy in a moment. An average person requires 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight. But that number is subject to change from person to person. Make sure that when you are counting calories you are subtracting the calories that come from dietary fiber. Dietary fiber will not be broken down by your body and will simply pass through your system until it is eventually expelled.
Achieving a Balanced Diet
The basis of your balanced diet features eating foods that are low in unhealthy fats and sugars, but high in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The following food groups make up the core of a nutritious diet:
1.Fruits
Fruits are fantastic sources of nutrition, but they tend to be high in sugar. Make sure not to over eat them. And when you do consume fruits, you should be sure to ingest their dietary fiber content.
2.Vegetables
Veggies are some of the best sources of vitamins and minerals, and they are low in calories. Dark, leafy, green veggies are especially nutritious and have many additional health benefits
3.Grains
Avoid grains made from processed or refined flour. Grains produced this way are filled with empty calories.
4.Proteins
Even if you are a vegetarian, it is still important that you get your RDI of protein. It is the building block of the cells and responsible for creating new tissue.
4.Dairy
Dairy is one of the best natural sources for calcium and vitamin D. In the past, health experts warned against the fat content of dairy. But recent studies have shown that dairy products contain healthy fats, so don’t be afraid of whole fat milk.
Oils
You’re not going to be able to avoid using cooking oil, so make sure you’re using the right kind. Avoid vegetable based oils and use oils that contain healthy fats, such as, olive oil, rapeseed oil, etc.
