Eating Balanced
The importance of eating balanced:
Nutrition- A balanced diet provides the nutrients and energy needed for growth, repair, and staying active. It also helps prevent diet-related illnesses.
Chronic Disease Prevention- A balanced diet can help protect against chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
Weight Management- A balanced diet can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Digestive health- A balanced diet can help improve gut health by reducing inflammation and helping good bacteria thrive.
Immunity- A balanced diet can help boost your immunity.
Bone and muscle health- A balanced diet can help strengthen bones and support muscles.
Skin, teeth, and eyes- A balanced diet can help your skin, teeth, and eyes healthy.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding- A balanced diet can support healthy pregnancies and breastfeeding.
Mental Health- Getting a perfect blend of nutrients by eating balanced will contribute to an improved mental health. This will help reduce stress and promote good hormones.
Better Brain Function- A healthy diet can help improve your brain function, including your focus and memory.
A balanced diet involves eating a variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink. It also involves limiting your intake of salt, added sugars, and saturated/ industrially-produced trans-fats.
A balanced diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to function correctly; includes a variety of foods from the following food groups:
-Vegetables and fruits -Fill half of your plate with a variety of vegetables and fruits. Eat a variety of colors, and choose non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, squash, carrots, mushrooms, and leafy greens.
-Whole grains -Choose whole grains like whole-wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, oats, or brown rice. Whole grains are prepared using the entire grain, so they are broken down slowly by the body and have less effect on blood sugar.
-Protein - Choose lean proteins like fish, poultry, beans, nuts, eggs, or soy-based options like tofu. Protein helps build and maintain bones, muscles, and skin.
-Healthy fats -Use healthy oils like olive or canola oil for cooking, on salad, and at the table. Limit butter and avoid trans fat.
-Drinks - Drink plenty of fluids, like water, tea, or coffee with little or no sugar. Limit milk and juice.
-Limits -Limit saturated and trans-fats, sodium, and added sugars. Limit highly processed foods, which often have many added ingredients and removed nutrients.
