Keeping your diet balanced

The major food groups

Food components have been broken down into different groups being:             

-carbohydrates

-proteins

-vitamins

-mineral salts

-fats and sugars

One has a variety of food and drink choices to make from these food groups. Moderation of certain foods and drinks such as alcohol, saturated fats, refined sugar, cholesterol and salt should always be observed.

Much research done on balanced diets recommend improved eating habits of vegetables and fruits, dairy products which have low fat content, whole grains and lean animal proteins.

White meats are emphasized e.g. fish and chicken.

Plant proteins like beans and nuts are considered better sources of proteins. Plant proteins work well for vegetarians, so they are not completely deprived of this important nutrient, as much as fleshy sources are either, completely or partially excluded from the meals.

Importance of a Balanced Diet

How and what you eat, are the main issues to observe, if you want your body to enjoy the nutritive values of the food you eat. Knowing the importance of balanced diet helps you to make an informed choice. This in turn reduces your risk of getting nutritionally related illnesses like diabetes, cancer and heart diseases which have been proven to be mainly caused by poor dieting.

A balanced diet also works towards keeping your immune system strong hence stabilizing your health status. The foods you take contain medicinal values and these can only be achieved by eating a variety of foods available in the market. Garlic, for example, has been found to be a great immune booster. Its natural components also help in fighting some diseases. By eating a balanced diet, you are in turn keeping diseases such as stroke, heart problems, diabetes and cancer among others at bay.

On a step by step nutritional break down of these food groups, you will be able to

see how and why your body needs every single type;

a)      Carbohydrates – they are also known as energy giving foods. The body needs energy in order to carry out various activities like walking, digestion etc. the main source of carbohydrates is cereals/grains like rice, maize and wheat These foods also contain fiber whose slow digestion keeps us full for long reducing crave for fast foods. A whole grain starchy breakfast would therefore be an ideal way to start your day, for example whole grain bread or chapatti. It is important to note that these foods are more nutritious unrefined.

 b)     Proteins – they are body building foods. Proteins are important in the growth and repair process, as they enable the development of your body tissues and cells. They can be found both from plants eg pulses (beans lentils and peas) and from animals e.g. milk, fish, eggs, chicken and beef.

Care should be taken regarding their consumption because of their high fat saturation. When using meats, you should avoid fatty cuts or otherwise scrape off the fat. White meat like poultry and fish should be a better alternative.

When using pulses, you should however take great care in their preparation so as to avoid digestion problems.

Different bean types like kidney beans, Soya beans, garden peas, runner peas, chick peas, butter beans etc all have varying cooking time requirements.

They can be cooked while still green or after they are dried. Dried pulses should always be soaked overnight to get rid of toxins and gases which can cause vomiting, stomach pains or inhibit digestion.

The water used for soaking should be drained out and then the beans can be boiled before later simmering to allow for the thickening of the sauce.

c)      Vitamins – they are also known as protective foods and mainly do the  work of keeping our immune system intact. They are mostly found in fruits like oranges, pineapples, apples, grapes and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C is very essential in the absorption of iron. Avoid vitamin supplements as they lack certain nutrients and compounds needed by the body.

 d)      Mineral salts – these are essential in your bone and teeth construction and their healthy maintenance. They include calcium, magnesium iron, potassium, sodium, etc they can be found in fish, cereals, meat, yoghurt, fruits and nuts. This batch plays a major role in any balanced diet and should no be excluded at any cost.

e)      Fats and sugars – fats basically help the body in insulation. There are various sources of fats, both plants and animals. However, a non-saturated fat like olive oil is nutritionally recommended unlike saturated fats from animals.

Saturated fats increase your cholesterol level raising your risk of suffering a heart problem. Reduce your intake of foods such as pastry, cakes, cream, biscuits, sausages, meat pies, butter

coconut oil etc and substitute them with foods like avocadoes, and nuts.

Nuts contain mono-saturated fats which is vital in the control of cholesterol your blood system. Their unsaturated fat content (essential fatty acids) is also very important for a healthy body. They can be used for coating or as flavour enhancers.

nuts can also be used as compliments in breakfast cereals and salads.

Sugars and food containing high amounts of sugar should be avoided as sugar is a very active tooth decay agent.

Sugars can however be found naturally in fruits.

How Can You Plan A Balanced Diet?

Planning ahead of eating helps you to know if the choice you are making is a balanced diet and nutritionally sufficient or not, as it gives you enough time for evaluation of the nutrient content of the food you are planning to eat. Planning also helps you to reduce those foods that your body does not really need like excess sugars and fats.

You can also make a balanced diet by preparing your own food, being able to choose your own ingredients and reducing reliance on fast foods.

You should always eat variety of foods so as to benefit from different nutrients.

Learn new culinary tips and experiment with new recipes which will suit your requirements. This should be done with various foods to come up with tastes that you will enjoy and still not deprive yourself of vital nutrients that should be obtained form a balanced diet

Know the calorie contents of the foods you are eating so as to be able to determine the portion size that your body will require. This can be determined by the type of activities you engage in, age and gender as they affect your body energy requirement. If you are a very active person, you will need more energy than that person who does less vigorous activities. Taking more than your body requires could lead to weight gain.

Meal Samples

To give a clear picture of a meal containing all nutrients, you can go through your day with such meals.

a)      Breakfast

Chapatti avocado rolex, low fat milk, a slice of orange

      b)  Lunch

Steamed potatoes, groundnut sauce and mango juice.

c)      Supper

Baked rice, bean curry, pineapple slices/ juice

Balanced diet within the budget

Financial challenges make it impossible for most people to serve a balanced diet with every meal. It is, however, easy to overcome this, once you know the nutritive values of the foods that are at your disposal and those that you can access cheaply.

For instance, you can add pulses to your sauces for flavor enrichment and added texture. This way, you will be cutting down on extra costs that you would have incurred by buying meat. You are in turn able to either provide for your large family or, nutritiously feed your family on a balanced diet but at low cost.

Left over foods can be well preserved for later use to avoid wastage and reduce future purchase. Some ingredients such as chilies and stews can be prepared in batches and frozen to save on future cooking time and fuel.

Foods in season are cheaper because of their availability. Take advantage of this and feed your body healthily. Unprocessed foods are in most cases cheaper than processed foods. Their nutrient value is also high making them the best option for anyone in close watch of what to eat.

Buy food stuff from big grocers if possible in bulk and not from small stores.