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In today’s world where we all have easy access to online food deliveries, it has become quite common to enjoy junk food. Not only does it save our time from hectic cooking, but it also offers economical mouth-watering deals. But all of this has made us forget the importance of a healthy and balanced diet that our body requires. We also don’t keep track of minerals, calcium, and different vitamins that go in our bodies. For example, different proteins, vegetables, and fruits that contain vitamin B6 are vital for our healthy immune system and metabolism. However, people overlook the significance of such healthy meals, as they don’t look as “appetizing” as junk food.
If we want to live a life that guarantees both mental and physical well-being, we need to have a balanced diet, which we will discuss in this article. Read on to learn more!
What Is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is a diet that contains an appropriate amount of nutrients that our body requires in a day. It contains the right proportion of minerals, vitamins, and other essential nutrients that when taken diminishes the risks of developing chronic health diseases.
How to Achieve a Balanced Diet?
1. Incorporate Five Food Groups
Our bodies must take in food from these five food groups each day. These food groups include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Grains
- Proteins
- Dairy
These foods will provide nutrients that are essential for the body like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. It’s important to keep in mind that the required amount of these nutrients varies according to gender and age.
2. Moderation While Eating
Food should be consumed in moderation to achieve a balanced diet. You should find a fine balance between your everyday meals.
For example, you shouldn’t restrict your diet and at the same time, you shouldn’t eat in abundance which can cause obesity and other health-related issues. Your daily calorie intake should be according to your body’s requirements.
3. Limit Your Sugar Intake
Having sugary foods and drinks like cakes, biscuits, energy drinks, soft drinks, etc., once in a while is alright to satisfy your cravings. But if taken on a regular basis, the high amount of sugar intake can cause many health issues like obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, etc. Therefore, we should opt for natural alternatives to sugar, like honey or maple syrup.
4. Monitor the Amount of Salt Consumption
Though salt is very important to maintain the healthy functioning of the body. However, it can lead to many health issues like high blood pressure, heart attack, osteoporosis, etc. when consumed in high amounts.
The usage of processed foods should be minimal, as they contain a high level of sodium. Instead, enjoy more home-cooked meals as you can monitor salt consumption. And add more vegetables and fruits to your diet.
5. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Healthy functioning of the body cannot be achieved without taking an appropriate amount of water. Especially if the weather is hot and humid, or you are suffering from illnesses like vomiting or diarrhea, your body tends to lose fluid levels.
The right quantity of water varies from person to person and depends on many things like weather, how active your lifestyle is, and your overall health condition.