Eating a balanced diet is essential to combat overweight and obesity as well as other pathologies that are becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. It is not a matter of following a strict and restrictive diet, but of providing the body with all the nutrients it needs to carry out its vital functions.
Do you wish to eat properly and healthy? In this post, we will explain how to do it easily and what benefits you will receive for your health.
What Is A Diet?
Do you know the origins of the term “diet”? It is particularly revealing because it is derived from the Greek word “datia”, which signifies “style of life.” And the fact is that how we feed ourselves is a habit, and thus a way of life.
Although the word diet is often used – erroneously – to refer to restrictive regimes aimed at weight loss or linked to some disease, diet is, in reality, the set of foods, as well as their quantity and the frequency with which they are ingested.In the case of human beings, diet is conditioned by cultural, geographical, climatic, economic and social factors, as well as by individual tastes.
Differences Between Food, Nutrition And Dietetics
Food, nutrition, and dietetics are sometimes used interchangeably, although they are not the same thing.
Food refers to the whole process by which we supply our body with food. This process is fundamental for living beings to obtain energy. It encompasses both the preparation or cooking of food and its ingestion. It varies according to individual and social circumstances.
Nutrition refers to the process in which the body transforms the food ingested, incorporating the nutrients present in it into the body.Dietetics is a discipline related to food and nutrition, which studies the most appropriate foods and the most suitable way of eating according to individual circumstances, such as age, sex or presence of pathologies in order to maintain health.
What Is A Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is one in which foods from all the groups we have seen are consumed, and which covers the recommended amounts of intake of each nutrient to ensure the proper functioning of the body.
The food pyramid can be used to graphically show a well-balanced diet. This varies depending on the culture. In Spain, for example, the nutritional pyramid is based on the Mediterranean diet, which has been proven to have a highly good impact on population health.
We have to underline that in general there are no “good” and “bad” foods, but this quality is given by the frequency with which they are ingested, as well as by their composition. Obviously, processed foods involve the intake of many substances in addition to the nutrients themselves and limiting their consumption as much as possible.
There are food guidelines, books that show us how to eat well in a simple way, to help us when it comes to eating a balanced diet. The SENC (Spanish Society of Community Nutrition) healthy eating pyramid is the most extensively utilized tool today. This pyramid separates foods according to the frequency with which their consumption is recommended.
The Eating Pyramid Is Interpreted As Follows:
At the bottom of the pyramid, we find healthy lifestyle practices that should go hand in hand with nutrient consumption, healthy cooking techniques that avoid nutrient deterioration, and an adequate daily amount of water that allows the body to eliminate waste.
The foods at the base of the pyramid provide energy and should be consumed daily. They supply most of the carbohydrates, and are found in foods such as cereals, rice, etc. It is important to point out that nowadays cereals suffer a process of refinement in which they lose many properties such as fiber, that is why it is advisable to consume them in their integral form.
This group contains 4 to 6 servings of slow digestion carbs, making it a good source of energy. We have vegetables, fruits, and vegetables in the second step. We shall consume more than two servings of veggies and three servings of fruit every day.
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemical agents that are associated with healthy aging and the prevention of numerous diseases. A balanced diet should include a certain amount of fat, but we must be careful with the type of fat it belongs to, favoring the consumption of vegetable oils rather than animal fats.
Beware of vegetable oils such as coconut or palm oil as they are rich in saturated fats, which are not as healthy as olive or sunflower oil. It is also recommended that dairy products, salmon, and white meat be consumed on a daily basis. Calcium and protein are abundant in dairy products. We must not eat too many of them because they contain saturated fats, which can upset the lipid profile.
Fish and white meat are low-fat and cholesterol-containing protein sources that can be included in the diet.
Animal protein has a great biological value and should be consumed at least once a day. When a protein has all of the essential amino acids required by our bodies to make our own proteins, it is regarded to have high biological value. Animal protein contains all of the required amino acids as well as vitamins, iron, zinc, and other minerals. Fiber, linolenic acid, and essential amino acids are all found in legumes. Nuts and dried fruits are high in vegetable proteins and provide a lot of energy.
Red meats or processed meats provide proteins and minerals but they also provide a large amount of cholesterol and fat and should be consumed occasionally.
Sweets, pastries, snacks and processed foods should be consumed occasionally since their nutritional contribution is poor and have a negative impact on health.
The 6 Pillars Of A Balanced Diet
These are the six pillars of a well-balanced diet:
Adapted: It must be completely customized to each individual’s schedule, physical activity, economic situation, age, health, and so on.
Complete: It must provide adequate amounts all the nutrients, fiber and water that our body needs.
Satisfactory: It is important that the food, the quantities and the preparations are appropriate and pleasant to feel satisfied. Well, you know, eating well doesn’t necessarily always need to be boring!
Varied: To avoid boredom, it is essential to diversify our meal selection. This way, we ensure that all minerals and vitamins are included. Additionally, it is important to ensure that they are seasonal and fresh.
Balanced in energy: The energy intake should be what we need, it is important for the proper functioning of our body not to overdo it or fall short.
Safe: It should not put our health at risk, preventing food poisoning and avoiding the ingestion of harmful components, such as pesticides in fruits and vegetables or the abuse of additives.
The Bottom Line
A well-balanced diet is the most effective instrument for maintaining good health. As the adage goes, “we are what we eat.” Food and health are inextricably intertwined. Numerous scientific investigations back this up. A report published recently in the famous magazine The Lancet revealed that “eating poorly causes more fatalities per year than smoking.”
In its nutrition and health study, it demonstrated how eating poor meals causes a large increase in serious health problems.
As you can see, the advantages of a well-balanced diet when combined with a healthy lifestyle are indisputable. It is never too late to start; in fact, a balanced diet during breastfeeding promotes the child’s growth and cognitive development.