A balanced diet consist of a variety of different types of food which provides adequate amounts of nutrients necessary for good health.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best.
This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
WHY IS A BALANCED DIET IMPORTANT?
A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance.
Children who don’t get enough healthy foods may face growth and developmental problems, poor academic performance, and frequent infections.
Some benefits of Balanced diet
1. It provides strong immune system.
2. Manage healthy weight.
3. Slow effects of aging.
4. Improve mental health and wellbeing.
5. Enhance mental focus.
6. Save medical Expenses. Etc.
CLASSES OF FOODS: EXAMPLES, BENEFITS AND RISK
It is important to know the nutritional value of the foods we consume and the right proportion to take. This article focuses more on the classes and examples of foods that may provide balanced diet. The classes of foods include:
1. Carbohydrates
2. Protein
3. Fat
4. Vitamins
5. Mineral
6. Water
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates, also known as saccharides or carbs, provide energy for the body. The body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose, which is the primary energy source for the brain and muscles.
Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods. They also occur in dairy products in the form of a milk sugar called lactose. Foods high in carbohydrates include bread, pasta, beans, potatoes, rice, and cereals.
In a typical diet, carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body. The body uses them as fuel for the cells.
When taking foods rich in carbohydrate, the quality is important; some types of carbohydrate are rich and better than others. Examples are;
- The healthiest sources of carbohydrates
1.Unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains – Whole grains are considered to be more nutritious and healthier than regular grains. Examples are, Brown rice, millet, oats, corn, wheat.
2. Vegetables – Spinach, carrots, sweet potato, green peas, green beans, bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, carbage.
3. Fruits – Banana, mango, pineapple, Apple
These foods promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.
- Unhealthier sources of carbohydrates
They include white bread, pastries, sodas, and other highly processed or refined foods. These items contain easily digested carbohydrates that may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.
PROTEIN
Protein is a nutrient the body needs to grow and repair cells, and to work properly.
Some food sources of dietary protein include:
- Lean meats – beef, pork
- Poultry – chicken, turkey
- Fish and seafood – fish, prawns, crab,
- Eggs
- Dairy products – milk, yoghurt (especially Greek yoghurt)
- Nuts and seeds – almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
- Legumes and beans – all beans ( Peanuts, Black beans, Green peas, Kidney beans, soya bean
Symptoms of protein deficiency include:
Wasting and shrinkage of muscle tissue, oedema (build-up of fluids, particularly in the feet and ankles), anaemia (the blood’s inability to deliver sufficient oxygen to the cells, usually caused by dietary deficiencies such as lack of iron), slow growth (in children).
A very high-protein diet can strain the kidneys and liver. It can also prompt excessive loss of the mineral calcium, which can increase your risk of osteoporosis.
FATS
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet.
Healthy fats help in lowering the risk of developing heart disease, improving blood cholesterol levels, helping with blood sugar control and reducing inflammation. But fats should be taken in moderation. Saturated are harmful to the body while unsaturated are healthy.
Healthy unsaturated fats
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.
Unhealthy Saturated fats
Saturated fats by comparison with unsaturated fats negatively impact health and are best consumed in moderation. Foods containing large amounts of saturated fat include red meat, butter, cheese, and ice cream. Some plant-based fats like coconut oil and palm oil are also rich in saturated fat.
FIBRE
These are necessary for digestion and are found in fruits and vegetables.
A high fibre diet normalizes bowel movements, lowers cholesterol levels and helps control blood sugar levels.
Foods rich in fibre are Tiger nuts, dates, garden egg, avocado, cassava. Etc.
MINERALS
These are necessary for improving bodily functions. The body uses minerals for many different functions, including making the bones, muscles, heart, and brain function properly. Minerals are also important for making enzymes and hormones.
VITAMINS
Vitamins are organic substances present in minute amounts in natural foodstuffs. Having too little of any particular vitamin may increase the risk of developing certain health issues.Taking higher than recommended doses of some vitamins may also cause health problems.
Vitamins are either soluble or dissolvable in fat or water.
Fat-soluble vitamins
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. The body stores Trusted Source fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver, and reserves of these vitamins can stay in the body for days and sometimes months.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the body for long and cannot be stored. They leave the body via the urine. Because of this, people need a more regular supply of water-soluble vitamins than fat-soluble ones.
There are currently 13 recognized vitamins.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for eye health. Examples are; liver, cod liver oil, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkins, collard greens, some cheeses, eggs, melon, and milk.
Having a deficiency of vitamin A may cause night blindness and keratomalacia, which causes the clear front layer of the eye to grow dry and cloudy.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 is essential for producing various enzymes that help break down blood sugar.
Examples are; yeast, pork, cereal grains, sunflower seeds, brown rice, whole grain, potatoes, oranges, liver, and eggs.
Having a deficiency in vitamin B1 may cause beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
Vitamin B3
The body needs it for the cells to grow and work correctly. Examples include chicken, beef, milk, eggs, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, broccoli, carrots, nuts and seeds.
Having a deficiency result in a health issue called pellagra, which causes diarrhea, skin changes, and intestinal upset.
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 is necessary for producing energy and hormones.
Examples include meats, whole grains, broccoli, avocados, and yogurt.
A deficiency in vitamin B5 results to paresthesia, or “pins and needles.”
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is vital for the formation of red blood cells. Examples include chickpeas, beef liver, bananas, and nuts.
A Deficiency may lead to anemia and peripheral neuropathy.
Vitamin B7
It enables the body to metabolize proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It also contributes to keratin, a structural protein in the skin, hair, and nails.
Examples include egg yolk, liver, broccoli, spinach, and cheese.
A deficiency may cause dermatitis or inflammation of the intestines.
Vitamin B9
It is essential for making DNA and RNA.
Examples include leafy vegetables, peas, legumes, liver, some fortified grain products, and sunflower seeds. Also, several fruits have moderate amounts.
Having a deficiency can affect the fetus’s nervous system during pregnancy. Doctors recommend folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy.
Vitamin B12
It is essential for a healthy nervous system.
Examples include fish, shellfish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products, fortified cereals, fortified soy products, and fortified nutritional yeast.
Having a deficiency may lead to neurological problems and some types of anemia.
Vitamin C
It contributes to collagen production, wound healing, and bone formation. It also strengthens blood vessels, supports the immune system, helps the body absorb iron, and acts as an antioxidant.
Examples include fruit and vegetables, but cooking destroys vitamin C.
Having a deficiency may result in scurvy, which causes bleeding gums, a loss of teeth, and poor tissue growth and wound healing.
Vitamin D
It is necessary for the healthy mineralization of bone.
Exposure to UVB rays from the sun or other sources causes the body to produce vitamin D. Fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, and mushrooms also contain the vitamin.
Having a deficiency may cause rickets and osteomalacia, or softening of the bones.
Vitamin E
Its antioxidant activity helps prevent oxidative stress, an issue that increases the risk of widespread inflammation and various diseases.
Examples include wheat germ, kiwis, almonds, eggs, nuts, leafy greens, and vegetable oils.
Having a deficiency in vitamin E is rare, but it may cause hemolytic anemia in newborns. This condition destroys blood cells.
Vitamin K
It is necessary for blood clotting.
Examples include leafy greens, pumpkins, figs, and parsley.
Having a deficiency may cause an unusual susceptibility to bleeding, or bleeding diathesis.
WATER
Water is an essential part of our food. Human is essentially 80% water. Therefore, we need water to keep that balance to survive and stay healthy. Fortunately, water can be found in any product. It is a simple combination of hydrogen and oxygen, but we cannot survive without this.
CONCLUSION
Eating a balanced diet is one of the most basic and cheapest method of healthy living. It involves understanding the different sources and classes of food and how they are brought together to make a balanced diet inclusive of fruits and vegetables. The latter will be discussed in the next article.