A balanced diet for men and woman | What is it and how to achieve it !3 min read

A balanced diet means that food consumption gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly and to stay fit.

Here we can see the eight rules of a balanced diet:

1. First reduce your total fat intake, particularly your intake of saturated fats and trans fats

2. For a balanced diet make the sure adequate intake of mono- and certain poly-unsaturated fats

3. For a balance, diet try to control your intake of foods high in cholesterol

4. You should raise your fibre intake

5. Use sugar and foods high in simple carbohydrates in moderation

6. Try to use less salt

7. For a balanced diet eat a variety of foods

8. For a balanced diet drink enough water or other fluids throughout the day

A balanced diet includes:

1.Plenty of fruit and vegetables:

one should eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day for a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits instead of fruit juices

2.Starchy foods:

For a balanced diet, you should eat wholewheat and low-GI bread.

Oats, oat bran and maize meal,high-fibre, low-fat breakfast cereals low-fat wholewheat crackers, rice and pasta.

3.Non-dairy protein:

For a balanced diet, you should eat chicken without the skin, fish at least twice a week. You should also eat shellfish but limit your intake of prawns, shrimps and caviar. You should eat one egg a day as part of a balanced diet. Avoid eating fried eggs, rather choose boiled, poached or scrambled.

4.Milk and other dairy foods:

For a balanced diet eat low-fat and skim milk, fat-free yoghurt, cottage cheese and low-fat buttermilk.

5.Beverages:

For a balanced diet, you should drink tea and coffee without sugar, diet cold drinks, sugar-free squash. In case you drink alcohol, don’t drink more than two drinks a day (1 drink = 340ml beer or 120ml wine or 25ml spirits). Please Avoid alcohol if you have high blood pressure or if you are overweight.

Some extra tips About calories:

#ages 2 to 8 years: 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day

#girls ages 9 to 13 years: 1,400 to 1,600 calories per day

#boys ages 9 to 13 years: 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day

#working women ages 14 to 30 years: 2,400 calories per day

#working men ages 14 to 30 years: 2,800 to 3,200 calories per day

#active men and women over 30 years: 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day

#Inactive men and women over 30 years: 1,600 to 2,400 calorie per day

Avoid the following food:

1.Butter

2.Fatty beef, pork and mutton

3.Full-fat cheeses

4.Mayonnaise

5.All fried foods

6.Cream, artificial cream, coffee and tea creamers

7.Full-fat ice cream and yoghurt

Importance of a balanced diet:

A balanced diet is very important because your organs and tissues need proper nutrition to work properly. Without good nutrition, your body is more subject to disease, contamination, fatigue, and poor performance. Children having a poor diet run the risk of growth and developmental problems and poor academic performance, and bad eating habits can carry on for the rest of their life.