The Ultimate Guide to Nutrition and a Balanced Diet

The Ultimate Guide to Nutrition and a Balanced Diet

Maintaining a healthy diet starts with understanding nutrition. To do this, you should first familiarize yourself with the Food Pyramid and how it works to ensure that you get your daily intake of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals.

Introducing a well-balanced diet into your life can lead to immediate health benefits. Weight can also be maintained by following the Food Pyramid, exercising, and eating in moderation. Read on to learn how understanding the Food Pyramid can help you implement a well-balanced diet.

Nutrition and the Food Pyramid

Nutrition is an important part of health, and the Food Pyramid provides a way to visualize your meals so that you can get an optimal amount of vitamins and nutrients into your body. The Food Pyramid is designed so that food groups are listed in the opposite order of recommended servings. For example, the smallest part of the Pyramid, the tip, denotes that consumption of its represented food group — fats, oils, and sweets — should be consumed very sparingly as compared to other portions of the Pyramid. As the tiers of the Pyramid grow larger, the recommended servings of food groups do as well.

At the top of the Pyramid is fats, sweets, and oils which should be used sparingly, because of their low potential to provide vitamins and minerals, and because of their high sugar and fat qualities. The second tier represents groups that individuals should get two to four servings of a day. One of these groups contains milk, yogurt and cheese, and the other has meat, poultry, fish, nuts, dry beans, and eggs. The dairy group provides calcium and protein, while the meat section provides protein, B vitamins, zinc and iron. Dry beans, eggs, and nuts supply additional vitamins and minerals.

The third tier of the Pyramid contains the vegetable group and the fruit group. Individuals should strive to get two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables a day. Foods in the vegetable group are good sources of vitamins, including A and C, and folate, as well as the important minerals iron and magnesium. Fiber in vegetables can also aid in digestion. Fruits supply individuals with the A and C vitamins, as well as potassium.

Finally, the bottom tier of the Pyramid represents bread, cereal, rice and pasta. From these foods, individuals are supposed to incorporate six to 11 servings into their diets. This group is a great source of complex carbohydrates, or starches, which can fuel the body’s energy reserves. They also contain fiber, and many vitamins and minerals.

Following the Food Pyramid while creating your meal plans is a good way to stay aware of what you are putting into your body, and make sure that you are getting all of the essential vitamins and nutrients that you need daily. Using the Food Pyramid as a guideline can also help reduce calorie intake and control weight. A new way to monitor nutrition and the daily intake of food has recently been developed.

MyPlate gives users the ability to be more involved with the planning of their meals by providing an interactive tool that allows them to visualize their meals and see how they meet dietary requirements. According to the Journal of Nutrition, some individuals find success when following the diet alongside the food pyramid.

• The Food Guide Pyramid (PDF)
• A Guide To Daily Food Choices (PDF)
• Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults (PDF)

What Users Are Saying

“I have so many people in my life that tell me to listen to Dr. So-and-So or Mister What’s-his-face and don’t eat carbs or don’t eat legumes or don’t eat fruits that are out of season. I think I’m just better off making healthier choices.”

Well-Balanced Diet

The importance of a well-balanced diet cannot be underestimated. Per the National Institute of Aging, knowing your food groups is an important part of a well-balanced diet.

Whether young or old, female or male, everyone can benefit from a diet that is a healthy representation of all the food groups. It’s important to follow the serving guidelines from the Food Pyramid to ensure an accurate intake of all the food groups.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, portion control is key. When considering portions, use your hand as a guideline for a serving size. An adequate serving size of carbohydrates, like rice and pasta, should resemble your clenched fist. A serving size of meat should be the palm of your hand. Butter should be confined to the size of your thumb’s tip.

Two of the most important food groups are fruits and vegetables. For diets that are high in grains, eating fruits and vegetables can help combat weight problems and provide a large amount of vitamins and minerals. They’re also a good source of complex carbohydrates. Eat these generously, and consider new ways to add them into your diet. If you’re having trouble finding ways to incorporate certain fruits and vegetables into your meals, make them between-meal snacks.

Incorporate protein sources into your breakfast. Protein has the potential to jump-start your metabolism, give you more energy, and keep you fuller longer. It can also reduce cravings that you may experience throughout the day.

Make your plate big on variety. It’s been shown that people who eat big portions of one type of food often put on weight. An unbalanced diet can also lead to health problems with body tissues, the nervous system, brain function, and growth, if the person consuming the unbalanced diet is a child. Moderation is also a key to maintaining health.

Generally, it’s a good idea to stay away from foods that contain excess fats, sodium and cholesterol. Foods with sugar and alcohol in them should be consumed sparingly. A well-balanced diet can be complemented with an exercise regimen to keep weight low.

• Choose My Plate
• Balanced Diet Nutrition
• Omnitrition Review
• Healthy Eating
• Healthy Grocery Shopping List and Guide

Article Sources

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11160578/
2. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPyramid/OriginalFoodGuidePyramids/FGP/FGPPamphlet.pdf
3. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/healthyliving/childfamily/Documents/MO-NUPA-12Appendices.pdf
4. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/miseniors/tufts-guidelines_273557_7.pdf
5. https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/healthy-eating/#comment-4549860630
6. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/know-your-food-groups
7. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/calories.htm
8. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
9. http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/balanced-diet
10. http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
11. http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/healthy-grocery-shopping-list