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Balanced Diet

Key to Get a Vitamin and Mineral Balance in Your Body

Why is it so important to eat well? To begin with, the right foods are fundamental to preserving energy, strength, and a healthy immune system. Contrary to popular belief, the key to adhering to a balanced diet is not about omitting certain food groups, but rather about consuming proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fats in the right quantities. Portion control and proper food combos are key to having a strong, balanced body.

Proteins

Protein-based foods are essential because they’re meant to build, maintain, and repair body tissue, muscle, and internal organs. The right amount of proteins helps strengthen the immune system, thus keeping you at bay from common colds and other occasional illnesses. As far as the best foods rich in proteins are concerned, people have different options. Meat products are an excellent choice, as long as you stick to fish, beef, chicken, and turkey. Certain vegetables are high in proteins too. Nuts, beans, and whole grains will provide your body with the exact same quantities as meat and fish. If you can’t give up red meat, at least try to limit your portion size. Add it to your diet if you’d like, but don’t make a habit of eating steak at dinner every night.

Fats

In order to benefit from a healthy diet, you need to include healthy fats into your daily regimen. The best ones are mono-saturated fats, which only solidify if they’re refrigerated. In general, healthy fat-based foods such as avocados, almonds, olives, sesame seeds, peanut oils, and pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamin E. Poly-saturated fats are equally important. They can be taken from vegetable oils, fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Their main goal is to help lower triglyceride levels and blood cholesterol.

Nutrition experts argue that the majority of American people eat too much fatty foods, no matter how healthy of unhealthy they are. Excessive fat quantities, particularly trans and saturated fats, as well as cholesterol boost the risk of landing a heart disease. Nevertheless, it’s very important to know that the biggest influence on your blood cholesterol levels actually depends on the types of fats you add to your daily diet, and not on amount you take from food.

Carbs

Carbohydrates are often misunderstood – and many people avoid foods high in carbs because they often associate them with weight gain. However, just like fats – which are split into two categories – carbs also feature two main types: good and bad. Nutrient-rich carbs found in vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and some fruit are a lot more recommended than those found in candy, pastries, soft drinks, and processed foods.

Hydration

It’s literally impossible to have a balanced diet if you don’t drink water. The body needs liquids to function properly, which means that you will have to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to have a well-balanced digestive system. Furthermore, make sure to include other liquid-based foods into your daily regime. Shakes, soups, fruits high in water such as watermelon, are all highly indicated in order to look and feel good inside out. When the body receives an adequate amount of water, it feels alive. Also, your skin will look more elastic and youthful.

To maintain a balanced diet, try to skip on processed foods and refined sugar. Choose organic groceries and avoid inappropriate food combos such as potatoes and red meat. Also, it might be a good idea to ditch white flour for good. Go for brown rice, whole wheat and oats instead. Fruits are equally important, although if you’re trying to lose weight it might be a good idea to skip those that contain too much fructose (e.g. grapes, peaches, pears).

Carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are all extremely important for our bodies. Sadly, we are busy individuals with hectic schedules and we barely have time to eat; and when we do, we often opt for the quickest fix – junk food. If you want a balanced diet, you need to make time to eat right. It may seem difficult at first, but once you make that a lifestyle, it will become a healthy daily habit.


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