What Are the 7 Things You Need for a Balanced Diet?

 

It is becoming more apparent that just eating healthy is not all that is required, in fact our diet should be balanced. While pineapples, bananas and Greek salad may all be very healthy, it can become quite boring. Your health and wellness goal should not be to eat only fruits, but to make your diet complete and varied. We have looked more closely at the question of what really constitutes a healthy diet. In this short article, you will discover seven things you need for a balanced diet.

1. Variety is the spice of life

It is time to bid adieu to the notion that certain foods should be prohibited. Consuming a full variety of foods will help with a balanced diet as long as you pay attention to their nutrients and energy content. Your choice should consist of an appropriate quantity and combination of nutrient-rich and low-energy foods. Where possible, you should not eat too many pre-prepared foods or fast food.

2. Are good carbs real?

Bread, noodles, potatoes and rice are indispensable to our diet. And that is also good, because they are rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals. If they are made of whole grain, it is all the better. It is best to combine these foods with low-fat ingredients.

3. Eat your veggies…and fruits

You may have heard that many nutritionist and fitness experts alike recommend eating 3 servings of veggies and 2 servings of fruit every day. What exactly these 5 combined servings are is left to your preference. A serving can also be a glass of freshly squeezed juice. A good rule of thumb is to eat a portion of fruit or vegetables at each meal. So you have the food of the five portions easily integrated into your daily routine.

4. Meat

Let’s be honest, we all like a good steak or ribs sometime.  A balanced diet however, would include more fish than red meat.  This is because it contains many valuable nutrients and is, therefore, perfect in terms of meat. Meat lovers, no need to despair, if you still prefer a different source of protein, we recommend lean pieces of poultry, pork, veal or beef.

5. Add some fat

Yes, fat can be good as long as you stick to vegetable oils and fats. Keep in mind that fat is often included in many other products. A total of 60-80 grams of fat per day is sufficient for a balanced diet.

6. Get Active!

Good food is often not enough for our bodies to be at its best. It is necessary that you get active and move your body regularly. The ideal recommendation is 30 to 60 minutes of sports per day. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, walk short distances on foot or ride a bike - all of this will help you, while, at the same time, protecting the environment.

7. Get Your Water In

Last but not least, lots of water is essential to a healthy body and a balanced diet. Drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water will cover your daily bodily needs.  Avoid very sugary drinks as they promote weight gain in the long term. Alcohol should also be consumed moderately.

Try these 7 things for yourself and see how they can help to balance your diet and reach your health and fitness goals.

Comment below which ones you already knew about and which ones you are looking forward to trying.