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What is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet includes a variety of foods from all 5 food groups. It should provide enough calories to ensure a desirable weight and should include all the necessary daily nutrients.
Fig 1. The 5 Basic Food Groups
| Group |
Foods included |
Daily servings |
Nutrition |
| Grains |
Breakfast cereals, muesli, rice, pasta, bread, oats, noodles, and all other foods made from flour and grains. Best are less refined types. |
6-11 servings |
Good sources of starchy carbohydrates, fiber, plus calcium, iron and B vitamins. Very filling and low in fat. |
| Vegetables |
Includes fresh, frozen or canned, & blended vegetable juice drinks.
Best: spinach, cabbage, bean sprouts, peas, carrots, broccoli, peppers, leeks potatoes onions, garlic, tomatoes |
4 servings |
Good sources of antioxidant vitamins A & C, folates, fiber and some carbohydrates. Very low in fat and calories. |
| Fruits |
Includes fresh, frozen or canned plus blended 100% fruit drinks.
Best: strawberries, grapes, kiwis, pineapple blackcurrants oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, apricots. |
3-4 servings |
Good sources of antioxidant vitamins A & C, folates, fiber and some carbohydrates. Very low in fat and calories. |
| Meat & dairy |
Fish, all meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts.
Best: any fish (esp. oily fish), turkey, free range chicken, lean beef, free range eggs, low fat dairy products, fat free milk and lower fat cheese. |
2-3 servings
You should try to eat at least two portions of fish per week |
Lean red meat contains
a wide variety of
essential nutrients.
Doctors advise us to
eat less red meat and
more oily fish. |
| Sugars & fats |
All sugars, oils, butter, margarine, cream.
Best: choose unrefined oils which are low in saturated fat, unrefined sugar and low fat spread low fat soft margarine. |
Tiny amounts
Only |
Good source of
essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K. |
A Good Combination of Foods for a Balanced Diet
The healthiest combination for a balanced diet is low fat, low refined carb + healthy carbs + moderate protein. For example, as a general rule:
- About 50 percent of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates
- About 20 percent should come from protein.
- About 30 percent should come from all fat. (Of this, a max. of one third may be saturated fat).
An interesting web site to visit for information about sensible diet and eating, is AC Weight Loss Diet.
Fig 2. What constitutes a serving
| Food group |
What constitutes an approximate serving |
| Grains |
1 slice bread - half a muffin - half bowl cereal - 4oz/100g cooked rice/pasta. |
| Vegetables |
4oz/100g cooked/raw vegetables - 8oz/200g leafy green vegetables - glass vegetable juice. |
| Fruits |
1 medium fresh fruit - 4oz canned fruit - 6 dried apricots - glass fruit juice. |
| Meat & dairy |
2-3oz/50-75g cooked lean meat/fish/poultry - 2 eggs - 7oz/175g tofu - half cup nuts/seeds.
1 cup milk/yogurt - 1oz cheddar cheese - 4oz cottage cheese - 4oz ice-cream/frozen yogurt. |
| Sugars & fats |
Ideally use fat free sprays for cooking. Use only light covering of spread on bread. |
Do you need supplements on a balanced diet?
No. If you lead a relatively normal life and follow a balanced diet, you won't need supplements. However, if you are unable to eat properly, or if you are ill, under stress or in need of extra nutrients, it may be prudent to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin & mineral tablet. However, this should be a short term measure only. Supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet.
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