The internet is trending with all kinds of diets – Keto, Paleo, Low Carb Atkins, you name it! But despite the changing trends, the one diet that is the healthiest, time-tested and yet the most underrated one is the balanced diet. As the name suggests it contains the essential amount of all nutrients the body needs to grow and develop immunity. An ideal balanced diet should contain 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates, 10-12% from proteins, and 20-25% of total calories from fat along with fibre that comes from fruits and vegetables.
Eating a well-balanced diet combined with regular workout brings numerous health benefits. It helps in maintaining overall health of a person by
- maintaining a healthy body weight
- providing required energy
- enhancing brain function and sleep cycle
- safeguarding one’s mental and emotional health
- fighting off health conditions and diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity
- fulfilling all your nutritional needs and preventing any kind of dietary deficiencies
The nutrition gap is a new kind of malnutrition in India and the world. If we look closely at our Indian diet patterns, protein, and fibre are the most ignored nutrients due to a lack of awareness about what a completely balanced diet should be. Typically in the Indian diet, we tend to take in more carbohydrates and fats. However, an optimum portion of all the macronutrients like carbs, fats, and proteins along with sufficient quantities of micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibre, and water is required to make it complete.
Most adults need around 0.75 gm of protein per kilo of body weight which makes it around 45 gm for women and 55 gm for men. This is around 2 portions of meat, fish, nuts, or tofu per day. Since excessive meat-based diets can trigger heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer, a plant, and seafood-based protein would be even better. This can include peas, beans, lentils, fish, prawns, etc. A good protein diet is essential for:
- speedy recovery after muscle wear and tear or injury
- reducing muscle loss
- building lean muscle mass
- better skin and hair health
- maintaining a healthy weight
- keeping hunger pangs and hence unnecessary munching at bay
Some factors that heavily decide your intake of a balanced diet are age, height, weight, gender, muscle mass, and activity level.
Women and Nutrition: Since women naturally have less muscle mass they need fewer calories as compared to men. However women who are physically active need more calories. Also, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, and folic acid are particularly important for women. Women’s nutritional needs change during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause.
Ageing and Nutrition: Adults have lower calorie needs as compared to younger age groups. As age progresses diet should turn more nutrient-rich than calorie-rich due to less physical activity, changes in metabolism, and loss in bone and muscle mass.
One simple way to ensure you are having a well-balanced diet is to have ample amounts of fruits and vegetables and make sure your protein intake is good and you are not on a diet high in carbohydrates. You can always consult a dietician or a nutritionist to understand what suits you best as per your body’s requirements.
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