All of the body’s nutritional demands are met by a diet that is nutritionally balanced. Each body has a unique requirement for nutrients and calories to maintain health and activity. A healthy diet helps us to get all the necessary nutrients without going over the daily calorie allowance.
Moreover, balanced meals should be accompanied by a small serving of dairy with low-fat content or a source of nutrients in dairy products. Examples of nutrients of a balanced diet include the right proportions of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water intake.
Calories in foods represent the energy stored in that food. The human body uses calories to perform daily activities such as breathing, moving, thinking, walking, and other vital functions.
Importance of a balanced diet
A well-balanced diet provides the human body with essential nutrients needed to allow the body to effectively perform different activities. Without balanced nutrition, the body is more susceptible to fatigue, infections, diseases, and reduced activity.
On the other hand, children should have a balanced diet containing different nutrients in order to avoid impaired development and growth, different infections, and low academic performance. Children who do not consume enough healthy foods are most likely to develop persistent unhealthy eating habits into adulthood. Moreover, overweight children have a higher risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer in their adulthood.
Lack of physical activities and an unbalanced diet are global health risks. In order to avoid weight gain, calorie intake should be balanced, the intake of saturated fats should be minimized, and decrease salt intake. Increased intake of saturated fats elevates blood cholesterol levels and eventually increases the risk of heart disease development.
Sum-Up
A varied and healthy diet is usually one that contains plenty of fresh, plant-based foods, and limits the intake of processed foods.
