How to Maintain a Balanced Diet

Food is any material eaten to provide nutrition to the organisms. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and contains nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, sugars, carbohydrates, or minerals. When people talk about nutrition, they are usually talking about nutrients found in foods that humans can take into their bodies and use. These nutrients must be properly distributed through the human body so that serious illness does not occur. Nutrient distribution is an important part of a human’s health and well being.

The typical American diet lacks a lot of the necessary components for a healthy diet, with the bulk of the calories coming from heavily processed carbohydrates rather than from the healthier foods that we should be eating. When carbohydrates are the major source of energy, it is not surprising to find that most Americans gain weight and are considered obese. This condition can have serious health consequences, including heart disease and high blood pressure.

One way to avoid gaining unwanted weight is to eat a healthy diet that contains a variety of both complex and simple carbohydrates and healthy fats. The types of carbohydrates that are the healthiest are the complex carbohydrates that provide energy and are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and some dairy products like milk and cheese. The simple carbohydrates are those found in refined sugar drinks and white bread. Vitamins and minerals are contained by a variety of foods, but a balanced diet must contain a good amount of both the vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. Often we need much more of the beneficial vitamins and minerals than we produce, so our diets must contain a sufficient level of them. Several types of supplements are available to help ensure a healthy diet.

The main sources of vitamin A are liver, eggs, fish, milk, green vegetables, carrots, peanuts, spinach, artichokes, and peanuts. Vitamin B helps maintain healthy skin and helps prevent tooth decay. Beta carotene is also an important source of vitamin A and helps increase the strength and vitality of the bones. Carrots contain at least 8 times as much beta carotene as carrots do and are a good source of other antioxidants that help protect the body from damaging free radicals. Watermelon has large amounts of vitamin C, which promotes good eyesight, keeps the immune system strong, and helps protect against cancers of the mouth and stomach.

Vitamins and minerals need to be combined in a balanced diet so that they can be supplied adequately. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of most vitamins and minerals, with rice being the best choice for carbohydrates. Whole grains are another good source of micronutrients and fiber. Some sources of protein are nuts, beans, and eggs. The best sources of protein are soybeans and cheese.

Micronutrients and minerals are important for overall health and are found in most of the food we eat. To get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs you should try eating six smaller portions of food at every meal. This will help keep your stomach full and prevent overeating. However, if you feel that you don’t eat enough to support your body’s physical activities you should consider taking a multi-vitamin supplement.