What is a Balanced Diet?
Keto, paleo, vegan, all meat, just a few of the types of diets out there that many influencers base their social media content and activism around. But those diets meet specific lifestyles that most people don’t want to spend the money to get into (because shopping at Whole Foods and buying all organic can drain your grocery budget very quickly). But if you’re like me and want to get intentional about your diet, a great start is understanding what is constituted as a nutritionally balanced diet by scientists and nutritionists.
Back 2 Basics: The Food Pyramid
Let’s take a look at the food pyramid, which you may remember growing up in the public education system. It may confuse you as to why there’s 2 of them.
If you search ‘food pyramid’ in google, you’ll find many different pyramids, but the content will match these 2 two types of diets. The main difference in these 2 pyramids lies in what a balanced diet should be founded on at the bottom tier. The pyramid on the top has grains as its bottom tier and the pyramid on the bottom has vegetables and fruits as its bottom tier.
Why are there 2 different food pyramids?
As diet needs differ from individual to individual, different people need different foods for different lifestyles. That main variables that these two food pyramids focus on are non-sedentary and sedentary lifestyles. Ask yourself this question. Do you spend most of your waking hours exerting your body and handling heavy objects? If so, then you’ll need a non-sedentary diet. High amounts of carbohydrates from grains are required to provide the energy one needs for long strenuous activities like manual labor. If you work in an office most of the day like me, you’ll need a sedentary diet. Since people who sit for a majority of their day don’t exert themselves regularly, they can focus on eating foods high in vitamins and minerals and don’t have to worry too much about loading up on the same type of energy that’s required for strenuous activity. Now that I’ve explained the reason that there are 2 different pyramids, let’s take a look at the details that they have in common.
The Break Down
Grains
The bottom rows of both pyramids are grains, rice & pasta, and vegetables and fruits. Since these are the foundations of both pyramids, regardless of which lifestyle you’re a part of, you can be confident that getting plenty of these into your diet will benefit you. Although many, thanks to fad diet media, now have a stigma against eating bread, nutrition data doesn’t back that up. Yes, eating refined white bread is bad for you because of its high levels of bad cholesterol and excessive carbohydrates. But bread made with whole grains is full of fiber, vitamins, and essential nutrients. On top of that, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating whole grains as part of a weight-loss program can reduce both belly fat and other types of fat while reducing a person’s risk of heart disease.
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits are always good and will always be good. The recommended amount of servings is 5–8 per day. Ask yourself. Do you eat 5–8 servings of vegetables and fruits per day? A study by the CDC found that only 1 in 10 Americans do. You need more in your diet than you think you do.
Eat as many vegetables as you want. Go HAM on the vegetables for real. And definitely eat the recommended amount of servings per day of fruit (fruits don’t get as much leeway because of the amount of sugar they have). There are now chips made with vegetables, which make it super easy to get more servings into your stomach. You’ll still be able to lazily enjoy binge eating and watching Netflix. Your body will thank you by getting sick less.
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese
Above that, there’s milk, yogurt, and cheese. These foods are in the food pyramid because of our nutritional need for calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, and protein. This one’s the trickiest one because there’s a lot of political lobbying around the milk industry (or shall I say, “Big Milk”). Experts answers vary on whether milk is good or bad for you, but there are plenty of sources for these nutrients and there are many substitutes for milk that are easily accessible. Nut milk, soy milk, coconut milk, lactose-free milk, vegan yogurt, nut-based cheeses, you can choose whatever your taste buds desire. Just get those vitamins so osteoporosis doesn’t get you!
Protein
Following dairy, there are meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, which are vital sources of protein. Whether you’re a proud vegan or a proud carnivore, we all need protein for our muscles and there’s plenty of sources to get it. Nutritionists recommend keeping the meat you eat on the leaner side (think chicken, turkey, fish, alligator, etc.). And plenty of nuts and vegetables have protein as well (which is another reason why you can’t get enough vegetables into your diet since it could be your main source for meeting the needs of multiple nutrient groups).
Fat & Oil
On top of that, there are fats and oils. Saturated fat has given all fats a bad rap, but unsaturated fat has been proven to promote weight loss, reduce inflammation, and lower the risk of heart disease (3, 4, 5). We all like butter, Paula Dean especially, and you can have butter! Just get the right butter. Look on the packaging for words like ‘unsaturated’, ‘low cholesterol’, ‘omega-3s’, and ‘organic’. Click this link to see a list of 11 Best Health Fats for your Body.
Pleasure Food
And last (because it’s the least), foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt. It’s been said many times, “moderation is key.” That’s especially true for these foods. Soda, cookies, candy, alcohol, all nonessential for a balanced diet, yet they taste so damn good spreading their deliciousness on your tongue. Just like the sunrise on your daily commute in the morning, it’s easy to forget to savor the sensation when you experience something too often. Don’t forget how special these delicacies are. Save them for special days.
If You Don’t Have a Balanced Diet…
A balanced diet starts with intentional decisions. Getting enough vitamins and nutrients doesn’t have to be hard. Safefood.eu is a great resource for anyone interested in balancing their diet. There are many articles and recipes that can help anyone eat well. But I know it’s not easy to stay on top of it every day. Even I find it difficult to eat all the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables in a day (because I’m busy), which is why I take supplements in order to meet all of my body’s nutritional needs (and it’s also how I stay so cut ya feel me?). I take Nutrilite supplements, and they’ve been the best vitamins I’ve taken so far, but there are plenty at any grocery store for you to choose from if your diet is lacking in any of these nutrition spots.
In conclusion, take care of your body. Your organs want love just like your dog does. Give your organs the same love and support that you give to your canine, feline, avian, reptilian, and murine (‘mouse’) companions. Your animal friend will thank you for it.
