subject: WHY IS A BALANCED DIET IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH? [print this page] WHY IS A BALANCED DIET IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH?
Health problems have become a very common issue now. The prime reason for this is an unbalanced diet. Many people tend to be under the false impression that a balanced diet means avoiding certain food items. But in truth, a balanced diet is eating all types of food that provide the necessary nutrients in a specific quantity. All nutrients, which are carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, fats, etc, play a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy body.
A balanced diet helps to fight infection and diseases. Supplying your body with adequate nutrients helps to enhance the functioning of the immune system. This, in turn, helps to prevent diseases. Maintaining a balanced diet reduces the risk of certain types of cancers and is known to lower and keep the sugar and blood pressure levels in control. A balanced diet helps to prevent diseases that are usually the result of either over-consumption or under-consumption.
A balanced diet is the key to reduce and control weight. Many people are likely to forget that following a balanced diet will help immensely in weight loss but instead they revert to diet programs that lack proper nutrition levels.
Eating a well balanced diet is linked very closely with healthy body growth. Only if the body gets all the necessary nutrients on a regular basis, will it be fit and healthy and will help in boosting your immune system, which in turn, will help keep the body healthy. Furthermore, following a balanced diet is vital to the state of mind. If the body and the mind are in good condition, they will be able to work and coordinate efficiently.
Taking in a controlled quantity of saturated and trans fat, sugar, salt, cholesterol and meat and at the same time, eating adequate fruits, vegetables, good fats such as fish, vegetable oils and nuts, whole grain products, dairy products that are low fat or normal fat, lentils and fat-free poultry is ideally what a healthy, balanced diet consists of. In the overall diet of a person, each food group has its own unique part to play.
It is best if you seek out the advice of a dietitian to plan out a good, balanced diet that would pay rich dividends by way of health.
