A “balanced diet” or a “healthy diet” is the new catchphrase in recent years that has made a lot of us aware of the food we eat. It is much more than losing weight and creating a calorie deficit in your meals. When you eat balanced food, it helps not only with good health and a better physical appearance, but also with improved energy levels, mental health and overall well-being. As the saying goes, “You are what we eat”, what goes into our system has a profound impact on our overall emotional, physical and mental health. Without a balanced diet human body is more prone to infections, diseases and fatigue.
One of the most distinguished benefits of healthy eating is improved digestion. When you eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins it helps regulate the digestive system thereby preventing issues like constipation and bloating.
Balanced food intake also helps improve mental health by boosting mood, reducing anxiety and depression and improving memory and cognitive function. Healthy balanced food intake also leads to increased energy levels and reduced risk of diseases.
What is balanced food/meal? What to include and what to exclude?
A Balanced diet or food includes food from all major 5 food groups such as cereals and grains, fruits and vegetables, protein, dairy and healthy fats in adequate quantities.
Processed foods with high amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats should be avoided and if at all consumed it should be once in a while and in monitored or small quantities. Being watchful of the portion size of the food when it comes to processed and packaged food is very crucial from a good health perspective.
How to practice a healthy diet in day-to-day life?
Small changes to the current routine and diet will lead to better results in terms of health and well-being. Here are a few guidelines/tips to get you started with:
- Plan your meals ahead of time. Taking out time to plan the meals for the week can help you avoid making unhealthy food choices.
- Focus should be on whole and unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Avoid sugary drinks and snacks. Instead try to drink water, coconut water, salted lemon water and snack on healthy options like fresh fruits and vegetables or homemade healthy complex snacks such as roasted makhana, khakra, etc.
- Be watchful of the portion size of the food. Even healthy food can be unhealthy when consumed in large quantities. Aim to keep the portion sizes of the food in check.
- Keep yourself well hydrated as water is the most neglected nutrient. Incorporate liquids such as coconut water, soups, infused water, vegetable smoothies, etc. to increase the water intake.
- Limit intake of caffeine, tea and coffee. Avoid alcohol and alcoholic drinks.
- Get creative with healthy ingredients. Try new healthy ingredients and find ways to incorporate them into your meals. It’s surprising how delicious healthy eating can be.
- Cook most of your meals at home instead of relying on the services that provide calorie-counted meal boxes.
To conclude, the benefits of healthy eating are beyond fat loss and weight loss. Fueling the body with the right nutrients, not only improves your digestion, mental health, and energy levels but also reduces the risk of chronic disease. So, next time you’re reaching for that bag of chips or a packet of cookies or a burger, remember the long-term benefits of making healthier choices.
If you’re struggling to lose weight or want to learn more about Weight Management, you should check out our latest blogs on What stops you from Losing Weight?, The Art of Gaining Weight in the Right Way you can also check-out our YouTube channel for more insightful videos and delicious recipes filled with nutrition.
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