The concept of balanced nutrition should become part of everyone’s daily life. It is not just a matter of theories but of doing good to your body because always eating the same foods, in the long run, presents the bill in the form of imbalances that can lead to even serious diseases.

This is why it is also at the table that we must love each other, consuming all the foods necessary for a healthy life, and therefore the rule for an excellent balanced weekly diet is to “vary”. This should apply to everyone, children, adults and even other animals such as our trusted friends, dogs and cats.

The Distribution Of Calories For A Balanced Diet

Wikipedia also teaches us that the first criterion for a balanced diet is to distribute calories logically, i.e. the amount of energy contained in food throughout the day, remembering that they vary according to age, weight, and daily activity. To maintain balance, at least the three main meals of the day must be respected, starting with breakfast, then moving on to lunch and dinner, alternating them with two snacks to give a homogeneous distribution of calories.

Example Balanced Diet, A Summary Of The Ideal Table

1. Breakfast: 20% of the calories needed during the day, with milk or coffee (including barley), whole grains (biscuits or bread), muesli, yogurt, fruit juices;
2. Mid-morning snack: 10% of the calories needed for the day with fresh and seasonal fruit;
3. Lunch: 35% of the calories required during the day with lightly seasoned pasta or rice (even wholemeal ones), meat or fish or cheese, salad or vegetables and vegetables;
4. Mid-afternoon snack: 10% of the calories needed for the day with fresh or dried fruit (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) or bread with jam or yogurt;
5. Dinner: 25% of the calories needed during the day, with dishes based on fish or meat or eggs, cheese or legumes, green salad or vegetables and vegetables, bread, no fruit.

How To Distribute Food For A Balanced Diet

So how to choose good foods for a balanced diet? There is a classification based on their nutritional power, and within each group, there may be different choices according to tastes and seasonal availability. The Food Pyramid image gives us a visual idea of ​​how and how much and what we should eat. The first group is cereals and tubers, starting with rice, pasta, bread, and potatoes. They must be consumed every day to ensure the right amount of carbohydrates, an energy source of rapid consumption even if they distribute little protein. During the day, they should be consumed, in various forms, at least three to four times. 

The second group is that of vegetables, vegetables and fruit: all low-calorie foods that are capable of satisfying enough. They also contain necessary quantities of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, but they need to be in full maturity for them to do well. So peaches and strawberries in winter or broccoli in summer, to give examples, are not good. During the day, between fruit and vegetables, all five meals must be covered. Milk and derivatives, such as yogurt and cheeses, represent the third group: large amounts of calcium, protein and vitamin content. The daily consumption in various forms is at least two portions a day.

The fourth group is meat, fish, and eggs, classified equally. They provide a lot of proteins but also minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and vitamins of group B and must be alternated throughout the week: at least two portions of fish, two of white meats, one or two of red meats, three eggs, one of the cured meats. Legumes are the fifth group: both fresh and dried contain a lot of iron, B vitamins and fiber that allows you to control cholesterol and blood sugar levels and high protein content. The recommended weekly consumption is at least two portions.

Finally, the fats for seasoning, both animal (lard, bacon, bacon, butter) and vegetable fats such as olive oil and seed oils. They are mainly used to transport fat-soluble vitamins and should be alternated during the week, without ever exaggerating, especially with fried foods. A life spiced up with a bit of healthy sport would be ideal for maximizing everything! And when you find yourself in situations where it is tough to follow the suggested rules for a healthy and balanced diet to the letter? Or when we cannot ingest specific foods that should provide us with essential nutrients? Supplements and nutraceuticals specific for every need come to our rescue. The important thing is not to abuse them!

ALSO READ: BENEFITS OF THE VEGAN DIET FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS