Steps to Obtaining a Balanced Diet

We come across a variety of food products in our daily routines. Unawareness of their nutritional value and their impact on our health at times make us lose our good health. We need to strike a balance between the available types of food. Our food intake has to be balanced for our better health. There is no ultimate solution as to what has to be a balanced diet though following certain guidelines religiously will indeed help us achieve the desired results. Following are few of such guidelines:

Steps to Obtaining a Balanced Diet

Step 1– Eat foods from all the various Food Groups every day

Foods from the Milk, Meat, Fruit/Vegetable and Bread/Starch/Grain/Pasta Groups can supply over 40 nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Consuming a variety of foods from each Food Group provides sources of many different nutrients. That’s why it’s important to eat foods from all of these Food Groups.

Step 2– Include a wide variety of foods.

Foods within a Food Group are usually good sources of the same nutrients. But some foods are better sources of a particular nutrient than others. By consuming different foods within each Food Group, you have a good chance of receiving all the nutrients you need.

Step 3– Practice moderation

By practicing moderation you can get the nutrients you need without getting too many calories or too much fat or sodium. If you eat your meals slowly you will be able to tell when your body gets full and won’t overeat.

Eating Foods in Moderation

Cut down on fat and calories:

• Restrict high-fat foods – fried foods, cream sauces, high-fat dressings, etc.
• Bake, roast, steam, boil, or broil your foods.
• Choose skim, 1% or 2% milk; low-fat or nonfat yogurt and cheeses.
• Select leaner cuts of meat, chicken, fish, “loin” beef, and trim off excess fat.
• Season with herbs and spices, rather than salt, soy sauce or steak sauce.
• Select fresh, rather than canned, vegetables, fish and meats. If you do get canned vegetables,

rinse the vegetables with water to rid them of excess salts.

• Look for labels that say low or reduced-sodium.

Increase fiber:

• Consume fresh fruits and vegetables with their skins.
• Select whole grain breads, bran cereals, brown rice, nuts and seeds.
• Must Include dried beans and peas.