A good diet and it's importance

A good diet is important for our health and can help us feel our best - but what is a good diet? 

Sometimes we eat because we enjoy the taste and experience of different foods. Sharing food and meals are important social events.

But other than for pleasure, we need food to get nutrients, vitamins, minerals and energy.

Very few foods are either all good or all bad. By having an idea of the balance in your diet, it should be easier  to enjoy food and be healthy. 

A healthy diet should provide us with the right amount of energy (calories or kilojoules), from foods and drinks to maintain energy balance. Energy balance is where the calories taken in from the diet are equal to the calories used by the body. We need these calories to carry out everyday tasks such as walking and moving about, but also for all the functions of the body we may not even think about. Processes like breathing, pumping blood around the body and thinking also require calories.

So, foods and drinks provide the calories we need to go about our daily lives, but consuming more calories than we need over a period of time will cause weight gain. This is because, any extra calories we consume but we don’t use, will just be stored as fat.

A healthful, balanced diet includes foods from these five groups:

• vegetables
• fruits
• grains
• protein
• dairy

Vegetables

The vegetable group includes five subgroups:

• leafy greens
• red or orange vegetables
• starchy vegetables
• beans and peas (legumes)
• other vegetables, such as eggplant or zucchini

To get enough nutrients and keep dietary boredom at bay, people should choose a variety of vegetables.

Additionally, it is recommended that people eat vegetables from each of the five subgroups every week.

People may enjoy vegetables raw or cooked. However, it is important to remember that cooking vegetables removes some of their nutritional value. Also, some methods, such as deep-frying, can add unhealthful fats to a dish.

Fruits

A balanced diet also includes plenty of fruit. Instead of getting fruit from juice, nutrition experts recommend eating whole fruits.

Juice contains fewer nutrients. Also, the manufacturing process often adds empty calories due to added sugar. People should opt for fresh or frozen fruits, or fruits canned in water instead of syrup.

Grains

There are two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains.

Whole grains include all three parts of the grain, which are the bran, germ, and endosperm. The body breaks down whole grains slowly, so they have less effect on a person’s blood sugar.

Additionally, whole grains tend to contain more fiber and protein than refined grains.

Refined grains are processed and do not contain the three original components. Refined grains also tend to have less protein and fiber, and they can cause blood sugar spikes.

Grains used to form the base of the government-approved food pyramid, meaning that most of a person’s daily caloric intake came from grains. However, the updated guidelines suggest that grains should make up only a quarter of a person’s plate.

At least half of the grains that a person eats daily should be whole grains. Healthful whole grains include:

• quinoa
• oats
• brown rice
• barley
• buckwheat

Protein

People should include nutrient-dense protein as part of their regular diet.

The guidelines suggest that this protein should make up a quarter of a person’s plate.

Nutritious protein choices include:

• lean beef and pork
• chicken and turkey
• fish
• beans, peas, and legumes

Dairy

Dairy and fortified soy products are a vital source of calcium. The USDA recommend consuming low-fat versions whenever possible.

Low-fat dairy and soy products include:

• ricotta or cottage cheese
• low-fat milk
• yogurt
• soy milk

People who are lactose intolerant can opt for low-lactose or lactose-free products, or choose soy-based sources of calcium and other nutrients.


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