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A balanced diet should provide the right amount of nutrients that are necessary to meet nutritional needs. At the same time, a balance must be found between daily activity and the amount of calories, which is essential for maintaining a proper energy balance. A balanced diet should be arranged individually. How should a balanced diet be designed for you?

Optimal dietisbalanced diet , that isbalanced , which guarantees the body gets the right amount nutrients necessary to meet nutritional needs. At the same time, a balance must be found between daily activity and the amount of calories, which is necessary to maintain a proper energy balance. Therefore, a balanced diet should be determined individually to suit your needs, based on the he althy eating pyramid, which was recommended by the Ministry of He alth in consultation with the Food and Nutrition Institute in Warsaw.

For this reason, a balanced diet should be compiled differently for sick people, because these people have different needs for energy and nutrients than he althy people. The same applies to people who are physically active, children and adolescents, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Balanced diet - principles of a balanced diet

A balanced diet involves eating 3-5 meals a day, composing them so that:

  • 50-60 percent energy came from carbohydrates, with only up to 10 percent. energy should come from simple sugars;
  • 20 to 30 percent get energy from fats. However, the norms of their consumption depend on the energy demand of the human body, which depends on: age, sex, type of physical activity or physiological state (pregnancy, disease). According to the recommendations of the World He alth Organization (WHO), the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and numerous expert teams, fat should provide a minimum of 15-20 percent of energy from the diet, and a maximum of 30 or even 35 percent;
  • 10-15 percent energy came from proteins, preferably the wholesome ones, i.e. of animal origin.

Research shows that an adult with moderate physical activity needs 30 calories for eachkilogram of body weight. Therefore, a woman who weighs around 60-70 kilograms needs 2,000 kcal per day - this is the total of a varied meal eaten five times a day. In turn, a balanced diet for men also includes five meals a day, which should provide a total of approx. 2,800 calories.

Being on a balanced diet, remember to keep even breaks between meals (no longer than 4 hours). Irregular consumption of meals contributes to a significant decrease in blood glucose levels, which reduces physical and mental performance. In addition, too long intervals between meals cause obesity and increase the risk of hypertension or diabetes.

It is equally important to distribute energy correctly within the individual meals. Breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day, should provide up to 25 percent. energy, 2nd breakfast up to 20%, lunch up to 40%, afternoon tea 5-10%, and dinner should cover 10-15%. daily energy demand.

You should also take care of the acid-base balance, remembering that animal products are acidifying, plant-based, therefore vegetables, fruits and legumes should dominate over meat and dairy products.

A balanced diet - the role of carbohydrates in a he althy diet

Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy. Of all carbohydrates, the key role is played by glyocogen, which, stored in the liver and muscles, is a source of energy during physical activity and is used to maintain normal blood glucose levels between meals. Consequently, carbohydrates are involved in the regulation of satiety and hunger. In addition, they are responsible for the proper functioning of the intestines.

It is recommended that 40-50 percent. daily energy came from complex carbohydrates, because they have a positive effect on energy management. Only 10 percent. should come from simple sugars (sweets, white bread, pasta and rice, but also finished products that have been chemically processed), because the predominance of simple sugars in the diet leads to the development of, among others obesity and diabetes. Therefore, a balanced diet should be dominated by whole grains, nuts, oatmeal, unsweetened muesli, vegetables and fruit. These "good" carbohydrates are also a source of fiber, which should be consumed around 40 grams a day.

Due to the fact that carbohydrates are "fuel" for our body, the Food and Nutrition Institute has not established a single standard. It only recommends that you consume v50-100 g per day for the body to develop and function properly.

A balanced diet - why are fats so important?

From a balanced diet, fats should primarily be a source of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which cannot be synthesized in the human body. To enjoy your he alth, you need to consume omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the correct proportions. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats with a deficiency of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats contribute to the weakening of the body's immune system and make it more susceptible to inflammation and cancer development. Omega-3 fats, supplied in appropriate amounts, incl. support the work of the circulatory system, incl. they lower the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the level of good cholesterol (HDL), reducing the rate of development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 should be 1: 5 or 1: 6

The best source of EFAs are fats of plant origin (oils: rapeseed, corn, safflower, sunflower, soy). They are found in much smaller amounts in animal fats - these are mainly the source of saturated fat, which should be eaten in smaller amounts as they contribute to increasing the level of "bad cholesterol".

According to the recommendations of the Food and Nutrition Institute, you should provide 62-75 g of fat / day per day (depending on body weight and physical activity)

Important

It should be emphasized that too low consumption of fats may result in deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and essential fatty acids from the omega-3 and omega-6 group, which may cause the risk of developing numerous diseases . On the other hand, excess fat in the diet and limited physical activity may increase the risk of overweight and obesity, with all negative he alth consequences, e.g. heart disease.

A balanced diet - the role of proteins in a balanced diet

Protein is primarily the basic building block of muscle tissue. In addition, it is used to build other tissues and organs, as well as the synthesis of hormones and enzymes (e.g. digestive). It also performs transport functions (e.g. hemoglobin in the blood, transporting oxygen), storing (the body stores a certain amount of iron in the liver, spleen and marrow), regulates the course of biological and immunological processes, controls cell growth processes. Therefore, in a balanced diet, it is best to include wholesome proteins, the sources of which are: eggs, milk and dairy products, meat, including fish and poultry. Full-fledgedThe seeds of all legumes, including soybeans and nuts, are also a source of protein.

It should be remembered that too much protein supply results in metabolism disorders and, as a result, the development of atherosclerotic changes. In addition, vital organs such as the liver and kidneys are under strain. Therefore, they should be provided to the body in the right amount. According to the recommendations of the Food and Nutrition Institute, 1.1 g of protein / kg of body weight / day should be provided daily, i.e. about 75 g of protein / day.

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Author: Time S.A

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Find out moreThis will be useful to you

1. Eat at least five servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits daily 2. Eat at least two servings of fish a week, including one serving of oily fish such as mackerel and sardines because they contain the highest amounts of essential fatty acids (EFAs). Limit saturated fat and sugar. 4. Eat less s alt - no more than 6 g per day 5. Always eat breakfast to keep you energized for the day 6. Drink plenty of water, about 6-8 glasses of water (or other fluids) each day. Be physically active.

Bibliography:

Nutrition standards for the Polish population - amendment , edited by M. Jarosz, ed. Food and Nutrition Institute, Warsaw 2012

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