The Best Balanced Diet
A healthy and balanced diet may seem intimidating, but the goals can be achieved with a little effort. Efficiently balanced diets are comprised of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent healthy fats, and vegetables should not be left out. The following will explain the "best" food choices to achieve a balanced diet.
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Carbohydrates
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Carbohydrates are the quickest form of energy for the human body to process and utilize. They are broken down into sugars, fiber (insoluble and soluble) and others. Carbohydrates should be a part of every meal making up about 40 percent of the total. Unfortunately, with the many fad low carb, high protein diets floating around, this great food source has developed a bad reputation.
Nonetheless, not all carbohydrates are created equal. White flours, added sugar, and general dessert or junk foods that are low in vital nutrients, making them "empty calories," should be consumed sparingly. Instead, the 40 percent should be filled with whole grains and cereals rich in fiber and fruits that contain the natural sugar fructose.
Proteins and Fats
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The remainder of the meals should be filled with lean proteins and heart healthy fats. Lean proteins include fish, seafood, tofu, white meat poultry, low fat dairy products and 10 percent fat or less red meats. Not only does protein help build muscle, it also takes longer to digest, which is great for achieving a prolonged "full" feeling.
Heart healthy fats are present in nuts, avocados, nut/seed/olive oils and fatty fish sources. Unfortunately, many dieters fear fat believing that it will lead to weight gain. Fat is the most energy dense source out of the three groups, equating to 9 calories per gram vs. 4 per gram like carbohydrates and proteins. In addition, they are important for healthy skin and organ protection. Of course, there are plenty of bad fats that come in fried foods (trans fats), processed snacks (hydrogenated oils) and saturated fats, which come from fatty animal protein sources. Good fat consumption results in a more satiated feeling.
What Does a Balanced Meal Look Like?
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Here is an example of a well balanced meal
Breakfast:
-1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt (80 calories, 2 g fat, 6.4 g protein, 8.6 g carbohydrates)
-1.5 tbsp. flax seeds (70 calories, 4.5 g fat, 3 g protein, 4.5 g carbohydrates and 3.5 g fiber)
-1 tsp. honey (30 calories, 8.7 g sugar)
-1/2 cup of fruit of choice (75 calories)Snack:
-1 low-fat string cheese (60 calories, 2.5 g fat, .5 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein)
-1 medium sized apple (80 calories, .3 g fat, 20.6 g carbohydrates, .4 g protein)Lunch:
-1 cup steamed snap peas (25 calories, .1g fat, 4.8 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g protein)
-2 cups salad greens
-1 hard-boiled egg (80 calories, 5.3 g fat, .6 g carbohydrates, 6.3 g protein)
-3 oz. grilled chicken or other lean protein of choice (200 calories or less, ~35 g protein)
-1 cup of mixed berries (75 calories)Dinner
-1 cup steamed vegetables sauteed in 1 tsp. olive oil
-4 oz. steamed salmon (250 calories, 14 g fat, 0 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein)
-3/4 cup steamed brown rice (160 calories, 1.3 g fat, 33.6 g carbohydrates, 3.8 g protein)Dessert:
-1 cup strawberries with 1 tbsp. real whipped cream (120 calories, 5 g fat, 11.7 g sugar, 1g protein)
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