BALANCED DIET

Definition

A balanced diet refers to intake of appropriate types and adequate amounts of foods and drinks to supply nutrition and energy for the maintenance of body cells, tissues, and organs, and to support normal growth and development.

Alternative Names

Well-balanced diet

Function

A well-balanced diet acts to provide sources of energy and nutrition for optimal growth and development.

Food Sources

Milk group (milk and milk products)

• milk, cheese, yogurt

Meat group (meat and meat substitutes)

• meat: chicken, fish, beef, pork, lamb
• legumes: beans and peas
• nuts and seeds

Fruit and vegetable group

• fruits
• vegetables

Grain group (breads and cereals)

• whole grain breads
• enriched breads
• rice
• pasta

Side Effects

An unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance of body tissues, growth and development, brain and nervous system function, as well as problems with bone and muscle systems.

Recommendations

The term "balanced" simply means that a diet adequately meets your nutritional needs while not providing any nutrients in excess. To achieve a balanced diet, you must consume a variety of foods from each of the food groups.
There are several guidelines available to help a person plan their balanced diet. They include:

• The Food Guide Pyramid : The U.S. Department of Agriculture's newest food pyramid guide, called MyPyramid, encourages consumers to make healthier food choices and to get regular exercise. Unlike the older model, food groups are arranged in vertically bands, instead of horizontal ones. Band width indicates portion size. The wider the band, the more food from that group you should eat. 
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• The U.S. Dietary Guidelines (RDA guidelines) 
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• For a healthy diet, replace unhealthy and fattening foods with healthier alternatives, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
  

General Guidelines

• eat at least 3 meals each day
• do not skip breakfast
• eat foods from each of the Four Food Groups at every meal

The most important step to eating a balanced diet is to educate yourself about what your body needs, and read the nutrition label and ingredients of all the food you eat.
New dietary guidelines set forth by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA), recommend fewer calories and smarter food choices.
Some of the key recommendations:

• Follow a balanced diet that is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Eating Plan.
• Balance your calorie intake with exercise. Slowly decrease your caloric intake while increasing exercise to prevent gradual weight gain over time. Exercise regularly and reduce sedentary activities.
• Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for people following an average 2,000-calorie per day diet.
• Three or more ounces of whole-grain products are recommended per day.
• Three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or milk products should be included.
• Fewer than 10% of calories should come from saturated fatty acids. 
• Trans fatty acids should be avoided.
• Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg/day.
• Total fat intake should not exceed 20-35% of calories. Choose "good" fats  such as  fish, nuts, and vegetable oils containing polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Lean, low-fat, or fat-free meats, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products are preferable. Total fat intake can approach 35% if the majority of fats are "good" fats.
• Stay away from added sugars. 
• Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately one teaspoon of salt) of sodium daily, and limit salt added in food preparation.
• Do not consumer more than one alcoholic drink per day for women, two per day for men.  Certain individuals should abstain from alcohol completely.

References

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Rockville, MD: US Dept of Health and Human Services and US Dept of Agriculture; 2005.