Balanced Diet
Source of Recipe
A.D.A.M., Inc.
List of Ingredients
Definition
Intake of appropriate types and adequate amounts of foods and drinks to supply nutrition and energy for 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. Dietary Guidelines (RDA guidelines)
RDA guidelines include:
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 with what your body needs, and read the nutrition label and ingredients of all the food that you eat.
Recipe
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