Balanced Diet
Source of Recipe
Diet information
List of Ingredients
What is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet includes a variety of foods from all 5 food groups. It should provide enough calories to ensure a desirable weight and should include all the necessary daily nutrients.
Fig 1. The 5 Basic Food Groups
Group Foods included Daily servings Nutrition
Grains Breakfast cereals, muesli, rice, pasta, bread, oats, noodles, and all other foods made from flour and grains. Best are less refined types. 6-11 servings Good sources of starchy carbohydrates, fiber, plus calcium, iron and B vitamins. Very filling and low in fat.
Vegetables Includes fresh, frozen or canned, & blended vegetable juice drinks.
Best: spinach, cabbage, bean sprouts, peas, carrots, broccoli, peppers, leeks potatoes onions, garlic, tomatoes 4 servings Good sources of antioxidant vitamins A & C, folates, fiber and some carbohydrates. Very low in fat and calories.
Fruits Includes fresh, frozen or canned plus blended 100% fruit drinks.
Best: strawberries, grapes, kiwis, pineapple blackcurrants oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, apricots. 3-4 servings Good sources of antioxidant vitamins A & C, folates, fiber and some carbohydrates. Very low in fat and calories.
Meat & dairy Fish, all meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, nuts.
Best: any fish (esp. oily fish), turkey, free range chicken, lean beef, free range eggs, low fat dairy products, fat free milk and lower fat cheese. 2-3 servings
You should try to eat at least two portions of fish per week Lean red meat contains
a wide variety of
essential nutrients.
Doctors advise us to
eat less red meat and
more oily fish.
Sugars & fats All sugars, oils, butter, margarine, cream.
Best: choose unrefined oils which are low in saturated fat, unrefined sugar and low fat spread low fat soft margarine. Tiny amounts
Only Good source of
essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K.
A Good Combination of Foods for a Balanced Diet
The healthiest combination for a balanced diet is low fat, low refined carb + healthy carbs + moderate protein. For example, as a general rule:
About 50 percent of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates
About 20 percent should come from protein.
About 30 percent should come from all fat. (Of this, a max. of one third may be saturated fat).
An interesting web site to visit for information about sensible diet and eating, is AC Weight Loss Diet.
Fig 2. What constitutes a serving
Food group What constitutes an approximate serving
Grains 1 slice bread - half a muffin - half bowl cereal - 4oz/100g cooked rice/pasta.
Vegetables 4oz/100g cooked/raw vegetables - 8oz/200g leafy green vegetables - glass vegetable juice.
Fruits 1 medium fresh fruit - 4oz canned fruit - 6 dried apricots - glass fruit juice.
Meat & dairy 2-3oz/50-75g cooked lean meat/fish/poultry - 2 eggs - 7oz/175g tofu - half cup nuts/seeds.
1 cup milk/yogurt - 1oz cheddar cheese - 4oz cottage cheese - 4oz ice-cream/frozen yogurt.
Sugars & fats Ideally use fat free sprays for cooking. Use only light covering of spread on bread.
Do you need supplements on a balanced diet?
No. If you lead a relatively normal life and follow a balanced diet, you won't need supplements. However, if you are unable to eat properly, or if you are ill, under stress or in need of extra nutrients, it may be prudent to supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin & mineral tablet. However, this should be a short term measure only. Supplements should not be used as a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet.
Recipe
An Easy Calorie Guide
Use this simple calorie calculator as a ball-park guide to calculate how many daily calories you need to maintain your present weight. Ball-park estimate only!
Note: For an exact determination of your Basal Energy Expenditure Level/Basal Metabolic Rate and calorie needs, please use the Harris Benedict Equation.
Calories for Women
Work out your weight in pounds
Example: Hilary is 150 pounds
Multiply your weight according to your lifestyle
Sedentary: multiply by 12
A very inactive Hilary needs 150 x 12 = 1800 calories
Light Exercise: multiply by 13
If Hilary takes light exercise she needs about 150 x 13 = 1950 calories
Moderate Exercise: multiply by 14
If Hilary takes moderate exercise she needs about 150 x 14 = 2100 calories
Moderate-Heavy Exercise: multiply by 15
If Hilary takes mod-heavy exercise she needs about 150 x 15 = 2250 calories
Regular Heavy Exercise: multiply by 16
If Hilary takes regular heavy exercise she needs about 150 x 16 = 2400 calories
Calories for Men
Work out your weight in pounds
Example: Bill is 165 pounds
Multiply your weight according to your lifestyle
Sedentary: multiply by 13
A very inactive Bill needs 165 x 13 = 2145 calories
Light Exercise: multiply by 14
If Bill takes light exercise he needs about 165 x 14 = 2310 calories
Moderate Exercise: multiply by 15.25
If Bill takes moderate exercise he needs about 165 x 15.25 = 2516 calories
Moderate-Heavy Exercise: multiply by 16.5
If Bill takes moderate-heavy exercise he needs about 165 x 16.5 = 2722 calories
Regular Heavy Exercise: multiply by 18
If Bill takes regular heavy exercise he needs about 165 x 18 = 2970 calories
Please Note: Calorie needs vary according to many things, including: gender, age, height, level of activity, body fat percentage and type of food eaten. This calorie guide offers a ball-park estimation only. For an exact determination of your Basal Energy Expenditure Level/ Basal Metabolic Rate and calorie needs, please use the Harris Benedict Equation. For more details about calories and nutrition,
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