Balanced Diet Calories: Calories, Foods to Eat and Avoid, and More

Balanced Diet Calories: Calories, Foods to Eat and Avoid, and More

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Oct 17, 2024 09:46 AM IST

A nutritionally balanced diet meets all of the body's nutritional needs. All bodies require a certain amount of nutrients and calories to stay active and healthy. Balanced Diet is a topic of Digestion and Absorption in Biology and they carry a weightage of 2-3% in NEET and 4-5% in CBSE and other Paramedical Exams.

What is a Balanced diet?

Since it is a balanced diet and vegetables and fruits are the healthiest foods, it should make up about half of a human plate portion. The rest of the plate portion contains protein and grains. must be In addition, a balanced diet requires a small amount of low-fat dairy products or sources of nutrients found in dairy products.

Examples of nutrients in a balanced diet include adequate proportions of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water intake. Some important points are discussed below:

  • A Balanced diet contains essential nutrients like carbohydrates, protein fats, vitamins and minerals.

  • It helps in maintaining healthy body weight and prevents obesity.

  • Due to the correct amount of Nutrition present in the balanced diet, the energy levels are consistent throughout the day which increases productivity.

  • It ensures that proper digestion is taking place and prevents issues like constipation and bloating.

  • Also, helps in maintaining strong bones and teeth due to the presence of calcium and vitamin D in the diet.

  • A balanced diet also improves your skin hair and overall body functioning by providing all the essential vitamins and minerals for their growth.

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Benefits of a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet ensures proper nutrition to keep the body active and healthy. A healthy diet protects the body from non-communicable diseases. It is the leading cause of death in the United States, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. It also protects the body from malnutrition. Some important points are discussed below:

Products

Importance

Vegetables

  • These are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. It makes up ⅓ of your daily nutritional intake.

  • Also helps in preventing cancer strokes and heart diseases.

Fruits

  • Adds all the essential nutrients to your diet.

  • Whole fruits are more nutritional than juices as they retain their fibre.

Grains

  • Whole grains like oats and brown rice provide more fibre and protein than any refined grain present in the market.

  • It covers half of the daily green consumption for your body.

Proteins

  • Essential for muscle growth and repair.

  • It includes both types of proteins such as animal and plant-based proteins.

  • The intake amount depends upon your body.

Dairy products

  • The major source of calcium for our body is dairy products.

  • They help retain calcium in our bones which makes them stronger.

  • Try to choose low-fat dairy or any alternatives like soy milk.


Nutritional Importance of Balanced Diet

A balanced diet is essential for overall health as it provides all the essential nutrients which are required for proper functioning of the body. It ensures that all the necessary vitamins, minerals, proteins and other nutrients are well consumed in the right proportion. The nutritional importance of a balanced diet is discussed below:

  • It supplies all the essential nutrients for proper growth and energy for our body's functioning.

  • A Balanced diet also supports a simulated system which reduces the risk of infection and diseases.

  • Promotes growth and development, especially in children and old age people.

  • It reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease diabetes or cancer due to the proper diet we take.

  • A Nutritionally raised balanced diet ensures proper repair of yourself and your muscles due to the presence of the right amount of protein.

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Balanced Diet

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Balanced Diet are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Components of a Balanced Diet

"VGFDP: Vegetables, Grains, Fruits, Dairy, Proteins"

  • V: Vegetables (rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre)

  • G: Grains (whole grains provide essential carbohydrates and fibre)

  • F: Fruits (provide essential vitamins and natural sugars)

  • D: Dairy (source of calcium and protein)

  • P: Proteins (essential for muscle repair and growth)

Nutritional Guidelines

"MCP: Moderation, Choice, Portion"

  • M: Moderation

  • C: Choice

  • P: Portion

Benefits of a Balanced Diet

"GIRL: Growth, Immunity, Risk Reduction, Longevity"

  • G: Growth

  • I: Immunity

  • R: Risk reduction

  • L: Longevity

Daily Intake Recommendations

"5-3-2-1: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 3 servings of whole grains, 2 servings of dairy, 1 serving of lean protein"

  • 5: Fruits and Vegetables

  • 3: Whole Grains

  • 2: Dairy

  • 1: Lean Proteins

Hydration

"WATER: Water, Avoid sugary drinks, Take daily intake seriously, Enhance hydration, Remember to drink throughout the day"

  • W: Water

  • A: Avoid sugary drinks

  • T: Take daily intake seriously

  • E: Enhance hydration

  • R: Remember to drink throughout the day

Types of Questions Asked from Balanced Diet

During exam preparation, different types of questions about the Balanced Diet are asked. The table below contains the different patterns of questions asked in different exams.

Exam Type

Types of Questions Asked

Weightage

CBSE

  • Definition of a balanced diet and its importance.

  • Components of a balanced diet (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals).

  • Benefits of a balanced diet for growth and health.

  • Dietary recommendations (food groups and serving sizes).

  • Consequences of an unbalanced diet (health risks, deficiencies).

2%

NEET

  • Role of macronutrients in a balanced diet.

  • Impact of vitamins and minerals on body functions.

  • Relationship between diet and chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes).

  • Dietary guidelines and recommendations (e.g., MyPlate, food pyramids).

  • Food sources of essential nutrients.

3%

Paramedical

  • Importance of nutrition in different life stages (children, adults, elderly).

  • Effects of malnutrition and dietary deficiencies.

  • The role of diet in preventive healthcare.

  • Understanding food labels and nutritional information.

  • The impact of lifestyle choices on diet and health.

2%


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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Are potatoes, corn, beans and green peas suitable for your daily vegetable allotment?

Unfortunately, these are strengths. You must add vegetables to your daily diet. The more colors you add, the more vitamins and minerals you get.Red bell peppers, yellow squash, purple eggplant, green beans, orange squash - try them all. Salads, soups, meats, stews, and rice as pilaf.

2. I eat well and get 7-8 hours of sleep?

Eating well is a good thing. But you also need to stay well hydrated. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include fatigue, nausea, headaches, and dry skin.
Ensure that you are drinking enough water and other healthy fluids, like coconut water, unsweetened juices, soups, lemon juice and herbal teas. The color of your urine is a fairly reliable marker of your levels of hydration. If it’s darker than pale yellow, you need more fluids.

3. Should I avoid eating rice in my diet ?

The bottom line is calories. If your total calorie intake exceeds what your body can burn, you will gain weight. Rice can add calories quickly (1/3 cup of rice is nearly 100 calories), but skipping rice may not be the only way to cut calories. He keeps a food diary for a week and consults with a nutritionist to identify hidden calories in his diet.

4. If I have a good breakfast, is it okay to skip meals?

"Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a beggar." is an old saying. But since feudal times, our lifestyle has become more sedentary. Eating breakfast for a long time while sitting at a desk all day is not recommended. Also, just because you ate a lot in the morning doesn't mean you skip lunch. Instead, spread his calorie intake throughout the day. Long breaks between meals can lead to hyperacidity.

5. Why should I eat every 2-3 hours even if I am not hungry?

 If you wait until you're hungry, you'll eat more than you need. Eating healthy, balanced meals and snacks every 2-3 hours will help keep your metabolism high (which is key to fat loss), stabilize your blood sugar, and keep your energy levels high.

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