A balanced diet helps you stay healthy throughout your life and lowers your chances of developing chronic health issues and diseases.

When you eat poorly, you function at a lower level and may endure spells of infection, weariness, cognitive fog, or other health problems.

A poor diet has been linked to some of the main causes of death, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and stroke.

Calories Explained

The calories in the meals you eat are counted. Calories, rather than being a physical component, are a measure of how much energy your body gains when it breaks down and metabolises food.

The number of calories your body requires is determined by your age, gender, and level of exercise.

Men, on average, require more calories than women. Children require less calories than teenagers, whereas young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 require the most calories of any age group. Caloric requirements decrease as you get older, so an 85-year-old would require fewer calories than a 50-year-old.‌

The fundamentals of nutrition

Proteins, carbs, lipids (fats), vitamins, minerals, and water are the six categories of nutrition required for survival. Proteins, carbs, and lipids are macronutrients, which means we need a lot of them. These supply energy to the body in the form of kilojoules or kilocalories. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are only required in trace levels. Water is also an important macronutrient since the volume produced by the body through metabolic processes falls well short of what we lose each day.

There are three major food groups.

Regardless of cultural differences, food is always classified according to the primary functions of its important nutrients. To keep things simple, most foods are used for one of three purposes: energy, growth and repair, or sustaining optimal metabolic function. Foodstuffs can be further classified into up to eight groups depending on how particular we want to be, which is why national dietary standards around the world may differ in terms of the foodstuffs used, yet stay quite similar in terms of total nutrient demands.      

Eating properly ensures adequate nutrients, which keeps the body active and healthy. A proper, balanced diet protects the body against noncommunicable diseases. Heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes are among the top causes of death in the United States.

Consuming significant amounts of sugar raises the risk of dental decay and obesity. Too much salt can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease.

The five major food groupings -

The healthiest way to eat is to eat a variety of meals from each of the five food groups every day:

- Legumes and vegetables (beans)

- Cereals and fruit grains

- Lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes (beans), tofu, nuts and seeds

- Alternatives to milk, cheese, and yoghurt

- Each food group contains essential nutrients.

Legumes and vegetables (beans and peas)

Vegetables and legumes include a wide range of natural elements, including vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

To get the most out of this group, do the following:

- Choose seasonal veggies and legumes, and search for a variety of colours:

- Beans, peas, and broccoli are examples of greens.

- Capsicums, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin are examples of red, orange, or yellow vegetables.

- Red cabbage and eggplant are examples of purple veggies.

- Cauliflower, mushrooms, and potatoes are examples of white vegetables.

Fruit

Fresh fruit is the finest option. Dietary fibre and Vitamins are abundant in fresh fruit.

Grains and Cereal foods

Foods containing grains and cereal Rolling oats, brown rice, wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cracked wheat, barley, buckwheat, and morning cereals like muesli are examples of grain foods.

Wholegrains provide protein, fibre, minerals, and vitamins. Some of these nutrients are lost in processed grains.

legumes (beans), tofu, lean meat, fish, eggs, seeds, chicken, and nuts

Lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes (beans), tofu, nuts, and seeds are all good sources of protein.

Protein, minerals, and vitamins are all found in these foods. Dietary fibre can also be found in legumes, nuts, and seeds. It's a good idea to eat a variety of meals from this category.

Milk, cheese, and yoghurt

Milk contains protein, vitamins, and calcium. For children above the age of one, calcium-fortified soy drinks can be used as a milk alternative.

Some nut or oat milks have calcium added, but they lack vitamin B12 and protein. Before using them, consult with a doctor or a competent dietitian about your child's overall diet.