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A balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly. To get the nutrition you need, most of your daily calories should come from:. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans explain how much of each nutrient you should consume daily.
The number of calories in a food refers to the amount of energy stored in that food. Your body uses calories from food for walking, thinking, breathing, and other important functions. The average person needs about 2, calories every day to maintain their weight, but the amount will depend on their age, sex, and physical activity level.
Current guidelines list the following calorie intakes for males and females of different ages:. The source of your daily calories are also important. A homemade pizza with a wholemeal base and plenty of fresh veggies on top may be a healthy choice.
In contrast, premade pizzas and other highly processed foods often contain empty calories. To maintain good health, limit your consumption of empty calories and instead try to get your calories from foods that are rich in other nutrients. Get some tips for curbing cravings of less nutritious foods. Calories are a measure of energy that foods supply. The number of calories you need will depend on your sex, age, and activity level.
A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue, and low performance. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest , 4 of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States are directly linked to diet.
Learn more about healthy meal plans for kids. Your body needs nutrients to stay healthy, and food supplies essential nutrients that stop us from getting sick. People who follow a vegan diet will focus entirely on plant-based foods. Tofu and beans, for example, are plant-based sources of protein. Some people are intolerant of dairy but can still build a balanced diet by choosing a variety of nutrient-rich replacements.
Learn about 50 super healthy foods. Fruits are high in sugar , but this sugar is natural. Unlike candies and many sweet desserts, fruits also provide fiber and other nutrients. If you have diabetes, your doctor or dietitian can advise you on which fruits to choose , how much to eat, and when.
Learn about 11 low-sugar fruits. Vegetables are a key source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eat a variety of vegetables with different colors for a full range of nutrients. Dark, leafy greens are an excellent source of many nutrients. They include:. Potatoes with the skins on are a great source of fibre and vitamins. For example, when having boiled potatoes or a jacket potato, eat the skin too.
Find out more about starchy foods. Milk and dairy foods, such as cheese and yoghurt, are good sources of protein. They also contain calcium, which helps keep your bones healthy.
Find out more about milk and dairy foods. These foods are all good sources of protein, which is essential for the body to grow and repair itself. Meat is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc and B vitamins.
It's also one of the main sources of vitamin B Choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry whenever possible to cut down on fat.
Always cook meat thoroughly. Eggs and fish are also good sources of protein, and contain many vitamins and minerals. Oily fish is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish a week , including 1 portion of oily fish.
You can choose from fresh, frozen or canned, but remember that canned and smoked fish can often be high in salt. Pulses, including beans, peas and lentils, are naturally very low in fat and high in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals. Nuts are high in fibre, and unsalted nuts make a good snack. But they do still contain high levels of fat, so eat them in moderation.
Read more about eggs and pulses and beans. Swapping to unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol. Find out more about the different types of fats. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay.
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which increases your risk of getting heart disease or having a stroke. See 8 tips for healthy eating to find out more about why you need to cut down on saturated fat, sugar and salt, which foods they're found in, and how to make healthier choices. Find out more about how to eat less saturated fat. Most adults in England are overweight or obese.
Check whether you're a healthy weight using the BMI calculator. Starchy foods such as rice, pasta, bread, cereals and potatoes should form the basis of each meal. They are a good source of energy and provide a range of nutrients.
Where wholegrain varieties are chosen they also contribute significantly to fibre intake. People should be encouraged to eat insoluble fibre the body cannot digest it and it passes through the gut helping other food and waste products move along and soluble fibre it can be digested by the body and may help to reduce cholesterol. It is a myth that starchy foods are fattening - they contain less than half the calories of fat: 1g of fat has 9kcals, whereas 1g of carbohydrate has 4kcals.
It is the fat added to starchy food that increases the calorie content. Low-carbohydrate diets have had a lot of publicity, particularly in relation to weight loss. Such diets can be high in fat, limit the amount of fruit, vegetables and fibre in the diet and can cause problems with constipation, osteoporosis and halitosis BDA, A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine Samaha, concluded that further studies on low-carbohydrate diets are needed before they can be endorsed.
Cutting out any food group from the diet whether for weight loss or unproven food intolerance can lead to serious health implications and may result in nutrient deficiency and should not be undertaken without adequate medical and dietetic supervision.
Excess fat in the diet can lead to weight gain and cardiovascular problems. There are three types of fat:. Omega-3 fats are classed as essential fatty acids as they cannot be made in the body.
They are found in oily fish. However, extremely low-fat diets limit the intake of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
It is important not to overeat fats as they are all high in calories. Dehydration can cause nausea, tiredness, constipation and headaches. In the typical UK climate drinking about eight glasses of fluid a day will be adequate, but requirements will be increased for anyone who is in a warm environment or who is undertaking any activity that causes them to sweat. Caffeine, which is found in tea, coffee, cocoa and some carbonated drinks, can have a mild diuretic effect. People who drink lots of tea or coffee may need to alternate caffeinated drinks with a decaffeinated version, a naturally caffeine-free herbal infusion, water or squash.
A diet high in salt can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke.
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