Tips on Healthy and Balanced Diet

A balanced diet should have all food groups in every single meal of the day. At least we should take one meal containing full of all food groups. Food prepared at home should meet the nutritional requirements of all family members , it should be simple, available on time, prepared with one’s culture & eating habits.  By diverting food choice we can have the optimum nutrition.

The food we eat daily has a proportional impact on our lifestyle.Life threatening diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer can be averted through our diets.

Cereal grains & products:

Use one or more cereals in one meal, Chapathi, followed by rice. Ex: whole wheat, oats, brown rice, steamed rice, ragi, jowar, bajra, maize, broken wheat or dalia . Breakfast cereals like Whole wheat cereals flakes, oats, muesli, corn flakes, whole wheat bread or multigrain bread. These are the best combination of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and several B vitamins. Refined cereals/maida used in sandwich bread, fast foods & bakeries, white rice (polished rice)are the reduced value contener of linoliec acid , fiber, folic acid, selenium and Vitamin E. Since we are the regular user of rice , we can gradualy make a change by shifting from polished rice to steamed rice & then parboiled/red rice.

Whole grains (low Glycemic Index), with the entire kernel – bran, germ, parboiled grains or malted grains have higher nutritive value over refined wheat flour/ maida (white bread, naan or Kulcha) & raw polished rice.

Vegetables & Fruits:

Include plenty of colorful seasonal fruits & vegetables with dark pigmentations, either raw or cooked with edible skin & seeds, which may included in at least single meal of the day which Ideal .

Fruits & vegetables are rich in antioxidants , protects and prevents from diseases due to nutrients like folate, vitamins, minerals, fiber. They are low fat content,no cholesterol and includes low calories because of their high water content . Fiber gives satiety, a feeling of fullness so helps to avoid overeating. The standard measure of all age groups should consume a minimum of 300-500 g of vegetables everyday and a minimum of 200- 250 g fruits. Which amounts to ½ kg of vegetables for each adult in the family!

Fruits are low in sodium & rich in Vitamin A, C, E, potassium & selenium. At least two varieties of seasonal fruits must be taken every day. Citrus fruits are good sources of Vitamin C.

Milk & milk products:

Milk is the natural source of calcium; provids protein, potassium, Vitamin A & D. Skim milk, its products - curd, milk shakes, butter milk/lassi, smoothies & cheese, with its low fat content should take priority over whole milk.

Meat & beans:
protein from animal source is having high biological value, which can be used for body building, repair & maintenance. The proteins in dhals & legumes are secondary in quality & thus it is vital for vegetarians. consume some milk & milk products, soya & its products – nuggets, granules, tofu or soy milk and use a combination of cereal and pulse to enhance the amino acid profile.

Egg is a complete protein & has all the 9 essential amino acids required for the growth, development & maintenance of human body. egg white, dressed chicken & fatty fish are healthier than Prawns, crabs, red meat, organ meats, minced meat, sausages, salami, frankfurters, ready to eat poultry & meat products, due to their high fat content. fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines (omega 3 fatty acid) at least twice a week. Whole sprouts, defatted soy products, nuts, beans(soluble fiber) are healthy than splits dhals. Ex: Rajma, Chickpeas, cow peas, field beans, horse gram, black channa, soya beans, Lentil. These provides protein, B vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and B6), vitamin E, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Fats & sugar: 

These are rich in calorie , should be consumed judiciously. It is suggested to use a mixture of oils or cook different food items in different oils, for ex: rice bran oil, soya oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil, olive oil, avoide coconut oil & palm oil. Visible dietary fats(cooking oils) carry fat-soluble vitamins - vitamins A, D, E and K from our food into our body. Fat is also come from invisible fat in foods that we eat, from pulses, grains etc; and it is also made endogenously in the body. 
Saturated Fats (solids at room temperature – Vanaspati, ghee, butter) and trans fatty acids (found in fried items, fast foods, bakery/processed foods) are the most harmful & must be totally avoided in our diets. Use only MUFA rich oils like peanut, rice bran oil for occasional deep-frying (higher smoking point), as they are more stable than PUFA oils (sunflower, safflower oil) & do not disintegrate to transfats at high temperature. Trans fatty acids are formed at high temperatures, as vegetable oil hardens and its excess consumption will lead to hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia and increased risk of heart diseases. Virgin olive oil is heart protective MUFA rich oil, with low smoking point and best used for salad dressing. Fat should be restricted to 3 tsp/person/day.
Sugar is void of any nutrient & has empty calories. Therefore all sweets & pastries should be had in moderation and the sugar used, should be restricted to 2 - 3 tsp/person/day.