The Importance of a Balanced Diet
- Rishik Bedi
- Aug 16, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 30, 2021
Written by: Rishik Bedi
Edited by: Nicole See Wa Hao and Karyn Sethi
Introduction
Nutrients. What are they exactly? They play such an important role in how we live our lives, yet many of us are completely unaware about the shortcomings or excess fluctuations in the benefits that nutrients provide our body. Well, nutrients are substances that provide nourishment essential for one’s development and the maintenance of a healthy diet. It is crucial to understand their significance and the role they play in our body. In this blog we will be talking about the nutrients that are found in a balanced diet.
Carbohydrates and their sources
Carbohydrates are the body's primary energy source - think of it as a power house - without which we would be unable to move and do activities. Carbohydrates help us by powering our central nervous system, kidneys, heart muscles, and other such organs. There are 2 kinds of carbs- healthy and refined carbs. Conditions such as obesity, the state of being overweight, have been said to be led by the consumption of refined carbs. Unlike refined carbs, healthy carbs are the carbohydrates that are nutritious and are needed for our health. They can be found in legumes, potatoes, oats, vegetables, whole grains and beans.
In a situation when someone lacks carbs in their diet, their body might store additional carbohydrates in the muscles and liver for later use. There are multiple symptoms that show when someone has a carbohydrate-deficient diet, including headaches, tiredness, weakness, difficulty concentrating, nausea, constipation, foul breath, and vitamin and mineral shortages.
Although carbs have numerous advantages, we need to ensure that we are ingesting them moderately. A carbohydrate dense diet might lead to high blood sugar and undesired weight gain. However, to satisfy your body's nutritional demands and maintain healthy weight, we need to eat an adequate amount of nutritious carbs.
What are proteins?
Proteins are known to be naturally occurring, yet extremely complex substances that are present in all living organisms and include many essential biological compounds such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Proteins are made up of smaller parts called amino acids. Additionally, proteins are biological molecules that are used most widely in our bodies. Though most of the amino acids that are needed to keep us healthy are produced by our bodies, we cannot create them, and have to use the nine amino acids in our diet. Our body itself cannot manufacture the nine amino acids known as the “basic amino acids”. Hence, in order to obtain such nutrients, consuming foods like beans, legumes, lean meats, poultry such as chicken, turkey and duck, eggs, milk and yoghurt, and nuts are important.
Why does protein matter?
Without all 9 necessary amino acids, humans will cease to exist. Bones and bodily tissues like our muscles are built with protein, but that’s not it. Protein does so much more than that. Practically every biological activity involves protein. It is a source of power, forms blood cells, and also supports cell respiration, metabolic processes, and immunological responses.
Serious protein deficiency can cause illnesses such as edema, fatty liver, and skin discoloration, and can restrict and limit child growth. Although in developed nations, real shortcomings are rare, a low intake might induce muscular waste and the danger of bone fractures.
Fat and oil
Low fat? No fat? Try more fat. Dietary fats are important, particularly as you get older, to maintain excellent overall health. Vasanti Malik, a research scientist at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says that your body must have regular intakes of fat. "Fat contributes to energy supplying your body, protecting your organs, supporting cell growth, controlling blood cholesterol and pressure and helps your body absorb important nutrients. You may really take away from your body what it needs most if you focus too much on reducing all the fat."
For optimal functioning you need a slight quantity of fat in your diet. Oils and fats are substances that provide the necessary calories and fats to enable your body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins including Vitamin A, D, E and K. However, it is important to note that the fat type is as essential for health as the overall fat consumption. That is why healthy, unsaturated fats are crucial to pick. Too much and incorrect fat types, such as saturated and trans-fats, can lead to improper LDL and reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol. This imbalance may raise the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cardiac attack and stroke. In order to ensure healthy ingestion of adequate fat and oil, it is important to include these sources in your diet, such as sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, walnuts, fatty fish, soybean and safflower oil, soymilk, tofu, olive and sesame oils and nuts.
Essentials of fats and oils
It is always important to remember that we should maintain a healthy diet by consuming the correct amounts of fats and oils in our diet. The occurrence of fat deficiencies in our diet may cause symptoms such as dry rashes, loss of hair, weakened immune systems, and vitamin-related problems. Most of the fats you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats in order to maintain excellent health.
Significance of Vitamins
Vitamins are groupings of chemicals that are connected to the food that are present at tiny levels and required for the regular functioning of the body. They are also known as protective foods.
There are 2 categories that vitamins can be sorted in, which are Fat Soluble Vitamins and Water Soluble Vitamins. Fat Soluble Vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E and K), are soluble in fats and fat solvents. They are insoluble in water. So, these are utilized only if there is enough fat in the body. Meanwhile, Water Soluble Vitamins (Vitamins B and C, and folic acid), are soluble in water and so they cannot be stored in the body.
Fruits and vegetables, until today, are still considered to be the finest providers of micronutrients in our diets. Both of them contain vitamins and minerals. Both animal food sources are good micronutrient sources. Sufficient consumption of a balanced diet that contains plenty of fruit and vegetables is a good way to obtain an adequate intake of micronutrients. This presented table overleaf outlines roles and examples of food sources for each of these essential vitamins.
Table: Functions and sources of vitamins.
Importance of Maintaining a Balanced Diet- A Personal Experience
A balanced diet is the upliftment of a delicate pendulum of life, where the extent of life’s oscillations is manipulated by the essential maintenance of health. Health is but a determinant on how you ride the wave of life, and diet ensures opportunities for experiencing yet another chapter in life out of the culmination memories that shape who you are.
I have encountered such devastating experiences of dear loved ones passing due to high cholesterol levels or severe conditions of infection due to the lack of care and maintenance in the body; which disabled themselves to carry on living their expected or desired lifestyles. I too have met with such encounters of nutrient deficiencies myself. I have experienced extreme heart palpitations, shortness of breath, pale skin and numbness in my body due to vitamin B12 deficiency. That horrific experience struck a huge cognizance in my life, and now I truly understand the importance of a balanced diet, and the need of it to ensure you get to live for another beautiful day in this world.
A Word of Advice
To prevent such hazardous and unhealthy imbalances in nutrient intake for your body, we advise taking regular visits to the doctor, and even taking blood tests twice or thrice a year concerning your nutrient intake, to further understand if you may be experiencing unhealthy levels of deficiencies or excess nutrition in your diet. We also advise consuming recommended foods that have been provided for every type of nutrient above, and eating them in balanced amounts, as well as constructing an optimal diet plan design according to your interests and health requirements.
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