Definition of Balanced Diet

Balanced Diet For Kids and Adults

Variety is the foundation to the definition of balanced diet. All of the tips for "what is a balanced diet?” help, but only if you follow this one. It is essential for a balanced diet for kids or grown-ups.

“What is the definition of a balanced diet?” Learn the importance of balanced diets with the benefit of variety…

Variety: Definition of Balanced Diet

Every food contains a unique profile of vitamins and minerals. Everyone knows that vitamins are abundant in fruits, while minerals are found primarily in vegetables.

Vitamins and minerals allow our body to function. They help cells communicate and are used to build our cellular architecture. Silicon, for example, improves your joints and bones [1]. It is found mostly in plant sources such as apples, oranges, raisins.

Eat a variety of food, but focus on fruits and vegetables to boost your energy and aid with cell renewal.

The definition of balanced diet is variety, but fruits and vegetables are the best source of vitamins and minerals. Most children are easily attracted to fruit, making it easy to have a balanced diet for kids.

Add More Healthy Food

Many people are not ready to dramatically change their diet. If you are worried that some of your favorite foods might not be good for you, but you are too attached, don't worry!

Instead of cutting out your guilty pleasures, focus on adding more variety of healthy food.

When you consume enough vitamins and minerals, you will feel fewer cravings for unhealthy items. If you already have what you need, there will be no drive to consume more.

Natural, whole foods are lower in fat, contain no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or antibiotics. This is unlike some other options which are created through manufacturing and factory farming process.

You will never know the benefits of cleaning up your diet until you implement it in your healthy diet plan or in a balanced diet for kids.

FDA Myth About Definition of Balanced Diet

Daily recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals are not always right.

Learn the basic flaws in the "Recommended daily (or dietary) allowance (RDA)”, as decided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA provides guidelines for how much to consume. They recommend an amount of calories, macronutrients (fat, protein, carbohydrates), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Evidence of this appears in terms of percentages on nutrition labels.

The first major flaw is that they are based on average intake, rather than science. They simply took the average that was being consumed by what was considered to be a healthy group.

The second major flaw is that they increased the amounts significantly to ensure they were sufficient for 95% of people in the group.

It is okay to follow the RDAs a little more loosely. If you follow the definition of a balanced diet, there is no reason to fret about deficiencies.

The only two vitamins which I would recommend supplementing are B12 (because people's absorption is often compromised) and Vitamin D (for those who live in areas without a lot of sunlight).

Variety: Not Necessary on a Daily Basis

Eating a variety of food is key to the importance of balanced diets, but not in the way people normally think. You don’t have to eat something different every single day…

It is important is to rotate your food over periods of time.

Nutrient deficiencies accumulate over extended periods of time, closer to weeks and months.

Some vitamins, such as B12, can be stored in the body for years at a time.

It is best to eat what is in season. In-season foods have denser nutrients and taste better too.

It is still important to rotate your greens. Some leafy green vegetables have a high amount of oxalic acid, which can be toxic in high quantities.

Luckily, our organs, such as the kidney and liver, are equipped to handle small amounts of naturally occurring toxins. In fact, that's why there there.

All food contains some small amount of toxins, or are produced in our body.

Lettuce is ok to use as a staple, especially as part of a balanced diet for kids. Rotate darker greens, like spinach and chard, out of your diet every several days to make sure you meet the definition of balanced diet.

Learn more of the best tips for “what is a balanced diet?”

[1] Jugdaohsingh R. "Silicon and bone health.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. 2007. 6 Aug. 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17435952 

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