So, we all know by now how important a healthy diet is. How can we achieve this though? What makes a diet healthy? What if I said its as easy as learning your ABCs?
1. Adequacy
In order to eat an adequate diet, it is important to ensure that the body is replenished of vital nutrients. This requires consumption of an adequate amount of nutrients. For example, the body is composed mostly of water and the body is constantly using that water up for many processes. For this reason, it is important to replenish the body with water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. This can be achieved by drinking 8 glasses of water or more per day.
2. Balance
Due to the variety of nutrients that are needed by the body and their complementary effects, balance is an essential component of a healthy diet. For example, Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium. For this reason, it is important to consume adequate amounts of each. This is only one example. There are many more. Another example is the complementary proteins. Whole grains and legumes contain different types of Amino acids which are complementary and when eaten together, satisfy the body's needs when animal based protein is limited for any reason.
3. Calorie Control
One of the biggest problems with today's diet is the abundance of calories Americans are consuming, coupled with a lack of energy expended. Portion sizes have doubled and in some cases tripled in the past couple of decades. In order to eat a healthy diet and stay within caloric recommendations - portion control is imperative!
4. Moderation
It is important not to deprive the body of pleasure foods because doing so may increase the urge to consume them and result in binge eating when deciding to indulge in sweets or high-fat foods. These foods can be eaten but should be consumed in moderation. Even healthy foods need to be consumed in moderation because too much of a good thing can still be a problem.
5. Variety
The last component of a healthy diet is variety. Because the body needs such a vast array of nutrients, it is important to consume a variety of foods in order to achieve this need. This ensures adequacy and prevents an accumulation of toxins (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).
Over time, applying the ABC's to your diet will become second nature and will ensure your body's optimal functionality. In the beginning, it can be difficult to know where to begin and that is why we start with our ABC's. Keeping these 5 easy principles fresh in our minds helps to eliminate a lot of the guesswork!
The ABCs of a Nutritious Diet
1. Adequacy
In order to eat an adequate diet, it is important to ensure that the body is replenished of vital nutrients. This requires consumption of an adequate amount of nutrients. For example, the body is composed mostly of water and the body is constantly using that water up for many processes. For this reason, it is important to replenish the body with water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. This can be achieved by drinking 8 glasses of water or more per day.
2. Balance
3. Calorie Control
One of the biggest problems with today's diet is the abundance of calories Americans are consuming, coupled with a lack of energy expended. Portion sizes have doubled and in some cases tripled in the past couple of decades. In order to eat a healthy diet and stay within caloric recommendations - portion control is imperative!
4. Moderation
It is important not to deprive the body of pleasure foods because doing so may increase the urge to consume them and result in binge eating when deciding to indulge in sweets or high-fat foods. These foods can be eaten but should be consumed in moderation. Even healthy foods need to be consumed in moderation because too much of a good thing can still be a problem.
5. Variety
The last component of a healthy diet is variety. Because the body needs such a vast array of nutrients, it is important to consume a variety of foods in order to achieve this need. This ensures adequacy and prevents an accumulation of toxins (Sizer & Whitney, 2013).
Over time, applying the ABC's to your diet will become second nature and will ensure your body's optimal functionality. In the beginning, it can be difficult to know where to begin and that is why we start with our ABC's. Keeping these 5 easy principles fresh in our minds helps to eliminate a lot of the guesswork!
References
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
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