We talk about how to have a balanced diet in an easy and simple way. Taking care of your health can have many short and long term benefits on your quality of life.
What is considered a balanced diet
The first thing to know when structuring a healthy diet is that it is not a matter of direct quantity but relative. This means that there is not, far from it, a unique diet with a number of pieces of fruit, for example. Each person needs a different caloric intake depending on different factors. Gender, body type and lifestyle are the main variables in a healthy person.
Speaking of percentages we could say that the diet should be composed of:
Carbohydrates
50% carbohydrates: In carbohydrates we can talk about fruits and vegetables, bread, pasta, rice and cereals. It is the base of our diet and to acquire healthy habits it should be half of our diet.
Fats
30% fats: Fats, which have such a bad reputation, are also absolutely necessary. Fats are found in foods such as fish. In addition, we can find them in nuts, which are also good for our health. However, there are harmful fats that we will talk about later in this post.
Proteins
20% proteins: Proteins can be found, above all, in meats. You can also find healthy proteins in fish such as tuna, cod or salmon.
What these numbers translate into
Generally speaking we could say that to follow a good proportionate diet we should eat:
- Fish about 4 times a week.
- Meat 2 or 3 times a week.
- Legumes 3 or 4 times a week.
- About 5 pieces of fruit a day.
- Avoid fried foods and sweets.
Types of fats
There are good and bad fats. Good fats are an essential part of our diet. They help to lower cholesterol levels, provide us with vitamin E, reduce the risk of cancer, etc. In short, they are associated with a long and healthy life.
Good fats can be polyunsaturated, such as those found in fish, which also contain other health benefits. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil or nuts.
Bad fats, on the other hand, increase bad cholesterol levels. These fats are bad for the heart. They are known as saturated fats and are found in cheeses, butter, sweets, whole milk and some meats and sausages.
