A balanced and healthy diet assists to improve overall health and wellness. It is just having varied meals by following a few simple rules. At all ages of life, our diet must provide a caloric intake equivalent to our energy expenditure. It must also be sufficiently varied and well distributed throughout the day to provide all the essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body. The caloric intake must, of course, vary according to the age, weight, and the lifestyle of the individual.

Why Healthy Diet Matters?

Your everyday food choices have a great impact on your physical and psychological health and well-being. The right nutrition is an essential part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Combined with physical activity, your diet plays a major role in maintaining healthy body weight, reducing your risk of certain chronic diseases (like heart disease, cancer, etc), and promoting your overall health.

Eat 5-6 Meals a Day for a Balanced Diet

For good food hygiene, it is advisable, as much as possible, to regularly eat 3 major meals (plus 2 snacks). Do not skip meals to avoid cravings!

Having a rich breakfast, with high proteins, carbs, and fiber, is essential to start the day healthy. It is recommended to limit the consumption of fast, junk and refined foods and increase the frequency of good foods.

Get Balanced Meal Plans

A Balanced meal plan each day includes a combination of major meals and snacks and incorporates a healthy balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. You’ll also get plenty of fiber from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. The plan keeps you feeling satisfied all day long. At the core of a balanced diet are foods that are low in unhealthy fats and sugars and high in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Get professional dietician designed balanced meal plans to your inbox by providing your details below.

Dietary Guidelines

Foods fall into 5 main categories: meat, fish, eggs; dairy products; cereal products and starchy foods; vegetables; fruits. A daily diet must include at least one food of each category by following some simple dietary guidelines:

1. Consume at least 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

2. Limit the consumption of fats, especially saturated (pastries, deli meats, butter, sauces, cheeses, etc).

3. Consume lots of good fats; omega 3 oils from flax, canola and nut oils, almonds, oily fish, and get rid of the hidden trans fatty acids in refined products.

4. Increase the consumption of slow sugars, in the form of whole grains (wholemeal bread or cereals, rice, whole semolina, etc).

5. Consume meat, fish and other seafood or eggs 1-2 times a day, promote lean meat and fish consumption.

6. Limit the consumption of bakery foods, sweets, and sugary drinks.

7. Limit the intake of salt/sodium from all food sources. Less than 5g of salt a day is helpful.

8. Limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

9. Water is the only essential drink to consume without moderation: Drink at least 8-10 glasses a day.

10. It is recommended to have 20-30 minutes of physical activity a day at least 5 times a week.

Get Tailored Dietary Guidance

Making small changes to your diet may go a long way in addressing certain disease conditions or in meeting your weight and body mass index goals. For personalized dietary advice specific to your health goals or condition, provide us a brief description below. Our qualified dietitians will try and help you with the best possible advice.

Free online Dietician Consultation

Every year, many of us make New Year’s resolutions to stay fit, lose weight and improve our health. But many questions may arise in our minds like What is the best diet to follow? Whom to consult? Who is the right person to give the diet advice?

Yes, we have answers for all your questions related to diet. Meet our Expert Dietician online for FREE at www.medplusmart.com to get customized Diet advice. Click here to post your query and get tailored dietary guidance.