Nutrition is very important when maintaining your physical wellbeing as well as your mental wellbeing. A balanced diet of protein, grains/starches, fruits & veggies is the simple form of how to keep your health in check and to keep your body in good shape. This March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month and in order to fully embrace the cause we will break down what exactly makes for having a balanced diet, how food groups impact your body and why junk food is terrible for your overall health. Simply saying “have a balanced diet” may not suffice for those that don’t truly know what having a balanced diet is, but it’s far simpler than one may think.

Let’s start with the basics, your meals throughout the day should consist of vegetables, grains, protein and fruits. Scenario: You have a full spread for dinner consisting of a fruit medley, salads or a vegetable medley including broccoli, snowpeas, and spinach, rice or pasta and chicken or fish. Grab your plate and remember the 30-25-25-20 rule according to Harvard Health. Keep 30% of your plate should be vegetables (preferably green veggies), this doesn’t include potatoes but could be included in the starch category. 50% of the plate should be non-starchy vegetables; all vegetables except peas, corn, potatoes, and winter squash. These vegetables are starchy and go in the starch section of your plate along with rice, pasta, or bread. Fortunately, 25% of your plate should be grains or starches. Try to include intact grains such as bulgur, brown rice, wheat berries, farro, quinoa, small new potato (with skin) or yams to increase your fiber. Proteins should take up 25% of your plate with a focus on lean meats or plant proteins.  Choose lean meats such as skinless poultry or fish and limit the amount of red and processed meats. Plant proteins include a variety of beans or tofu. Occasionally, fill in that section with beef, pork, or other meats but try to trim the fat. Finally, 20% of your plate will be fruits and should be centered on the warm colored fruits. Most people are not going to have fruit on their dinner plate. Apples, bananas, oranges and the like are integral for natural sugars. Throughout your day, your fruit & vegetable intake should be earlier on. Breakfast might be oatmeal with nuts and fruit; lunch might be a turkey sandwich with carrots and an apple, and dinner might be fish with potato, broccoli and a salad.

With all the information on what you “should” be eating throughout the day or how to balance your plate, it begs the question: How do these food groups impact my body? Let’s tackle each food group one by one to fully understand how each will affect you. An unlisted but necessary group are oils. Oils provide you with important nutrients such as unsaturated fats and vitamin E and typically come from a variety of plants or fish. Choosing unsaturated fat (like oils) in place of saturated fat can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve “good” (HDL) cholesterol levels. MyPlate provides a comprehensive list of the benefits of each food group. Below is a breakdown of what each food group provides:

Fruits & Vegetables

●     Lower in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

●     Reduced risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke

●     Protection against certain types of cancers

●     Increased intake of fiber and potassium which are important nutrients

            Grains & Starches

●     Reduces the risk of heart disease

●     Whole grain foods that contain fiber, as part of an overall healthy diet, can support healthy digestion

●     Whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, may help with weight management

●     Grain products fortified with folate helps prevent neural tube defects when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet before and during pregnancy

            Protein

●     Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins

●     Proteins are one of three nutrients that provide calories (the others are fat and carbohydrates)

●     Varying your protein food choices can provide your body with a range of nutrients designed to keep your body functioning well

●     B vitamins help build tissue and aid in forming red blood cells

●     Iron can prevent anemia. Magnesium helps build bones and supports muscle function

●     Zinc can support your immune systems

●     EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids found in varying amounts in seafood, nuts and seeds. Eating 8 ounces per week of seafood may help reduce the risk for heart disease

            Dairy

●     Improve bone health especially in children and adolescents, when bone mass is being built

●     Promote bone health and prevent the onset of osteoporosis in adults, most of whom do not get enough of these nutrients

A balanced diet is one that fulfills all of a person’s nutritional needs. It provides you the energy to keep active throughout the day as well as the ability to fight off illness. The nutrients you consume allow your body to grow and repair so you can stay healthy and strong.  Remember that a balanced diet is only half the equation, you have to combine it with regular exercise. When you do this, it decreases your chances of obesity and gaining weight. A balanced diet provides essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body working effectively.

What specifically does a well-balanced diet do for your body? It does quite a few things. It reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as helping with weight management. As mentioned above, it helps with your overall heart health. A diet rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains and low-fat dairy can help maintain your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Calcium is crucial for bone growth and strength. Your gut health will be much improved. Your colon is full of naturally occurring bacteria which play an important part when it comes to your metabolism and digestion. A diet rich in veggies, fruits, legumes, and whole grains provides a combination of prebiotics and probiotics that help good bacteria thrive in your colon.

A balanced diet will also improve your mental wellbeing. A balanced diet will lead to better overall mood. A diet with a lower glycemic load is linked to better mental health. Glycemic load refers to how much a food will raise a person’s blood glucose level. A higher glycemic load (found in refined carbs) is linked to increased symptoms of depression and fatigue. It can also help maintain cognition and brain health. Vitamin D, C, E as well as omega-3 fatty acids help to protect against cognitive decline and dementia. If you are struggling with memory or concentration, a poor diet may be to blame.

What happens if you have a poor diet? Basically, the exact opposite of what is listed above. It can lead to weight gain, malnutrition, a weakened immune system, digestive discomfort, many other illnesses, and disease. Eating a lot of foods that are high in fat and sugar is a contributing factor to weight gain; excess sugar is stored as fat. Excess weight can put strain on your body leading to disease. Eating a lot of junk food provides very little nourishment for your body. Not getting enough nutrients can lead to malnutrition. Without proper nutrition, your immune system will be weak and in turn leaves you susceptible to getting sick more often. You also may not heal as fast from injury. Not getting enough fiber can lead to digestive discomfort due to diarrhea or constipation. Too much sugar can lead to poor oral health. Sugar eats away at your teeth and can lead to cavities. Inflamed and bleeding gums could also be a sign that you aren’t getting enough Vitamin C. Low protein diets can even lead to hair thinning or loss.

A well-balanced diet is essential for your overall wellbeing. Try using the “My Plate’ guidelines from https://www.myplate.gov/.  Each food group provides a little something different that your body needs, so don’t skip out on one. A well-balanced diet will give you the energy you need to function from day-to-day as well as allow your body to better fight off infections. Your body needs the proper nutrients to continue to grow and recover. Don’t forget it will lead to a better mental state too.