http://www.healthfellow.com/category/balanced-diet Healthfellow balanced-diet Article Feeds en-us Tue, 7 Oct 2008 02:05:15 GMT http://www.healthfellow.com/  The human body requires energy for all life process and for maintenance of body cells, tissues and to support normal growth and development and that energy is provided by adequate healthy foods and drinks. A Balanced diet helps improve your overall health and well being. A Balanced diet can help you feel better, provide you with more energy, help you stay fit and active, and help you fight stress.  Food Groups such as :  Grain group (breads, cereals, pasta, rice)  These foods mostly contain starch and should be the main part of all your meals. If possible try to choose high fibre varieties. This group of foods are an excellent source of fibre and are rich in vitamins from the B complex.  Fruit and vegetable group  This includes all frozen, fresh and canned fruit/vegetables as well as salad vegetables. These are all excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre and are naturally low in fat and calories. You should try to eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.  Milk group (milk and milk products)  Milk and dairy products include cheese, yoghurt, milk and fromage-frais. They are rich in protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Eat or drink a moderate amount of these foods - about 2 to 3 servings per day. These foods contain a good source of calcium, which is essential to our diet, but as these foods can also be high in saturated fats try to choose reduced fat versions when possible.  Meat group (meat, lentils, nuts, peas and beans)  Eating fish 1-2 times a week is good for you, especially if you eat oily fish (sardines, mackerel and salmon). All types of meats are included in this category and red meat is an excellent source of iron and vitamin B12, but try to choose the leaner cuts and trim off all visible fat before cooking. Lentils, nuts, peas and beans are also in this food group. Try to use lower fat versions of all these foods whenever possible. You should eat approximately 2 servings from this category each day.  Fats, oils and sweets group.   This last group contains butter, margarine, cream, ice-cream, low fat spreads, cooking oils, mayonnaise, salad dressings, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, sugary drinks, sweets, pastry foods and crisps. All of these foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Try not to eat these foods too often and when you do only have them in small amounts. If possible try to go for the healthier varieties for example sugar free sweets and low fat crisps.  All these food groups provides every bit of esstinial energy to fulfill the requirement of an human body to stay fit. To achieve a balanced diet, you should have atleast 3 meals in a day and must consume a variety of foods from each of the food groups.  Adequate amount of food groups provides Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals which are the backbone of a balanced diet. http://www.healthfellow.com/rssfeeds/../article/34/balanced-diet