Finding a balanced diet whats it all about?
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When trying to create a balanced diet you need to look at the building blocks of a healthy diet one that contains all the essential elements the body needs. Even if you are happy with your current weight you will likely maintain it easier with a good balance of carbohydrates (often know as carbs),fat and proteins.
Protein has approximately 4 calories per gram, and can be found in food like eggs, other dairy products made from milk such as cheeses,and yoghurt. In addition protein can be found in red meats such as beef steak and fish.
When looking at carbs like protein we find that calorifically around 1g of carbohydrate will produce about 4 calories of energy. However when comparing carbs it is much harder as they are rather more complex and in addition to being food found in nature than can also be found in food that is manufactured by man.
Those natural carbohydrates i.e those found in nature as plants include potato's,rice, bread products and oatmeal.But we can also find more complex carbs in foods that are manufactured examples of which are cookies,white bread,candy and most forms of cake.
However Fat derives 9 calories from each gram, a full 225% more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrates.Maybe that suprises you but it shouldn't really but few people understand the significance and even then it's not that simple.
Nothing is ever quite as it seems as there are a number of different types of fat there are bad fats trans fatty acids and saturated fats which are generally derived from animals or manufactured by man. Where as good fats are generally from plants.
A balance of carbs,protein and fat (ideally mono and poly unsaturated fats with a small proportion of animal fats) will prevent you having problems with being overweight and obese. It is when these food groups get out of balance that serious problems occur.
The balance of carbs, to fat to protein is essential to healthy living and if you choose a diet which is unbalanced you risk health problems. Consume excess of either fat or carbs or a combination of both and you are likely to end up over weight.
Fat is much more calorific than either proteins or carbohydrates so when planning a meal try to keep a good balance of both carbs and protein and a smaller amount of fat.
Let's examine the different types of fat individually.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids (Mono unsaturated fats). Examples of which are seeds,nuts and vegetable oils. They are found in liquid form at room temperature.
Polyunsaturated fats (Poly unsaturated fatty acids):- These are are found mainly in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of poly unsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies cannot make them themselves, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA's.
Saturated fats (Saturated fatty acids) are usually solid at room temperature and are found mainly in foods from animal sources like meat, dairy products and butter. Some vegetable oils such as coconut, palm kernel and palm oil are also full of saturated fatty acids.
Trans fatty acids:- They are sometimes known as trans fats or hydrogenated fats or partially hydrogenated fats. This means that they have been chemically altered by the addition of hydrogen to make them solid at room temperature. Trans fats are found in foods such as some margarines, used extensively in the fast food industry and in processed snacks.
Think of it this way fat from animals such as butter, shortening, pastry and the like are saturated fats. Where as fats from sunflower oils, some nuts and olive oil are unsaturated fats. Some margarines and spreads are also unsaturated fat but read the label first.Don't forget any fat will make you fat if eaten to excess but unsaturated fats are better for you.
If you want to be eating healthy you need to keep a good balance of all 3 main food groups.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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