What is your idea of the perfect diet? Sushi?

Steamed broccoli with olive oil?

Or Chicken fired stake with fries?

 

Whatever your choice, probably

none of those will be sufficient to

supply your body with all its nutritional needs.

 

 

The human body needs a balanced diet;

a nutrition plan to function correctly.

This will guarantee that our body has all

the nutritional requirements to:

 

• Grow and stay strong

• Repair and heal itself

• Reproduce successfully

• Fight against illness and infections

• Avoid problems related to weight 

 

To include a variety of food in our diet helps to decrease our chances

of heart problems, cardiovascular problems, diabetes and osteoporosis.

 

Which are the foods that our body needs to be healthy?

The foods that we need can be divided in five categories:

 

 

Food Categories :

 

Food Groups                 Nutritional benefits            Daily Portions

 

Fruits and Vegetables

(Fresh fruits and                   Vitamins, Minerals                       5 Portions 

vegetables, frozen,                      and Fiber  

dehydrated, canned

and juiced)

             

 

Carbohydrates

(Bread, rice,                       Energy, Fiber, minerals         1/3 of the total amount we  pasta and potatoes)                and vitamins                                    eat in a day 

              

Meat, fish, eggs and                Proteins, Vitamins                     2 to 3 portions 

grains (including fresh               and minerals                           which is about 

and canned meat and                                                                the size of a deck 

fish, eggs, dehydrated                                                                  of cards.

fruits and legumes)

 

     Milk products                  Proteins and Calcium              Two to three portions 

(Milk, Cheese and                                                                  (4oz of yogurt  

                  Yogurt)                                                            or 8oz glass of milk)

          

Fat and sugars (Cake,                 Energy                             One portion (two

      cookies and soda)                                                          cookies or a small 

                                                                                              chocolate bar) 

 

Why do we need all this Nutrients?

   

      The reason why we need a daily diet that incorporates all the

              food groups is because each and every one of them

              gives us different vital nutritional benefits.

      

      Fruits and vegetables are the main source of vitamins

          and minerals that our bodies need to be capable

                     to realize different functions.

 

 For example, Vitamin A helps strengthen our immune system.

        Vitamin B process the energy that comes from food,

          Vitamin D keeps our bones and teeth healthy

       and Vitamin C maintains our cells and body tissue healthy.

 

Steamed Carrots and Broccoli (like the ones shown

in the picture), have more vitamins than                                                                     cooked or fried vegetables.              

 

Fruits and vegetables ingested with or without skin, have the perfect amount of fiber to keep intestines and digestive tract working properly.

 

                                                  From Carbohydrates is where our body takes the                                                        most energy.

                                                 

                                                    Our body transforms these foods in glucose,

                                                     which is used as instant energy or is stored for                                                           later use.

                                                     

 

 

        Carbohydrates, specially

         the whole grain ones, contain fiber

             and Iron, indispensable to

              produce blood cells                                                    

       which are the ones that transport

        oxygen through our bodies.

 

 

 

                                                                                  Lean meat, fish, eggs and                                                                                             legumes give us important                                                                                                amounts of proteins, 

                                                                             which essentially forms our bodies.

 

   

            Dairy products are a good source of

           Calcium and protein too; is needed for a 

          series of functions, like help with proper                                                                         blood coagulation,  formation of

                         bones and teeth.

 

                                                                           

                                                                        Fortunately, fats and sugars- the                                                                                  ones that generally we crave the                                                                                  most- play an important part in our                                                                                 diet, but only consumed in                                                                                                     moderation.

 

                                             

 

    Fat transports soluble vitamins like A,D,E, and K,

    through our body.  Fat protects and cushions our 

     internal organs.

                              Sugar gives us energy, ingesting it                                                                               in its natural form like fructose,                                                                                  from fruits or sucrose, from table                                                                                         sugar.

 

                                                                 

 

                                                                     A better choice will always be to get                                                                                    your carbohydrates daily portion                                                                                 through starch, because of its                                                                                                nutritional properties.