The health of a person throughout their life depends on obtaining nutrients from the outside world every day. These nutrients come from a wide variety of foods. Therefore, to maintain good health, one must have comprehensive nutrition and achieve a balanced diet.
A so-called balanced diet means that the diet includes a full range of various nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, inorganic salts, and vitamins, in sufficient quantities and in appropriate proportions. An excess or deficiency of any one nutrient can be harmful to health.
We can divide the foods in our daily lives into 4 categories: staple foods, protein foods, fruits and vegetables, and fats and oils.
1. Staple Foods The staple food for people in our country is grains, which are the main source of energy and should account for about 60% of the total caloric intake from food. Since the nutritional content of various grains is not the same, and refined processed foods, while having better taste, lose many nutrients, the principle for grain intake should be a mix of coarse and fine grains, and to eat fresh grains as much as possible. The amount consumed daily can vary depending on activity level. Generally, 400 grams to 600 grams is appropriate. The remaining calories are provided by supplementary foods such as fish, meat, eggs, and dairy. However, the total calories must not exceed the standard, otherwise it will lead to being overweight.
2. Protein Foods Fish, lean meat, eggs, dairy products, and soy products are all rich in protein. So, which foods contain higher levels of protein? How much should we eat each day? We should not only look at the protein content in food, but also whether it is easily digested, absorbed, and utilized by the human body. Eggs and dairy products are not only high in protein but are also very easily digested and absorbed, making them excellent sources of protein. However, eggs and dairy cannot replace meat because the heme iron in animal muscle is easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Therefore, from the perspective of iron supplementation, eating lean meat is very important. Beans are rich in protein, and the amino acid ratio of their protein is close to the body's needs, making it a high-quality protein. Additionally, beans contain unsaturated fatty acids, which help lower blood lipids. In general, the sources of protein should be diverse, and one should not be a picky eater. Protein is an essential nutrient for the human body, but it should not be consumed in excess. Nutritionists recommend that a normal person should consume 50-100 grams of lean poultry or meat or fish, 50-100 grams of soy products, 1-2 eggs, and 1 cup of milk daily.
3. Fruits and Vegetables The vitamins, inorganic salts, trace elements, and fiber in the human body mainly come from vegetables and fruits. Fresh vegetables contain a large amount of essential nutrients for the body, but the composition and content of various vegetables are different, so it is important to frequently eat different types of vegetables or mix several types together to allow for mutual supplementation of nutrients. Fruits are rich in organic acids and various proteases, which aid in digestion. The pectin, fiber, and other substances they contain can also promote intestinal peristalsis, reduce cholesterol absorption, and have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol. A normal person's daily intake of fresh vegetables should be more than 400 grams, and fruit intake should be more than 200 grams. Fruit is generally more suitable to eat about 1 hour after a meal.
4. Fats and Oils Some people believe that fats and oils are high in fat and cholesterol and that eating them can easily lead to arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease, so they are afraid of eating fatty foods. This is incorrect. Fats and oils have many important physiological functions, such as providing energy to the body, promoting the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and providing unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids are beneficial for improving blood lipid composition and preventing arteriosclerosis. Plant oils have a higher content of unsaturated fatty acids, so it is advisable to eat more plant oil and less animal oil. The daily intake of fats and oils should be about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight, of which 25 grams should be cooking oil.
In conclusion, a long-term lack or excessive consumption of any of the above food categories is detrimental to health. To maintain good health, a balanced diet is a necessary condition. To achieve this, you only need to remember one sentence: fully consume a variety of fresh foods.