Why is a Balanced Diet Important
Having a balanced diet is considered to be an important key to maintaining good health. A balanced diet is one that includes all the food groups in the right amounts. No one food group will provide a person with all that is needed to grow and maintain a healthy body and mind. Many illnesses require a balanced diet to aid in the recovery process. Let’s take a look at why eating a balanced diet is so important.
Why is a balanced diet important?
There are a number of reasons why having a balanced diet is important. The main reason is that eating a variety of foods will ensure that the body is getting all of the essential nutrients and minerals that are required. Eating a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber will provide your body with all of the essential amino acids, vitamin and minerals that the body needs to function. The body cannot synthesize particular amino acids and these must be absorbed from the foods that we eat. If a certain food group is being excluded it is likely that one or more of the essential amino acids will be missing, which can create a deficit in the body. The amino acids are the building blocks of life and are involved in every bodily function.
A deficiency in essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals can cause a number of health concerns such as poor growth and development (malnutrition), poor physical and mental health and in extreme cases death. It is also thought that an unbalanced diet makes the body more susceptible to illnesses. This is because the body cannot sustain the immune system without adequate nutrition. If the immune system is not functioning correctly it is unable to produce the necessary antibodies to fight off infections and disease.
Overconsumption of food groups can also cause health concerns, disorders and diseases. Some of the health concerns that are attributed to overconsumption of a food group, particularly refined carbohydrates, sugars and fats, include weight gain, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease. A balanced diet helps people to avoid overconsumption of the wrong types of foods.
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