Why Eating a Well-Balanced Diet Matters (With Recipes)

Health is a complex topic due to the varying health standards from one individual to the next. Everyone is built differently with many different needs and makeups. 

This is even true when it comes to the same person. What is healthy for you in your 30s may not be what your body needs in your 50s or 80s. Health is all about finding out what your body needs and trying to establish balance.

Finding a sustainable balance between exercise and a healthy diet is the most recommended form of maintaining health. Lounging while eating unhealthy snacks is fine in moderation, but finding and maintaining the balance is the sweet spot most find most difficult.

What is a Well-Balanced Diet?

A well-balanced diet is a diet that includes food from every food group. This does not have to be a “diet” in the sense that we think (rigid, strict, eliminating foods). It simply means feeding your body a diverse mix of foods that are full of nutrients that you need while still enjoying foods that you love.

Daily, you should be eating multiple servings of fruit and vegetables, protein, grains (bread, pasta, crackers, rice, etc), and dairy products (yogurt, milk, cheese, etc.).

Everyone’s daily diet will look different, but no matter what, a balanced diet includes a balance between fats, carbohydrates, and protein. 

Balance does not mean cutting out your favorite foods. It means rather than drinking a can of soda every day, only enjoying one every couple of days. 

A restrictive diet is not going to be sustainable, so making these small changes (slowly introducing fruit and veggies or increasing your protein consumption) will help you maintain your balanced diet. 

Why Is Eating a Balanced Diet Important?

Our body requires bulk energy to perform our daily activities. Whether you are spending hours in a gym or not, your body needs nutrients from numerous different foods to have enough energy to do the things you want to do in a day. 

There are also different nutrients needed for healing, growth, building muscle, and preventing illness. Eating a balanced diet helps provide your body with all of the nutrients it needs to be strong and active, and allows you to do your favorite activities each day. 

When you don’t fuel your body with the foods it needs, it’s common to feel tired, lethargic, get sick, and can even face illnesses in the future. 

What Does A Balanced Diet Look Like?

Eating a balanced diet can look slightly different for everyone. Some general rules of thumb are:

  • 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
  • Include carbohydrates in every meal (rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, etc.). These foods help you stay full longer.
  • Having dairy products (or dairy alternatives if you are lactose intolerant) every day. These provide calcium and other nutrients that your body needs.
  • Protein. Many people are protein deficient (meaning they don’t eat nearly enough protein in a day). Protein helps you stay full, build muscle, and provides energy. Examples of protein sources include eggs, meat, beans, fish, protein supplements, tofu, and others.

In general, each meal you eat should include a hearty serving of fruits or vegetables, carbohydrates as a base, and a protein source. 

Snacks throughout the day can be fruits or vegetables, protein-based snacks (bars, drinks, vegetables dipped in cottage cheese), or anything else that you enjoy. 

Recipes

These recipes can be adapted to meet your needs, but are a great place to start when it comes to eating a well-balanced diet. Remember, eating this way is all about balance. Every day is not going to be perfectly balanced, and that’s okay.

Smoothie (Serving size: 2)

A smoothie is one of the best things you can have for breakfast because there are so many different ways to combine fruit. You can add vegetables without tasting them, and you can add a scoop of protein powder to help you stay full longer. This is also a great breakfast because it can easily be taken on the go.

Ingredients:

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup frozen mixed berries
  • ¼ - ½ cup milk (can substitute almond milk or coconut milk or water if you are dairy free)
  • 1 cup of ice
  • Large handful of spinach (optional)
  • Scoop of Vanilla protein powder (optional)

Instructions:

If you are adding spinach, start by adding your spinach and milk together in the blender. If you are adding protein powder, add that now too. Blend these 3 things in your blender. Blending them first helps break down the spinach and protein powder to help eliminate grainy texture. Add the rest of the ingredients (frozen banana, frozen berries, ice, and more milk if needed). Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Egg on Toast (Serving size: 2)

Eggs on toast are another great breakfast option for days when you have a little more time. Eggs are high in nutrients that aren’t found in other foods while also being a great source of protein (~6g of protein per egg). There are great options for bread as well that are high in nutrients. One of our favorites is Dave’s Killer Bread. 

Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 slices of bread
  • ¼ cup cheese (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Strawberries (or other fruit) for the side

Begin by cracking your eggs into a bowl and whisking them together until combined. Add in the milk and some salt and pepper. Warm a skillet and melt the butter. Add the egg mixture and scramble the eggs. While the eggs are cooking, toast your bread. Once the eggs are almost done add the cheese and let melt. 

Serve eggs on toast with strawberries on the side. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Dinner Bowl (Serving size: 2)

This is one of the best dinner options because it is super easy and can be customized for any flavor combination. A bowl is made up of grain (rice or quinoa), roasted vegetables, a protein source (chicken, ground beef, fish, tofu, etc.), and topped with a yummy sauce of your choice. 

Dinner bowls also reheat easily and make great leftovers to be enjoyed as lunch. This recipe is a great teriyaki chicken bowl but can easily be adapted to be a taco salad bowl, buffalo chicken bowl, Thai peanut sauce bowl, or anything else!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup rice 
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small)
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 2 cups broccoli
  • 1 red pepper 
  • 1 medium size zucchini
  • ½ white onion
  • Teriyaki sauce
  • Avocado (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Begin by cooking your rice. Add the rice to a rice cooker and add the coconut milk. Add 1 more cup of water and stir together. Turn it on and let it cook. 

While rice is cooking, chop your vegetables (you can get creative with your vegetables). If you don’t have these or have other ingredients you prefer, you can customize this recipe. Chop the sweet potatoes small. Add all of the chopped vegetables to an oiled cookie sheet and season to your preferences. Place in the oven. Cook for 25 minutes at 425 degrees.

While the rice and vegetables are cooking, thinly slice the chicken. Add olive or avocado oil to a skillet and cook the chicken. While the chicken is cooking, season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you want. When it is almost done, add 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce. 

Serve coconut rice with vegetables and chicken on top. Top with avocado and more teriyaki sauce. Enjoy!

What Now?

At the end of the day, being healthy looks different for everyone and there is more than one way to live a healthy lifestyle. 

At Community Healthcare Partners, we want to help you achieve your health goals and answer your questions. We can help with chronic disease management, do physical exams, prescribe needed medications, and provide your primary care. 

If you have questions or are looking to book an appointment, please contact us today!