What are the seven things you need for a balanced diet? | Avocaderia
A balanced diet will provide your body with the nutrients needed to keep you strong, healthy and happy. Read our guide on what are the seven things you need for a balanced diet.
We totally get it. Making sure that you have a balanced diet is HARD, especially with our busy schedules taking and over making it harder to prioritise our health. We are absolute suckers for choosing the easier and probably the unhealthiest option too, but it really is possible to change those habits.
Introducing a balanced diet into your daily routine has multiple benefits such as boosting your energy levels, strengthening your immune system and helping with weight management.
Carry on reading to find out what you need for a balanced diet.
What is a balanced diet?
The term ‘balanced diet’ can be seen throughout supermarkets and packaging, but what does it actually mean? Research throughout the years has found that a balanced diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to make it work effectively. Eating well helps keep your body and mind strong and healthy by maintaining a comfortable body weight, allowing better sleep and improved brain function.
However, did you know that only 33% of American adults eat the recommended amounts of vegetables a day? Without your daily intake of balanced nutrients, your body is more prone to nasty diseases, infection, fatigue and low performance. Not ideal.
Related: Food and mood | How can your diet support your mental health?
What are the seven things you need for a balanced diet?
Now we know the importance of a balanced diet, let's talk through what’s needed to make sure you make the necessary life changes.
Carbohydrates
Some people like to give carbohydrates a bad rep, especially when it comes to weight gain, but actually, they aren’t all that bad; in fact, they should be a part of your diet. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that our daily intake of calories should be 45 - 65% from carbohydrates. They are an important element as they are your body's main fuel source and help give you energy for all your daily activities. Common sources of natural carbohydrates include:
Fruits
Vegetables
Milk
Nuts
Whole grains
Seeds
For us, it has alway been important to provide our customers with carbohydrates in our delicious meals. We have a range of items such as seeded bread, mixed seed toppings and much more. All options are natural, tasty and healthy!
Fats
Yes, fats are also needed in a balanced diet! While many of us automatically push away fats when it comes to healthy eating, fats actually help your body to absorb vitamin A, D and E… In moderation, of course. Our bodies need a little bit of help to produce those essential fatty acids as it cannot make them on its own.
There’s a range of different fats such as saturated fats, unsaturated fats and trends fats, but perhaps the ‘best’ when it comes to a balanced diet is monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats help protect your heart by maintaining levels of good HDL cholesterol whilst working hard to reduce levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.
Monounsaturated fats can be found in olive oil, rapeseed oil, some nuts and yep, you guessed it, our #1, the avocado.
Dietary Fibers
Eating fibers will help to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Fiber also helps us with digestion, constipation and makes us feel more fuller after meals. Examples of dietary fibers include wholemeal pasta, bread, beans, chickpeas, salad, dried fruit and much more. Fiber can be seen throughout our menu with dishes having a variety of options such as black beans and spiced chickpeas. Mmmm… We’re drooling already!
Minerals
For our bodies to work at their best ability, minerals such as calcium and iron are sought after. Their jobs are to build us strong bones and teeth, turn the food we eat into energy and control our body fluids around our cells. Minerals can be found in:
Cereals
Fish
Milk and dairy products
Fruit and vegetables
Nuts
Meats such as salmon and chicken - Check out our NY Salmon Toast and Spicy Chicken Sandwich for good examples
Proteins
Protein is found in every cell of the human body and of course, is needed in a balanced diet. Maintaining good health requires amino acids. They are created by breaking down parts from digested protein. The amino acids help to repair cells within your body and are super important for growth in children and teens.
Amino acids can be found in meat, milk, fish and eggs, but if you are vegetarian or vegan, you don’t need to eat animal products to get protein as there's many alternatives. Plant sources such as soy, beans, legumes, nut butters and grains also produce amino acids.
If you are looking for a dish to try with plenty of protein, try our Impossi-Bowl. Filled with warm quinoa, impossible meatballs and mixed seeds, your taste buds will be tingling with joy.
Related: 5 plant-based protein foods for vegans and vegetarians.
Vitamins
Similarly to minerals, vitamins work hard to keep our bodies running smoothly. Vitamins include Vitamin A,D,E and K which can be found in vegetable oil and dairy foods. There’s also Vitamin C,B and folic acid to remember too! These can be found in fruit, veg, grains, and dairy products.
Water
And finally, water. This is an essential aspect of our diets and without it, we simply wouldn’t survive! In fact, you can live much longer without food than you can without water. Drinking water helps to flush the body, keep you hydrated and improve your concentration throughout your day. The U.S National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that the average healthy fluid daily intake is:
About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) a day for men
About 11.2 cups (2.7 liters) a day for women
So, make sure to grab a cup of water when you can!
What can I eat as part of a balanced diet at Avocaderia?
Now, this is the fun part. Having a balanced diet doesn’t need to be boring and this is where we come in. We have a range of fun, colorful, extremely tasty dishes, perfect for your balanced diet. Here’s some dish ideas to get your bellies rumbling!
Healthy Salad: My Thai
Packed full of incredible ingredients, you are sure to be getting your required nutrients from this dish. My Thai has a range of greens, veg and nuts to help you to get your vitamins, carbohydrates and fats. To top it off nicely, watermelon radish and spicy cashew and ginger sesame dressing is drizzled all over, creating a tastiest, nutritional meal you just have to try.
Vegan Smoothies: Mango Lime
We couldn’t forget our vegan smoothie selection. Our Mango Lime smoothie is filled with avocado to give our customers healthy fats, almond milk for the protein and fruits such as mango and lime for the required A and C vitamins. Who knew a vitamin could be so good!?
Delicious Bowls: The Portobello Road Bowl
It’s a firm favourite here at Avocaderia: The Portobello Road Bowl. Made with brown rice, avocado vibes, portobello mushrooms, our signature homemade hummus, kale, cashew parmesan and chipotle mayo, you’ve also got the choice of tofu or free bird chicken. The perfect balanced meal right at your fingertips!
Pay a visit to Avocaderia.
See, we told you it didn’t have to be boring! At Avocaderia, we craft our dishes with an eye towards health and happiness. We believe that food shouldn’t just look and taste good, it should make you feel good too.
Begin to introduce a balanced diet into your life and reap the amazing benefits. If you need some guidance or inspiration, you can explore our tasty menu and place your order today.