A balanced diet is important in ensuring you consume the nutrients that you need to function correctly. This will ensure you maintain good health and lower the risk of health-related conditions.
No one food can meet all your nutritional needs, so it’s important you eat a variety of foods. However, there are certain types of foods that you’ll want to consume more of and others less of.
The article below will cover everything you need to know about following a balanced diet plan and offer a sample 7 day plan to follow.
What is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet meets all the nutritional needs a person requires. All the nutrition should be obtained within the recommended calorie intake for a specific person so that they don’t put on excess weight.
Therefore, eating the right sorts of foods is important, as eating foods without nutritional value will mean you will consume excess calories without sufficient nutrients.
The sorts of food groups you should mainly consume include:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Beans and legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy
- Lean proteins
Losing Weight with a Balanced Diet
A poor diet can result in people struggling with weight loss.
This is because foods that typically comprise of a poor diet typically contain lots of empty calories. They typically cause blood sugar spikes which causes cravings don’t contain things like fiber and protein that help you stay full.
You tend to end up eating more calories than you would with healthier alternatives and gain weight as a result.
There are multiple calorie calculators online that you can use to determine your recommended daily calorie intake, but we recommend this one.
If you’re looking to lose weight, then doing more exercise will burn more calories. Even just moving your body more and making minor changes can help. This could be walking more or taking the stairs instead.
Resistance training can also help build muscle and increase your metabolism, thus increasing the calories you burn every day.
Foods to Eat for a Balanced Diet
Fruits
Eating more fruit can help you lose weight and contains lots of vitamins and minerals that most people don’t consume enough of. These include vitamin C, potassium and folate.
In general, it’s best to opt for fresh or frozen fruit, or canned fruit in water. Canned fruit with syrup and juices can contain more added sugar which can fuel weight gain.
Fresh fruit does contain natural sugar, but it also has high water contents too, so you don’t see the blood sugar level rises that are caused by added sugar.
One large study of over 133,468 people over a 24 year period found that fruit intake was associated with a greater weight loss over time (1).
Vegetables
Vegetables are a key source of various vitamins and minerals.
Some of the healthiest vegetables are:
Cruciferous vegetables: These contain a group of compounds called glucosinolates, which have been linked to the prevention of cancer (2, 3). Examples include broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
Leafy greens: These contain carotenoids. Carotenoids have been linked with multiple health benefits such as reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer (4, 5). Examples include kale and spinach.
Different colored vegetables typically contain different vitamins and minerals, so it’s worth eating a variety of colours.
Remember that some methods of cooking such as deep-frying can add unhealthy fats to your vegetables.
Whole Grains
Whole grains contain all three parts of a grain: the bran, germ and endosperm. The bran and germ contain lots of nutrients and minerals, whereas the endosperm is a rapidly digested starch with fewer vitamins.
Whole grains are healthy because they contain the vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein, whereas refined grains are considered unhealthy. Refining a grains remove all the bran and germ to just leave the endosperm.
Whole grains contain lots of important nutrients, including
- Fiber, in the form of bran
- Vitamin B minerals like niacin, thiamine, and folate
- Minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron and zinc
- Protein, helping promote muscle growth and repair
Examples of whole grains include:
- Oatmeal
- Whole grain bread
- Barley
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Bulgur
Legumes & Beans
Legumes and beans are a great plant-based protein source. They also contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber and can be bought very cheaply.
They are excellent for weight control due to their high protein and fiber contents and many studies find that higher intakes leads to long-term weight loss and stability (6, 7).
Some examples of popular beans and legumes include:
- Chickpeas
- Lentils
- Kidney beans
- Soybeans
- Peanuts
- Black beans
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats, fiber and other vitamins.
Despite contain lots of fats, many studies find that eating nuts and seeds can be incredibly beneficial for weight loss (8, 9).
One study found those who ate two or more portions of nuts per week had a 31% lower risk of weight gain compared to the control group that didn’t eat them (10).
Some nuts have differing amounts of particular nutrients, so it’s worth checking. For example, one brazil nut contains all your daily requirements of selenium.
Flax seeds and chia seeds also contain lots of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient many people don’t get enough of.
Some examples include:
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Pecans
Dairy
Dairy foods, in general, contain good amounts of protein and are rich in lots of important vitamins like calcium.
Although the evidence is less clear-cut around the effects on weight loss, one observational study examined those who consumed the most dairy had lower belly fat, less inflammation, lower triglycerides and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (11).
It’s best to eat dairy moderately when compared to other food groups. Good choices for low-fat dairy and soy products include:
- ricotta or cottage cheese
- low-fat milk
- yogurt
- soy milk
Lean Protein
Protein is essential for a variety of functions, including maintaining muscle mass and strengthening bones. Protein is also very filling and can help reduce weight.
Lean protein sources include:
- Eggs
- Fish
- Poultry
- Tofu
Although red meats like beef and lamb are very nutritious, they are also higher in saturated fat, so shouldn’t be eaten as often.
Fish is good for you, but fatty fish is even better. This is because it contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids that most of us don’t get enough of. However, they also contain an abundance of other nutrients like iodine as well as being a good source of protein.
Good sources of fatty fish include:
- Herring
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Trout
- Mackerel
- Sardines
Foods to Avoid
These are the type of foods that don’t contain many nutrients and will likely contribute to weight gain. Although it’s fine to treat yourself occasionally, don’t make it a habit.
- Junk foods: fast food and potato chips
- Refined carbohydrates: white bread, pasta, crackers, flour tortillas, biscuits
- Fried foods: french fries, donuts, fried meats
- Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, tea with added sugar, sports drinks
- Processed meats: bacon, canned meat, salami, sausages
- Trans fats: vegetable oil and margarine
What is the Best Balanced Diet?
If you’re looking for an eating plan that closely follows the guidelines and foods mentioned, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the best.
The main characteristics of eating a Mediterranean diet are typical of a balanced diet and include:
- High unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio
- High consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and unrefined grains
- Increased consumption of fish
- Moderate consumption of low-fat dairy (mostly cheese and yogurt)
- Limited intake of red meat and processed foods
Many credible organizations suggest following a Mediterranean diet for longevity and health. These include:
- Harvard Medical School
- Osteoarthritis Foundation Internal
- Mayo Clinic
- American Heart Association
- Arthritis Foundation
It was ranked the number 1 diet according to the U.S. News & World Report.
In particular, it comes out on top when it comes to its healthiness and how easy it is to follow. This makes it a perfect diet to follow if you want to follow a diet over the long-term and find a sustainable way of eating.
In terms of the specific studies that back the Mediterranean diet, a few studies looking at various health factors have been linked to below:
- Lower risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, (12, 13)
- Lower risk of coronary heart disease (14, 15)
- Lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (16)
- Lower risk of breast cancer (17)
- Lower risk of obesity (18)
- Better cognitive function (19)
Balanced Diet Meal Plan
Balanced Diet Sample Menu
In the meal plan are recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Cannellini Bean Salad | Quick Moussaka |
| Tuesday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Edgy Veggie Wraps | Spicy Tomato Baked Eggs |
| Wednesday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Carrot, Orange and Avocado Salad | Salmon with Potatoes and Corn Salad |
| Thursday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Mixed Bean Salad | Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup |
| Friday | Tomato and Watermelon Salad | Panzanella Salad | Med Chicken, Quinoa and Greek Salad |
| Saturday | Blueberry Oats Bowl | Quinoa and Stir Fried Veg | Grilled Vegetables with Bean Mash |
| Sunday | Banana Yogurt Pots | Moroccan Chickpea Soup | Spicy Mediterranean Beet Salad |
Snacks are recommended between meal times. Some good snacks include:
- A handful of nuts or seeds
- A piece of fruit
- Carrots or baby carrots
- Berries or grapes