If you want to live a quality life, you need to invest in a rich diet that provides all the nutrients your body needs throughout the day. However, with the modern routine, investing in healthy meals seems complicated. But this can change, as long as you know the benefits of a balanced diet.

A balanced diet ensures that the body functions properly , so it is essential to have good meals to alleviate illnesses, have energy and still achieve good health and physical, mental and emotional well-being.

A balanced diet is one of the fundamental pillars for quality of life , so check out a little more about the subject below, see the permitted foods and how to include healthy meals in your routine!

What characterizes a balanced diet?

Probably, you have all heard that a colorful plate is an ideal meal for you, right? For the fact that with lots of varied vegetables, legumes, cereals, meat, and also water, there is everything the body needs, from vitamins, minerals to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

That means if your plate is organized according to your body’s needs, you will have a balanced diet. And contrary to what many people believe, it is quite possible to have healthy and cheap meals , since a balanced diet or a colorful diet requires fresh and cheap foods.

And to detail how this lifestyle works so that you can later learn about the benefits of a balanced diet, see the 3 principles that summarize how the colorful diet works and the characteristics of each pillar.

Variety

A colorful plate is synonymous with variety when it comes to a balanced diet, so have the different food groups on your plate. You can choose vegetables that are easy to find all year round. For example:

• Lettuce.
• Eggplant.
• Beet.
• Carrot.
• Cassava.
• Sweet potato.
• English potato.
• Green corn.
• Between others.

There are other foods that will be in season throughout the year. In this case, they are the following fruits:

• Banana.
• Papaya.
• Orange.
• Between others.

Moderation

There is no point in eating well to get the benefits of a balanced diet if there is no moderation, so it is important to have the proper nutritional monitoring so that you eat the amount that is sufficient for your body.

In addition, professional support ensures that the food groups are distributed harmoniously, so there will be no shortage of nutrients, you will avoid overeating and you will know when to make exceptions to eat what you like.

It is worth mentioning that you should seek the advice of a nutritionist , because in the event of deficiencies in your body that cause problems, such as anemia, the professional will help you combat them. Together with the nutritionist, he or she will help you improve your health and quality of life!

Balance

Finally, it is necessary to establish a balance in your meals. In this way, a balanced diet will teach you to seek the ideal quantity and quality. This is important to respect the daily portions of the food groups, in addition to not going hungry or overeating. In other words, eat a little bit of everything!

And speaking of balance, it is important to emphasize that water plays a fundamental role in keeping the body in harmony, so drink this liquid to hydrate your body!

7 benefits of a balanced diet

Now that you know how a healthy meal works, see below 7 benefits of a balanced diet in your routine!

1. Makes you healthier

A balanced diet is synonymous with health, so when you think about the benefits of this practice, know that you will be a healthier person. This is because new eating habits help to improve your disposition and performance in daily activities , fatigue is left aside and you can still realize that there is pleasure in eating natural options.

In addition, a balanced diet helps you age healthily, so by eating well and adopting this practice throughout your life, you can ensure longevity and satisfaction over the years!

2. Relieves stress

Cortisol is a hormone that can be positive in some cases, such as when exercising your body and doing a workout routine. However, in excess and on a daily basis, it harms your health and can aggravate serious problems in your body.

When organizing your meal menu, it is possible to say that one of the benefits of a balanced diet will be a reduction in stress, as food awareness helps you choose foods and drinks that can help control the problem. After all, who has never heard that chamomile tea calms you down?

Ultimately, there are many options available that will help you live a lighter and healthier life, which impacts the reduction of controlled medications, such as sedatives or other substances that act to relax the body.

3. Improves productivity

Yes, improved productivity is one of the benefits of a balanced diet. This happens because with a balanced menu, you avoid fatty and ultra-processed foods and, consequently, indisposition is put aside and production takes over.

It is important to note that there will be other secondary impacts, such as reducing the consumption of caffeine and energy drinks, since it will be possible to naturally have the energy to be productive. And to have more power in your routine, don’t forget to combine nutrition with physical exercise!

4. Optimizes the immune system

Healthy eating is directly related to the proper functioning of the immune system , so by eating correctly, you will have health, well-being and a body protected from diseases and infections!

5. Helps you lose weight

Losing weight will always be one of the best benefits of a balanced diet for anyone, since you will be adjusting your meals to suit your body type and, as a result, your body fat percentage may decrease.

It is worth remembering that this weight loss is about reducing extra weight or fat stored due to overeating, so don’t think that just eating well will help you achieve this goal. To achieve this, it is also important to have an active exercise routine!

6. Reduces the risk of disease

Whether infectious or chronic, proper diet will help the body respond well against viruses and bacteria. In addition, by not having excesses and by having foods full of vitamins, fiber, and minerals, one will avoid having diabetes and heart disease. In other words, if you want your body to fight diseases, invest in a balanced diet!

7. Improves quality of sleep

Finally, what’s better than a good night’s sleep? If you have insomnia and need to practice sleep hygiene to get a good night’s sleep, it might be time to review your eating habits, as it’s possible that a poor diet is causing you trouble getting a good night’s sleep!

The tendency of eating heavy meals at odd times, eating near bed time, or taking canned and processed foods results in your body processing food. In some instances, indigestion and trouble in sleeping may be noted. Therefore, invest in a balanced diet and eating at certain times to have an improved night’s sleep.