What are the five elements of a balanced diet?

The five core elements of a balanced diet that we often talk about are actually carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Don’t think that these are dry professional terms in textbooks. Every bite of food we eat every day is essentially supplementing the body with these necessary nutrients.

A while ago, I was helping a friend who was losing weight prepare a week of fat-reducing meals. When she came up, she said she wanted to cut off all rice and bread. I quickly stopped her. Nowadays, it is always said on the Internet that carbohydrates are the culprit of gaining weight. In fact, it is a complete misunderstanding. Carbohydrates are the most direct source of energy for our bodies. We rely on them to use our brains at work, climb stairs after get off work, and even lie down to maintain basal metabolism. If they are completely cut off, my brain will be confused and my hands will be shaking before three o'clock in the afternoon. Instead, I can't help but eat high-sugar milk tea cakes, and I will lose weight more and more. And carbohydrates are not limited to white rice and flour. Whole grains such as sweet potatoes, corn, and oats, and even root vegetables such as potatoes and pumpkins, are all high-quality carbohydrates. They are slow to raise blood sugar and are very filling. They are much friendlier than refined rice and noodles.

If carbohydrates are the "gasoline" for the body to run, then protein is the "bricks" for repairing the body. The eggs and chicken breasts that we usually eat after working out, the lean beef, fresh fish and shrimp stewed at home, as well as the soy products that our vegetarian friends often eat, and the pure milk that we drink, are all high-quality protein sources. The growth and repair of hair, nails, muscles, and even the maintenance of immunity depend on it. If you always eat instant noodles and frozen dumplings for dinner, if you don't take in enough protein, it is common for you to lose hair and catch colds easily when the seasons change. Of course, it does not mean that the more protein you eat, the better. For those who have kidney function problems, if they blindly follow the trend of eating high-protein meals and protein powder, it will increase the metabolic burden on the kidneys and harm the body.

Don't subconsciously avoid fat when you hear it. Many people even pick off the egg yolks to lose weight. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. The unsaturated fats in avocados and plain nuts, the olive oil and tea seed oil used for cooking, and even the fat in the egg yolk you eat every day are all good fats that are beneficial to the body. They can also help us absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and D. If there is no fat at all, the skin will be dry to powdery, and the hair will be dry and hair loss. In serious cases, it will also affect hormone secretion. Of course, you should eat less trans fat and excess saturated fat in fried foods, milk tea, and cream cakes. Eating too much will not only gain weight, but also increase cardiovascular burden.

The remaining vitamins and minerals play a role of "small quantity but great effect". Unlike the first three categories, they are large energy suppliers, but if they are missing, there will really be minor problems. A while ago, my grandma always had leg cramps in the middle of the night. She went to the hospital to find out that she was suffering from calcium deficiency. Later, she drank a glass of warm milk every day and went downstairs to bask in the sun for half an hour after meals. It was relieved in less than half a month. ； There are also friends around me who always stay up late and work overtime. They often get ulcers at the corners of their mouths and dry and painful eyes. Most of them are deficient in B vitamins and vitamin A. Eat more dark green vegetables and animal liver once or twice a week. You don’t need to buy multi-vitamin supplements that cost hundreds of dollars. The absorption efficiency of food supplements is higher.

In fact, you don’t need to use a scale to count grams for daily meals. Make sure you have a fist of staple food, about a palm of protein, a large plate of vegetables, and nuts and fruits every now and then. You can basically meet the intake requirements of the five major elements. You don’t need to make it too complicated. Eating comfortably and being in good physical condition are the ultimate goals of a balanced diet.