A healthy diet requires not just items from the four basic food groups, but in the proper proportion. The average person will need about 2000-2500 calories (sometimes more for larger men, less for women and those looking for rapid weight loss). About 50% of those calories should come in the form of carbohydrates, with 30% from fats (yes, fat is good!) and 20% from protein.
Carbs are to be your major source of food. You need carbohydrates for energy. Stay away from simple sugars that break down rapidly and easily in your system. If you stick with complex carbs from grains and starches, like a baked potato, you will stay full longer. Complex carbs are healthy in moderation.
Fats have a bad rap. Fats are chemically on par with carbohydrates. They contain fatty acids that are essential to health. When you consume Proteins they are lysed (split) in order to create amino acids. The amino acids are then recombined to make up the proteins used in muscles and other parts of the body.
Most folks consume meat as their main source of protein, though a vegetarian has other options to consider. The average person should have 3 ounces of protein per meal. Then round this out with two cups of leafy greens for your fiber, vitamins and mineral portion and a cup of pasta for your carbohydrates.
A balanced meal can be made up of a serving of meat or other protein source, starchy carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, corn or potatoes, and fruit. Easy on the butter or margarine, go light on cheese, sauces and anything high in sugar or fat.
Fat comes in at a whopping nine calories per gram. This is double the amount of other energy sources. So if you are watching your weight, this is why you need to consider keeping foods high in fat down to moderate levels. It is of value to know that if you are watching your cholesterol levels, this is imperative.
Carbohydrates have four calories per gram. You will find your favorites among fruits (strawberries, apples, pears), nuts (pistachios, macadamia, walnuts. Try to avoid fatty peanuts or cashews) and grains (they supply fiber and minerals).
Why is candy bad, unless consumed in very modest portions? Because they are designed to be high in fat, high in sugar with much lower amounts of helpful nutrients. Neither fat nor sugar are harmful in moderation. Indeed, they’re essential to good health. But when consumed in a form that contains an excessive proportion, they provide enormous calories and fewer other nutrients.
If you create a list of items that you consume daily, it will show you the amount of helpful nutrients broken down into how many calories each contains. There are numerous calculators that can help you put a little math into your diet plan. This information will aide you in reducing the other number you obsess over - what shows on your scale in morning.