- Home
- Why...
Why your ‘balanced’ diet might not be as healthy as you think. 5 expert tips on what to eat
Most of us probably think we have a pretty good idea of what a "balanced diet" looks like. And a lot of us may be wrong.
"I don't love the term," says Dr Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention at the University of California, Irvine in the United States. It can give people an outdated or oversimplified idea of what healthy eating looks like, Landry says.
Some people he has counselled as a dietitian think a balanced meal means "balancing the good and bad foods". That idea troubles him.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
"We wouldn't tell someone that they can smoke a couple of cigarettes just as long as they get 60 minutes of exercise during the day," Landry says. "So similarly, we shouldn't tell folks that they should have foods that aren't really nutrient-dense, just as long as they have some vegetables on their plate."
Finding balance in your diet is also more than just adding up numbers, says Dr Shilpa Bhupathiraju, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, US.
"If I tell you, 'You should eat so many milligrams of a certain nutrient,' you'll be like, 'Well, what does that mean?'" Even for an experienced nutritionist like her, that is tough to envision.
But a healthy approach to eating does not have to be complicated, they say. Here is their advice.
1. Picture the plate
Focusing on nutrient-dense foods is a healthy way to start, Landry says. That is, when deciding what to eat, ask, "Does that really have a lot of vitamins and minerals, or does it not?"
Simply put, if you envision your meal filling a plate, half of that plate should be vegetables and fruit.
"We should have some kind of grain on there - ideally some whole grains," he says, and then a protein, ideally plant based. "That's probably a pretty balanced kind of diet."
The American Heart Association recommends choosing low-fat or fat-free dairy products; using liquid plant oils rather than tropical oils and partially hydrogenated fats; choosing minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods; and limiting added sugars and salt.
The typical diet in the United States, Bhupathiraju says, has excessive refined grains, added sugars, sodium and unhealthy sources of fat, and not enough fruit and vegetables.
"You need your healthy fat sources, your healthy protein sources and your fruits and vegetables," she says, adding that it is the combination that provides balance. "If you're eating whole grains and fruits and vegetables, but you don't have a protein source, that's not good."
2. Do not count on quick fixes
It is natural to look for short cuts to correct an imbalance. But there is no substitute for healthy eating, Bhupathiraju says, and you cannot buy balance in a pill.
"Wouldn't that be great?" she says. "I would be out of a job."
But a healthy eating pattern is about more than any single nutrient, she adds.
Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables, for example, provides not only vitamins and minerals but helpful fibre, which is important for heart health.
Some people might benefit from certain supplements, Bhupathiraju says, but should first check with a healthcare professional.
According to Landry, it is generally best "to get a healthy plate first, and that can be a way that we get all the vitamins and minerals and nutrients that you'd need".
Diets that emphasise one particular food are tough to sustain, he says, and might lead to nutritional deficiencies.
"Our bodies are really complex systems," Landry says. So even though fixating on one food might lead to a "quick, short-term" benefit to one measure, such as weight, that imbalance could be unhealthy in another way, such as raising LDL cholesterol.
Bhupathiraju suggests treating trendy diets warily and focusing on eating patterns backed by scientific evidence.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are one widely used reference.
For heart health, diets that score the highest are the Dash - for dietary approaches to stop hypertension - pescatarian and Mediterranean diets, according to the American Heart Association.
3. It does not have to break the bank
Finding fresh fruit and vegetables can be tough in communities where food options are limited or budgets are tight.
Landry suggests to "look for sales, coupons and market promotions", and to "try to purchase in bulk when possible, especially for non-perishable items".
He advises to keep in mind that with fruit and vegetables, "canned and frozen options can be just as nutrient-dense as ... fresh versions".
In-season produce can be more affordable, Bhupathiraju says. While home gardening is not an option for everyone, she and her family grow some of what they eat. "It's a great way to get the kids involved and for knowing where your food came from."
4. It can be exciting
There is no standard way to eat a balanced diet, Landry says.
"I like to have fish as one of my proteins," he says. That could mean grilling some salmon or tilapia and serving it with some quinoa with roasted vegetables and perhaps a spinach and avocado salad. "And that's a very simple kind of balanced plate."
You have options. Some people might prefer apples, some might go for guava, but "a fruit is a fruit, in any culture", Bhupathiraju says.
She has researched diets from South Asia and Puerto Rico, and cooks a lot of Indian food at home. So while she prepares a lot of dals - Indian pulses such as lentils, peas and chickpeas - a Puerto Rican diet might make use of pinto beans or black beans to get a similarly healthy mix of nutrients.
In Indian culture, the healthy oils of choice might be sesame, while in the Mediterranean region it is olive oil.
"The basic principles remain the same," she says, meaning healthy choices abound. "Just pick your favourite food and add that to the plate."
5. Think beyond the plate
Landry says the idea of balance in a meal goes beyond what you are eating.
"It's not all about the food," he says, but also how you approach your meals.
When counselling people on making healthy changes to what they eat, he encourages them not to focus on a number on a scale, but to think about how eating well makes them feel better.
"We shouldn't lose the joy that we get from eating a good meal," he says.
Landry also encourages people to enlist others for support. He is a fan of the idea of "Together Tuesdays", which emphasises social connections made over food.
Bhupathiraju is a proponent of eating as a family, "which means putting your screens away". She encourages involving kids in meal preparation.
"When you're cooking together as a family, that's when it becomes more fun," she says.
Put another way, a healthy diet does not mean one person making themselves a kale smoothie alone.
"Maybe you make kale chips with your kids," Bhupathiraju says. "Maybe you make bread, but bake it with whole grains, and maybe top it off with some bran."
For her, the path to balanced eating is about "keeping it simple, keeping it fun, making it a family affair". And with that, she says, "I think healthy eating should be easy."
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle onFacebook,XandInstagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletterhere.
More Articles from SCMP
Consulate attack highlights China’s ‘delicate’ balancing act in Myanmar
Is now the time for Hong Kong to once again try daylight saving?
Hong Kong seeks deeper I&T ties with Saudi Arabia, Paul Chan says before Riyadh trip
Chinese nasal study might explain why men are more vulnerable to respiratory disease
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
- https://www.msn.com/en-sg/health/other/why-your-balanced-diet-might-not-be-as-healthy-as-you-think-5-expert-tips-on-what-to-eat/ar-AA1t0ndI?ocid=00000000
Related
Disease X: The next pandemic?
Disease X, a term shrouded in mystery and caution, represents not a specific illness but a placeholder for the unexpected, a potential future pandemic that could surpass known diseases in impact. First coined by the World Health Organization (WHO), this hypothetical pathogen symbolizes the unpredictable nature of health threats in a globally connected world. It's a stark reminder of the ever-present need for vigilance, research, and preparedness in the face of unknown adversaries. For a deeper understanding of what Disease X might entail and how the world braces for such indeterminate threats, click through this gallery and learn more.
HealthFrom ‘little fat kid’ to muscle goddess in China, Bian Ruiying recalls transformation
She wants everyone to realise the world is not only for men A young Chinese woman, having faced body-shaming due to her weight, has amazed many on Chinese social media by donning traditional Chinese attire that highlights her impressive physique after 12 years of dedicated workouts. The woman, known as Bian Ruiying, hails from Suzhou in Jiangsu pro...
HealthWhy your ‘balanced’ diet might not be as healthy as you think. 5 expert tips on what to eat
A balanced diet isn't a mix of good and bad foods, as some think. Doctors describe how to make food that's nutritious, affordable and fun Most of us probably think we have a pretty good idea of what a "balanced diet" looks like. And a lot of us may be wrong. "I don't love the term," says Dr Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population healt...
Health3 Facts about PSLE Every Singaporean Should Know
PSLE is just a hurdle every parent in Singapore knows they have to cross, regardless of whether their child is ready for it or not.
HealthE. coli outbreak: deadly contamination in McDonald's burgers
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a group of bacteria that can cause infections in your gut (GI tract), urinary tract, and other parts of your body. Most types of E. coli are harmless, causing only mild symptoms. However, certain types can cause an intestinal infection, which can lead to severe, potentially life-threatening complications. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a food safety alert on October 22 linking an E. coli outbreak to McDonald's Quarter Pounders. At least 49 cases have been reported across 10 states, including the death of an older person. Ten people have been hospitalized, including a child who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication of E. coli infection. Most of the cases are concentrated in Colorado and Nebraska. The CDC says the outbreak may extend beyond those states. As for what caused the outbreak, the agency believes that slivered onions from a single supplier are the likely source of contamination. McDonald's has stopped using the onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states while the investigation continues. But what causes the infection, and how can you prevent it? To learn more about E. coli infection, click on and check out the following slides.
HealthWhat happens to your body when you stop wearing underwear?
It's safe to say that the vast majority of people wear underwear. But what actually happens if you stop wearing them? Can ditching your undergarments have an effect on your health and how you feel? Well, it turns out it can. In this gallery, we explain what happens to your body when you stop wearing underwear. If you're thinking of going commando, click on for the full story.
HealthWhy a nap midafternoon improves energy and mood for a perfect pick-me-up. Experts explain
Whether or not you work from home, a power nap in a quiet, dark space for 20 minutes can improve productivity. Sleep researchers share why Now that she is working from home, Kendra King takes an early afternoon nap on most days, typically for about 20 to 30 minutes. "A lot of times, I don't go in with the intention of taking a nap, but instead to l...
HealthAmerican foods that are banned around the world
What Americans eat, and how they eat, seems to be a unique phenomenon, somehow impervious to the health conditions of other countries. One of the most mind-boggling parts is that the US regularly stocks grocery stores with tons of ingredients that consumers don’t know about. Check out this gallery, based on a list from Mic, to see the American foods which are banned around the world.
Health