by Gaia Domenici, Nutrition and Health Coach
When it comes to defining a ʻbalanced dietʼ, two variables need to be considered: macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fats) and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins).
Indeed, a single meal can be considered ʻbalancedʼ when it presents a good macronutrient ratio, suitable for the individualʼs needs. However, in the long term, if micronutrients are being disregarded or neglected, deficiencies might arise, which impair the individualʼs health and life.
How to Balance Macronutrients
The starting point of a balanced macronutrient ratio is protein.
To maintain vital functions, an individual needs to consume between 0.7 and 2g of protein per Kg of bodyweight spread throughout the day (ideally eaten at every meal).
Very active people, athletes, pregnant women and elderly individuals need to consume more protein than average office workers. However protein daily intake should never drop below 0.7g per kg of bodyweight and the overall calories coming from protein should never exceed 34% of total caloric intake.
The remaining daily calories should come from healthy fats and carbohydrates. Trans fats should always be avoided and free sugars should never exceed 5% of the daily total caloric intake, or should never go above 30g for adults (19-24g for children, depending on the age).
The ratio between carbohydrates and fats depends on the individualʼs genetics, needs and lifestyle (interestingly, women are genetically designed to tolerate more fats and less carbs than men). However, fats should never drop below 20% of total caloric intake, as they play a vital role in the human body.
How to Balance Micronutrients
Micronutrients are composed of vitamins and minerals. Although these food groups cannot be directly converted into energy, they are all essential in regulating vital functions in the human body (such as energy production).
Vitamins can be water-soluble (B, C) or fat-soluble (A, D, E, K).
The former group is extremely volatile and needs to be consumed daily, as it cannot be stored in the body; the latter group is stored within the adipose tissue (namely the fat cells), so it should be consumed regularly but not daily ––
in fact, an excess of vitamins can even become toxic for the body.
Minerals can be classified as ʻmajor mineralsʼ (if at least 5g are present in the body) or ʻtrace mineralsʼ (when the body does not store more than 5g). In spite of this classification, minerals are all of paramount importance for our health. They are: iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, chloride, sodium, phosphorus, sulphur, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, selenium.
How to Meal Plan
Eating a balanced diet around the clock is much easier and more fun than it might appear.
There are three basic principles to follow: variety, wholesomeness, individuality.
Variety. If we vary our food sources as often as possible, we will ensure that: a) we get all the micronutrients that we need; b) we avoid a possible toxin buildup in the system.
Wholesomeness. In wholesome and unprocessed foods most nutrients are retained and least additives and toxins are present: this makes those foods not only nutritious but also more digestible and less poisonous for the body. This principle applies to supplements and protein powders too: try to always choose the simplest and least processed product, possibly unflavoured and with the least possible additives.
Individuality. Each individual should know themselves and base their diet upon their unique needs. there is no ‘one size fits all’ diet.
Needless to say, we should always avoid foods that trigger allergic reactions or sensitivities, and we should prioritise foods that are most digestible for our unique genetics.
Putting all these principles together, we can now easily design a balanced meal plan.
Let us start with protein.
A fish fillet, a portion of meat, tofu and tempeh contain between 17 and 40g of protein; 200g of lean Greek yoghurt contain 18g; each egg contains about 7g (9g for duck eggs); 100g of lentils contain about 24g; 100g of pseudograins such as quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth contain about 11-13g.
Moreover, eggs, fish and most meat also contain fats, whereas legumes, grains and pseudograins are primarily sources of carbohydrates (e.g. 100g of lentils contain about 50g of carbohydrates, less than 2g of which being classified as simple sugars). Similarly, nuts and seeds are primarily a source of fats, however they contain both protein and carbohydrates.
So, if we make sure we eat protein at each meal, we accompany our meals with fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables (to ensure the most volatile vitamins are consumed daily), we add in as many wholesome carbs and fats as we need, we rotate our sources and we listen to our body cues (that is to say, we eat when we are hungry and we stop when we are full), our eating habits are easily turned into a ʻbalanced dietʼ. All it takes is a little bit of extra time and food preparation, but nothing that the glorious feeling of a vibrant health cannot repay.
Example of a balanced diet:
Breakfast: Greek yogurt and homemade granola or overnight bircher
Lunch: Smoked mackerel and quinoa salad
Snack: Frozen yogurt protein smoothie
Dinner: Beef or lamb mince stir fry
Fur further guidance why not book a free 30 minute explorative session with Gaia? Contact her on gaia@fitnosophy.com