What are the Benefits of a Balanced Diet?

You know the saying, “You are what you eat.” This means your body’s health reflects whatever you put into it. If you’re wondering why doctors place such a strong emphasis on eating a balanced diet, it’s because your health suffers when you eat poorly, and it excels when you eat well. The next time you find yourself tempted to eat a donut instead of an apple, remember these nine benefits of a nutritious diet.

Manage a Healthy Weight
You know the two critical ingredients for weight loss: diet and exercise. However, the Huffington Post argues that weight loss is 75 percent diet and only 25 percent exercise.

An analysis of 700 separate weight loss studies found that people experience the biggest results when they eat well. On average, dieting without exercise amounts to 23 pounds lost over 15 weeks. On the other hand, exercising without dieting results in six pounds lost after 21 weeks. Of course, this doesn’t discount the value of exercise—you need both to be as healthy as possible.

Support a Strong Immune System
You rely on your immunity to defend against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other foreign invaders. However, poor nutrition starves your immune system of the proper vitamins and minerals it needs to produce antibodies. If you focus on eating well, you are less likely to become sick.

Increase Your Energy Level
The whole purpose of eating is to derive energy from your food. “Empty calories” found in soda, processed snacks, and other junk food may fill your stomach, but they fail to provide high-quality energy.

For that, you need complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein. Also, if you have unexplained fatigue, try increasing your iron intake with seafood, poultry, dark leafy greens, and peas. Your body also absorbs iron better if you eat it with vitamin C, which is found in foods like broccoli, peppers, oranges, and tomatoes.

Save on Medical Expenses
It’s expensive to be unhealthy! With nearly two out of three American adults weighing in above average, far too many people have coronary heart disease, strokes, cancer, and diabetes. The Department of Agriculture estimates that if more people ate a balanced diet to avoid these preventable diseases, it could save $71 billion a year in medical costs and spare countless lives.

Reduce the Risk of Chronic Illness
A large portion of medical bills goes toward treating diet-related chronic illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes. While genetics play a role in how likely you are to contract type 2, even the most at-risk individual is unlikely to get the disease if they eat a balanced diet. If diabetes runs in your family, it’s more important than ever to watch your sugar intake so you don’t put yourself at greater risk.

Slow the Effects of Aging
Foods high in antioxidants—including berries, kale, spinach, red cabbage, nuts, beans, and dark chocolate—have anti-aging properties that help your body function better as you age. You may be less prone to wrinkles, heart disease, and even cancer if you include antioxidants in your balanced diet.

Help You Live Longer
Although not an official cause of death, being overweight is a leading precursor of premature death in the US. According to research published in 2013, 18 percent of all deaths can be attributed to poor diet and/or sedentary lifestyle. If you want to live a long life with fewer health complications, focus on eating better.

Improve Your Mental Health and Wellbeing
Your body isn’t the only thing that benefits when you eat a balanced diet; your mental health also improves! You may routinely reach for junk food when you’re feeling down, but what you really need to boost your spirits is a diet full of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and complex carbohydrates. A 2017 study found that eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil reduced symptoms of depression among participants, which lasted for six months after the experiment.

Enhance Your Mental Focus
Healthy food not only improves your mood, but it also sharpens your mental focus. According to Harvard Medical School, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol can damage brain tissue and even lead to strokes. On the other hand, foods high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats—such as olive oil, fish, and nuts—have been linked to lower rates of dementia.

Source: https://www.spinecorrectioncenter.com/9-benefits-of-eating-a-balanced-diet/