Balanced Diet for a Healthy Liver

What is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet centers around foods high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and low in unnecessary fats and sugars. Eating a balanced diet helps to prevent health conditions and diseases, like Diabetes and Liver Diseases. Read our article to learn how to eat a balanced diet and the health benefits of doing so.

How much should I eat?

Daily calorie intake varies from person to person and depends on factors like age, gender, height, weight and fitness level. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) guidelines provide a helpful estimate of how many calories you should consume daily:

• Active men (men who work out regularly) aged 14 to 30: 2800 to 3200 calories
• Active women (women who work out regularly) aged 14 to 30: 2400 calories
• Sedentary men (men who don’t lead an active lifestyle) aged 14 to 30: 2000 to 2600 calories
• Sedentary women (women who don’t lead an active lifestyle) aged 14 to 30: 1800 to 2000 calories
• Active men and women (men and women who work out regularly), who’re over 30 years old: 2000 to 3000 calories
• Sedentary men and women (men and women who don’t lead an active lifestyle), who’re over 30 years old: 1600 to 2400 calories

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What should I eat to achieve a balanced diet?

A balanced diet gives your body the nutrients needed for optimum health from consuming the following foods in moderation: lean proteins, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Dairy products are a good source of calcium and Vitamin D, however, they also contain a lot of fat, so it’s beneficial to consider dairy alternatives like almond or flaxseed milk. It’s important to avoid empty calorie foods that provide no or very little nutritional value, like butter, shortening, bacon, cheese and sports drinks. Consuming these foods often can cause health conditions and diseases, like cancer, high cholesterol, and fatty liver disease.

Protein

Protein is crucial for muscle and brain development. Healthy proteins include: beans, tofu, almonds, fish, and chicken. When eating meat, it’s important to know about where it comes from and how it’s raised. The health and diet of the animals you eat affects their fatty acid profiles and cholesterol levels. Grass-fed animals, as opposed to grain-fed animals, have improved fatty acid profiles and lower cholesterol. According to Harvard Medical School, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. However, you should limit red meat intake to 70 grams per day. Try our Coconut Chicken, Hearty Chili, or Lentil Stuffed Peppers.

Grains

Dietary fiber helps with fat digestion, decreasing cholesterol levels, preventing liver problems, and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress (the shift in balance between oxidants and antioxidants) in your liver. The US Dietary Guidelines recommends adults to eat three to five ounce-equivalents of whole grains each day. Examples of ounce-equivalent servings include: ½ cup cooked brown rice, one-ounce uncooked whole grain pasta and one slice of whole wheat bread. Avoid white bread, white pasta and other foods made with white flour, as the outer shell of the grain, which contains the most nutrients, is removed during the refining process. Try Lentils Over Brown Rice and Quinoa ─ compared to other grains, quinoa contains twice as much fiber.

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Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals, like Vitamins A and C, folate, iron, magnesium and potassium. The former recommendation of eating five fruits and vegetables each day has faded out, and many experts now recommend eating double. However, eating more vegetables than fruits is healthier, as fruits are high in sugar, and even too much natural sugar is harmful to your health. MyPlate, a US food and nutrition service, recommends filling half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables at each meal. Try Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad, Garlic Haricot Vert or Fruity Kebabs.