1、Pyramid For A Balanced DietThis healthy food pyramid is recommended by Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman in their books Fantastic Voyage and Transcend as the basis of a healthy eating plan: Their recommendations refine the food pyramid published by Harvard Medical School to place more emphasis on plan
2、t based foods including vegetables, low GI carbohydrates, and healthy fats such as nuts, seed and avocados. Fish, animal protein (lean), and extra virgin olive oil is recommended as well. Are You Eating A Balanced Diet?In order to remain healthy and achieve success with long term weight management,
3、it is necessary that you eat a balanced diet comprising primarily of plant based foods, complex carbohydrates and a limited amount of healthy fats as illustrated in the healthy food pyramid. Vegetables should be one of the main components of your diet. By including a large variety of fresh or frozen
4、 vegetables of all colours in your diet, not only will your health benefit from the wide range of vitamins, phytochemicals, minerals and other nutrients that vegetables contain, but you will also find it easier to keep your weight under control. Vegetables are low in calories, have a high fibre and
5、water content and as a result keep you full and satisfied on fewer calories. Fruits are essential as well, but should be eating in moderation due to the sugar content. Proteins provide essential amino acids that the body needs to grow and function. While animal sources of protein such as red meat an
6、d dairy products contain all of the amino acids required by the body, the downside is that these sources are high in saturated fat, which if consumed in large quantities can lead to weight gain and disease. Better choices of protein are lean white meats, such as turkey and chicken, fish (particularl
7、y salmon), soy and vegetables such as lentils, beans and nuts. Carbohydratesare an important part of our diet, and provide the fuel needed by the body for physical activity. However, not all carbs are the same. Refined carbs such as white bread, rice and pasta, sugars and pastries are rapidly broken
8、 down into glucose, resulting in insulin spikes and over time, this can lead to health issues and weight management problems. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand, such as oats, beans, brown rice and whole grain bread are broken down more slowly into glucose, (in other words they are low GI), and
9、 therefore much healthier. Fats are dense in calories, and are the way the body stores energy, so high fat foods can easily lead to weight gain. However, more important than the amount of fat you eat is the type of fat. Saturated fats and Trans fats increase the risk of heart disease and can raise c
10、holesterol levels. These are found in butter, animal meats, coconut oil and margarine. Unsaturated fats such as nuts, fish, extra virgin, avocados and flaxseed have anti-inflammatory properties and reduce the risk of heart disease. The key is to replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats. You can achieve a healthy balance in your diet by eating a variety of foods, in the correct proportions as shown in this healthy food pyramid.
