Using a Balanced Diet to Your Budgeting Advantage

As a second time college student and now a soon to be bride (that’s right! I’m engaged) I have to stick to a budget as well as a balanced diet more than ever. With a basic understanding of what a balanced diet really is I was able to actually lose about 50 pounds while I was in college for my undergraduate degree and now I want to share that knowledge with you.

Maintaining a balanced diet on a budget may seem difficult, but it is completely within reach. Limiting your diet to foods that are high in nutritional value and avoiding empty calories is one of the best way to eat on a budget. A balanced diet packed with the essential nutrients your body needs to function will make your body feel satisfied more quickly. You will need to consume less and, in turn, buy less.

People who rush through the super market, blindly tossing food into their cart without thinking about how that food contributes to a balanced diet are usually spending way more than they need. They don’t weigh the benefits of each food, so in the end they buy more foods that have less nutritional value than if they were buying foods for the purpose of fueling their bodies.

Understanding the purpose of the foods you consume is the first step to maintaining a healthy diet on limited funding.

The Six Basic Essential Nutrients and Their Purposes

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s most important source of food energy. They are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates help the body burn fat properly. Because carbohydrates are necessary for fuel they should make up a large part of your daily caloric intake, about 45 to 65 percent for an adult.

Complex carbohydrates, especially those from unrefined foods, such as whole grains, are usually better for the body because they contain other beneficial nutrients. Simple carbohydrates and refined starches are primary sources of empty calories and wasted money.

Fats

It is necessary to have some fats in your diet. Fats provide energy in a highly concentrated form, are necessary for regulating certain bodily functions, and are carriers of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Saturated fats, found mainly in animal products such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products and solid shortenings, are believed to contribute to heart disease and other health problems.

Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, and cottonseed oil. Monounsaturated fats are found in high levels in olive oil and canola oil. Research suggests that monounsaturated fats may lower levels of harmful cholesterol in the body. Both mono and polyunsaturated fats are found in plant products such as whole grains, nuts, and some fruits and vegetables. Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated are believed to be more healthful than saturated fats however an excess of fat of any kind in the diet is not beneficial to bodily functioning or health. Fats are an essential part of the diet but should be limited to about 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories.

Proteins

Proteins are necessary for growth, building body tissue, and for basic body functions. The body can also use proteins for energy if the diet does not contain enough carbohydrates. Proteins are made up of amino acids. The body can produce some amino acids, however there are nine amino acids the body cannot produce and must get from foods. A complete protein is one that contains all nine essential amino acids. Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products contain complete proteins.

Foods that supply all the essential amino acids only when eaten in combination are called complementary proteins. A legume combined with a starch, such as rice and beans, are an example of complementary proteins. The rice provides the amino acids the beans are lacking. Soy beans, however, contain complete proteins on their own.

The average adult only needs to consume about 50 to 60 grams of protein daily. Most North Americans consume twice the necessary daily amount.

Vitamins

Vitamins provide no energy, but are essential for regulating body function. Some vitamins are necessary for energy to be utilized in the body.

Water-soluble vitamins such as the B vitamins and vitamin C are not stored in the body and must be eaten every day. Special care must be taken to ensure the nutrients in foods containing these vitamins are not lost by over cooking. Fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K can be stored in the body so it is not necessary to eat them daily provided the amount eaten over time is sufficient.

Minerals

Minerals are also essential for regulating body functions. Major minerals are those the body requires in relatively large amounts, more than 100 milligrams daily, and include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, and potassium.

Trace minerals must be consumed in smaller amounts and include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. Although small amounts are necessary, too much of any of the trace minerals can be harmful. An excess of sodium, which is found in table salt, can also be harmful. A reduced sodium diet is recommended by health authorities such as the FDA.

Water

Water is necessary in all of the body’s functions. The body tells you when it needs to consume more water by making you feel thirsty, however, it is ideal to consume enough water to prevent this feeling. Eight glasses of water daily is the common recommendation, however this can vary depending on age and level of daily activity.

With a better understanding of the food you consume you can now consider each food item that you consume as if you were making a large purchase. You can weigh the benefits of each food by asking yourself simple questions like “Does this food contain any of the six basic nutrients?” “Does it contain more than one of the six basic nutrients?” or “Does it contain too much of any of the basic nutrients?” Purchasing foods containing many essential nutrients that harmonize together for a balanced diet is the first step toward maintaining good nutrition on a budget.