What are the five elements of a balanced diet?

The five core elements of a balanced diet currently recognized by mainstream nutrition circles around the world are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals.

Many people's understanding of these types of elements is either too abstract, or so extreme that they directly label a certain type as "unhealthy". I have been a community dietary guide for almost 6 years, and I have met too many people who fall into this trap. A little while ago, a young girl who just went to college came for consultation and said that she only ate boiled vegetables and chicken breasts for three months to lose weight. Her aunt postponed it for half a month and still felt dizzy and nauseated all day long. She completely cut off the intake of carbohydrates and high-quality fats. In fact, she only needed to add half a bowl of brown rice and three or four almonds every day. The total calories did not increase much, and her overall condition was restored quickly.

It’s easy to remember the functions of these five elements. Think of your body as a car that you have to run every day. Carbohydrates are the gasoline that is burned and cannot run without it. High-quality protein is the material for repairing sheet metal parts. It recovers slowly if it is broken or missing. Lipids are lubricants that are indispensable for joints and hormone synthesis. Vitamins and minerals are like various small sensors in the car. They look inconspicuous. If a part is missing, the fault light will come on in minutes.

Some people may ask, are the dietary fiber and water that are often mentioned not considered core elements? This is actually an adjustment direction that has been discussed a lot in the nutrition community in recent years. Nowadays, in many special dietary plans for chronic disease intervention and fitness and muscle building, dietary fiber has been singled out as a core item. After all, people now eat a lot of refined rice noodles and processed foods, and the gap in dietary fiber is generally large, not to mention water. Drinking enough 1.5 liters of warm water every day is more effective than taking many supplements. However, in the current common nutrition textbooks and public dietary guidance standards, dietary fiber is still classified under the category of carbohydrates. Because water does not participate in energy supply and tissue repair, it is not included in the scope of the five core elements for the time being. Both statements have applicable scenarios, and there is no absolute right or wrong.

In fact, when you eat by yourself, you don’t need to accurately calculate the gram weight. You can roughly make up the ratio of “one punch of staple food, one palm of protein, two punches of fresh vegetables, a handful of nuts or a small amount of fat.” The five major elements are basically all present. You don’t have to worry about eating for the sake of data. After all, eating comfortably and eating for a long time are the core of a balanced diet.