What is a Balanced Diet?

What is a Balanced Diet? by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP

Mastering the Art of a Balanced Diet

In a world overflowing with dietary trends and nutritional acrobatics, achieving a balanced diet can feel like discovering the secret ingredients to a complex recipe. Let's unpack.

The dietary guidelines shape public opinion, while clever Big Food marketing, doctors who were never trained in nutrition, dieticians who were trained incorrectly, nutrition scientists basing conclusions on flimsy data (observational studies), and the media—always in search of clickbait headlines—exaggerate and misrepresent the science. Apparently, not all journalists have the time to read beyond the title of a study.

It's no surprise that people still think the best diet is low-fat. You know, fat packs nine calories/g, whereas carbs and protein only contain four calories/g. And to lose weight, calorie intake must be restricted. Obviously that doesn't work.

Health organizations, medical providers, and dieticians want us on a low-fat diet, which inevitably leads to a high-carb diet. Energy intake comes from either fat or carbs. We cannot survive on a diet that is both low-carb and low-fat. Therefore, we tend to lean towards high carbs.

The Not So Balanced Diet:

Most people think that a balanced diet includes a little bit of everything. It would encompass all food groups - in moderation, of course - a variety of "healthy" whole grains, and a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. Protein should primarily come from plant sources.

Seriously though, is it truly balanced to include every edible food item? Is it balanced to consume sugar and grains? Considering that 70% of our food supply is ultra-processed (UPFs), how is including these UPFs considered balanced?

Cue in Big Food and Dietary Guidelines

Big Food excels at creating products. Suddenly, a balanced diet isn't just about consuming all food groups - whether harmful or not - but also about eating all day. From waking up to going to bed, the recommendation is to eat every 2 to 3 hours. Big Food conveniently provides us with easy-to-make meals and convenient low-calorie snacks, all falling within the dietary guidelines. Just perfect.

The primary focus of Big Food does not lie in promoting our health and well-being; instead, their commitment is to their stockholders and maximizing profits. Big Food invests significant resources in discovering the perfect bliss point, which leads us to crave and over-consume… pic.twitter.com/XHW567QqhY
— Roxana Soetebeer MHP -Reversing Insulin Resistance (@REV_Insulin_Res) July 9, 2023

We now understand that constant high-carb grazing leads to chronically elevated insulin levels and metabolic diseases. It's not surprising that by 2030, the obesity rate is projected to reach 60%, not even accounting for overweight individuals.

Prevalence of obesity (BMI >30) and severe obesity (BMI >35).

By 2030, some states are projected to have a 60% obesity rate.

No state will be <35% pic.twitter.com/p39w29BpvZ
— P. D. Mangan Health & Freedom Maximalist 🇺🇸 (@Mangan150) May 23, 2022

How Does the Population Fare with the So-Called Balanced Diet?

Not very well. According to the latest estimates, only 7% of the population is metabolically healthy, implying that 93% exhibit at least one marker of metabolic disease.

Metabolic markers:

Waist circumference: greater than 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women
Fasting glucose: higher than 100 mg/dL, A1c of 5.7% and above
Blood pressure: above 120/80
Triglycerides: 150 mg/dL and above
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: for men, 40 mg/dL and below; for women, 50 mg/dL and below

Despite these staggering numbers, most people still believe that a "balanced diet" is the way to go. This notion is so deeply ingrained that the mere suggestion of not consuming "healthy whole wheat" bread can upset and offend many. Posting in a regular Type 2 diabetes group that carb restriction can put type 2 diabetes in remission might trigger comments like "restricting food groups leads to eating disorders," or "keto only offers short-term benefits at the expense of cardiovascular disease" or "people want to enjoy life—how dare you make them feel guilty."

I know, cake is life. A life without cake is not worth living.

So, you might ask, what is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet meets all nutritional needs. We eat to provide our bodies with the necessary nutrients for optimal health. Including grains does not make a diet balanced; neither does consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables. And we certainly do not need vegetable/seed oils. Seed oils are a novel food product. Prior to 1911, seed oils were not part of the human diet. Seed oils are suitable for lubricating machinery but not for human consumption. For more information, please read our blog about seed oils.

It's unfortunate that officials still propagate the falsehood that excluding a macronutrient like carbs is unhealthy, while simultaneously discouraging meat consumption. Initiatives like Vegan Mondays and meatless Fridays put vulnerable children, who are prone to nutrient deficiencies, at risk. These children are being deprived of valuable nutrients found in meat.

Final thought: There is no such thing as carbohydrate deficiency. Let that sink in.

Written by Roxana Soetebeer MHP
Published August 12th, 2023

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