Okuzeka
Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Diets and Meal Planning

Balanced diet

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCore term

In nutrition & dietetics, balanced diet means: A way of eating that includes a variety of foods from all the main food groups in suitable amounts, so that the body gets the energy and nutrients it needs.

In Turkish: dengeli beslenme, dengeli diyet

How it is used

A basic phrase in health education, school lessons and public health messages. People 'eat', 'follow' or 'maintain' a balanced diet. Dietitians often explain it with a plate model or a national guide that shows the food groups.

Example sentences

  1. A balanced diet doesn't have to be boring; there are many ways to include all the food groups.

  2. The workshop shows parents how to plan a balanced diet on a small budget.

Common collocations

  • eat a balanced diet
  • follow a balanced diet
  • part of a balanced diet
  • healthy, balanced diet
  • food groupA category of foods with similar nutrients, such as vegetables, fruit, grains, protein foods and dairy, used in guidelines to describe a balanced diet.
  • meal planA written plan that shows what, when and how much a person will eat over a day or a week, usually prepared to meet specific health or energy needs.
  • portion sizeThe amount of a food that a person actually serves themselves or eats at one time. It may be bigger or smaller than the serving size printed on the label.
  • dietary guidelinesOfficial, evidence-based recommendations from a government or health authority on what the population should eat to stay healthy and reduce the risk of disease.

More terms: Diets and Meal Planning

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.