What is a Balanced Diet?
A balanced diet is one which contains proteins, carbohydrates fats, vitamins, minerals and water in correct proportions. A balanced meal is made up of 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, 10% fats and 2-3 servings of vegetables.
Why eat a Balanced Diet?
Our body needs energy for healthy living – to grow, move, repair itself and to reproduce.
Carbs and Fats: Carbohydrates and fats provide the energy required for all the above processes. They give us the energy we need for our day to day activities.
Proteins: Proteins are essential to growth as they are body-building material. They are important components of all human cells. They are made up of amino acids. Some of these amino acids cannot be synthesized in the body and can only be obtained through the food we eat.
Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins and Minerals help in repair and reproduction. They are chemical compounds which are present in extremely small quantities in the body, but have an immense
effect on all bodily functions. Vitamins and Minerals are protective in function, they improve immunity and boost metabolism. Their absence causes various deficiency diseases.
Water: Water is another essential component of a balanced diet. The body is made up of nearly 70% water. Water is necessary for the body to function smoothly and helps in bowel movement.
Importance Of Diet :
In Infants and Children: The diet of infants must include adequate quantities of energy rich foods and fruits and vegetables. These help in the rapid growth of the infant and provides protection
against diseases. Growing children require foods rich in protein and carbohydrates. Large amounts of milk and other calcium rich food is also essential for rapid growth of the bones.
In Adolescents: Adolescents should try to consume plenty of milk, milk products and calcium rich foods in order to achieve peak bone mass. Adoloscents require more energy and protein as they undergo increase in height and weight and are becoming sexually mature. Large quantities of fruits, vegetables and food rich in iron is necessary to protect the body and prevent illness.
In Adults: Adult diet should include moderate quantities of all nutrients to be able to work efficiently, no matter whether you are in accounting, email marketing or research, a physical laborer or knowledge worker. Overindulgence in fats, salt and sugar should be avoided.
In the Elderly: Older people should eat a diet which is rich in micro nutrients with large amounts of fruits and vegetables and smaller quantities of fats and starchy foods.