Food

Basic Seven Elements / Nutrients of Balance diet

Balance diet

W C P F V F M

1. Water
2. Carbohydrates
3. Protein
4. Fat
5. Vitamins
6. Fiber
7. Minerals

Balanced diet

A balance diet means getting right types and amount of foods and drinks to supply nutrition and energy for maintaining body cells, tissues and organs for supporting normal growth and development.
Recommendations for healthy diet include: eating more vegetables, fruits, legume, nuts and grains (Plant Food)
Also advisable to choose unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats (elimination of Trans fatty acids)
It must include all of Dietary needs of organism in correct proportions macro nutrients like carbohydrate (5/7) fat (1/7), Protein (1/7).

Eating a variety of colorful foods with every meal is vital for boosting maximum nutrition. It’s a simple rule to apply to your diet: the more colorful the food on your plate, the more nutrients.

Food is made up of specific nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water – all of which are necessary for life, growth, body function and tissue repair.

These essential nutrients can be broken into two main groups

1. Macronutrients, which include fats, carbohydrates and protein. They produce energy and are required in quantities easily measurable by a common scale.

2. Micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals. They are essential for helping our bodies work properly and strengthening our immune system so that we can resist infections. They are only required in very small or “microscopic” amounts.
Components / Elements of a balanced diet

A balanced diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly.

there is no one such particular food item that can provide entire nutrition to our body for optimum functioning, so in order to have a balanced diet we need to have a variety of foods to ensure that we get all the nutrients in optimum quantity. We need different amounts of various nutrients at different stages of life to stay healthy and active.

Water

Water is essential to our survival and should be taken in adequate amounts. It keeps the body hydrated and let the body function properly. Water accounts for 55%-65% of body weight, but because the body can’t store water, we must constantly replenish it.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide fuel/energy to all cells, organs and tissues in the form of glucose. Energy is mostly derived from carbohydrates and its healthy sources include whole grains and millets like whole wheat, maize, bajra, oats, ragi etc. Fresh whole fruits and legumes also provide with a lot of energy.
Carbohydrate is one of the important components of a balanced diet. On an average, an adult should get about 45 percent to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates.

Protein

Proteins are nutrients that are essential to the building, maintenance and repair of body tissues such as the skin, the internal organs muscles and immune system. Out of 22 protein types, the body can make 14, the other 8, called essential amino acids, can only be obtained from food. A balanced diet has to be rich in these 8 proteins. Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese and other foods from animal sources provide all the eight essential amino acids. Adding protein in diet is a good way to ensure that you’re full for long, which will further help you meet your weight loss goals.

Fats

Fats are an essential part of our diet and should not be more than 20-30% of the total calorific intake. Saturated fats should be less than 7% of fat calories from both visible and invisible sources the healthiest fats come from mono saturated and polyunsaturated sources such including omega-3s. Peanut, olive, canola, sunflower, and mustard or til oil are good and must be used on a rotational basis. Nuts and seeds are a good source of healthy fats. One can skip Trans-fatty acids entirely.

Fiber

Fiber, also known as roughage, is the part of plant-based foods (grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans) that the body can’t break down. It passes through the body undigested, keeping your digestive system clean and healthy, easing bowel movements, and flushing cholesterol and harmful carcinogens out of the body. Consumption of at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day are a must. They are an excellent source of fibre.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. It is the bulky fiber that helps to prevent constipation, and is found in whole grains, wheat cereals, and vegetables such as carrots, celery, and tomatoes.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and helps control blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol. Good sources include barley, oatmeal, beans, nuts, and fruits such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and pears.

Vitamins

Vitamins help with chemical reactions in the body and that is why the body needs 13 different vitamins to grow and develop. Each vitamin helps with certain functions. For example, vitamin A improves vision, vitamin C maintains healthy skin and vitamin D keeps the bones and teeth strong. You can get vitamins from fresh fruits and vegetables or from vitamin supplements.

Minerals

Minerals are very important for the body and they need to be delivered through food since the body can’t make them. Many minerals, such as calcium (milk, cheese ,other dairy food & green leafy vegetables), potassium (Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit (some dried fruits, such as prunes, raisins, and dates and iron (Red meat, fish, spinach, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, are vital to the proper functioning of the body and must be taken in relatively large amounts. Other trace minerals like zinc, selenium and copper are only needed in small amounts to maintain good health.