Balanced diet helps in maintaining health and fitness

Body needs all the components of food to be present in optimum proportion and quantity for maintaining perfect state of health,activity and development.

 

The important components of food are Carbohydrates,Fats,Proteins,Minerals,Vitamins,Water and Roughage.These all play vital role in maintaining a balanced diet for healthy growth and fitness of the body.

Carbohydrates;

• It constitute three elements: Carbon,Hydrogen and oxygen.
• Daily requirement 500 gms. 1 gm gives 17 KJ of energy.
• The carbohydrates of the food eaten,after being processed in the alimentary canal and liver,are supplied to the tissues mainly as glucose often called blood sugar.
• Sources: 3 main cereals (Wheat,Rice, and Maze),Sugarcane,Milk,Fruits,Honey,Beet etc.
• Excess carbohydrates is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen.

Fats:

• Provides twice the energy of Carbohydrates- 1 gm provides 37 KJ of energy.
•  Acts as the reserve food material because excess fat is stored in the liver and as adipose tissue.
• An enzyme called Lipase digests fats.It breaks down into fatty acid and glycerol.
• Daily requirement :50 gms.

Proteins;

• Made up of Carbon ,Hydrogen,Oxygen and Nitrogen.
• Important for growth and repair of the body.
• Made up of amino acids.
• Kwashiorkar and Marasmus are the diseases which occur due to deficiency of protein.

Vitamins;

• Necessary for normal growth ,good health,good vision,proper digestion of the body etc.
• They do not provide energy to our body.
• They can be divided into two categories: Water soluble-Vitamin B complex and C, Fat soluble– Vitamin A D E and K.

Water;

• Important in digestion,transportation.excretion and to regulate body temperature.
• Body contains 65% of water.

Roughage;

• Fibrous material present in the cell wall of plants.
• Mainly contains cellulose.
• It doesn’t provide energy but only helps in retaining water in the body.
• One of the common source in Oats, Which we eat in our homes.

Minerals;

• Some elements of minerals are –

Calcium– milk,cereals,cheese,green vegetables.

Phosphorus-Milk,meat,cereals.

Sulphur-Many proteins of food.

Potassium-Meat,Milk,cereals,fruits,vegetables.

Chlorine-Table salt.

Sodium-Table salt.

Iron-Meat,eggs,cereals,green vegetables.

“The information present here is for general purpose please consult your doctor before taking any medication”