Balanced Diet

We often hear that it is necessary for us to be healthy. But how do we become healthy? Due to a balanced diet. Now, what is a balanced diet? Why is it so important? And is it the same for everyone? Let’s find out more about it.

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Introduction

A diet is all that we consume in a day. And a balanced diet is a diet that contains an adequate quantity of the nutrients that we require in a day.  A balanced diet includes six main nutrients, i.e. Fats, Protein, Carbohydrates, Fibre, Vitamins, and Minerals.

All these nutrients are present in the foods that we eat. Different food items have different proportions of nutrients present in them. The requirements of the nutrients depend on the age, gender, and health of a person.

Browse more Topics under Components Of Foods

• Essential Components and Deficiency Diseases

Importance of a Balanced Diet

The following are the importance of a balanced diet :

• Balanced Diet leads to a good physical and a good mental health.
• It helps in proper growth of the body.
• Also, it increases the capacity to work
• Balanced diet increases the ability to fight or resist diseases.

Components of a balanced diet

Some components of a balanced diet are as follows :

Fats

Some part of our energy requirement is fulfilled by fats. Fats can be found in fatty foods such as butter, ghee, oil, cheese, etc.

Proteins

We need proteins for growth purposes and to repair the wear and tear of the body. Protein also helps in building muscle. It is found in dairy products, sprouts, meat, eggs, chicken, etc

Carbohydrates

We need the energy to process and it is fulfilled by carbohydrates. Carbs provide us energy. Carbohydrates can be found in rice, wheat, chapati, bread, etc. Cereals are our staple food.

Minerals and Vitamins

Vitamins, Minerals, and Fibre improve the body’s resistance to disease. We mainly obtain it from vegetables and fruits. Deficiency diseases like Anemia, Goitre, etc can be caused due to lack of mineral in the body.

Questions For You

Q1. It is believed that height of a child depends upon the genes inherited from parents. However, it is often seen that tall parents may have short children and vice-versa. Are there factors other than genes, that can cause these variations?

1. Yes, nutrition can be a factor.
2. No, It can be another cause
3. Ambiguous.
4. Data Insufficient

Sol: The correct option is option”a”. Growing taller and nutrition are closely correlated. The process of cell division and their development requires an adequate supply of energy, amino acids, water, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. With food, people receive about 50 essential nutrients for growth. Inadequate amounts of food or too low caloric food is the primary cause of growth failure, especially when the growth velocity is high in children.

Q2. In the presence of which reagent milk turns to violet?

1. Iodine solution
2. HCl acid
3. Starch solution
4. Copper sulfate and caustic soda solution

Sol: The correct option is option “d”. Protein in food can be tested using Copper sulfate and caustic soda solution. If protein is present in the food item the color of the sample changes to violet. As Milk contains protein, it turns violet when reacted with Copper Sulphate and caustic soda solution.