Balanced Diet Neeru Sh_nehru Garden_jalandhar

“Balanced Diet” A diet which contains all the important nutrients in right proportion is called a complete or a balanced diet. The food, we eat each day makes our diet. A diet consists of a single or a very few food items, then the food will be incomplete or imbalanced, no matter what the food is, because no single food contains all the nutrients. For example a person eats only meat and bread. Meat and bread, both lack vitamins A, C, D, and are low calcium. It also lacks roughage. The diet will therefore not be complete until fruits , milk and vegetables and are not consumed. So, a balanced diet must contain food item from each of the following food groups. I. Protein group – Meat, fish ,egg, bean, nuts, peas, pulses etc. (rich in

proteins and fats). II. Milk group- Milk, cheese, curd, ice-cream, (rich in proteins, fats, minerals,

carbohydrates). III. Vegetable and fruit group- fruits and vegetable (rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals). IV. Cereal group – Rice , bread, chapattis, noodles (rich in carbohydrates).

In addition, there should be sufficient intake of water. The diet should be planned such that the body gets sufficient amount of each nutrient, calories, roughage and water. Significance of a Balanced Diet:- Balanced diet ensures. - A normal mental and physical status - Increased work capacity. - The ability to resist disease.