WHY DO WE NEED BALANCED DIET?

A balanced diet and physical work out has a major role in attaining long healthy life. The increasing awareness of effects of foods on health has made us diet conscious and left us confused in the land of nutrition. We want to satisfy our palate and eat healthy as well. This often restricts our food choices.

The major nutrients for the body are protein, carbohydrate, and fat. These provide the body with energy for various functions like beating of heart, activity of muscles and brain. In addition the body needs vitamins, and minerals for it’s optimal functioning.

To get a balanced diet and nutrition it is important to choose foods from all food groups (cereals, pulses, poultry and meat, milk and milk products, fruits and
vegetables share the bais of importance of diet plan). Eating a varied diet increases the chances that all your nutrient needs will be met, hence it is very important to take a balance diet.

The importance of balanced diet and nutrition are

• Optimal macronutrient intake: Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the macronutrients that your body needs. They are needed to maintain and regulate the body functions. Most people with average activity should get approximately 50 percent of their total daily calories from carbohydrate, 15 percent to 20 percent come from protein and 30 percent come from a fat source. People who are involved in endurance sports (e.g., long-distance biking or marathon running) should get 60 percent to 70 percent of their total daily calories from carbohydrates.

• Total Micronutrients intake: Micronutrients are needed in small quantity but they are needed to maintain and regulate several body functions. Eating a varied diet increases the chances that all your micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) need, will be met. However as most children and youngster are not likely to eat a varied diet---daily multivitamin with mineral supplement may be appropriate. Before starting any supplement consult your doctor as even vitamin and mineral supplements can have side effects if the daily dose exceeds the recommended daily allowance.

• Hydration — an important concern: Your body contains about 60-75 percent of water. Even though we do not realize water is an important component of proper nutrition. It is needed for several key functions like regulation of temperature, transport and absorption of nutrients, and elimination of waste products from the body. Feeling of thirst, dry mouth, tiredness, headache and dizziness indicate that you need fluids. If your fluid intake is not adequate it may lead to serious problems such as dehydration. Your fluid intake should be liberal to prevent dehydration—drink six to eight glasses of fluid every day. Fluids intake include not only water but all kinds of beverages, fruits and vegetable juices as well. But water is the best to prevent dehydration. It does not contain empty calories or caffeine.

• Eat varied diet: A simple and effective way to make sure that you eat a balanced diet is eat foods from all the groups. Aim that every time you eat your plate contains;

                       1. 50 per cent vegetables (if possible of different kinds)
                       2. 25 per cent protein
                       3. 25 percent whole grain (like whole wheat bread, brown rice)