Balanced Diet

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Macronutrients

Protein
Protein is needed primarily for repair and growth of the human body. Protein consists of
amino acids, some of which can be made from other proteins, some of which are essential
amino acids. A healthy diet requires sufficient quantities of all essential amino acids.
Increased requirements of amino acids occur for repair of muscles after strength training and
a small amount is used for growth. Amino acid requirements are largely dependent on muscle
mass; men generally require larger dietary protein intake for this reason.
Some strictly epidemiological evidence shows an increased mortality with high red meat
intake.[5]
Fat
Fat (or fatty acid) is used in the body for forming cell membranes, oxidized for energy, and
can be stored by the body for later use if food intake is inadequate.
Fats come in three main types: saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat.
Trans fat, a kind of unsaturated fat found in large quantities in processed foods such as
margarine products, is now known to be harmful. Many countries, such as Denmark, have
outlawed Trans fat in commercial products[citation needed].
Although the human body can make some types of fat, others, essential fatty acids are
required. Fat consumption helps absorb fat soluble vitamins in the diet such as vitamin A.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are chemicals that can be broken down in the body to simple sugars like
glucose and fructose. Glucose is primarily used by the body in muscles. If an excess of
carbohydrate is consumed then it is stored with a large quantity of water as glycogen in the
skeletal muscles and the liver. Fructose cannot be used by the skeletal muscles, but is
converted into glucose by the liver. However, if large quantities of fructose are consumed, the
conversion produces triglycerides which are thought to be unhealthy. One major source of
fructose is fruit and sucrose (table sugar).
Energy
The human body creates energy from chemical reactions (mainly oxidation) of food. Due to
conservation of energy if more energy is absorbed from food, then weight gain occurs (in the
form of glycogen and its associated water) and fat. Some variation in weight can also occur
due to hydration levels.
Different components of the diet provide different number of net calories, roughly speaking
proteins provide about 4.5 kcal, carbohydrates about 5 kcal and fats 9.5 kcal per gram.
Research has showed that the idea of thin people having a 'fast metabolism' is false; human
beings burn energy at quite predictable rates, and gain or loss of weight is mostly to do with
calorie intake versus the bodies' basal metabolism (with people with more lean bodyweight
burning more calories) as well as (usually to a lesser degree) activity levels; with any long-
term excess being stored as fat.
Energy is also used for growth and repair.
Minerals
mineral salts etc ..
Salt
While a moderate amount of salt is required for health, a high salt diet can have detrimental
effects on blood pressure[6] and long term high levels of salt intake is associated with
increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.[7]
Potassium
Potassium is used by the body for a number of purposes, and tends to lower blood pressure.
An inadequate supply can cause heart arrhythmias.
Magnesium
Main article: Magnesium in biology#Food sources
Magnesium salts are used in the nervous system, and tends to lower blood pressure. They are
mostly water soluble and so are easily absorbed.
Calcium
Calcium is used by the body to form and maintain bones and teeth and is used in the nervous
system. Inadequate supply can result in osteoporosis.
Iron
Iron is used by the body to form red blood cells, which carry the oxygen for the body. Lack
of iron can cause anemia. High doses of iron in a short period may cause death.
Copper
Although toxic in high doses, copper is an essential nutrient. Low levels cause progressive
failure of the nervous system. Up to around half of the copper can be obtained from drinking
water fed by copper pipes.
Zinc
Zinc is an essential component of many thousands of chemical processes throughout the
body. A deficiency can cause skin problems, but also impairs the immune system and can
cause impairment of repair and growth.
Chromium
Chromium is used by the body to process carbohydrates. High doses of chromium are toxic.
Selenium
Although selenium is an essential trace mineral it is toxic at high doses. At normal levels it is
used by the body to produce antioxidant chemicals, and some studies show an inverse
relationship between intake and cancer, and the studies seem to show that it is unwise to be
deficient in it. Few foods are high in selenium; one exception is Brazil nuts; one and half
Brazil nuts per day give the recommended intake.
Vitamins
The target amount of vitamins that are thought to be needed for good health are expressed as
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) or Reference Daily Intake (RDI). RDAs vary
somewhat with age, sex and bodyweight and may be increased or reduced by medical
conditions.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids), also collectively known as Vitamin P and citrin[8], are a
class of plant secondary metabolites. Flavonoids (both flavonols and flavanols) are most
commonly known for their antioxidant activity.
Flavonoids (specifically flavanoids such as the catechins) are "the most common group of
polyphenolic compounds in the human diet and are found ubiquitously in plants".[9]
Flavonols, the original bioflavonoids such as quercetin, are also found ubiquitously, but in
lesser quantities. Both sets of compounds have evidence of health-modulating effects in
animals which eat them.
Fiber
Fiber in the diet may be of benefit to health. Fiber is an important part of our diet. It is
sometimes called roughage and its scientific name is "non-starch polysaccharides" (NSP).
These are all terms for the same thing: complex carbohydrates that cannot be digested by the
body. There is some evidence that fiber lowers LDL cholesterol but does not lower HDL
cholesterol.[10][11]
1. Carbohydrates: these provide a source of energy.
2. Proteins: these provide a source of materials for growth and repair.
3. Fats: these provide a source of energy and contain fat soluble vitamins.
4. Vitamins: these are required in very small quantities to keep you healthy.
5. Mineral Salts: these are required for healthy teeth, bones, muscles etc..
6. Fibre: this is required to help your intestines function correctly; it is not digested.
7. Balanced Diets: we must have the above items in the correct proportions.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy. They contain the elements Carbon,
Hydrogen and Oxygen. The first part of the name "carbo-" means that they contain Carbon.
The second part of the name "-hydr-" means that they contain Hydrogen. The third part of the
name "-ate-" means that they contain Oxygen. In all carbohydrates the ratio of Hydrogen
atoms to Oxygen atoms is 2:1 just like water.
We obtain most of our carbohydrate in the form of starch. This is found in potato, rice,
spaghetti, yams, bread and cereals. Our digestive system turns all this starch into another
carbohydrate called glucose. Glucose is carried around the body in the blood and is used by
our tissues as a source of energy. (See my pages on respiration and balanced chemical
equations.) Any glucose in our food is absorbed without the need for digestion. We also get
some of our carbohydrate in the form of sucrose; this is the sugar which we put in our tea
and coffee (three heaped spoonfuls for me!). Both sucrose and glucose are sugars, but sucrose
molecules are too big to get into the blood, so the digestive system turns it into glucose.
When we use glucose in tissue respiration we need Oxygen. This process produces Carbon
Dioxide and water and releases energy for other processes. Now try my starch test in the
Virtual Laboratory
 Proteins
Proteins are required for growth and repair. Proteins contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen,
Nitrogen and sometimes Sulphur. Proteins are very large molecules, so they cannot get
directly into our blood; they must be turned into amino-acids by the digestive system. There
are over 20 different amino-acids. Our bodies can turn the amino-acids back into protein.
When our cells do this they have to put the amino-acids together in the correct order. There
are many millions of possible combinations or sequences of amino-acids; it is our DNA
which contains the information about how to make proteins. Our cells get their amino-acids
from the blood. Now try my Biuret test in the Virtual Laboratory
Proteins can also be used as a source of energy. When excess amino-acids are removed from
the body the Nitrogen is excreted as a chemical called urea. The liver makes urea and the
kidney puts the urea into our urine.
 Fats
Like carbohydrates, fats contain the elements Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Fats are used
as a source of energy: they are also stored beneath the skin helping to insulate us against the
cold. Do not think that by avoiding fat in your diet you will stay thin and elegant! If you eat
too much carbohydrate and protein, you will convert some of it into fat, so you will put on
weight. You must balance the amount of energy containing foods with the amount of energy
that you use when you take exercise.
You must have some fat in your diet because it contains fat soluble vitamins.
 Vitamins
Vitamins are only required in very small quantities. There is no chemical similarity
between these chemicals; the similarity between them is entirely biological.
Vitamin A: good for your eyes.
Vitamin B: about 12 different chemicals.
Vitamin C: needed for your body to repair itself.
Vitamin D: can be made in your skin, needed for absorption of Calcium.
Vitamin E: the nice one - reproduction?
 Mineral Salts
These are also needed in small quantities, but we need more of these than we need of
vitamins.
Iron: required to make haemoglobin.
Calcium: required for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.
Sodium: all cells need this, especially nerve cells.
Iodine: used to make a hormone called thyroxin.
Fibre
We do not // can not digest cellulose. This is a carbohydrate used by plants to make their cell
walls. It is also called roughage. If you do not eat foods materials which contain fibre you
might end up with problems of the colon and rectum. The muscles of you digestive system
mix food with the digestive juices and push food along the intestines by peristalsis; if there is
no fibre in your diet these movements cannot work properly.
A Balanced Diet
You must have carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals salts and fibre in the correct
proportions. If there is not enough protein, you will not be able to grow properly and you will
not be able to repair yourself i.e. wounds will not heal properly. If you do not have enough
energy containing foods you will feel very tired, you will not have enough energy. If you
have too much energy containing foods you will become overweight. If you think that you
are overweight you might try taking more exercise to "burn off" some of the excess food
which you ate at you last meal.
 
Indian Diet Chart
Food Group           Quantity        Sources
Cereals 300 g Wheat, Rice, Millets
Pulses 60g (Veg), 30g(Non- Sprouts/ Fermented
Veg)
Meat 30 g Egg / Chicken / Fish
Vegetables 300 g (minimum) Peas, Carrot, Pumpkin,
Beans, Green Leaf
Vegetables etc.
Fruits 100 g (minimum) Orange, Apple, Papaya,
Guava, Mango etc
Milk & Milk products 300 g Cheese, Curd etc
Sugar 20 g Confectionary
Fats 20 g Oil/ Butter/ Ghee
Breads, cereals, rice, pasta and noodles
Food examples What is a serve? Daily serve from
this group
Bread 2 slice 5-9
Rolls 1 roll serves
Cereal 1 cup
Wheat biscuit one
Pasta 1 cup
each day
Rice 1 cup

Vegetables and legumes


Food examples What is a serve? Daily serve from
this group

Cooked vegies Half a cup

Medium potato Half a cup

Carrot [sliced] Half a cup 4 or 5

Broccoli Half a cup Serves

Spinach Half a cup each day


Cauliflower Half a cup

Salad  One cup

Fruit
Food examples What is a serve? Daily serve from
this group

Any fruit, eg. 1 piece


apple, orange 2 or 3
Fruit juice Small glass serves
Raisins/sultanas 1-2 tablespoons
each day
Dried fruit 4 pieces

Milk, yoghurt and cheese group


Food examples What is a serve? Daily serve from
this group

Milk 250ml
2-4
Yoghurt 200g
serves
Cheese 40g
Each day
Custard 250ml
Meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts and legumes
Food examples What is a serve? Daily serve from
this group
Beef, chicken fish Small portion
Egg One 1 - 2

Peanut butter 1 tablespoon serves


Baked beans Half a cup Each day
Fish fingers Two

Fats and oils


Even though you need fats and oils to grow and be healthy we haven't put a place on the table
for fats and oils because you will get most of what you need from your other foods, such as
meat, eggs, cheese, peanut butter and margarine on your bread.
It's a good idea to start the habit of eating mono-unsaturated fats (check out the label on
cooking oils, margarines and spreads) light cheeses and low fat ice-cream.  Your heart will
love you for it!
Sweets, cakes, biscuits and soft drinks
You may have one small serve of cake or chips, or 2 sweet biscuits .... but not all of
them! Soft drinks usually have a lot of sugar in them which you do not need.
Try to make sweets a sometimes treat rather than every day.
Balancing your diet
Now see if you can use the tables above to see how your diet balanced out today.  Maybe you
would like to plan a day's menu yourself then check if it fits with the idea of a balanced diet.
Be careful to keep an eye on the size of your serves.

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