Food is the basic necessity of our life. Energy provided by food is used for doing work. Food constitutes of substances called
nutrients. These nutrients are
proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, water and roughage. These nutrients are present in most foods but in varied amounts.
For maintaining a steady growth and good health, it is necessary to include some of the following foods in our diet. In other words to maintain a balanced diet we must include
green leafy vegetables, milk, cereals(rice/roti) ,pulses and nuts in our vegetarian diet and
mutton/egg/fish(2-3 times a week) in our non vegetarian diet. Fruits must also form a part of our daily diet.
If there is a lack of the required nutrients in our diet the following problems might surface.
Skin : Becomes dull, scaly and tough compared to a smooth and glossy skin of a healthy person.
Teeth : It would be prone to decay (however hygiene also plays and important role in tooth decay).
Eyes : With good diet eyes are bright, clear and with good vision. Lack of Vitamin A in our diet might lead to night blindness.
Hair : May become dull, dry and difficult to manage it may also fall easily, in some cases there may also be a change in colour from black to light brown.
Bones : Might become weak, soft and lose normal shape.
Major food sources of nutrients
Energy : Cereals, pulses, roots and tubers, fats and oils, sugar and jaggery.
Protein : Milk, egg, fish, meat, liver, pulses, nuts, oilseeds
Fat : Butter, ghee, vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats, nuts and oilseeds
Carbohydrates : Cereals, pulses, sugar and jaggery, roots and tubers.
Fiber : Green leafy vegetables, fruits, unrefined cereals, pulses and legumes
Calcium : Milk and milk products, ragi, green leafy vegetables, milk and milk products
Iron : Liver, green leafy vegetables, rice flakes, whole wheat flour, ragi, pulses
Vitamin A : Fish, liver oil butter, ghee, milk, carrots, green leafy vegetables, papaya, mango
Vitamin C : Amla, Lime, Orange, Guava, Tomato, lettuce, sprouted grams
Vitamin D : Milk, sunlight
Vitamin B Complex : Milk, egg ,liver, whole wheat, whole grams, pulses, green leafy vegetables, nut and oilseeds.
Written by:
Pallavi Sinha.(Dietician) Ask her your health related questions at pallavi[at]hungrybangalore[dot]com.
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