What is a balanced diet and why it is important for us?

Every human body needs to be healthy to lead a good life, and by taking a balanced diet in our routine life we can establish a healthy life.

A balanced diet means “a diet which contains all the nutrients which are the main requirements of our body to be taken in the correct amount”.

A balanced diet consists of six main nutrients :

1) Carbohydrates

2) Minerals

3) Fats

4)Protein

5) Vitamins

6) Fibre

These nutrients are present in the food we take in our daily lives. The intake of each depends on the climate of the place, age, gender, and health of a person.

The following are a few components of a balanced diet that we can use:

1)CARBOHYDRATES:

We need energy to process and perform and carbohydrates are the main source of providing energy to the body. It can be found in rice, tortillas, bread, and wheat, etc.

2)MINERALS and VITAMINS:

They help our body in fighting with diseases and make our body’s resistance against diseases stronger. Minerals can be found in foods like cereal, bread, milk, fish, dairy, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.

3)FATS :

Fats provide us essential nutrients and energy which are required in a balanced diet. It can be found in dairy products ie butter, ghee, milk, cheese, etc.

4)PROTEIN:

Protein is an essential nutrient that is required for our growth. It makes our muscles strong and helps to repair the wear and tear in our bodies. It is found in sprouts, dairy products, meat, eggs, etc.

5)FIBRE:

Fibre is a very important part of digesting our food. Fibre helps the food to easily pass through the digestive system and digest easily. Less intake of fibre can lead to constipation. It is found in lentils and soya beans.

 

IMPORTANCE OF A BALANCE DIET:

Everyone believes that taking a balanced diet can lead us towards a happy and healthy life and it is rightly said as scientists also support the same. We consume a balanced diet, our physical and mental health is maintained. It helps in the proper growth of our body, and also increases our capacity of performing a task with efficiency. It helps in making our body stronger and less chances to become ill. Moreover, a balanced diet helps us in not being a deficiency disease patient.

Nowadays, the trend of eating junk and fast food is very common in comparison with taking a balanced diet. People enjoying eating harmful food rather than eating a balanced diet and that’s the reason many diseases are common among people these days irrespective of the age group.

Many believe that by doing exercise they can easily burn the fats and calories which they have taken in excess, but only exercise will not help you in leading a healthy lifestyle.

Importantly, the term balanced diet means that you have to take all the main six nutrients in a balanced amount which is essential for our body. If you are taking all the nutrients in the incorrect amount, it won’t help because the adequate amount is mandatory.