Human beings have a number of fundamental needs.A house to live, dress to wear and Food to eat are some of that basic needs.In my opinion among all these food is the most important one.One can live somewhere if he has no house of his own. One can live eventhough he had a shirt.But one cannot live if he hadn't taken food for more than three days continuously.
Every one needs food for the well being of his body.Without food one may be able to live for two or three days.After that his condition may get worse.The essential material that we get from food to keep our body healthy is called nutrients.Good and healthy food is necessary for the proper growth at all stages of life.The need starts from infancy goes through childhood,adolescence and finally adulthood.In the case of women,food in adequate quantity is very important when they are pregnant.During pregnancy women often suffers severe nutritional stress.
The daily food we eat is to be examined well.In order to get the required quantity of each of the nutrients the daily food should include appropriate quantity of different kind of food stuffs.The food which supply all the nutrients needed for the growth and development of the body, in appropriate quantity is called as Balanced Diet.Here is a table of balanced diet for an average Indian.The quantity of food varies according to age and type of work of the person.
Food Group Food Stuff Quantity per day(Gm)
I Rice.wheat etc 350
Jagery,Sugar 40
Oil,Ghee etc 35
II Milk 225
Egg,meat,fish 60
Pulses & Nuts 45
III Leafy Vegetables 150
Other Vegetables 125
Fruits 30
Now we can look into these some more deeply.Do you know which are the nutrients that we get from food?We can classify the nutrients getting from food as six types .They are listed below and explained there after.
1) Carbohydrates
2) Fats
3) Proteins
4) Minerals
5) Vitamins and
6) Water.
Out of these the Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins are called Macro Nutrients and others collectively as Micro Nutrients.
Before continuing the reading everyone think for a moment about their own eating habit.It has been changing constantly.In earlier days we have ate raw vegetables.We also ate leafy vegetables in our childhood days.Now none eatsthem.Instead we all depend on fast food which also brings diseases fast.No one is bothered about the after effects of excessive intake of fast food.Animals have mostly a routine menu.But human beings have no such menu.Human diet is not restricted to any special category.He eats foods of both plant origin and animal origin.But no single food is there which contains all the nutrients required.
Carbohydrates:- They are the main source of energy of body.Starch and sugar are rich source of Carbohydrates.Cane sugar and glucose are purely Carbohydrates.Most of our grain foods are rich source of Carbohydrates.The rice and wheat that we eat are rich in carbohydrates.Also the potato and tapioca are rich sources of carbohydrates.
Fats:- Fat supplies energy more than that supplied by Carbohydrates and proteins.Fats like vegetable oil supplies fatty acids essential for the body.But fats present in excess quantity may create problems.Some fats like triglycerides and phospholipids present in blood affect the level of cholestrol in blood.Fats like butter,ghee,vanaspati etc contain high quantity of saturated fatty acids.So it considerably increase the level of Cholestrol in blood.On the otherhand fats like sunflower oil and groundnut oil contain high quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids.They will not increase the cholestrol level considerably.That is why heart patients are advised to use sunflower oil and ground nut oil instead of coconut oil.
Proteins:- Body of all living things is made of cells.Proteins are the chief substance of cells.Also they are the important constituents of blood,body muscles and tissues.Our body defend diseases by their own method.It is primarily by the production of antibodies.Antibodies are nothing but proteins.Inorder to get energy from food it is to be digested first.For this some enzymes are produced in the body.These enzymes are also proteins.Proteins are made of Amino Acids.Commonly 20 aminoacids are found.Out of this 10 can be synthesised by the body itself.But 10 should be supplied through food.These 10 aminoacids supplied through food is called essential aminoacids.Children require all this 10 while adult require only 8 for proper body functions.
Minerals:- Calcium and Phospherous are the main minerals of the body.The other minerals required to our body are pottasium,sulphur,sodium ,magnesium and chlorine.Calcium and Phospherus are essential for the strength of our bones.
Vitamins:- They are necessary in metabolism.They combine with enzymes to digest Carbohydrates,proteins and fats in the body.That is vitamins play a major role in releasing energy needed for our body.Vitamins are broadly classified into two.Fat soluble and Water soluble.Vitamins A,D,E and K are fat soluble while Vitamin B and C are water soluble (Just remember WBC.All others fat soluble).Out of these vitamins Vitamin D is created in our body using the UV rays in sun light.So sun bath is essential to make our body healthy.
Water:- It is one of the most important nutrient.About 70% of the human body weight is water.It comes to about 45 litres ! Water is essential for digestion and absorption of food we eat.Water is present in all tissues and cells of our body.All the chemical reactions in the body takes place in the medium of water.Water is the transporting medium of nutrients and other materials needed for body.It also regulates body temperature.Water in the body removes all waste materials from the body.Urine,sweat and tears are the waste removal methods of body in which water is the main constituent.In body joints water is the substance acting as lubricants.
Many parents worry about the food habits of their children's food habit.Children eat many things.Their stomach is too small to occupy more quantity of food.So they will have to eat frequently.It is due to appetite.But parents should care about the food they eat.It must include the nutrients required for their body.Only chocolates and biscuits are not at all good for health.In my opinion children upto age of ten should take milk regularly because milk contains almost all nutrients.
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- Abid Areacode