Balanced Diet

• The food we eat is called diet.

• Our diet consist of 5 groups of food
 Carbohydrates
 Proteins
 Fats
 Vitamins
 Minerals
 Carbohydrates
• They are main source fuel providing cells with energy
through glucose.
• Found naturally in fruits and vegetables
• Starch is Found in Potato, rice and wheat.
• Search for other Sources of carbohydrates.
 Proteins
• We have 20 types of amino acids.
• 11 amino acids are called essential as they are
needed in our diet.
• Other 9 are non-essential as they can be synthesized
in body.
 Protein Sources
• Meat + beef + fish
• Beans, nuts, and soy are additional sources of
protein, but the protein they contain is plant protein,
not animal protein.
• Plant proteins are considered incomplete because
they don’t contain enough of some of the amino
acids humans need.
• Search for other sources of proteins.
 Fats
• Fats are needed in diet to make tissues and
hormones and insulate your nerves.
• Fat is also a source of stored energy.
• It gives your body shape, reduces heat loss by
insulating your organs and muscles, and cushions
your body and organs.
 2 types of fats
• Unsaturated fats
 are good for you. Plant oils, such as olive and
flaxseed, are excellent sources of unsaturated fats, as
are fish oils.
• Saturated fats
 are unhealthy. Animal fat, like the fat on meat, and
the fat found in butter are saturated fats.
 Minerals
• Minerals are needed in small amount as they help
enzymes to function properly.
• Minerals are inorganic molecules.
• Minerals are of 2 types
 Major minerals
 Trace minerals
 Vitamins
• Vitamins are organic molecules.
• They exist naturally in living Organisms.
• Vitamins are of 2 types
 Fat Soluble
 Water Soluble
• They are synthesized by plants and micro-organisms
and the absolute requirement for vitamins in the
diet of higher animals is the result of the loss of this
biosynthetic capability during evolution.
 Fat Soluble Vitamins
• These vitamins include A, D, E, and K
• Need to be “dissolved” in fat molecules (or
phospholipids) so that cells can use them.
• The phospholipids carry the “dissolved” vitamins
through the bloodstream and into your cells.
 Water Soluble Vitamins
• These vitamins include vitamin C and all the B
vitamins.
• They often act with enzymes to speed up reactions.
• They are synthesized by plants and micro-organisms
and the absolute requirement for vitamins in the diet
of higher animals is the result of the loss of this
biosynthetic capability during evolution.
 Fibers
• Dietary fibers are carbohydrates that can not be
digested in a human body.
• Dietary fiber helps keep the gut healthy
• Reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes,
constipation, coronary heart disease and bowel
cancer. 
• Soluble fiber and resistant starch also function as
prebiotics and support the probiotics (bacteria) we
have in our large bowel which are essential for
digestive health.
 Types of Fibers
• Soluble fiber
• Insoluble fiber
 Sources of fiber
• Soluble fiber is found in foods like fruit, oats, beans
and barley.
• When it dissolves in water it forms a gel-like
substance.
• Soluble fiber helps to maintain growth of probiotics,
reduce cholesterol absorption and
• Slow down the time it takes for food to pass through
the stomach into the small intestine. This helps slow
down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream
controlling sugar level in blood.
• Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water.
• Help food move through your digestive system,
promoting regularity and helping prevent
constipation.
• Found in foods like whole meal bread, wheat bran,
vegetables (cucumber + Tomatoes) and nuts.
• Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools by absorbing
water.
• It is important to increase your fluid intake as you
increase fiber. Without fluid, the fiber stays hard,
making it difficult to pass and causing constipation.
 What is a Balanced Diet
• Balanced diet means eating a wide variety of foods in
the right proportions and consuming the right
amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a
healthy body weight.
• A balanced diet includes foods from five groups and
fulfills all of a person’s nutritional needs.
• A balanced diet provides all the nutrients a person
requires according to their energy expenditure/
requirment.
 References
• Biology for Dummies Page 249-254
• For Sources simply search on Google.