HEALTHY DIET
HEALTHY DIET
Food is basic necessity of Life. Our Health, most
importantly the quality of our health depends upon the
nourishment that we provide to our body. Most people
eat what they like or because it is a norm or out of habit.
Their choice of food is not influenced by the awareness
of its nutritive value. few people know the way body
utilizes food and the importance of the nutritious diet in
our life.
WHAT IS NUTRITION ?
Nutrition is the science of food and its interaction with
an organism to promote and maintain health. Thus
nutrition is a combination of processes by which all parts
of the body receive and utilize the materials necessary
for the performance of their functions, growth and
rejuvenation.
WHAT IS NUTRITION ?
"Nutritional Status" is the condition of the body as it relates
to consumption and utilisation of food.
"Optimum Nutrition" means that a person is receiving and
utilising nutrients in proper proportions as required by
the body, while also providing a reserve.
"Good Nutritional Status" refers to the intake of a well
balanced diet which supplies all the essential nutrients to
meet bodies requirement.
WHAT IS NUTRITION ?
"Poor Nutritional Status" refers to an inadequate or
excessive intake or poor utilisation of nutrients to meet
bodies requirements. Overeating may also result in poor
nutritional status of a person.
"Malnutrition" refers to the physical effects on the human
body of a dietary intake inadequate in quantity / quality.
WHAT IS NUTRITION ?
“Signs of Good Nutritional Status”
Shiny hair, Smooth skin, Clear eyes, reflect good
nutritional status. A person should be of correct weight
in relation to height. Good Nutritional Status is also
reflected by his stamina and resistance to diseases.
“Signs of Poor Nutritional Status”
Very little stamina, Dull lifeless hair, dull eyes, fatigue,
depression, underweight or overweight. The The three
important aspects namely diet, sleep and elimination
habits are irregular.
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
In order to guide the general population about the
amounts and type of foods to be included in the daily
diet, US Dept. of Agriculture in 1992 released the “Food
Guide Pyramid”.
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
Food Group Main Nutrients
Cereal grains and products: Energy, Protein, Invisible
Rice, Wheat, Ragi, Bajra, Maize, Jowar, Fat, Vitamin-B1, Vitamin-
Barley, Rice Flakes, Wheat Flour B2, Folic Acid, Iron, Fibre
Pulses and Legumes: Energy, Protein, Invisible
Bengalgram, Blackgram, Greengram, Fat, Vitamin-B1, Vitamin-
Redgram, Lentil, Cowpea, Peas, Rajmah, B2, Folic Acid, Calcium,
Soyabean, Beans Iron, Fibre
Milk and Meat Products:
Protein, Fat, Vitamin-B2,
Milk, Curd, Skimmed Milk, Cheese,
Calcium
Chicken Liver, Fish, Egg, Meat
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
Food Group Main Nutrients
Fruits and Vegetables:
Fruits: Mango, Guava, tomato, Papaya, Carotenoids, Vitamin-C,
Fibre, Invisible Fat,
Orange, Sweet Lime, Water Melon
Vitamin-B2, Folic Acid,
Iron
Vegetables: Amaranth, Spinach, Gogu, Carotenoids, Vitamin-B2,
Drumstick Leaves, Coriander Leaves, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron,
Fenugreek leaves Fibre
Other Vegetables: Carrots, Brinjal, Ladies Carotenoids, Folic Acid,
Finger, Beans Capsicum, Onion, Calcium, Fibre
Drumstick, Cauliflower
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID
Food Group Main Nutrients
Fats and Sugar: Energy, Fat, Essential Fatty
Fats: Butter, Ghee, Hydrogenated Fat, Acids
Cooking Oils like Groundnut, Mustard,
Coconut
Sugar: Jaggery and Sugar Energy
WHAT ARE NUTRIENTS ?
Nutrients are chemical components of food that supply
nourishment to the body. They are required by the body
in right amounts and must be eaten regularly. Every
Nutrient – Protein, Carbohydrates (CHO), fats, minerals,
vitamins and water have a specific function to perform in
our body.
Basic functions of Nutrients
1. Supply Energy to the body
2. Build and repair body tissues
3. Regulate body processes
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Energy
An important factor that determines energy needs is the
nature and duration of physical activity, whether moderate or
heavy. The average calories required for men and women
according to activity is given below:
Man Woman
Sedentary Moderate Heavy Sedentary Moderate Heavy
Energy 2400 2875 3800 1875 2225 2925
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Protein : The average protein requirement of an average
Indian adult is 0.5gm/kg of body weight in terms of high
quality protein like milk, eggs.
Fat : In the diet of an Indian adult about 20% of energy
may be derived from fats. This includes both invisible
and visible fat. So approximately 10gms – 20gms of fat
should be consumed per day.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Minerals
The requirement of calcium is same for both men and
women (400mg per day). To meet this requirement an
adult needs to take at least 200ml of buffaloes milk or
350ml of cows milk everyday. Iron requirement for
women is 2mg higher than men i.e, for men 28mg per
day and women 30mg per day.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Vitamins
The requirement of vitamins is same for men and
women. The requirement of B Complex Vitamins are
higher in moderate to heavy workers. An intake of
20mgs of Vitamin C may be sufficient to maintain the
Ascorbic acid levels in adults. But taking into account
that 50% of Vitamin C is lost in cooking 40mgs per day
is suggested for all adults. Where minimum exposure to
sunlight is there a specific recommendation of a daily
supplement of 400micro grams of Vitamin D is made.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Eating a diet which contains all the above nutrients in the
right amounts as required by the individuals body needs,
is called a Balanced Diet. It is very important that we
consume a balanced diet every day and develop good
eating habits for good health.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
1. Maintain Regularity In Your Routine
2. Eat Fresh Natural Foods
3. Adapt Yourself To Seasonal variations
4. Eat But Do Not Over Eat
5. Avoid Excessive Salt And Spices
6. Avoid Excessive Consumption Of Sweets
7. Eat Foods Which Contain Adequate Carbohydrates,
Starch, Fibre
8. Avoid High Fat, Cholesterol And Saturated Fat
9. Watch Your Weight
10. Avoid Monotonous Diet, Eat Variety Of Foods
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Maintain Regularity In Your Routine
Our body can adapt to changes but it has its own
biological clock. Once you have conditioned your body
to a certain routine, it is necessary to maintain it.
Regularity in routine also regularises your sleeping and
elimination habits. People who suffer from constipation,
sleeplessness are those who do not listen to their
biological clock.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Adapt Yourself To Seasonal variations
Changes in season have a tremendous impact on our
body and health e.g, during summer sweat loss is much
more than in winter, therefore one must consume more
water and electrolytes to replace fluid loss. If the intake
of fat and carbohydrates is increased in winter, it helps in
providing for the required additional generation of by
body.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Eat But Do Not Over Eat
Eat 3-4 meals a day and at the right time. Avoid eating
while watching Tele Vision, reading as it can result in
overeating (Ayurveda).
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Avoid Excessive Salt And Spices
Anything in moderation can not harm the body, but a
slight excess every day can be harmful to body in the
long run. Salt which contains a large amount of sodium
must be carefully handled, more so by people with high
B.P. Use only small amounts of Salt while cooking.
Foods which are highly salted e.g, peanuts, potato chips
and wafers, salted popcorn, cheese, tomato sauce, soya
sauce should be consumed sparingly. Read food labels
carefully before consuming food. Very spicy foods must
be avoided as they are harmful to the delicate lining of
G.I Tract.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Avoid Excessive Consumption Of Sweets
Excessive consumption of sweets must be avoided.
Sucrose has been proved to be one of the causative
agents of dental carries. Concentrated sugar sources like
Jams, jellies must be minimised.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Eat Foods Which Contain Adequate Carbohydrates,
Starch, Fibre
Consumption of complex CHO is more advisable than
simple CHO (sugars) found in honey, fruits, milk. This
is because digestion of complex sugars is relatively
slower than that of simple ones. Rich sources of fibre
include whole grain cereals, green leafy vegetables,
pulses and legumes which should be included in diet.
Fibre in diet lowers blood colestrol. Low fibre diet has
proved to be a definite cause of rectal disorders, poor
bowel habits, colon cancer and chronic constipation.
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Avoid High Fat, Cholesterol And Saturated Fat
Controlled consumption of pure ghee, butter, vanaspati,
fried foods. Use vegetable oil.
Watch Your Weight
It is always better to be slightly under weight than to be
over weight. Every gram of excess weight is burden on
heart and other vital body resources. If weight loss is
advised it should be at the rate of 1kg per week. Weight
loss should never be drastic as it can lead to measure
health problems and can even be fatal. The process of
losing weight depends on good healthy eating habits,
chewing morsel throughly, smaller portion size and
GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH
Avoid Monotonous Diet, Eat Variety Of Foods”
Most foods contain several nutrients but no single food
provides nutrients in right quantity for good health e.g,
milk is complete food, but it lacks iron and Vitamin C,
so it is necessary to include Citrus foods which are rich
source of Vitamin C. Green leafy vegetables are good
sources of Iron.
POINTS TO CONSIDER WHILE PLANNING YOUR DIET
Age: As a person grows, the metabolic rate decreases
and so the nutrient requirement varies, e.g, Infants
require more protein per kg of body weight than adults.
This is because the metabolic rate of infants is much
faster than that of adults.
Sex: Male / Female, e.g, Iron requirement.
Body Size: Height, Weight, Surface Area, Stature. A tall
heavy built person requires more Kilo Calories than a
person with small stature, because of greater surface
area.
Physiological State: e.g, Pregnancy.
POINTS TO CONSIDER WHILE PLANNING YOUR DIET
Type of Work: Moderate, Sedentary, Heavy.
Flour should not be seived for chapatti as it reduces bean
content.
Raw Fruits are better than Juices.
Minimum amount of milk / curd is 100 ml/day.
Include salads / raita as it not only helps in meeting the
Vitamin requirements of the body but also gives meals a
higher saticty value to fibre content.
All meals should consist of all five food groups.