The Food Pyramid

Ever wondered what to eat, how much to eat and from which food group? There’s no better guide to help you achieve this than the food pyramid which ensures that you eat a balanced diet, through a proper understanding of what and how much to eat. The model shows which kinds of food should be eaten in greater amounts and which should be consumed in a relatively lesser quantity to accomplish a balanced diet. 

Each group of the food pyramid is important as it supplies us with some nutrient or the other, so don’t miss out on any group. At the base of the pyramid stands the Bread and Cereal group. These foods help in maintaining a diet which is low in fat but high in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals and thus should be eaten more. Foods such as wheat, rice, flour, flakes, vermicelli, etc are included in this group.

What is a Balanced Diet

Balancing your meals can be tough. For a balanced diet requires you to eat all the nutrients in the right proportion to meet the requirements of your body. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals constitute the five main nutrients of the food. You get these nutrients from the food you eat. You need to know how to get the right amount of each -- either too little or too much can be harmful. When your body gets an adequate supply of these five nutrients in the right proportion, you are eating a balanced diet.

A balanced diet can be achieved by blending the different food groups: cereals and pulses, vegetables and fruits, milk and milk products and oils and fats.

Cereals & Pulses: Wheat and rice are the two commonly eaten portions of cereal. These should be taken in sufficient quantity as they are a rich source of protein and various other vitamins and minerals. 

Tips on purchasing dairy products

As a child, one of your strongest memories is probably that of your mother telling you to finish your glass of milk. If you didn’t like it, chances are that either you were forced to gulp it down or else mummy added some Bournvita to make it yummy.

As you grew up, you probably realized that your strong bones and shiny pearls are a result of those umpteen glasses of milk you consumed. Yes, milk and milk-based products are an important part of our diet, whether as a child or as an adult. They feature in main courses as well as desserts, contributing to the flavor, color, texture and overall appearance of many foods.

Purchasing tips:

• Buy low-fat or skimmed milk and milk products whenever possible as milk contains saturated fats and cholesterol.

Water: The Fluid of Life

As we know that the human body is about 60% to 70% water. It is a constituent of blood and other vital fluids and plays a key role in the elimination of body wastes and regulation of body temperature. The more you sweat, the more water your body loses. Hence it is imperative for adults to drink between 6-8 glasses of water every day. Water content is also found, in varying proportions, in other foods that we eat. Milk, tea, coffee, juices, and beverages are all water-based and add to the fluid content in the body.

Drinking plenty of water provides many health benefits:

• Better bladder and bowel functioning. Fluids speed the elimination of waste matter from your body, thus preventing constipation and urinary tract infections.

The Big Four minerals

Minerals are a must. Like vitamins, they are paramount for good health but are more stable than vitamins and harder to destroy. The body needs two types of minerals: macro-minerals, which are required in doses higher than 100 mg a day such as calcium, and micro minerals, those required in smaller doses. These are also known as trace elements.

Minerals have multiple functions. They provide structure in the formation of bones and teeth, maintain normal heart rhythm, are essential for the synthesis of major biological nutrients and play a regulatory role in cellular metabolism. But what needs to be remembered is that minerals can be obtained solely from a well-balanced diet and are not produced by the body.

The Big Four:

Know your Fruits and Veggies

This is the most power-packed combination of nutrients your body requires for good health. Fruits, vegetables, and herbs provide sufficient quantities of water, vitamin, fibers, complex carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals. The fat content of all fruits and vegetables is very low, which is a boon for weight-watchers and the obese. Markets are full of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs all the year round. Here are a few tips to help you get the most from your fruits and veggies:

Purchasing tips:

Always buy fresh spices, herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Anything that is bought frozen, dried or canned loses some of its nutritive value, so always prefer fresh products.

Organically grown vegetables and fruit are in demand today as their cultivation involves no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals. This definitely increases the price of the products. However, if you can afford organic veggies, do inquire about the state regulations and on what basis the item has been labeled organic. Keep in mind that organic produce is by and large smaller than inorganically grown food.

Vitamins Are Vital

Vitamins are a vital nutrient required by our bodies for normal growth and maintenance of the structure of skin, bone, nerves, eyes, brain, and blood. 

What is important to know is that vitamins -- though they are required in small amounts – have to be supplied through the diet and cannot be produced by the human body.

Types of Vitamins

There are two types of vitamins – FAT-SOLUBLE and WATER-SOLUBLE vitamins:

FAT-SOLUBLE: Fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K can be stored in the body and are absorbed only in the presence of fat. Therefore, the presence of some fat in the diet is necessary.

Fats: Friend or Foe?

We all know that. If you eat too much fat, you become overweight. What you probably may not know is that fats are essential for us to survive and a diet low in fat can be dangerous.

Consider these facts: fats have high energy value; they provide essential fatty acids and help in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Being a poor conductor of heat, fats also insulate the body. Of course, an excess of anything is bad. Similarly, excessive fat leads to obesity, heart disease, and other problems.

Did you know that fats can be broken down into saturated and unsaturated?

The Power of Proteins

Is your hairline disappearing day by day? 

Well, maybe you are not eating enough protein. 

Protein is the primal life substance for your bodies and is responsible for the state of your nails, skin, hair, teeth, and tissue. Even the hemoglobin molecule that makes your blood red is mostly protein. 

The haemo or iron-containing fraction is a mere five percent, and the protein or globin fraction is an astounding 95 percent. That is why many cases of anemia do not respond to iron tablets alone if underlying protein deficiencies also exist.

Types of Proteins: Proteins are of two kinds – structural and functional.

Structural proteins are found in the material of muscle, bone, hair, nails, skin, blood, connective tissue and other areas,

Know your Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a friendly fuel and the principal source of energy for the body.

Types of carbohydrates

Your food contains two types of carbohydrates – Natural & Refined:

The natural carbohydrates include whole grains, vegetables, beans and fruits and are rich in water and fiber content. In addition to this, natural carbohydrates are rich in essential nutrients. They are more filling and provide you with lots of energy without adding to your calories. Thus, they should be an integral part of your diet

Refined carbohydrates include sugar, white flour, sweets, chocolates, cakes and are poor in fiber content. If taken in excess, these convert to fat.

Dangers of a Low Carbohydrate Diet

On a low carbohydrate diet, you may develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Because of a lump of drop-in blood sugar, your brain will not be properly nourished. Your retina will also be affected. People with hypoglycemia suffer from dizziness, mental fatigue, irritability and in advanced cases even loss of sight.

Know Your Food and Nutrients

What are the three basic things that you require to sustain life?

AIR, WATER, and FOOD.

You need AIR to breathe and WATER to drink, But what about FOOD?

Food refers to the material taken into your system that serves to sustain normal bodily functions. You are what you eat may be an old proverb, but it couldn’t be closer to the truth. Your food habits nourish your body and can influence your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and one of the modern world’s leading epidemic, obesity.

Food is a prerequisite for nutrition. in simple language, Nutrition is food at work in your body. It includes everything that happens to the food from the time you swallow it, to its digestion and till the time it is used by your body for various functions. The process of nutrition determines what nutrients your body needs, in what amounts and from which foods you could obtain these.