A Balanced Diet

In order to maintain healthy our body must have a healthy and balanced diet. Thi
s means we must eat sufficient food and also eat a variety of foods, this way ou
r body gets all the different nutrients it needs.
There are seven nutrition groups found in the food we eat, these are:
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fat
Fibre
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
A balanced diet is made up of all of the above nutrients.
Carbohydrates
We need carbohydrates to give us energy. Starch and sugars such as glucose, sucr
ose and lactose are all carbohydrates. Starch is a large molecule made up of lot
s of smaller glucose molecules joined together.
Plants turn their glucose into starch and store it for when they need it.
Glycogen is a large carbohydrate molecule like starch. It is also made up of glu
cose molecules joined together. Animals store glucose as glycogen in our liver a
nd muscles, our body turns glycogen into glucose when we need it for energy.
The foods below are a good source of carbohydrate.
Proteins
Your body is made up of millions of cells. These cells are mostly made up of pro
tein. Our body needs protein to make new cells during growth and to replace old
or damaged cells. Proteins are made up of lots of smaller amino acids joined tog
ether; there are about 20 different types of amino acids. The foods below are ri
ch in protein.
Children especially need a lot of protein in their diets as they are growing, ho
wever there are many children around the work whose diets are deficient in prote
in and as a result they suffer from illness. Kwashiorkor is a protein deficiency
disorder in many developing countries. This occurs because people s diets manly c
onsist of starchy vegetables and in particular they do not get enough animal pro
tein which contains the essential amino acids required by the body.
Fat
Fats are made up of 3 fatty acids joined to a single glycerol molecule.
We need fats to give us energy. In fact fats contain more energy than carbohydra
tes. Our body uses fat as a store of energy. Fat is stored under the skin and ar
ound the heart and kidneys. Fats are also needed for warmth (insulation) as they
reduce heat los from the body. Below are the foods which are high in fat.
However fats can also be bad for us. There are two types of fats, saturated fat
and unsaturated fat. Fat that comes from animals is saturated fat and that which
comes from plants is unsaturated. Cholesterol is a fatty deposit which is made
in the liver and found in blood. The level of cholesterol in blood is influenced

by the amount and type of fat in our diet. Saturated fats increase blood choles
terol levels and unsaturated fats reduce blood cholesterol levels. If we eat too
much saturated fat, levels of cholesterol increase and this cholesterol will be
gin to stick to the lining of our arteries and over time build up. This makes th
e arteries narrower and our heart has to work harder to push the blood through t
he narrow vessel. This in turn can lead to an increase in the risk of heart dise
ase and heart attacks.
Genetic factors, smoking and alcohol consumption also contribute to the effects
of cholesterol and also increase the risk of heart disease.
Fibre
Fibre or roughage comes from plants, it is essentially the cellulose from the pl
ant cell walls. Foods that are high in fibre include bran cereals, Sweetcorn and
celery.
Fibre cannot actually be digested, however, it is an important part of our diet
for various reasons:
As it remains undigested it passes through the entire gut from mouth to anus
and thus keeps food moving smoothly through our system.
It prevents constipation.
The fibre absorbs poisonous waste from the digesting food.
High fibre diets are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease, bowel can
cer and cholesterol in the body.
Vitamins and Minerals
We only need a small amount of vitamins and minerals in our diet but these are e
ssential for good health. If they are missing we can become ill. Deficiency dise
ases are caused when the body does not have enough of a certain type of vitamin
or mineral e.g. anaemia is caused by lack of the mineral iron. These deficiencie
s are easily cured by eating the right kinds of food. Vitamins and minerals can
be found in fruit, vegetables and cereals.
Salt is sodium chloride and is required in small amounts in our diet. On average
an adult needs 6 grams per day, however many people are consuming 60% more than
this. Salt is naturally found in many types of food but particularly high level
s can be found in processed food such as biscuits, crisps and cereals. Too much
salt on the diet is linked to heart disease, high blood pressure and strokes.
Water
Water makes up roughly 65% of our body weight. We take in water when we eat and
drink. Water is important because:
Chemical reactions in our cells take place in water.
Waste products are passed out of our bodies in water.
Our blood transports substances that are dissolved in water
Water is in sweat that cools us down