Balanced Diet

The food we eat is very improtant. We all eat when we are hungry or for recreation but do we think of the foods we eat as important. The way we eat from the quantity to quality affects our health. To be healthy, we need to eat a balanced diet and exersise, but what is a balabced diet?

What is a balanced diet:

It is a diet with the ammonunt and variety of food needed for good health. It helps us to avoid diseases or risks like:

• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer

A balalnced diet includes:

• Carbohydrates
• protein
• Fat
• Vitamins
• Mineral salts
• Fibre

Even thought the food we eat contains all these, we must cnsider the ammount. We should balance them and when eaten in the right ammount, it benefits us fully.

What is Cabohydrates?

Cabohydrates are the source of energy. Most carbohydrates are in form of starch. Starch is found in foods such as:

• Cereal
• Yams
• Bread
• Rice
• Potatoes
• Spaghetti.... etc

After having starch, our digestive system turns or converts it to another form of cabohydrates called Glucose. Glucose is carried around the body with the blood and it is used by our tissues as a source of energy. Any glucose is absorbed without any need for digestion and that is why we see that after one is from running and he/she has no energy is given glucose because it provides energy rightaway.

What is protein:

Proteins are required for growth and repair. Our muscles, your organs and your immune system are made up mostly from protein. They are very large molucles so they cannot get directly into our blood like cabohydrates. The digestive system turns them into amino-acides. There are 20 different types of amino acides in our body. Our cells get the amino acides from the blood. Protein helps in growth and repair things like wounds and cuts. Protin is found in foods such as:

• Beef
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Dairy Products
• Nuts
• Seeds

What are Fats:

Fats can be used as a source of energy but mostly stored beneth our skin to keep us warm. Even thought others think that having less fats will help the remain slim, it is a wrong thinking. Protein and carbohydrates can convert into fats which leads to additional weight.

What are Vitamins:

Vitamins are only needed in small ammounts. There are different types of vitams which are:

• Vitamin A- for our eyes
• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C- needed by body for repair
• Vitamin D- needed or absorption for Calcium
• Vitamin E

What are Mineral Salts:

Mineral salts are needed a bit more than vitamins. Mineral salts are:

• Iron
• Calcium
• Sodium
• Iodine

Calcium is required for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.

Sodium is needed by all cells mostly nerve cells.

Conclusion:

We see that we need to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy. Having too much of one is harmful to out bodies and health. Exercise is also required and together with the balanced diet, it benefits us.

Bibliography:

http://www.purchon.com/biology/diet.htm