Healthy Nutrition

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First What Is Nutrition ?

Nutrition is the relationship of food to the well-being of the human body.

It includes - The Metabolism of foods.
                  - The Nutritive value of foods.
                  - The Qualitative and Quantitative requirements for the food at different ages and developmental levels to meet physiological changes and activity needs.
                  - The changes in nutrient and food requirements that accompany and
                  - The Economic,Psychological,Social and Cultural factors that affect the selection and eating of foods.

What Does Nutrition Do ?

All living things, including you, need food and water to live.We also need food with proper Nutrients, to live well.
Eating Healthy well-balanced diet while getting plenty physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, avoid smoking and controlling diseases such as Heart diseases and Diabetes is the best approach to a healthy  lifestyle.

Have You Ever Heard The Saying "You Are What You Eat"?

It is true that human body really is build from the nutrients it gets from food: Water,Protein,Fat,Carbohydrates,Vitamins, and Minerals.

"An Apple a day keeps the doctor away!"

How often we've heard this phrase and how little we think about its real meaning.Beyond drawing attention to the goodness of the humble apple,it's real insight lies in knowledge that nutritious foods make a healthy body.

   Nutrition is about the relationship between food and good health.Nutrition gives us energy,help build/heal tissues, fight infections | enable our healthy bodies to execute daily tasks with ease.

Nutrients

Food contains a variety of nutrients required by our bodies every day.On an average, we need a daily dose of approximately 40 odd nutrients.That sounds like a lot if it weren't for the fact that each of these nutrients is available in the foods we ordinarily eat.The nutrients essential for normal body functioning includes Carbohydrates,Fat,Proteins,Vitamins,Minerals,Fiber and Water.

Interestingly,our bodies require some nutrients in much larger quantities than others.These nutrients - carbohydrates,proteins and fats are collectively known as  macro nutrients.

Macro Nutrients give us energy in the form of kilo calories(kcals).

Have you ever wondered why we need to eat far more rice,wheat, ragi , jowar, and bajra than meat,fish,fruit and vegetables?

Cereals like Rice,wheat,etc. are abundant in carbohydrates(the body main energy supplier) and therefore eaten in substantial quantity.

Conversely, nutrients that our bodies need in lesser quantities are called micro nutrients.

Vitamins|Minerals are the micronutrients in our diet.

Often dismissed, water and fiber are two other important nutrients that play a pivotal role in our bodies.

To ensure that we fulfil all our nutrient requirements, we need to known a lot more about foods and their nutrient content.Discussed in detail in the next few pages are broad food groups and the nutrients they provide.

What do Carbohydrates do ?

Carbohydrates give us energy.Our bodies absorb carbohydrates from the foods we eat and convert them into energy.Like fuel in an engine,Carbohydrates power all our body activities right from breathing to running,thinking,etc.

1g of carbohydrates provides 4 kcals of energy.

Depending on their structures,there are two types of Carbohydrates.

• Simple Carbohydrates are found in sugar,honey,etc.To known more about this group,refer to Instant Energisers.
• Complex Carbohydrates are found in rice,wheat,ragi,etc.In the form of starch.Our bodies digest these foods over a longer period of time and release energy from them more gradually.Complex carbohydrate provides us the energy to sustain any long endurance sport or exercise routine.

Did you know that whole wheat flour(atta) is healthier than refined wheat flour(maida)?

Complex Carbohydrates can be either refined or unrefined.Whole wheat flour(atta) is known as an unrefined carbohydrates because the bran(outer skin of the grain) is retained.

Rich in fiber and other important micronutrients,unrefined carbohydrates are a more wholesome choice of food for everyday consumption.


As the name suggests,refined wheat flour(maida) is a refined carbohydrate.All cereals belonging to this category lose their fiber| micronutrient content in the refining process.Eating too much refined carbohydrates can cause health problems ranging from cavities to gastric irritation|constipation.

Given below are examples of unrefined and refined carbohydrates.

Unrefined                                   Refined

Atta                                              Maida
Brown bread                               Noodles                                
Brown rice                                   Polished rice
Ragi                                              White bread

How much is enough?

Nutritionists recommend that cereals make up the bulk of our diet providing 60-70% of our daily calorie requirements i.e.,approximately 6-11 servings per day.For How much is 1 serving? Additional information on the nutritional value in cereals is available in Food Composition Table.