Nutrition is a vast terminology that has diverse meaning in all
respects. Nutrition refers to all the dietary sources that you consume
in order to provide energy for your cells and organs to ensure effective
functioning of all body systems. Although, poorly understood but the
terms “nutrition” and “balanced diet” are synonymous in many respects. A
balanced diet or healthy nutrition is the consumption of appropriate
amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals in the
recommended dosages for the growth and development of the body.
A brief overview of each dietary component is given below:
Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates are generally the sugar part of your meal that is ready
made source of energy. An average balanced diet should comprise of at
least 55 to 65% of carbohydrates on a daily basis. For health and
well-being (and especially if you are looking to lose weight), it is
recommended to consume complex carbohydrates instead of simple sugars.
Complex carbohydrates sources include fresh fruits, vegetables, grains
(brown rice) brown bread and others. Simple carbohydrates include sugars
in the form of glucose that readily release energy and tend to make you
fat, like soda drinks, commercial beverages, fruit juices, table sugar,
cookies and bakery items.
Proteins:
Proteins are the major building blocks that help in growth,
development and formation of body structures like skin, nail, hair, body
wall muscles and similar structures. An average diet should contain at
least 30 to 35% of proteins on daily basis from healthy sources like
lean meat (fish and chicken) that is preferred over beef and mutton
(that are higher in cholesterol content and tends to make you fat).
Proteins also help in maintaining immunity and fighting diseases.
Fat:
Fat is another important dietary component that yields a lot of
energy and helps in the building of brain tissue, cell membranes and
also transport medications and fat-soluble vitamins in the blood. Fat is
the storage form and provides you energy when body is low on exogenous
calories.
Vitamin A:
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that is required for vision,
maintenance of healthy skin, hair and as an anti-oxidant in a number of
metabolic processes. Highest concentrations are found in carrots, fish
cod liver oil and other plant sources.
Vitamin B:
Vitamin B includes a variety of water soluble vitamins that serves
many different functions including oxidation/ reduction reactions,
metabolic processes and acting as a co-factor in the functioning of many
enzymes.
Vitamin C:
Highly concentrated in all citric fruits, this vitamin serves to be
the most outstanding anti-oxidant that can help in fighting free radical
damage by reactive oxygen species by neutralizing toxic metabolic
products and also acts as a co-factor for enzymes. Deficiency of Vitamin
C is a leading cause of easy bruising and damage to blood vessels as a
result of defective collagen production.
Vitamin D:
Healthy teeth and strong bones indicate normal consumption of Vitamin
D that is also produced by the body cells after sun-exposure. It is
consumed from dairy products like milk, yogurt, cream and cheese. In
certain condition, supplementation of Vitamin D is needed to maintain
calcium homeostasis; these conditions include pregnancy, lactation and
advancing age.
Vitamin E:
It is another powerful anti-oxidant that is especially protective
against cardiac diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, cerebral stroke and skin
problems. Since it is another fat soluble vitamin like Vitamin D and A;
more than recommended consumption in the form of dietary supplements is
not recommended due to risk of toxicity.
Minerals:
Minerals that are generally considered salts are also required by the
body for proper muscle functioning and normal metabolic activities of
the body. Among the most important ones; Sodium is required in optimal
levels since it regulates movement of ions across membranes (Too much
leads to cellular dehydration and too little leads to cell swelling);
Normal Potassium levels are required for proper heart muscle
contractility. Minor aberrations in the level of sodium or potassium can
lead to life threatening rhythm abnormalities. Iron is another
important mineral that is responsible for oxygen carrying capacity of
blood being an essential component of hemoglobin. Insufficient amounts
may lead to anemia that manifests itself with weakness, shortness of
breath, sleepiness and inability to perform normal daily activities in
severe cases. Calcium as discussed previously helps in the maintenance
of healthy bones, teeth and muscular functioning. Iodine is also
required by the body in significant quantities as it is required for the
synthesis of Thyroid hormone that maintains metabolism of the body.
Iodine deficiency leads to the formation of goiter, which may lead to
other complications if iodine is not supplied.
Fiber:
Last but not the least; fiber helps in the maintenance of normal
digestive activities that helps in normal metabolism. Fiber is the
roughage obtained largely from fresh fruits and vegetables, brown bread,
unprocessed grains, brown bread and other non-refined forms of
carbohydrates mostly.