2 Minute Read: "Blissful Balanced Diet"

"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being." 

This is very much evident in the current COVID-19 pandemic. People at large have now recognized the importance of being healthy, having greater immunity and the role of healthy food in their lives. 

Balanced Diet

Nutrients are constituents of food and include water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. An adequate quantity of these nutrients in our food forms a “Balanced Diet”. To promote good health, we require all nutrients in an adequate quantity and should be consumed periodically.

• Adding a variety of vegetables and fruits in our diet is highly recommended. This healthy habit helps us to negate the dependency on multivitamin pills and food supplements.

• By rotation, we should include green leafy vegetables, roots & tubers such as yam, sweet potatoes, potatoes, radish, carrot and different types of guards, beans, peas. These vegetables add a variety as well as flavour to the diet.

• The benefits of inclusion of fruits in our diet are well-known. We can group fruits according to their nutritive values. The ”Yellow fruits” such as mangoes, apricots, papayas are rich in beta-carotene that protects us from Vitamin A deficiency conditions. 

• Vitamin C rich fruits such as oranges, sweet lime, Indian gooseberries (amla), strawberries provide strong resistance against the infections.

• Protein is the chief component of all body tissues. Therefore a variety of pulses and nuts should be part of our diet. 

• Milk, curd, yogurt, paneer, meat, fish and eggs are good sources of proteins.

Combination of Food

A right combination of foods increases their nutritional value. This is a great way of improving nutrient absorption in the body. Let’s understand this more with some day-to-day examples.

• A combination of “Cereals and Pulses” i.e. carbs and protein improve the effectiveness of protein in the meals such as rice with any beans or pulses.

• The pairing of “Cereals with Vegetables” i.e.carbs and vitamins/minerals is very much nutritious such as vegetable stuffed parathas, vegetable rice and vegetable sandwiches.

• “Cereals with fats” is another healthy combination such as rice with ghee, parathas with ghee or butter and cheese sandwiches.

To make the meal ”Wholesome”, it is advisable to include right combinations of food into it which gives more than one nutrient. The wrong combinations of food must be avoided. The different permutations and combinations depending on the speed of digestion of different types of food.

The key benefits of nutrition and a balanced diet are good health, efficiency, sound mind, happiness and longevity.  Everyone should make a move in this right direction if it is not yet done so!