Balanced diet

A balanced diet refers to intake of appropriate types and adequate amounts of foods and drinks to supply nutrition and energy for the maintenance of body cells, tissues, and organs, and to support normal growth and development. Eating a balanced diet means eating a wide variety of foods. You must have carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre in the correct proportions. If there is not enough protein, you will not be able to grow properly and you will not be able to repair yourself. If you do not have enough energy containing foods you will feel very tired, you will not have enough energy. If you have too much energy containing food you will become overweight. If you think that you are overweight you might try taking more exercise to “burn off” some of the excess food which you ate at your last meal.

The most important step to eating a balanced diet is to educate yourself with what your body needs and read the nutritional label and ingredients of all the food that you eat.

The nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water – are team-mates that work together to provide good nutrition. Just as each team member carries out different tasks during a game, each nutrient performs specific functions in your body.

So you should know why you eat these things:

· carbohydrates give you the energy you need to move and grow,

– too much and you will get fat

– too little and you will feel tired

· proteins are essential for growth and repair,

– too much and you will get fat and might take a lot of urine

– too little and you will not grow properly

· fats contain fat soluble vitamins,

– too much and you will get fat

– too little and you will not get all the vitamins you need

· vitamins are required in small amounts, but they keep you healthy, you need:

A; B₁, B₂, etc up to B₁₂; C; D; E

· minerals like Calcium and Iron are essential:

– Calcium is necessary for teeth, bones, muscles and nerves

– Iron is needed to make the haemoglobin in your blood

– Iodine is needed to control how fast your body works

– Sodium, Potassium and Chlorine are needed by muscles and nerves

· fibre is not digested, so you can eat as much as you like, but you must eat some or your bowels will not work properly.

Your body needs all these nutrients all of the time, so the foods you eat should supply them every day.

A balanced diet includes a variety of foods from four basic food groups:

Grains: cereals, muesli, rice, pasta, bread, oats, noodles, and all other foods made from flour and grains. Good sources of starchy carbohydrates, fiber, plus calcium, iron and B vitamins. Very filling and low in fat.

Fruit and Vegetables:fresh, frozen or canned; blended drinks. Good sources of antioxidant vitamins A and C, fiber and some carbohydrates. Very low in fat and calories.

Milk and Other Dairy: milk, cheese, yoghurt… They are rich in protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. These foods contain a good source of calcium, which is essential to our diet, but as these foods can also be high in saturated fats try to choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products.

Meat and Beans: fish, all meat, poultry, eggs, nuts, peas… All types of meats are included in this category and red meat is an excellent source of iron and vitamin B₁₂, but try to choose the leaner cuts and trim off all visible fat before cooking. Lentils, nuts, peas and beans are also in this food group. Try to use lower fat versions of all these foods whenever possible.

Sugars and Fats: all sugars, oils, butter, margarine, cream. Tiny amounts only. Good source of essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Don't expect to remain healthy if you do not have a balanced diet. You cannot eat whatever you like and stay in good health.

3.Answer the questions.

1.What is a balanced diet?

2.What nutrients should a balanced diet include?

3.Why is it necessary to have nutrients in the correct proportions?

4.What is the most important step to eating a balanced diet?

5.What functions are performed by nutrients?

6.What are the basic food groups?

4.Match each nutrient with the group of products that contain it.

1.starch 2.sugars 3.proteins 4.vitamins

a) fruits, sweets, milk, cane … b) meat, fish, eggs, peas, milk … c) fresh fruit and vegetables d) bread, cake, potato, pasta, rice …

5.Match the two parts of the sentences.

1.A varied, balanced diet provides …

2.Healthy eating can prevent …

3.Healthful eating improves …

4.A balanced diet strengthens …

5.For healthy eating enjoy …

6.Cutting sugar out of your diet is …

a) … your immune system.

b) … the easiest way to cut down calories without losing any nutrients.

c) … the nutrients you need to avoid nutritional deficiencies.

d) … three meals and two additional snacks if you feel hungry.

e) … the risk of developing certain diseases.

f) … the way your body functions.

6.Read the following recommendations and discuss them with your groupmates.