FOOD PYRAMID / DIET PYRAMID / BASIC GROUPS OF DIET

FOOD PYRAMID / DIET PYRAMID / BASIC GROUPS OF DIET
what is food pyramid? What is diet pyramid? 
What are basics groups of Diet? What is water?
What are carbohydrates? What is Fat? What are Proteins?
What are vitamins? What are Minerals? What is salt?

We get food from plants and animals. Wheat, rice, vegetables and fruits come from plants. Fish, meat, eggs, milk and its products such as butter, yogurt and cheese are obtained from animals. Diet is very necessary element for the human health. Health is a gift and blessing of Allah Almighty. Good health depends on the diet which a person takes. It has been proved scientifically that diet after digestion provides energy and vitality to the body of a person and helps in his growth. The chemical substances which are needed by our body for various purposes are present in different foods .The major chemical components of food are listed below:

Carbohydrates

Fats

Proteins

Vitamins

Minerals

Water

Following the detail of different groups of diets:

BASIC GROUPS OF DIET

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for our bodies. These are the fuel that keeps our body working. It is also necessary for proper functioning of brain, heart, kidneys and nervous system. Our body gets energy immediately from carbohydrates. Without carbohydrates, our body feels weakness and tiredness. Carbohydrates also play an important role in the growth of living things. Most carbohydrates we eat come from plants. Sugar is a carbohydrate found in fruits, honey, milk and table sugar. Foods such as wheat, rice, maize, barley, potatoes are rich in carbohydrates

FATS

Like carbohydrates, fats also provide us energy. They give more energy as compared to carbohydrates and proteins. Fat are also an important part of our food, fats are present in our diet in any form e.g. ghee, butter, oil and cream etc. Fats make our diet very tasty. Fats provides energy. Heat and power to our body. These are stored under the skin to protect the body from Temperature changes. Fats protect our major organs such as heart, kidneys and intestine from injury. Fats surround our heart, kidneys intestines and protect and save them from injuries. Fats are obtained from both animal and vegetable sources. Fats are obtained from animals as well as plants. Animal sources of fats are ghee, butter, fats of meat, fish oil, etc. Vegetable sources of fats are various vegetable oils such as olive oil, corn oil, coconut oil, mustard oil (sarsson), etc. From animal sources, tallow, cream, butter and Desi ghee whereas from vegetable sources, various types of oil i.e. mustard, olive, cotton-seed, sunflower, coconut, almond and groundnut oils are obtained. 

PROTEINS

In a human body, the element found mostly after water is protein. Proteins are also obtained from both animal and vegetable sources. Milk, curd, egg and meat etc. are animal sources and wheat, pulses, vegetables, beans etc. are vegetable sources. It also provides us energy. Proteins are the building materials for our body parts, such as muscles, brain, blood, skin, hair and bones. These are also essential for growth and repair of damaged body parts.

VITAMINS

Vitamins produce power of resistance in our body. Vitamins are needed in small amounts for the normal functioning of our body. They help in keeping our eyes bones, teeth and gums to be healthy. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins and fats, vitamins do not provide energy, but help in regulating many functions of the body. Vitamins are also called protective foods because they are essential for fighting against certain diseases. Due to these, our body remains protected from diseases. Vitamins are of many groups e.g. A, B, C, D, E and K etc. These are found in vegetables, milk, meat, fruits and eggs etc.

MINERALS SALTS

Mineral salts are important for completion of body requirements. Minerals perform many functions in our body such as formation of bones, teeth and blood cells. They also play an important role in our growth.  These are also obtained from food. Salts of sodium, calcium, iodine and iron etc. are such necessary salts which the human body direly needs. These help in growth of teeth, making the bones strong, clotting blood, spreading and contraction of muscles. Mineral salts are found in vegetables, fruits, meat, cheese and milk etc. Examples of minerals include calcium, Iron, iodine, fluorine, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, sodium, etc.

WATER

Although, water does not give us energy, it is the most important component of food to maintain proper body functions. It is the main component of the blood, urine and sweat of our body. Water is one of the most necessary element of human body. It fulfils almost all our requirements. It helps in transporting substances inside our body and maintains body temperature through sweating. We should take eight to ten glasses of water daily to be healthy. No one can live for more than a few days without water. It is also used in cleanliness of houses, clothes washing, utensil washing and washing of vegetables and fruits. Water is also obtained from foods such as watermelon, milk, Juices, etc.

BASIC GROUPS OF DIET

BALANCED DIET AND ITS IMPORTANCE

We eat different types of food every day. These may be wheat, rice, pulses, vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, curd, etc. which contain various nutrients. These nutrients provide energy to our body for performing different functions. As we have learnt that some food items are rich in proteins while others are rich in carbohydrates, fats, vitamins or minerals. So, it is necessary to select different food groups in proper amounts so that our body may get all the required nutrients to remain healthy and develop resistance to diseases. Nutrient requirement varies from person to person. It depends on age, gender and nature of work they do. A diet that contains proper amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth and activity is known as 'Balanced Diet’.

UNBALANCED DIET AND ITS HARMS

An unbalanced diet is unhealthy as it usually lacks some nutrients and is not in the right quantities to ensure good health and satisfy body needs. An unbalanced diet may cause deficiency of some nutrients. Deficiency of proteins affects the growth. Lack of vitamin A affects the Vision. Deficiency of vitamin C leads to bleeding of gums. Without enough vitamin D, a person can develop weak and bent bones.

FOOD PYRAMID

A food pyramid is a chart that helps us in choosing our daily food. It shows food which we should eat from yoghurt each group every day. The food pyramid helps people to select foods that supply all the nutrients they need. Foods that contains the same nutrients belong to a food group. The base of a pyramid shows what we should eat the maximum. As it goes up it shows what we should eat the minimum. Food pyramid is divided into six food groups as shown in Figure.

FOOD PYRAMID

SCHEDULE OF DIET NECESSITIES

Following is a proper one day Schedule of diet necessities for a person comprising basic diet group:

Break fast	Bread one slice, egg, a glass of milk
At 11:00 a.m	Fruit one Piece
Lunch	Vegetable, meat, bread and salad
At Evening	Biscuit, a cup of tea
Dinner	Pulse,  bread, rice etc.
At Night	A glass of Milk

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About Muhammad Aamir

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