What does the word “nutrition” mean?
Nutrition is the science that deals with the study of various factors of which food is composed and the way in which proper nourishment is brought about. It is also the provision of energy and other necessary materials to your body to support life. Most of the common health problems can be controlled or prevented with the help of good nutrition. The nutritional requirement for a person depends on such measurable characteristics such as age, sex, weight, height, rate of growth and degree of activity.
What do you mean by good nutrition?
Good nutrition is any diet which is having the potential to support a person whose is having it and ensures a good health by providing the essential nutrients in the right amount. It must provide adequate energy to exert normal physical activity. If the nutrients provided in the diet are insufficient, it will result in malnutrition.
Good nutrition helps in preventing disease and plays an imperative role in promoting health. The essential nutrients that a body a have to acquire from the food is classified into six categories namely., protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibers, vitamins and minerals, and water.
Good nutrition not only helps in the growth and function of your body but also plays a vital role in your appearance. Your skin, eyes, teeth, and hair indicate whether your body nourishment is good or poor. A under nourished child will not grow properly. An adult who lacks nutrition will be more prone to infection and disease.
What is the need of a balanced diet?
Poor diet will have a severe impact on your health, and finally resulting in deficiency diseases such as beriberi, kwashiorkor, and scurvy; health-threatening conditions like obesity and metabolic syndrome, and also causing deadly diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.
Thus a balanced diet composed of healthy and diverse foods is a primary key to promote good health. “We are what we eat” and thus consuming nutritious food will leads to good health and unhealthy food habits lead to health related problems.
A nutritious diet ensures in balancing all the essential nutrients that may require to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), and thus reduces the risk of deadly diseases such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
How food groups are classified?
As no individual food can nourish your body, we have to consume a variety of healthy foods to derive the nutrition for our body needs.
Thus food groups are mainly classified into four groups:
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Milk and Milk products
- Cereals and Pulses
- Fish, Poultry and Meat products