Food and dietary instructions

Written By: Fatima Naeem Asim

The first question a in our mind when we hear and read the word food is that “Why we need food ?”
Common answer of all of yours will be “it’s necessary because without food we can’t live the life and it provides energy.” But the real curiosity raises here that how many people really know that how to take the food?
Everything we eat has a impact on our body, brain and even on our moods cuz’ it derives mood swings. On the other hand when we talk about the balanced and healthy diet . Many people think that we can’t eat our favourite food cuz’ if hygiene issues. But it’s legit wrong . What if we will visit any nutritionist, he will always recommend us to eat loaf or rice because if we will cut off it we will lose our nutrients.
First we will talk about it “why do we need balance diet?”
As we know, balance is very important in everything, without balance life becomes a huge mess. None of food is categorized as good and bad . The excess and least amount of food is that which makes it good or bad.
There are two major types of diet:-
1) Monotonous diet
2) Balance diet

Monotonous diet consumed over long period, may result in ill health, either shortage of some nutrients or excess of others . It means that we eat a food of same pattern for long period of time.
For example : one person takes 1 chapati in morning , rice and chapati in lunch and again this kind of food in dinner . We all know in pakistan it’s a common thing .

—-Balanced diet is a solution to good health contains ample nutrients in proportions required by an individual.
* Must contain foods from each group in appropriate proportions
* Safe if mixed diet from variety of foods in moderation eaten
* Should help to achieve and maintain
* a. Desirable body composition
* b. Capacity for physical and mental work

In 1992 ” The food guide pyramid “is introduced and in 2005 is updated to ” My pyramid” and then in 2011 it was replaced by ” My plate”.

It is consist of six segments. Apex: Fats, oils, sweets
Recommendation: Use sparingly * Below this:
* Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, * nuts, milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc.
* Recommendations: Only 2 to 3 servings in a day
* Next two groups:
* Fruit group and vegetable group
Recommendation:
2 to 4 servings of fruit group
3 to 5 servings of vegetable group
* Base: Bread, cereals, rice and pasta
Recommendation: 6-11 servings

Our body needs balance amount of carbohydrates, protein, fats , fibres , minerals and vitamins.
In general a adult body need 2000 calories per day .

Carbohydrates: the normal adult person take 225 to 325 grams carbs from 2000 calories.
The major sources of carbohydrates in the diet are cereals such as wheat, rice, corn and their products (bread, biscuits, cakes), and roots and tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes).
Fruits and vegetables also supply appreciable quantities or carbohydrates, especially sugars and fibre
If carbohydrates in excess of body energy needs are consumed, part is stored as glycogen and the rest converted to fat for storage in adipose tissues.

The normal adult need protein two or more portions per day . Proteins of good quality for tissue building and repair are found in lean meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk and cheese.
Next best are dry beans, pulses and nuts (groundnuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.).
Cereals and their products also provide some proteins, which are of lower quality than animal proteins. Vegetables and fruits are generally poor in protein content.

Children need more protein on a body weight basis than adults because they are growing and building body tissues.

Deficiency of protein in the diet can result in a disease known as kwashiorkor, a condition characterized by depigmentation of the hair and oedema.

Fruit and vegetables take three or more portions per day .
Fats take in moderate.

Sedentary people should
* Avoid use of:
* Visible fat
* Saturated fat
* Cholesterol
* For good health:
* Consume adequate nutrients from dietary sources
Avoid pills – deliver selected

You just need to balance your diet and then you eat what you want but remember in balance.
And with balance diet you also need walk min 6 to 8 k step per day . You need excercise or yoga. Because its help you to stay healthy and relax . Your mind will also feel healthy by this . Always remember that diet is connect with your body and mind .

Actually balance diet is a art and blessing. So you have to become the artists.

Fatima Naeem Asim is the Student, Department of Food Science and Nutrition UVAS Lahore.