M. Amala Seeli
Published: 2023-08-18
Total Pages: 369
Get eBook
Food is important because it gives us the nutrients to live and helps our bodies work and stay healthy. It comprises macronutrients like protein, carbs, and fat, giving the body calories and energy and helping keep it healthy in specific ways. Food also gives you micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, and phytochemicals, which don’t give you calories but do many essential things for your body. 3 | P a g e Food and nutrition provide energy for our bodies. We need to replace nutrients in our bodies every day. Water, Fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are important components of nutrition. A healthy diet in life promotes healthy outcomes, supports normal growth and development. It helps to maintain a healthy body weight, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases promoting overall health and well-being. Food must be attractive, digestible, able to choose and easily available. Nutritional requirement should be maintained with margin of safety and with right balance. The recommended daily intake of nutrients with sufficient amounts to be provided to maintain the needs of the body and good health. There are six major nutrient categories: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. The first three provide calories for energy in varying amounts depending on the type and portion size consumed. Individual requirements depend on age, gender, and level of physical activity. A combination of a healthy balanced diet and physical activity appropriate for age and gender is required for a healthy growth and development of a child. Dietary Guidelines for Carbohydrates is 45–65% of calories, Fat 20–35% of calories, Protein 10–35% of calories. Nutrient-related diseases and disorders result from excessive consumption, deficiencies or imbalances in the types of nutrients consumed. Energy is the capacity to do work.