The human body needs sufficient energy to perform various activities. To meet the energy requirements of the body, one has to consume the right kind of diet, so that the body is provided with the required to enable physical and mental activity. Thus, a nutritious diet is vital for sustainable existence.
However, no single food or group of foods can fulfill all the nutrition requirements of the body. There are five main food groups which are as follows:
?Fruits
? Vegetables
? Cereals and Pulses
? Dairy
? Poultry, Fish and Meat products
A balanced diet of these five varieties of food groups helps meet the nutrition requirements of the body. One must also eat a variety of foods from within and across the food groups in order to compensate for varying the nutrition content of foods within each group. Besides, variety in food also appeals to the palate. The food group serving size, however, will depend upon various factors like age, activity level, body size and gender.
Fruits are rich in fiber and contain minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorous etc. Fiber completes nutrition in the sense that it facilitates bowel movement and thus elimination of toxins from the body. A majority of the fruits also contain Vitamin A and C.
Vegetables too, are high in vitamins and minerals. Some vegetables not only have the obvious nutritional value but those like bitter gourds also have medicinal value.
Cereals and pulses fulfill the protein requirement of the body and provide nutrition for the muscles and bones.
Dairy products are especially rich in calcium which is quintessential for healthy bones.
Poultry, fish and meat products are rich in protein, fat and minerals. These are foods packed with heavy nutrition as the major nutrient is fat.
One must be careful about relative amount of consumption of each food group. Fruits, vegetables, cereals and pulses must be consumed in considerable amounts whereas dairy must not dominate the diet. Meat and other foods rich in fat must be consumed as per the requirement of the body. Excessive consumption of this food group leads to many heart related diseases. Consumption of all the nutrients proportionately is the key to suffice the requirements of the body.