GOOD NUTRITION

“Good nutrition means maintaining a nutritional status that enable us to grow well and enjoy good health”.

Balanced Diet

“Diet that contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats in appropriate amount”.

Classification of food on the basis of chemical composition

• Carbohydrates.
• Proteins
• Fats
• Vitamins
• Minerals

Classification of nutrients

MACRONUTRIENTS

• Proteins
• Fats
• Carbohydrates

MICRONUTRIENTS

• Vitamins
• Minerals

VITAMINS

Fats-Soluble

• Vitamin A,D,E,K
• They are fatty in nature hence insoluble in water and dissolves in fats
• Body fatty tissues are the site of storage.

Water-Soluble

Vitamin-A

Also called retinol

Sources

Plant food: Green leafy vegetables, Carrots, yellow corn, sweet potato.

Animal foods: found in liver, butter, cheese, fish, meat, eggs, milk colostrum, Halibut fish (Richest source)

Functions

• It maintains and forms healthy teeth.
• Production of retinal pigments hence helps to prevent night blindness.
• Required for normal bone development.
• Helps in normal fertility.
• Have a role in reproduction.
• Important in immune system health by helping to body to fight against foreign particles and diseases so its deficiency makes the body vulnerable to disease and antigen attacks easily.
• Helps the skin to stay hydrated, provides its moisture so its adequate amount results in the glow of the skin but if it is not efficiently utilized then results in dry, scaly, and cracking of the skin.
• Vitamin-A helps in keeping the cornea healthy so its improper working or deficiency results in corneal degeneration(tissues of the cornea i.e. part of the eye breaks down which ultimately leads to eye pain and loss of vision).

Vitamin-B1

Also called thiamine

Sources

Plant source: Present in cereals, wheat, pulses, legumes, flour, bread, pasta, oranges, oats, nuts, rice

Animal source: Milk, Meat, Fish, Egg

Functions

• They regulates basic cell functions
• They are involved in the breakdown of nutrients for sake of energy
• If vitamin-B2 is not present in sufficient amount then there is effect on brain and heart cells as they need a continual supply of blood for their efficient working

Vitamin-B2

Also called riboflavin

Sources

Animal source: Liver, Milk ,Meat, Eggs

Plant source: Green leafy vegetables, whole grains

Vitamin-B3

Also called niacin.

Sources

• Present in milk, meat, legumes.

Deficiency

• Severe deficiency leads to pellagra.

Symptoms of pellagra

• Diarrhea
• Dementia (also hallucination)
• Dermatitis

Vitamin-B5

Also called pantothenic acid.

Sources

• Nuts, bean, peas.

Function

• Essential component of Co-enzyme A and fatty acid synthase.

Deficiency

• Dermatitis( It involves itchy, swollen, dry or reddened skin)
• Adrenal insufficiency

Vitamin-B6

Also called pyridoxine.

Source

Plant source

• Whole grains
• Cabbage
• Legumes
• peanuts
•  oats
• Bananas.

Animal source

• Egg yolk
• meat
• Milk

Deficiency

• Dermatitis(Skin irritation including skin rashes, lesions, swollen or reddened skin)
• Convulsions(Violent contractions of muscles)
• Hyperirritability( abnormally uninhibited response to stimuli)
• Digestive trouble