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Nutrient required for a balanced diet

When it comes to nutrients and a balanced diet in our meals, there are various components of a diet we need to take care of, like minerals, vitamins, and other components in your meals.

There are different types of nutrients, our body can easily produce some, and some we need to take from outside. Vitamin D can only produced by the body, with the help of calcium.

If you want to consume proper nutrients whether minerals or vitamins, can be achieved after eating a balanced diet. Here I am writing about what Nutrients are required for a balanced diet, what we need to have, their benefits, and how to get them from a daily nutritional diet.

Here are the Nutrient required for a balanced diet


What is a Balanced diet?

A meal can be called a balanced diet when it has all the nutrients and vitamins that the human body can't produce.

Here are the macro and micronutrients required by our body for proper mental and physical development.

All vitamins and minerals are considered micronutrients and Carbohydrtae, proteins, and fats are called macronutrients as these nutrients are consumed by our body in large quantities.

Vitamins

Vitamin A

  • It makes the immune system work effectively to fight diseases and infections.

  • Keep our skin healthy

  • Support reproduction and growth

  • Help in vision

Food sources of Vitamin A

  • Oranges and yellow fruits and vegetables

  • Leafy green vegetables

Animals sources include

  • Liver

  • eggs

  • some fortified milk and milk products

Because of the various roles that vitamin A plays in the body, deficiency can have several health effects

  • Increased risk of infection

  • Night blindness and irreversible blindness

  • Excessive keratin build-up of the skin.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B-group vitamins help our bodies use energy-yielding nutrients (Such as carbohydrates, fat, and protein) for fuel.

The 8 types of vitamin B are:

Thiamin (B1)

Riboflavin(B2)

Pantothenic acid(B5)

Pyridoxine (B6)

Biotin(B7)

Folate or "folic acid" is included in supplements

Cyanocobalamin (B12)

Food sources of vitamin B

Whole foods(such as lean meat, fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes) and limit the intake of alcohol and processed.


There are symptoms of vitamin B deficiency :

  • Fatigue, weakness, or general lack of energy

  • Numbness or tingling in their hand and feet

  • Weakened muscles and slow reflexes

  • "Shakiness" when walking or difficulty keeping balance.

Vitamin c

Dietary intake of Vitamin C (from food and drinks) is essential because the human body can not make this vitamin from other compounds.

Vitamin C is important for many metabolic processes including:

  • Collagen formation

  • Antioxidant function

  • Iron absorption

  • Infection fighting

Dietary sources of vitamin C

The adult needs about 45mg of vitamin C per day and any excess amount.

Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so some of its nutritional benefits can be lost during cooking.

Raw foods are more beneficial as dietary sources of vitamin C.

Fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, Black currants, Mangos, kiwi fruits, rock melon, tomatoes, and strawberries.

Vegetables: Green leafy vegetables.


Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for strong bones, muscles, and overall health. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun is necessary to produce vitamin in the skin and is the best natural source of vitamin D.

Food sources of Vitamin D

Only a small amount of vitamin D is sourced from our diet. Sources include:

  • Fatty fish

  • Egg

Margarine and some milk have added vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency

It is important to achieve a good peak bone mass early in life. Vitamin D, deficiency can result in a decline in bone density in adult life, increasing the risk of

  • Osteoporosis

  • Falls and bone fracture

  • Rickets

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect your body against free radicals, such as exposure to cigarette smoke or radiation.

  • Vision

  • Immune system

  • Skin

Dietary sources of vitamin E

Vitamin E is best obtained from a healthy diet containing plenty of fresh, minimally processed food.

  • Meat

  • Egg yolks

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Healthy oils

  • Unprocessed cereals and whole grains



Plate full of nutrient

Deficiency of Vitamin E

Deficiency is rare but can happen in people that cause fat malabsorption.

(Like cystic fibrosis)

Erythrocyte hemolysis is another deficiency, It is seen in infants born before vitamin E, is transferred from their mother prior to birth.


Vitamin K

Vitamin K is important for:

  • Healthy bones

  • Blood clotting and wound healing.

  • Newborn babies, to prevent a serious bleeding condition called hemorrhagic disease of the newborn.


Dietary sources of vitamin K

We can get vitamin K from food and bacteria living in our gastrointestinal tract. Newborn babies are given a booster to increase the level of vitamin K, as they are born without bacteria in their gastrointestinal tract.

Food sources include:

  • Leafy green vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Some vegetable oils


Vitamin K deficiency is unlikely to occur unless fat absorption does not occur at the proper level. So if you are taking antibiotics, the bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract will get killed, that time you need it from outside, otherwise we don't need any supplements for it.

Vitamins are Nutrients required for a balanced diet

Types of mineral and their function:

There are a hundred different kinds of minerals our body requires, some of which we want in large quality, some of them in small amounts. As per their requirement to our body, we can divide minerals into two forms macro and micro minerals.

Macronutrient :

Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chloride, magnesium.

Micronutrient

Iron, zinc, copper manganese, and iodine and selenium.


Calcium

Calcium is vital to keep our bones strong and healthy. If you don't get enough calcium, your bones will eventually become weak and brittle which can lead to conditions.

Calcium helps in the following functions:

  • Strengthen bones and teeth

  • Regulate muscle and heart function

  • Blood clotting

  • Transmission of nervous system message

  • Enzyme function

Food sources of calcium

  • At difficult life stages, our calcium needs vary. It is better to get calcium from food than from calcium from food, than calcium supplements.

  • Good sources of calcium include dairy foods like milk yogurt and cheese and some plant-based foods with added calcium. ( For example, soymilk, tofu, and breakfast).

Iodine

Iodine is essential to make thyroid hormones. These hormones control your metabolic rate. (the rate body uses energy when it is resting).

They also help your brain and body grow and develop.

Food sources of iodine:

We need a very small amount of iodine in our diet.

Iodine is found naturally in foods such as :

  • Dairy products

  • Seafood

  • Seaweed

  • Eggs

  • Some vegetables

Iodine can also be found in iodized salt and all-bought breads.

You are likely to be getting enough iodine through your diet. If you are deficient and need to take supplements, be guided by your doctor.

Too much iodine can be harmful, especially if you have an underlying thyroid disorder.

Iron

Iron is an important mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood and the provision of energy to cells.

It is also vital to help our immune system function effectively to fight infection.

Food sources of iron :

Iron can be found in animal and plant foods including:

  • Red meat and offal

  • Fish

  • Poultry

  • Legumes

  • Eggs

  • Breakfast cereal with added.

Zinc

Zinc is an important mineral involved in various bodily functions—growth and development as well as immune function.

Zinc also helps to produce the active form of vitamin A and transport it around the body.

Food sources of zinc

Zinc is highest in protein-rich foods but may also be found in some plant foods.

  • Red meat

  • Shellfish

  • Poultry

  • Milk and cheese

  • Cereal and added zinc.

Potassium

Potassium is important for the nerves, nerves, muscles, and heart to work properly. It is also lower down the blood pressure.

Food sources of potassium:

  • Our bodies are designed for a high-potassium diet, not a high-salt salt diet.

  • Food processing tends to lower the potassium levels in many foods while increasing the sodium content. It is much better to eat unprocessed food, such as fruits, vegetables and lean meats, eggs.


Food high in potassium include:

  • Bananas and apricot

  • Mushrooms and spinach

  • Nuts and seeds

Sodium

A small amount of sodium is important for good health, as it helps to maintain the correct volume of circulating blood and tissue fluids in the body. Most of us are consuming far more sodium than we need.

Too much sodium leads to high blood pressure and other health conditions.

Food sources of sodium

The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K can be locked away in the liver and body fat, and stored for a long time.

Many foods contain low amounts of salt like whole grains, meat, and dairy products.

If it comes to processed food, the availability of salt is much more in that.

Magnesium

Many are important to our body in many ways, including maintaining bone health and using glucose for energy.

Magnesium helps to boost your immune function, regulate blood pressure, and good lung function.

Dietary sources include:

  • Nuts

  • Legumes

  • Seafood

  • Whole grains

  • Chocolate and cocoa



Multivitamin bottle
Multivitamin bottle

Why a balanced diet is important

A balanced diet is a food that contains all minerals, vitamins, and macronutrients in adequate amounts. Nowadays it's difficult to get it, usually, it's recommended to go with supplements.

So lots of people asked me why we need to have a balanced diet, and the answer is clear,

So that our body functions well.

What to eat for a balanced diet

A healthy balance will usually include the following nutrients:

  • Vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant

  • Carbohydrates include starches and fiber

  • Protein

  • Healthy fats

A balanced diet will include a variety of foods from the following groups:

  • Fruits

  • Vegetables

  • Grains

  • Dairy

  • Protein foods

Examples of protein foods include meat, eggs, fish, beans, nuts, and legumes.

Food to avoid or limit on the healthy diet include

  • Highly processed foods

  • Refined grain

  • Added sugar and salt

  • Red and processed meat

  • Alcohol

  • Trans-fat

Fruits are nutritious, they make a tasty snack or dessert, and they can satisfy the sweet tooth.

Conclusions

A varied and healthy diet is usually one that contains plenty of fresh, plant-based foods and limits the intake of processed food.

If you have questions about your diet or feel that you need to lose weight or change your eating habits, schedule an appointment with your doctor or a dietitian.





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