Composition & Essay Writing . [ 9 ]

Composition & Essay Writing . [ 9 ]

2-]The Balanced Diet .

Experts worldwide agree that our diet must be balanced to keep healthy . They commonly determined the adequacy of a person’s diet by the amounts of calories and protein it provides , assuming that adequate vitamins and minerals are consumed as well . Protein is one of the chief nutrients found in food .It is needed to build and maintain body cells . Vitamins and minerals are  also nutrients as are carbohydrates [ starches and sugars ] and fats . Calories are units of energy supplied by food .Carbohydrates and fats normally provide most of the calories in the human diet . Protein supplies the rest .

     People who lack sufficient calories in their diet are said to be undernourished . A person whose diet seriously lacks any nutrient one who grossly over-consumes any nutrient is said to be malnourished . Protein deficiency is by far the most common type of malnutrition . Most people    who get insufficient protein in their diet also lack sufficient calories . To make up for a continuing lack of calories , the human body changes more and more protein into energy . As a result less  protein is available to build and maintain body cells .As many as 600 million people worldwide   suffer from protein-energy malnutrition .

         The number of calories a person needs each day depends on the person’s gender , age , body build and degree of physical activity . A husky house painter for example requires far more      calories than a slightly-built office worker .A moderately active adult male of average-built weight [ 66 to 79 k.gs ] needs about 2200 calories . Children and young people from 1 to 18 years of age requires an average of 1300 to 3000 calories depending on gender and age .

         Protein is made up of molecules called amino acids – they build and maintain body cells .   People differ in their protein requirements just as they do in their calorie requirements . The       adult males [ 60 – 80 k.gs ] need 38 – 60 grams of protein daily if the protein is entirely animal protein  . The extra protein provides added calories . If the calories exceed the amount required ,    the body stores the excess as fat .

         Vitamins and mineral salts are necessary for the vitality of the bod and protection from   diseases . The lack of vitamins leads to diseases such as scurvy .So , man must have balanced food that contains all the elements to keep healthy .