A balanced,proper and healthy diet plan is very important for maintaining good health. Consuming foods high in white sugar, too much fried and processed foods or deficiency of certain nutrients in your diet may cause serious health hazards. This may cause fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision,abdominal cramps, constipation, hypertension, blockage of arteries and may even prove fatal.You can avoid these all health issues by the right intake of calories. This boosts up your immunity, helps you to control your body weight and helps all the systems of your body to work properly. It is a part of one of the topics for biology class 12.
A diet that contains food items from all the food groups in a proper amount and an adequate amount of water is called a balanced or healthy diet.These food groups are also known as nutrients or components of food. There are seven components of food. These are -
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Proteins
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Roughage
- Water
1.Carbohydrates-These are known as energy giving food.They provide energy to the body. They are broken down into simpler sugars inside your body which are absorbed in the blood. Foods rich in carbohydrates are potatoes, rice, wheat, cookies, bananas, oats, bread, candies etc. The chemical formula of carbohydrates is (CH2O)n.Carbohydrates consist of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms . One Carbon atom is combined with one molecule of water. There are mainly two types of carbohydrates. These are-
a) Simple/Bad Carbohydrates-Carbs that are made up of one molecule of sugar are called monosaccharides.They include glucose, fructose and galactose.Carbs that are made up of two molecules of sugar are called disachharides.They include maltose, lactose and sucrose. They break down rapidly as they don't consist of long chains of sugar molecules and have low fiber content so they raise the blood sugar level instantly. Processed foods with added sugars such as pastries, cakes, candies, soda, corn syrup, juices, table sugar are some examples of foods high in simple sugars.
b) Complex/Good Carbohydrates-
Carbs that are made up of three to ten molecules of sugar are called oligosaccharides.They include Raffinose,Stachyose,Verbascose, Ajugose and so on. Carbs that are made up of more than ten molecules of sugar are called polysaccharides.They include starch ,glycogen and fiber. As they are made up of long chains of sugar molecules and have high fiber content so they break down slowly.Hence they don't raise the blood sugar level instantly and makes you feel full for a long time. Whole grain products such as oats, barley, corn ,brown rice, fibrous fruits and vegetables are some examples of food that have complex carbohydrates. Deficiency of carbohydrates leads to drop in sugar level which is known as hypoglycemia.This normally occurs during fasting or starvation which causes weakness, headache, nausea.Your body starts burning fats for energy .This condition is called ketosis that causes constipation,swelling in joints and kidney stones. Excess of carbohydrates is also bad as the extra calories are stored as fats in your body which leads to increase in body weight,high blood sugar level causing diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, swollen arteries i.e atherosclerosis.
2.Fats-These are also known as energy giving food but they provide more energy than carbohydrates.They help in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins and minerals.They help in building cell membranes and blood clotting.Butter, oil, nuts, seeds, fish, meat are some examples of food that contain fats. Fats mainly consists of glycerides. They can be classified as monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides composed of a glycerol molecule attached to one, two or three fatty acid chains respectively.Their chemical formula is-
Monoglycerides- O
||
CH2-O-C-R1
|
CH-OH +H2O
|
CH2-OH
Diglycerides-
O
||
CH2-O-C-R1
| O
||
CH- O- C-R1 +2H2O
|
CH2-OH
Triglycerides-
O
||
CH2- O- C - R1
| O
||
CH - O - C - R1 +3H2O
| O
||
CH2 - O - C - R1
Monoglycerides and Diglycerides are mainly used as emulsifiers in processed foods and are not harmful as they are present in a very small amount. Most of the fats that come from butter, oils, alcohol are in the form of triglycerides. There are mainly two types of fats-
a) Saturated Fats-They are generally solid at room temperature as they have high melting points. They are mostly found in milk, cheese, meat, avocados, peanuts, olives, canola oil etc
b) Unsaturated Fats- They are generally liquid at room temperature as they have low melting points. They are mostly found in plant foods such as vegetable oils, seeds and nuts. They can be further classified as-
*Monounsaturated fats consist of only one double bond in their molecular structure and are found in avocados, almonds, pumpkin, sesame seeds etc.
*Polyunsaturated fats consist of more than one double bond in their structure and are found in soyabean, sunflower, flaxseed oils, walnuts, corns etc. Omega-3 fats are also a type of polyunsaturated fats which can't be synthesized in the body. You have to obtain them from outer sources such as fish, canola oil, soybean oil, nuts, flax seeds etc.
Trans Fats are also a type of unsaturated fats. Sometimes known as hydrogenated oils as they are made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oils. They can be saturated or unsaturated.They are mostly found in cakes, pastries, rusks,cookies, crackers, fried foods etc. Deficiency of fats leads to skin inflammation, the healing of wounds becomes slow. It also causes hair loss. Excess of saturated,triglycerides or trans fats increases bad cholesterol i.e LDL (low density lipoprotein) in your body that increases the risk of heart diseases.
Instead it is better to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats . Both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good fats as they increase the level of good cholesterol i.e HDL (high density lipoprotein) .HDL takes away LDL i.e bad cholesterol from the arteries to liver which throws it out from your body. Omega-3 fatty acids lower the level of triglycerides in your body.
3.Proteins- They are known as growth food or body building food.They help in the growth and repair of cells. Foods rich in proteins are eggs, lentils, oats, peanuts, beans like soybeans, kidney beans, black beans, white beans, chickpeas etc. The chemical formula of proteins is
H R O
\ | //
N - C - C
/ | \
H H O - H
i.e RCH(NH2) COOH, where NH2 is amino group, COOH is carboxyl group and RCH is side chain.
There are mainly seven types of proteins-
a) Antibodies- They keep us away from many diseases by protecting our body from foreign invaders. For example- Immunoglobin.
b) Contractile Proteins- They help in the contraction and movement of muscles. For example-Actin, Myosin.
c) Enzymes- They help in carrying out various reactions in your body such as digestion. For example- Pepsin, Salivary Amylase.
d) Hormonal Proteins- They function as hormones and help in various body functions such as growth, metabolism and reproduction.For example-Insulin, Oxytocin, Somatotropin.
e) Structural Proteins-They provide support and strength to various parts of your body. For example-Keratin, Elastin.
f) Storage Proteins- They store metal ions and amino acids to be used by the body. For example-Ferritin, Ovalbumin, Casein.
g) Transport Proteins- They help in the transportation of material from one part of the body to the other. For example-Haemoglobin. Deficiency of proteins cause a disease called Kwashiorkor in children in which they suffer from slow growth and swollen stomach while prolonged deficiency of proteins leads to the swelling of hands, arms feet and legs which is called Edema. Excess of proteins is also bad as they start accumulating in the body and increase body weight. Accumulation of a particular type of protein is known as Amyloidosis which is harmful for heart, kidneys, liver, stomach and nervous system. It causes weakness, dizziness and constipation.
4.Vitamins- They are organic substances found in food items in small amounts and are also known as protective food as they protect your body from many diseases.There are mainly two types of Vitamins-
a) Fat Soluble Vitamins- They are absorbed by fats and are stored in liver. These include vitamin A, D, E and K.
b) Water Soluble Vitamins- They can't be stored inside your body and moves out with urine.These include vitamin C and all the B vitamins which are together known as vitamin B complex.
5.Minerals- Just like vitamins they are also known as protective food as they protect your body from many diseases.They help your body to grow, develop and stay healthy. They help the body systems to function properly. There are mainly two types of minerals-
a)Macrominerals or Major minerals -They are needed in larger amounts. These include sodium, potassium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sulphur.
b) Microminerals or Trace minerals- They are needed in smaller amount than macrominerals. These are iron, copper, zinc, iodine, flouride,manganese, selenium, molybdenum and chromium.
6.Roughage- It is the fibrous part of plant food which can't be digested but helps in digestion. It is mainly of two types -
a) Insoluble Roughage- It doesn't dissolve in water and add bulk to stools.It includes plant cellulose and hemicellulose. It is found in fruits, vegetables, wheat bran, wholegrains etc. It prevents constipation and lowers the risk of hemorrhoids and piles.
b) Soluble Roughage- It dissolves in water and forms a gel like substance which slows down digestion so it makes you feel fuller for a long time.It includes plants pectin and gums. It is found in oats, lentils, citrus fruits, apples, beans etc. It helps in losing body weight and controls diabetes. Deficiency of roughage leads to weight gain, constipation,diabetes,stroke and heart diseases. Excess of roughage is also bad as it leads to abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence and loose stools.
Water-The average percentage of water in human body is 70%.It helps to-
*maintain body weight
*carry nutrients and oxygen to various parts of the body
*throw out waste from the body
*prevent constipation and kidney stones
*prevent dehydration
*throw out toxins from the body
The chemical formula of water is H2O in which H stands for two Hydrogen atoms and O stands for one Oxygen atom.You should drink 7-8 glasses of water daily. People living in hot climate,doing hard physical work need more water and vice versa. of water leads to dehydration which causes stomach cramps, constipation, headache, weakness, dull skin and kidney failure. Excess of water is rare but if occurs it causes imbalance of electrolytes such as sodium in your body known as hyponatremia. Sodium maintains fluids inside and outside the cells. Due to imbalance fluid starts moving inside the cells causing the swelling of cells which is very dangerous for brain cells.
Food Pyramid-
Percentage of nutrients intake-
The above chart shows the percentage of nutrients to be taken normally in order to maintain a healthy diet plan. It also depends on the weight or health conditions of a person. In many diseases you should avoid particular types of food as advised by your dietitian. But generally if you will incorporate all these nutrients in your diet in an adequate amount they will reduce the risk of many dangerous diseases.
Hope you liked the topic Healthy Diet Plan for notes of biology class 12.Students can sharpen their knowledge about the topic by solving Worksheets for Science . In this worksheet various exercises are provided to practice the topic more efficiently. Please share it and comment if you liked the topic or want material for any other topic.
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