You might have observed that every dish you eat is made of different ingredients. These ingredients contain some components needed by our body. These components are called nutrients. Nutrients play an important role in body growth and sustain the whole metabolism inside the body.

Nutrients help in the repair of body and protect us from diseases. Nutrients provide energy for doing day-to-day activities. Nutrients play an important role in the formation of cells, the basic building blocks of our life. so we can say that nutrients are chemical substances that directly or indirectly keep you alive. Nutrients can be mainly divided into fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins.

So where do we get these nutrients? we get these nutrients from vegetables, fruits, dairy products, fish, meat, etc. but there are some nutrients which we don�t get through consuming these things. Deficiency and excess nutrients can cause severe health problems. So right intake of these nutrients is very important.

Nutrients are chemical substances that are necessary to keep us alive. We take these substances from our surroundings. Nutrients can be broadly divided into three basic parts i.e. fats , proteins, carbohydrates.

Fats:

Fats provide energy to the body .it helps us in the development of the body. A fats-rich diet includes butter, cheese, whole milk, vegetable oil, etc. Today we will talk about very important food nutrient called �fats�.

Fats provide energy to our body by changing themselves to the body's glucose. Fats get stored in our body and release energy when we require energy. Hence they work as a storehouse of energy. We can get fats by consuming food items like butter, cheese, wholemilk, vegetable oils, etc.

Deficiency of fats can cause stunted growth and as a result, a person become very thin. Excessive consumption of fat can cause a state called �obesity�. So fats are an important food nutrient. The right amount of fats keep the person healthy and in his normal physical state.

Protein:

Protein is a very important food nutrient. Proteins help grow and repair your muscles, bones, skin, hair, and eyes etc. Proteins are found in eggs, meat, fish,milk,yogurt,peanut butter, groundnuts, pulses, soybeans seeds, etc. Have you seen bodybuilders and athletes having strong and muscular bodies?

Well, this is because they consume food that is rich in proteins. Protein is a very important food nutrient. Proteins play an important role in the growth and repair of your muscles, skin, hair, eyes, etc. Doctors advise consuming more protein supplements when you are ill because protein helps your immune system to fight diseases.

You might have observed that when you are injured, blood stops flowing after few minutes. Proteins help in clotting the blood and healing the wounds. Proteins help in the formation of cells, which are basic building blocks of our body and hence are essential for the body growth.

Proteins are found in pulses, soybeans seeds groundnuts, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, etc. Deficiency of protein can cause breast cancers, muscle weakness, low heart rate, low blood pressure, and heart diseases.

Lack of proteins results in the delayed healing of the injuries. On one hand, the deficiency of protein causes severe health problems, on the other hand excessive intake of protein is also harmful. It leads to an increased risk of heart diseases, kidney diseases, and bone loss. So, it is advised to consume an adequate amount of protein in your diet.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates present in our diet are a major source of energy. Carbohydrate is found in  whole grain, bread, cookies, vegetables, fruits, cereals,rice etc. You must have felt energetic after consuming the food. Now can you guess where does this energy come from? Well, carbohydrates present in your foodstuff are a major source of energy.

This blog, let us understand this important nutrient. Carbohydrates play a very major role in promoting the overall health of the body. They form a major part of the food. Carbohydrates can be taken in various forms like sugar, starch, fibers, etc.

They help in the regulation of various metabolic processes of the body. They also serve as stored forms of energy as glycogen in the liver and muscles of the body. Whole grain, Whole grain bread, cookies, vegetables, fruits, cereals, rice, etc are the sources of carbohydrates.

Deficiency of carbohydrates causes problems like fatigue, weakness, low energy, restricted growth, heart diseases, and causes many other problems. Excess of Carbohydrates in food can cause insulin rise, cholesterol rise, obesity etc. So students balanced intake of carbohydrates is very important.
There are many other nutrients also like vitamins, minerals, iodine, iron, calcium-phosphorus, etc.

BALANCED DIET

Have you ever observed around you that some people are very slim and some are very obese or some are small in height and some are very tall? Well students this can be due to the difference in their diets. Do you know? If different nutrients are important for our body, it is also important that these nutrients are present in the right amount in our food items. The diet having all the nutrients in the right amounts for a person is called a balanced diet.

A balanced diet contains nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, roughage, etc in proper amounts. A balanced diet is very important for maintaining a healthy body. A balanced diet decreases the chances of many diseases. A balanced diet keeps your body fit and energetic.

Taking an unbalanced diet may cause severe health problems like obesity, malnutrition, heart problems, etc. Students it is very important to note that taking an unbalanced diet can have severe ill effects on the body, like consumption of more amount of fat causes obesity. Whereas consumption of a low amount of iodine causes the disease called �goiter� in which a person suffers from a swollen neck. So it becomes important that one takes a balanced diet.

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