How To Keep Your Body Healthy By Maintaining A Good Balanced Diet

A balanced diet is one of he keys to good health and a long life. Food is needed for two main purposes; to provide the raw materials for growth and repair of the body, and to supply energy to keep the body working. Raw materials for growth come from foods such as meat, fish, and certain vegetables, while energy is supplied by cereals and sweet foods. Although the correct combination of protein and energy-giving food is essential, small qualities of vitamins and minerals are also vital
The traditional foods of people in different parts of the world vary considerably, but any diet which includes adequate supplies of all these nutrients will be healthy. In general, raw or lightly cooked foods are richest in essential vitamins and minerals, many of which are destroyed by long periods of heating.

As well as containing vitamins, fresh fruit and vegetables also contain a lot of fiber, a substance which is not digested but which helps to keep the body's digestive system working efficiently. Estimates have been made for the amounts of various kinds of nutrients the people need to maintain healthy growth and development.

It has been shown that many people in the United States consume a half to a third more energy-giving food than they need. The reason is that may western diets contain too much of the wrong foods. People tend to eat too much processed food, and too many sugary and fatty foods, such as Cakes and Hamburgers. The excess food makes people put on weight, which puts a strain on the heart and blood circulation.

There are three important ingredients in the food you eat; Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats. Protein is found in meat, fish, peas, and beans and is needed for building up he body. Tiny quantities of fats are needed by every cell in he body, and may fats are rich in the vitamins A, D, and E. Both fats and carbohydrates, starchy and sugary foods, are a good source of energy. Some carbohydrate foods such as grains, are also high in protein. No one food contains all the essential ingredients for health. What the body needs is plenty of variety. It does not matter if there are some foods a person never eats, because others will contain the same nutrients. Vegetarians do nor eat meat but are perfectly healthy because they can obtain plenty of protein from other sources.