The human body requires a continuous supply of nutrients. These nutrients are utilized by the body to maintain health. The nutrients ought to be supplied daily in the right proportion for optimum utilization and proper body maintenance. This can be achieved by taking a balanced diet every day.
A BALANCED DIET is one which includes all the nutrients in correct proportion or adequate amounts to promote and preserve health. The recommended food and dietary allowances as per the ICMR 1988 have been shown in the following tables. This table gives weights that should be considered as raw food weight, e.g.; an adult sedentary woman should consume 300 gm cereals. Cereals may include white, rice and millets depending on the dietary habits of the family. If a family includes any one cereal in the diet, then the raw weight of that cereal should be taken into account. The daily intake of articles, as given by ICMR, may appear to be heavy but it is aimed at giving optimum nourishment according to the Recommended Dietary Intakes.
BALANCED DIET FOR AN ADULT MAN
SEDENTARY WORK MODERATE WORK HEAVY WORK
VEG (G) NON VEG (G) VEG (G) NON VEG (G) VEG (G) NON VEG
Cereals’ | 400 | 400 | 475 | 475 | 650 | 650 |
pulses | 70 | 55 | 80 | 65 | 80 | 65 |
green veg. | 100 | 100 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 |
Other veg. | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 100 | 100 |
Roots & tubers | 75 | 75 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
fruits | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
milk | 200 | 100 | 200 | 100 | 200 | 100 |
Fats & oils | 35 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 50 |
Meat & fish | – | 30 | – | 30 | – | 30 |
eggs | – | 30 | – | 30 | – | 30 |
Sugars & jiggery | 30 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 55 | 55 |
groundnuts | – | – | – | – | 50 | 50 |
*An additional 30g of fats and oils can be included in the diet in place of groundnuts.
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