PLANNING MEALS FOR A FAMILY
"Health is the state of complete physical, mental, social well
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
A balanced diet is one, which contains different types of foods in
such quantities and proportions so that the need for calories,
proteins, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients is adequately met
and a small provision is made for extra nutrients to withstand
short duration of leanness.
Recommended Dietary Allowances (R D A):
These imply addition of safety factor amount to the estimated
requirement to cover both the variation among individuals and the
lack of precision inherent in the estimated requirement.
The RDA of an individual depends on many factors.
(1) Age: An adult requires more total calories than a child due to
larger size of the body and increase in activity. Growing child
requires more calories and protein per kilogram of body weight
than an adult.
(2) Sex: Female requires less calories than male as BMR is lower
and size of the body is less
(3) Physical work : Sedentary worker requires less calories &
B-vitamins than a hard working persons.
(4) Physiological stress: During pregnancy and lactation period
the requirement of nutrients are increased.
Hence nutritionists have grouped foods depending upon the nutrient
content. This food group system is convenient in formulating
normal as well as therapeutic diets.
THE FIVE FOOD GROUPS AND THEIR MAJOR NUTRIENTS
| Cereal grains
and products: Rice fat, Wheat, Ragi, Bajra, Maize,
Jowar, acid, Barley, Rice flakes. |
Energy, Protein,
Invisible Vitamin-B1 Vitamin-B2 Folic Iron, Fiber. |
Pulses and
Legumes:
Bengal gram, fat, Black gram, Green gram, Red gram,acid,
Lentil (Whole as well as dhals, |
Energy, Protein,
Invisible Vitamin-B1 Vitamin-B2 Folic Iron, Fiber. |
Milk and Meat
Products:
Milk, Curd, Skimmed Milk, Cheese |
Protein, Fat,
Vitamin – B2, Calcium |
| Chicken, Liver,
Fish, Egg, Meat |
Protein, Fat,
Vitamin – B2
|
Fruits and
Vegetables:
Fruits: Mango, Guava, Tomato, Papaya, Orange,
Sweet lime, Watermelon. |
Carotenoids,
Vitamin-C, Fiber Invisible fat, Vitamin-B2, Folic
acid, Iron, Fiber.
|
| Vegetables: (green leafy) Amaranth, Spinach,
Gogu, Drumstick leaves, Coriander
Leaves, Fenugreek leaves. |
Vitamin-B2,
Folic acid, Calcium, Iron, Fiber, Carotenoids. |
| Other
Vegetables: Carrots, Brinjal, Ladies
fingers, Capsicum, Beans, Onion, Drumstick, Cauliflower. |
Carotenoids,
Folic acid, Calcium, Fiber. |
Fats and
Sugar:
Fats: Butter, Ghee Hydrogenated Fat, Cooking
oils like groundnut, Mustard, Coconut |
Energy, Fat,
Essential Fatty
acids.
|
| Sugar, Jaggery: |
Energy |
‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’
The old Proverb
Introduction: The early home of the apples is believed to be the
Caucasus Mountains. It is now grown in all parts of the world. The
apple is considered as one of the best fruits.
Qualities: The apple has a sweet-sour taste. It is constipating,
nourishing and easily digestible. It helps to quench thirst. It
appeases bile and windiness, cures dysentery and strengthens
intestines. Its pectin content relieves cough and helps in
eliminating toxic elements from the body. It is very useful in
decreasing the acidity in the stomach. It vitalizes the heart, the
brain, the liver and the stomach. It works as an appetizer and
improves the quality of blood.
Analysis of Contents
Water 85.9%
Protein 0.3%
Fat 0.1%
Carbohydrates 9.5%
Minerals 0.4%
Calcium 0.01%
Phosphorus 0.02%
Iron 1.7 mg/100 grams
Vitamin ’B’ 40.1 U/100 grams
Vitamin ’C’ Trace
It also contains a small amount of copper.
Benefits: Supporting the medicinal qualities of the apple,
the American Medical Association has stated that the apple is very
useful in the cases of children’s diarrhea. Though the apple has
laxative qualities, the pectin in it checks diarrhea.
It is recommended as a good remedy for gout and arthritis.
Fresh apple-juice is most wholesome when taken with honey.
Apple-juice gives relief in the weakness of the nervous system,
kidney-stone, acidity, indigestion, headache, biliousness, asthma
and dysentery.
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