YOU ARE LEARNING:
A Balanced Diet
A Balanced Diet
A balanced diet should consist of appropriate proportions of different nutrients, and this will vary according to our profile.
What do we mean by a balanced diet?
Which of the following would be a balanced diet?
A balanced diet contains proteins. Which foods have a lot of proteins? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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Why should we eat foods that contains proteins?
A balanced diet also contains carbohydrates. Which foods contain a lot of carbohydrates? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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Why do we have to eat carbohydrates?
We also have to eat lipids (fats and oils). Which foods contain lipids? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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Why do you have to eat lipids?
A balanced diet should include appropriate portions proteins for cell growth and repair, carbohydrates for energy and lipids for energy and insulation.
What else should be included in a balanced diet? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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There is a vitamin which is very important for good vision, healthy skin and strong immunity. We find it in milk, cheese and fish. Have a guess as to which vitamin this is.
There is another vitamin which helps heal wounds and supports organs. We find it in citrus fruits and green vegetables. Which vitamin do you think that is?
Vitamin D is made in your body when you stand in the sun, but we can also get it from eggs and fish. What do you think its function is?
You also need the mineral calcium. Why do you think we need calcium?
Where do you think you get calcium from? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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Another important mineral is iron. What do you think iron does for you?
Where do you think you get iron from? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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More than half of your body is water, which we find in your cells (the cytoplasm) and in your blood. Select all the options below that provide our bodies with water.
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Dietary fibres are also an important component of a balanced diet, because they help digestion. Which foods contain a lot of fibres do you think?
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To sum up! Your diet should include appropriate proportions of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. You also need vitamin A for good vision, healthy skin and strong immunity, vitamin C to help heal wounds and support organs, vitamin D which is important for healthy bones and teeth. You also need minerals like calcium for healthy bones and muscles and iron for haemoglobin, which transports oxygen in red blood cells. Water is important in the whole body for instance to support chemical reactions and dietary fibres help digestion.
How much energy you need changes during your life. Which of these increases your energy requirement? Pick all the options you think are correct.
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