Classification of foods needed in a well balanced diet

Classification of Foods: Foods can be simply placed into two major categories:

1. Animal Foods
2. Vegetable Foods

Animal Foods: Animal foods include milk and its products, fish meat and eggs. Milk contains almost all the nutrients needed in a well balanced diet. It is usually recommended for infant’s children, pregnant women. Proteins presents in milk are caseinogens and lacto cumin. Lactose is the type of sugar present in milk, Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Potassium and chloride are the types of minerals present in milk, and however it is poor in iron content.

• Fish: Proteins and calcium are present abundantly in fish. It contains all the vitamins except Vitamin-C. Fish is easily digest able and is highly nutritive.
• Egg: Egg is a rich source of protein called albumin. The egg yolk contains fat, lecithin, calcium, phosphorus and iron.
• Cheese: Cheese is a rich source of protein called casein. Total protein content in this milk preparation is about 28 percent and the fat content is about 10 percent. These values can differ depending upon the quality or the type of cheese.

Vegetables and Fruits: Vegetables and Fruits are very essential to supply vitamins and minerals needed in a well balanced diet. Cabbage, lemon, tomato & orange are excellent source of ant scorbutic Vitamin-C. Carrots and yellow maize contain Vitamin-A abundantly. The vegetables also act as roughage material in food.

• Pulse: Pulses are a rich source of proteins in a vegetarian diet. They also contain minerals like phosphorus, sulpher and calcium carbohydrates are present only to a certain extent.
• Cereals: Wheat and rice are main cereals in common use. Some other cereals are maize, barley, oat and Baja. Rice have high carbohydrate contents, but poor in minerals, proteins and fat. Wheat has 60-70 percent of carbohydrates and 10-20 percent of proteins (in the form of gluten).
• Nuts: Ground nut is a rich source of protein and has an important place in an Indian diet. It is also within the reach of people. Other species of which kernels are eaten are Akron or Walnut, cashew nut etc.

Beverages and Condiments: Make the food more palatable and stimulate appetite. Beverages are mild, agreeable and stimulating liqueurs meant for human consumption. Tea, coffee, and cocoa are non-alcoholic beverages. Water con is regarded as a universal beverage.

Balanced Diet: Balanced diet is supposed to be the one, containing necessary constituents in the proportions given below: