Method to select a balanced diet from locally available foods

A balanced diet is important for quality life, healthy living and survival. We need food to grow, reproduce and maintain good health. without food our body can not stay warm; build or repair issue or circulate blood. Eating the right foods is important to avoid diseases or recover faster when illness occurs. A balanced diet helps to meet all these requirements.

The food that provides all the necessary substances needed by the body in a right proportion and amount is known as a balanced diet. A balance diet must contain sufficient carbohydrates and fats for energy. It must contain sufficient protein to make new calls and tissues for growth and development or repair. The diet must also contain vitamins and mineral salts, green vegetables and water. it is important that we know how to make a balanced diet from locally available foods. We should be sure that when we make a diet we select food from all different categories. the food that we select does not have to be expensive. they can be cheap and easily available.the food is made up of a number of chemical components called nutrients. these are classified into the following categories according to their functions and composition.

a. Energy producing Nutrients 
1. Carbohydrates
 2. Fatswe 
need energy for every kind of activity. carbohydrates and fats provided energy to our body. most of the energy we require is received from carbohydrate. we satisfy our hunger by consuming carbohydrate as a major source of energy.fats is another source of energy which we eat in a little amount only. fat is are essential in our daily meal. Fats makes our food tastier, dissolve fat-soluble vitamins and provide a greater amount of energy. carbohydrate and fats are found in:-grains such as, rice, wheat, maize, millet, barley etc.-potato, sweet potato etc.- Sugar, sugar canes, honey etc.- Oils, ghee etc.

b. Body Building Nutrients 
1. Protein2. Minerals and salts
 protein, minerals and salts help our body to grow, develop and maintain all the organs of our body. A diet must contain one of these food items in our daily meal. we consume protein relatively in smaller amounts. Though our body requires function properly. protein, minerals and salts are found in:- Milk and dairy products- Fish, meat, egg, beans, pulses etc.

c. Nutrients Necessary for Regulating the body process 
1. vitamins 
2. water
 Our body requires vitamins and water as well. we need different types of minerals and vitamins to fight against various diseases and infections. These vitamins can be obtained from locally available foods. they do not need to be expensive. most of them can be produced locally and with a cheaper means. we should select different foods according to our need, necessity, availability and economic status. vitamins are found in:- Green vegetables- Fruits such as, orange, guava, mango apple etc.