Food is our basic need. It nourishes our body and maintains our health. It gives us energy that is required for every action of ours including our participation in games and sports. The various food items that we consume constitute our diet. Diet may be defined as the total amount of different variety of food items consumed by a person during a day.
Dietary Requirements of Human Body
Our diet contains many food items which are obtained from different sources. The food may be obtained from animal or vegetable sources. We already know that food comprises
constituents like proteins, carbohydrates, fats and supplementary substances such as minerals, vitamins and water that are vital for life. These constituents are known as nutrients. For proper functioning of our body we need to consume body building foods (e.g. milk, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses, groundnuts); energy giving foods (e.g. cereals, sugar, roots, fats and oils); and protective foods (e.g. vegetables, fruits).
Nutrients
The food we consume breaks down to simpler products before it is absorbed and utilised by the body. These simpler substances are called nutrients. Our body utilises nutrients for building and repairing, obtaining energy and for protection from diseases. What is nutrition? The term nutrition is related to our food intake and dietary patterns and utilisation of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals to maintain our health. Most of the natural food items contain more than one nutrient. Let us understand various nutrients contained in different food items.Proteins are called building blocks of our body. About 20 per cent of our body weight comes from proteins. Proteins are essential for growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues. Proteins are made of amino acids that contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. We obtain proteins from animal as well as vegetable sources. Proteins of animal origin are found in milk, eggs, cheese, fish and meat. Proteins from these sources contain all the essential amino acids (EAA) in adequate amounts. Vegetable proteins are found in pulses (legumes), cereals, beans, nuts, oilseeds, etc. Those who take vegetarian food need to consume more and a wide variety of these foods to meet their protein needs.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body. There are three major categories of carbohydrates, viz. starch, sugar and cellulose. Our body breaks down sugar and starch into glucose to provide energy. Cellulose does not have any nutritive value per se, but is a major contributor of dietary fibres. Excess carbohydrates are converted into fat by the liver and stored in the adipose tissues in our body.
Yoga and Intellectual Dimension of Personality:
Intellectual development is related to the development of our mental abilities and processes such as critical thinking, memory, perception, decision making, imagination, creativity, etc. Development of this dimension is very important as it enables us to learn new things and acquire knowledge and skills. Yogic practices such as asana, pranayama, dharana, dhyana (meditation) help to develop concentration, memory and thereby help in intellectual development.
Carbohydrates are of two types – simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are quick energy foods, e.g. sugar. Sources of simple carbohydrates are natural fruits, milk and milk products, and vegetables including potatoes and carrots. Complex carbohydrates are better sources of energy than sugar since these are released slowly. Sources of complex carbohydrates are breads, cereals (rice, wheat, bajra, corn, barley, ragi, etc.). We should consume starch and natural sugar and eat whole grains, rice, bread, cereals and fruits to obtain adequate amount of carbohydrates. Fast food items such as pizza, pasta, noodles, etc. are rich in carbohydrates only and cannot replace a balanced meal.
Fats and oils are concentrated sources of energy. Fats are substances that our body stores for future use. These are classified as simple lipids (e.g. triglycerides), compound lipids (e.g. phospholipids), and derived lipids (e.g. cholesterol). Fats may be obtained from animal or vegetable sources. The major sources of animal fats are ghee, butter, milk, cheese, eggs, fish and meat. The sources of vegetable oils are groundnut, mustard, sesame, coconut, etc. Excess carbohydrates are converted into fats. Fast food items like pizza, samosas, burgers are rich sources of fat. Therefore, children who consume only fast food items tend to become obese.
Vitamins
Vitamins are organic substances that we require in adequate quantities for good health. Our body, however, cannot synthesise them. Therefore, we need to consume their natural sources such as fruits and vegetables. Vitamins are divided into two groups–fat soluble vitamins (Vitamins A, D, E, and K) and water soluble vitamins (Vitamins of B group and Vitamin C). Each vitamin has a specific function and its deficiency leads to a particular deficiency disease.
Minerals
Minerals are the nutrients that are very essential for proper growth and functioning of our body and are required in small amounts. Calcium, Chlorine, Copper, Fluoride, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium and Zinc are essential mineral nutrients. Some of them are explained below.
Water
Water is a nutrient and it makes up almost 70 per cent of our body weight. We need water to break down complex food molecules, and transport food, chemicals and gases throughout the body. It acts as the medium for biochemical reactions and is also required to eliminate the wastes as urine and sweat. We should take 8 – 10 glasses of potable water per day. Inadequate water intake leads to dehydration. Therefore, intake of water in proper proportion is important. We should never substitute water with coffee, tea or soft drinks.
Balanced Diet
You have already learnt in earlier classes that a diet which contains all the essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins in the proportion required for the normal growth and development of the body, is called balanced diet. The quantity of nutrients in a balanced diet will always vary with age, sex and physical activities undertaken by an individual.
Special Dietary Requirements
The amount of food or nutrients required by a person in a day depends upon the need for energy and specific demands of a person. These needs are directly related to age and physical activity. During the rapid growing years, i.e. 12 – 22 years for boys and 12 – 18 years for girls, there is a gradual increase in daily food requirements. But as we grow old, our daily need for energy decreases. The amount of energy required by people engaged in low, moderate or high level of physical activity differs.
A sportsperson always needs to consume more calories than a non-sportsperson. Similarly, the dietary needs of a woman during pregnancy and lactation are higher. Let us discuss the dietary requirements of different individuals.
Diet for Adolescents
We know that during adolescence, changes take place in the body composition of boys and girls; and as a result their nutritional requirements increase. Girls need more minerals like calcium and iron. Adolescent girls and boys need to take calcium rich food to keep their bones, teeth and muscles healthy; and iron rich food to keep them strong. Therefore, it is essential for them to consume more dairy products, beans and green leafy vegetables in their diet. Young girls taking inadequate diet may suffer from nutritional problems like irondeficiency anaemia and obesity. This may be due to refusal to eat food to maintain weight or binge eating habit. Furthermore, an under nourished adolescent girl is at a risk of developing complication during pregnancy and child birth.
Diet for Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers
Women always require more iron than men. Pregnant and lactating mothers have special dietary needs. In our country, it is seen that pregnant and lactating women do not take healthy diet because of lack of availability and lack of important nutritional information. A pregnant and a lactating mother requires additional energy over and above her normal requirements. There is also an increased need for protein, calcium and iron. Inadequate intake of nutrients causes harm to the foetus and the child. Mothers should follow the guidelines for intake of nutrients available from the nearby health centre and gather knowledge regarding weight gain and supplementation. Besides food, normal physical activities and light exercises like walking should be performed by pregnant women in consultation with the doctor or health worker.
omen in consultation with the doctor or health worker. Good nutrition during pregnancy promotes healthy weight of the newborn. Low birth-weight children are prone to various diseases during adulthood. Therefore, pregnant women and mothers should keep the following in mind.
• Include all food groups in daily diet. Care should be taken to include cereals, pulses, ghee-oil, sugar, jaggery, vegetables, fruits, milk and its products in the daily diet.
• Consume more foods containing iron like green leafy vegetables, black sesame seeds (til), raisins, jaggery, poha.
• Consume more foods like milk and its products (viz. curd, paneer, kheer), white sesame seeds (til), ragi, guava and bajra, which provide all the calcium and protein needed.
• Do not restrict diet. Have a balanced diet.
• Table 11.5 presents the additional calorie requirement during pregnancy and lactation.
Diet for Sportspersons
All kinds of physical activities burn a lot of energy. Sportspersons undergo physical training which involves regular strenuous exercises for a long period for developing physical fitness and improving performance. They, therefore, need more calories for energy. Even persons who do not participate in competitive sports but undertake exercise programmes for physical fitness need extra energy. Accordingly, they are required to plan their diet.
Let us have a look at the table given below to understand the energy expenditure of a person of age between 20 to 39 years, with a body weight of approximately 60 kg by various activities.
These additional requirement of nutrients for training load can be achieved with a balanced diet. In the past, athletes were advised to take large amount of protein from eggs, meat and milk, but it is now generally accepted that carbohydrate and not protein, is the best source of energy. One should also remember that extra protein intake does not increase muscles.
Diet before Competition
The pre-competition meal needs to be high in carbohydrates, low in fat, low in protein, low in fibre, enjoyable and familiar to the participant. Food may include breakfast cereals, bread, roti, fruits, fruit juice, boiled rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, biscuits and carbohydrate drinks.
Diet on Competition Day
On the day of competition, the most important thing to remember is never to try anything new. An athlete must follow a simple and sound nutritional routine. If the competition is held in the morning, just eat a light carbohydrate-rich breakfast with plenty of fluids, cereal with milk, bread or roti. Large quantities of sugar, confectionery or honey should be avoided. Food that may upset the stomach and make feel heavy may be avoided
Eating just before Competition
Small amount of food containing carbohydrates just before competition helps to delay fatigue and improve endurance.
Drinking during Competition
Have your last drink 15 – 20 minutes before actual competition. It is essential to drink water at regular intervals to avoid dehydration. Right kind of sports-drinks hydrate our body and also supply energy.
Yogic Diet
Ayurveda advise a sattvic, which is a vegetarian diet, consisting of natural food items. According to yogic dietetics, natural food items are easy to digest and assimilate. Yogic diet is a combination of raw food and proper fasting routine. Good raw food, such as cucumber, radish, carrots, tomatoes, sprouts, together with spices like ginger, cayenne, cinnamon and basil provide energy to the mind and the body. Taking regular yogic diet and performing asanas, pranayama and meditation contribute to the well-being of our body and mind. For preparation of yogic foods, steaming is considered to be the best method.
Malnutrition
It is now clear that a balanced diet is very important for a healthy life. An imbalance between the body’s nutritional needs and the intake of nutrients leads to malnutrition. Commonly malnutrition is considered in terms of hunger, whereas, both under-nutrition and over-nutrition are forms of malnutrition.
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