Dr Ruchi Garg, tells you that our food must be our medicine and our medicne should be our food to have a healthy lifestyle
Market research is stacked with reports of consumers visibly moving from indulgent products to choices and experiences that help them keep happy and healthy. Apart from breast milk for infants, there is no single food item that contains all the essential nutrients that the body needs for one to stay healthy and happy. Hence, a good diet should incorporate a variety of foods to meet the human body's needs as good nutrition builds better brains
The ideal diet should contain sufficient quantities from the macronutrient group consisting of carbs, proteins and fats. While an average woman requires 2,000 calories a day, the men needs 2,500 calories. One must eat just enough to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index. The requirements of each macro-group for the average Indian are given below:
Carbohydrates: These are the chief source of energy for the body (amount of energy from one gram of carbohydrates and proteins is four calories) easily converting to ATP and fuel muscle function. Sedentary persons must take 40-50% of their diet in the form carbohydrates while those performing regular exercise and athletes may require 60-70%. Whole grains, low-fat dairy and whole fruits, as opposed to juices, are the best sources of carbohydrates in food.
Proteins: These are essential building blocks of tissue structure and plasma membranes. They also perform key roles in metabolic, transport and hormone systems, maintain acid-base balance in the body and make up the enzymes that aid digestion. Sedentary individuals must take about 0.79 gm of protein per kg of body weight. Professional body builders may require up to 2 gm per kg of body weight. In typical Indian diets, soy tofu or soy milk, beans, lentils and peas, skinless poultry, fish, egg whites, almonds, walnuts, peanuts or cashew, pumpkins, sunflower or flax seeds are excellent sources.
Fats: These may be monosaturated, polysaturated,and saturated. Saturated fats are more likely to increase cholesterol levels and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Major sources of essential fatty acids are edible oils such as canola, rice bran, olive or sunflower oils, nuts, seeds and meat. Each gram of fat supplies the body with about 9 calories.
Micronutrients: These perform various essential functions in the body from the development of the nervous system (Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folic acid) to maintaining water balance in cells (Potassium, Sodium). Zinc aids in healing wounds while Iron is a component of blood cells. These are required in trace amounts. Food sources for macro-nutrients contain most micro-nutrients as well. However, experimenting with a variety of green leafy vegetables, red fruits, fortified foods, animal products or protein alternatives, fish and seeds will ensure that you don’t miss out on any of these.
Water: Water keeps your skin hydrated, prevents constipation, dissolves minerals for use by the body, transports nutrients and oxygen to cells, lubricates joints and flushes out waste from the kidneys. The recommended intake for men is 3.7 liters a day and for women, 2.7 liters. It is best to take several meals and sips of water in small servings for better digestion. Executing balanced diet plan and adequate amount of water, regular exercise, and good sleep will surely get the healthy body.
The writer is Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Management Research, IIHMR University, Jaipur