Balanced Diet (Nutrients)

• Foods have a mix of different nutrients in
• Carbohydrates are found most in starchy foods like bread, pasta, potatoes and also in fruits and vegetables
• We need carbohydrates an energy source to carry out chemical reactions and to move around
• Lipids refer to fats and oils
• Fats are lipids that are solid at room temperature
• Oils are lipids that are liquid at room temperature
• Lipids are common in: Oily fish, nuts and seeds, dairy products and avocados.
• Lipids provide energy and a longer-term store of energy.
• Lipids keep us warm by insulating us
• Lipids protect our organs
• Proteins are found in nuts and seeds, meat and fish, and legumes.
• Legumes are lentils/beans.
• Proteins are building blocks, needed to grow and repair damaged tissue. They can be used for energy but only in emergencies.
• There are many types of Vitamins and Mineral Ions. We only need them in small amounts. The key difference is that Vitamins are organic molecules (made by living organisms) and minerals are inorganic, and much simpler molecules.
• Vitamin A helps with good vision and healthy skin and hair.
• Vitamin C prevents scurvy
• Vitamin D can be made from sunlight or eggs and fish.
• Vitamin D is helpful for absorbing calcium
• Calcium is a mineral needed for strong bones, this stops rickets.
• Iron is a mineral that is an important component of the haemoglobin. If you don't get enough Iron you can develop amenia.
• Amenia is where you cant transport enough oxygen around the body.
• Fibre is a type of carbohydrate.
• We don't absorb fibre into the body.
• Fibre helps food move through our intestines properly.
• Fibre stops diarrhoea and constipation.
• We absorb water from our drinks and from our foods. We need water for chemical reactions.
• The body is 70% water, and we continuously lose water by breathing, sweating and urinating, so we must drink more to replace it all.
• Dehydration occurs when too much fluid leaves the body without being replaced.
• too much food in general could lead to obesity, but a lack of any particular one could lead to a deficiency disease such as scurvy.
• We get energy from the food we eat. Although carbohydrates are our main source of energy, lipids are also used for energy, and even proteins can be broken down for energy if necessary.
• How much energy we need each day depends on a lot of things, but there are 3 main factors to consider:

  1. Activity level - The more active you are, e.g. if you're an athlete, the more energy you need.
  2. Age - Teenagers often need a lot of energy because they're growing, whereas elderly people need less. 
  3. Pregnancy - Pregnant women need more energy because the baby growing inside them requires a lot of energy.
• Iron is an important component of haemoglobin 

  Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that allows them to transport oxygen around the body

  A lack of iron (and hence haemoglobin), can lead to anaemia, where we can't transport enough oxygen to our tissues.