2.4 - Balanced Diet

• What is a balanced diet?

  A diet that includes appropriate proportions of all of the different biological molecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, and water
• What 3 factors determine how much energy we need?

  Activity Level

  Age

  Pregnancy
• Why do we need carbohydrates?

  To provide energy for chemical reactions
• Why do we need lipids?

  To provide energy for chemical reactions

  To insulate us and regulate our body temperature
• Which food group is the most important for growth and producing new cells?

  Proteins
• Which disease can be caused by a lack of vitamin C?

  Scurvy
• Why is it important we get enough iron in our diet?

  Iron is a component of haemoglobin, which carries oxygen. A lack of iron, and hence haemoglobin, can lead to anaemia.
• Why do we need fibre?

  To help food move through our intestines.
• What are the 3 main ways we lose water from the body?

  Breathing

  Sweating

  Urinating