well, • Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products

A healthy balanced diet of these five food groups ensures essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. The food group serving size will depend upon various factors like age, activity level, body size and gender. It is also important that one eat a variety of foods from within and across the food groups. As some foods from within a food group provide more nutrients than others.



Healthy and nutritious food is very important for maintaining a good health. Healthy food involves, regular and timely food, juices, nuts, snacks and much more. A balanced diet, good food habits are essential for a healthy life.

In the normal course of life, we forget to take necessary nutrition that is required for our body and hence we tend to get into many life style diseases. It is very essential for a person to know and understand the benefits of nature's creation like fruits, vegetables, nuts,etc.

You can find useful articles on nutrition and health benefits of various fruits and vegetables. Read on and add these to your daily life. The value of food is more when it is taken in a systematic manner and also by understanding the benefits of every bite we take.

Spinach : Spinach is rich in iron and calcium. It helps overcome iron deficiency.
Beetroot : Beetroots contains good amount of folate, potassium and manganese. They are less in calories and are effective in curing skin problems.
Cauliflower : Cauliflower is highly nutritious and is effective in curing many ailments. It is rich in folate an dis good for pregnant woman.
Mango : Mangoes are a very popular and widely available fruit. It is rich in potassium and is a known antioxidant.
Tomatoes : Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant.
Musk Melon - Tropical Delight : Musk melon is a tropical fruit which is been cultivated for a very long time. It is a rich source of vitamin 'C' and is effective in reducing body heat.
Cabbage - Healing Properties : Cabbage is a well known common vegetable. Its is low in calories and is long known for its healing properties.
Bitter Gourd - Health Benefits : Bitter Gourd is a tropical vegetable. It is a well known cure for diabetes.
Avocado - for fitness and health : Avocado is rich in pottasium content. The fruit is also a good source of vitamins.
Papaya - A rich source of Minerals and Fibre : Papaya has high nutritional benefits. It is rich in Anti-oxidants, Minerals and Fibre. It also helps in Skin Treatments.
Oats - Fibre food that cures constipation : Oats have some unique fatty acids and antioxidants which together with Vitamin E slow cell damage.
Nutritional benefits of Watermelon : Watermelon is highly refreshing during summer. It does not contain cholesterol and helps in eye sight also.
Nutritional benefits of Banana : Banana helps in the treatment of Depression, Anemia, Blood Pressure, Brain power, Constipation, etc.
Almond: A highly Nutritious fruit : Consumption of Almond lowers cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of lifestyle diseases and gives overall wellness
Egg: A nutritious food : Egg is a healthy and nutritious food. Lecithin in eggs prevents the absorption of cholesterol of egg and other sources too
Calcium: The bone builder: Calcium Builds Strong Bones. Get calcium from greens, beans, or fortified foods. Vitamin D controls your body's use of calcium.
Healthy food for Stress Free Life: Nutritious and balanced diet is a must to free ourself from the physical and mental diseases and relieve stress
Mushrooms - A highly nutritious food: Mushrooms are rich in minerals, vitamin D (ergosterol), thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), dietary fibre as well as all the essential amino acids and are low in fat and calories.
Gooseberry (Amla) : Rich in Vitamin C: Amla or Gooseberry has ma

Answered by Satya ~ , an ibibo Master, at 9:07 AM on September 17, 2008

Healthy and moderate eating gives you an active, slender, and naturally healthy body. And only a healthy body can have a healthy soul. Eating food is such a huge habit in our life that we often tend to overlook what kind of food we take, what it contains, and hence end up avoiding or liking certain foods. If you care yourself and your general well being, knowing which healthy foods to eat is very important.

The major misconceptions of people with healthy diets, healthy foods and controlled eating are two fold.

* Firstly, many people think that the selection of healthy foods to eat is limited in choice and quite tasteless.
* Secondly, they also think that to eat healthily means walking around half starved most of the time. This perception deters people from forming new and nourishing eating habits.

However both the above ideas are wrong.

A healthy diet can not only be made tastier, it can actually fill your stomach so much that you don’t want to fill it again. But this depends on how well you plan your diet, and how your body reacts to certain kinds of foods.

A Healthy eating plan ensures you get necessary Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Minerals and Vitamins apart from the required fiber, antioxidants and fluids.

In the normal course of life, we forget to take necessary nutrition that is required for our body and hence we tend to get into many life style diseases. It is very essential for a person to know and understand the benefits of nature's creation like fruits, vegetables, nuts,etc.

You can find useful articles on nutrition and health benefits of various fruits and vegetables. Read on and add these to your daily life. The value of food is more when it is taken in a systematic manner and also by understanding the benefits of every bite we take.

Answered by Uttam , an ibibo Master, at 9:20 AM on September 16, 2008

There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.

If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family's diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.

Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.

EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

*FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)

2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy

Answered by Gyan Singh , an ibibo Master, at 4:35 PM on September 13, 2008

*
Lack of energy:
This is known as a short-term adverse effect resulting from eating junk foods. As junk foods don't provide you with essential nutrients, even though they can be very much sufficing, you feel weakened. Consuming deficient nutrients could be as a supplement.
*
Poor concentration:
This is another result of junk food habit. These are traced to affect in immediate and medium term periods. When you have a sumptuous junk meal rich in oil you feel drowsy and fail to concentrate. Over sustained periods of junk food eating, blood circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Lack of vital oxygen, nutrients and proteins particularly can stale your grey (brain) cells temporarily.
*
Heart Diseases:
Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. Myocardial infarction (a sever heart failure) is due to plaque formation in arteries which demands heart to put in extra effort to pump blood on the down stream. On the up stream, there is lack of returning blood to heart. This causes two damages to heart - heart fatigues by the continuous extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply. The onset and remedy both take a long time and a great determination to win.
*
High Cholesterol
Apart from forming plaques and constricting arteries, cholesterol also affects liver where it is metabolized. High cholesterol from junk food and diet strains liver damaging it eventually. This is a long term effect.

How to Avoid Junk Food

Answered by Sharad Singh , an ibibo Master, at 2:06 PM on September 13, 2008

well, Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.
source saite: http://www.onesmartclick.com/w eight-loss/healthy-diet.html

Answered by Nidhi Singh , an ibibo Master, at 11:28 AM on September 12, 2008

Healthy and moderate eating gives you an active, slender, and naturally healthy body. And only a healthy body can have a healthy soul. Eating food is such a huge habit in our life that we often tend to overlook what kind of food we take, what it contains, and hence end up avoiding or liking certain foods. If you care yourself and your general well being, knowing which healthy foods to eat is very important.

The major misconceptions of people with healthy diets, healthy foods and controlled eating are two fold.

* Firstly, many people think that the selection of healthy foods to eat is limited in choice and quite tasteless.
* Secondly, they also think that to eat healthily means walking around half starved most of the time. This perception deters people from forming new and nourishing eating habits.

However both the above ideas are wrong.

A healthy diet can not only be made tastier, it can actually fill your stomach so much that you don’t want to fill it again. But this depends on how well you plan your diet, and how your body reacts to certain kinds of foods.

A Healthy eating plan ensures you get necessary Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Minerals and Vitamins apart from the required fiber, antioxidants and fluids.

Tophealthydiets.com brings you information not on these diet plans, but on diets that help you stronger in various situations.

While the Special Diets section deals with various kinds of diets for normal people, Health diets for patients section gives you diets that should be taken when facing certain health problems. Diet for Obese is dedicated to help obese people understand that Obesity is not a disease, but a situation that leads to various diseases. Simple suggestions are given for losing weight as well.

Diet for Women is dedicated to women, with a special section on pregnant women. Food items is section that tells you what daily foods contain what, and how well they help in our daily life.

Answered by Prashant , an ibibo Citizen, at 8:07 PM on September 09, 2008

A healthy diet is one that is arrived at with the intent of improving or maintaining optimal health.

This usually involves consuming nutrients by eating the appropriate amounts from all of the food groups, including an adequate amount of water. Since human nutrition is complex, a healthy diet may vary widely, and is subject to an individual's genetic makeup, environment, and health. For around 20% of the human population, lack of food and malnutrition are the main impediments to healthy eating.[citation needed] Conversely, people in developed countries have the opposite problem; they are more concerned about obesity

Nutritional overview

Generally, a healthy diet is said to include:

1. Sufficient calories to maintain a person's metabolic and activity needs, but not so excessive as to result in fat storage greater than roughly 30% of body mass. For most people the recommended daily allowance of energy is 2,000 calories, but it depends on age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity. (see Body fat percentage)
2. Sufficient quantities of fat, including monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat, with a balance of omega-6 and long-chain omega-3 lipids. The recommended daily allowance of fat is 65-80 grams.
3. Maintenance of a good ratio between carbohydrates and lipids (4:1): four grams of the first for one gram of the second.
4. Avoidance of excessive saturated fat (20grams recommended limit)(although the "evidence" for this claim is forever in debate after the testimony of results provided by the Framingham Heart Study of 1948-1998)
5. Avoidance of trans fat.
6. Sufficient essential amino acids ("complete protein") to provide cellular replenishment and transport proteins. All essential amino acids are present in animals. A select few plants (such as soy and hemp) give all the essential acids. A combination of other plants may also provide all essential amino acids (except rice and beans which have limitations).
7. Essential micronutrients such as vitamins and certain minerals.
8. Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic (e.g. benzene) substances;
9. Avoiding foods contaminated by human pathogens (e.g. E. coli, tapeworm eggs);
10. Avoiding chronic high doses of certain foods that are benign or beneficial in small or occasional doses, such as
* foods that may burden or exhaust normal functions (e.g. refined carbohydrates without adequate dietary fiber);
* foods that may interfere at high doses with other body processes (e.g. refined table salt);
* foods or substances with directly toxic properties at high chronic doses (e.g. ethyl alcohol).

Answered by jaivir , an ibibo Master, at 1:43 PM on September 07, 2008

well, Healthy and moderate eating gives you an active, slender, and naturally healthy body. And only a healthy body can have a healthy soul. Eating food is such a huge habit in our life that we often tend to overlook what kind of food we take, what it contains, and hence end up avoiding or liking certain foods. If you care yourself and your general well being, knowing which healthy foods to eat is very important.

The major misconceptions of people with healthy diets, healthy foods and controlled eating are two fold.

* Firstly, many people think that the selection of healthy foods to eat is limited in choice and quite tasteless.
* Secondly, they also think that to eat healthily means walking around half starved most of the time. This perception deters people from forming new and nourishing eating habits.

However both the above ideas are wrong.

A healthy diet can not only be made tastier, it can actually fill your stomach so much that you don’t want to fill it again. But this depends on how well you plan your diet, and how your body reacts to certain kinds of foods.

A Healthy eating plan ensures you get necessary Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Minerals and Vitamins apart from the required fiber, antioxidants and fluids.

Tophealthydiets.com brings you information not on these diet plans, but on diets that help you stronger in various situations.

While the Special Diets section deals with various kinds of diets for normal people, Health diets for patients section gives you diets that should be taken when facing certain health problems. Diet for Obese is dedicated to help obese people understand that Obesity is not a disease, but a situation that leads to various diseases. Simple suggestions are given for losing weight as well.

Diet for Women is dedicated to women, with a special section on pregnant women. Food items is section that tells you what daily foods contain what, and how well they help in our daily life.

Answered by Romi , an ibibo Master, at 11:52 AM on September 07, 2008

Hi Friend,
A healthy diet is one that is arrived at with the intent of improving or maintaining optimal health.

EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

*FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.


*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

*FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)

2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.

Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.

Answered by kokila vani , an ibibo Advisor, at 4:52 PM on September 04, 2008

Healthy and Balanced diet is most important for our body,teeth and hair .healthy diet must contain Protein,vitamins,minerals,fiber and carbohydrate.If there is not enough in your body then you feel very tired and lazy ,your teeth and bones very weak. So we eat a balanced diet.
A Ideal Healthy and balanced Diet chart -----
Breakfast ----
one cup tea - 2 bread ,milk or Dalia.
Lunch--
1-Salad(carrot,cab bage,tomatoes,fruits)
2-Roti/ rice
3-lighting cooked vegtable . dal.
Mid after noon--
1- one glass mix fruits juice ,1cup tea (milk made).
2-Some frouts.
Dinner--
1-one cup veg soup .
2-two roti/half bowl rice and dal, sabji.
3-salad
4-Light dessert of your choice with minimum sugar.

Answered by Seema , an ibibo Master, at 4:27 PM on September 04, 2008