Balanced Diet

Balanced Diet

A kid  should have well balanced diet to prevent him from infections and diseases. A balanced diet has all the nutrients required by a kid in correct proportions foe a healthy growth. Here is a guide on balanced diet.

What is a balanced diet

A diet which contains all the nutrients e.g. energy, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals etc.  required by a kid for the proper maintenance of health and optimum growth is termed as a 'balanced diet'.  Dals and beans have high contents of protein and a small amount of fat.  Bread is rich in carbohydrates but poor in proteins.
 

What does the kid need in his diet

It is important that a kid's diet should be both good in quality as well as adequate in quantity. If his diet is deficient in nutrients and energy, it can adversely affect his weight gain and body growth. The kid's diet should supply him with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in adequate quantities.
 

How do I provide a balanced diet 

Your kid would receive a proper balanced diet if he eats a meal consisting of food items like: chapatis, bread, rice, breakfast cereals, maize, potatos, dals, beans, poultry and meats, milk, cheese etc. It is important to mix various kinds of foods so that his requirements of nutrients would be met.  It is important for you to ensure that your kid eats food in adequate quantities. Considering a kid's small appetite, it is advisable that his food should be rich in nutritive value and that he should eat more often during the course of the day.
 

Deficiency of iron in young kids causes anaemia. Dark green vegetables and meats are rich in iron.  Iron is also found in chapatis, breads, eggs, dals, nuts and beans.