Sources of nutrients
A balanced diet is of utmost importance for the maintenance of good health and the healing of diseases. Such a diet should be composed of foods that, in combination, would supply all these essential nutrients. A correct diet should contain liberal quantities of seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, and fruits, which provide adequate quantities of all these essential nutrients. The diet containing all these basic food groups is optimum for vigor and vitality.
Seeds, nuts, and grains
These are the most potent of all foods and contain all the important nutrients needed for human growth. Millets, wheat, oats, barley, brown rice, beans, and peas are valuable in building health. Wheat, mung beans, alfalfa seeds, peas, Bengal grams, and soybeans make excellent sprouts. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts, and soybeans contain complete proteins of high biological value. Seeds, nuts, and grains are also excellent natural sources of essential unsaturated fatty acids necessary for health. They are also good sources of lecithin and vitamins, which help preserve health and prevent premature aging. Besides, they are also rich in minerals and auxones that play an important role in rejuvenating cells and preventing premature aging.
Vegetables
Vegetables are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, proteins, dietary fibers, and other phytochemicals. Vegetables may be of different kinds, including edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits, and seeds. Vegetables are grouped into the following ways based on plant parts used for consumption.
Leaves: Cabbage, lettuce, spinach beet, amaranth, fenugreek, rhubarb, pot herbs and
greens:
Leaf stalk or petiole: Celery, rhubarb, Swiss card
Stem: Knolkhol, asparagus, amaranth, spinach
Tuber: potato, yam
Corms: Taro
Buds: Brussels sprouts
Flower and buds: Broccoli, cauliflower
Bracts and receptacle: Globe artichoke
Root: Radish, carrot, turnip, cassava, beet
Bulbs: onion, garlic, leek
Seeds: Pea, beans
Fruits: Like vegetables, fruits are an excellent source of carbohydrsourceinerals, vitamins, and enzymes. They are easily digested and cause a cleansing effect on the blood and digestive tract. Some fruits contain high alkaline properties, a high percentage of water, and a low percentage of proteins and fats. The presence of organic acids and high sugar in fruits have immediate refreshing effects. Besides seasonal fresh fruits, dry fruits such as raisins, prunes, and figs are also beneficial. Fruits are best eaten both in raw and ripe states. On cooking, they lose portions of nutrient salts and carbohydrates. Examples of
Nutrient-rich fruits are given below.
Carbohydrates: Raisin, dates, Karanda, banana.
Proteins: Cashew nut, wood apple, nuts
Fats: Pecan nut, walnut, cashew nut, coconut, avocado, olive, almond
Vitamin A: Mango, papaya, dates.
Vitamin B1: Cashew nut, banana.
Vitamin B2: Bael, Papaya.
Vitamin B6: Banana
Vitamin C: Amla, orange, lime, guava
Ca: Apple, pear, and litchi.
P: Litchi, wood apple, cashew nut
Fe: Karanda, mango, guava, dates.
K: Apple
Malic acid: Apple, plum, cherry, banana, and apricot.
Citric acid: Citrus fruits, pineapple, pear, blueberries, strawberries.
Tartaric acid: Grape
Isocitric acid: Blackberries
Milk: It is a complex mixture of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and many other organic compounds and inorganic salts. Milk contains plenty of vitamins except vitamin C and enzymes like galactase, lactase, and aldehydes. The best way to take milk is in sour forms like yogurt and cheese. Soured milk is preferred to sweet milk as it is easily assimilated. Milk helps to prevent intestinal putrefaction and constipation.
Vegetable oils are triglycerides of complex organic fatty acids like oleic acid,linolic acid, and linolenic acid. Vegetable oils include non-drying oils such as groundnut, palm, olive, castor, rapeseed, almond oils; semi-drying oils like sesame, sunflower, corn oils, and drying linseed soybean, and safflower oils.
They help to increase calcium retention in the system, reduce anemia and liver and kidney-related problems.
Animal proteins: Egg, fish, and meat are rich sources of animal proteins that can be taken in limited quantities for a healthy life.
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