The key to enjoy a nutritious meal and a good health is eating a variety from 5 different food groups daily.
The 5 different food groups are
- Cereals – This includes wheat , rice , pasta , bread , breakfast cereals etc
- Protein – This food group contains fish, meat, eggs, vegetable protein like nuts, legumes, beans, soya etc.
- Milk and dairy products – This includes, milk, yogurt, paneer etc.
- Fruits and vegetables – This food group includes all fruits and vegetables.
- Fats and Sugars – This food group includes oil, butter, sugars.
The cereals group provides your body with important minerals and vitamins and most important provides energy to keep you going all through the day. Foods in this group are termed as brain foods as they provide energy and fuel for functioning of the brain and all the cells of the body.
Protein group provides fuel for muscle building and also many important minerals.
Dairy group provides calcium and vitamin D in abundance, which are essential for bone health and growth.
Fruits and Vegetables of different colors provide variety of vitamins and minerals and also help boost immunity. They also add fiber to the diet and prevent many diseases.
Fats and Sugars provides energy but very little nutrients, hence foods from this food group should be used sparingly.
All the 5 food groups are equally important and it is essential that we include foods from all of them in our daily diet to achieve good health and nutrition. Enjoy a balanced diet to achieve optimal health .