A diet which contains all the essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins in the proportion required for the normal growth and development of the body, is called balanced diet. The quantity of nutrients in a balanced diet will always vary with age, sex and physical activities undertaken by an individual.
The important components of a balanced diet are given in table below.
| Food Group |
Quantity per portion/serving |
| Cereals |
1 roti ( 25 gm wheat flour), bread, 1 katori rice, 25 gm raw dalia/cornflakes/sooji or rawa |
| Pulses |
25 gm raw dal |
| Milk |
1 glass or 250 ml milk (low fat) |
| Fruits and vegetables |
100 gm fruit,100–125 (gm) raw vegetables |
| Fats and oil |
1 teaspoon (5 gm) |
To understand which kind of food will give us the right balance of nutrients, food items are divided into six major groups given in the table below. Food items in one group cannot replace those in another.
A nutritionally balanced diet should contain items from all the above major food groups.
Major Food Groups
| Food Groups |
Food Items |
Nutrients |
| Cereals, Millets |
Rice, wheat, bajra, maize, jowar, ragi |
Carbohydrates, proteins |
| Pulses |
Lentil, grams, soya, peas |
Carbohydrates, proteins |
| Milk and milk product |
Milk, yogurt, cheese, paneer, ice-cream |
Fats, proteins, minerals, water, carbohydrates, vitamins |
| Meat, fish and fowls |
Meat, fish, chicken, nuts |
Proteins, fats |
| Vegetables |
Green leafy vegetables, roots minerals, water. |
Carbohydrates, vitamins |
| Fruits |
Orange, banana, apple etc. |
Carbohydrates, vitamins |
