BASIC FOOD GROUPS

A balanced diet is one that contains different types of foods in such quantities and proportions that the need for calories, minerals, vitamins and other nutrients is adequately met. These foods are divided into various groups as follows:-

Group I:-

It includes cereals, millets, roots and tubers. All these primarily supply energy or calories e.g., rice, wheat, jowar, maize, bajra, ragi and tapioca, potato, sweet-potato, colocasia, yam. These are important sources of thiamine, niacin and iron.

Group II:-

The food stuffs in this group are primarily sources of protein, e.g., dhal, grains, peas, beans, groundnuts, cashewnuts, almonds, coconut, milk, curd, buttermilk, paneer, eggs, fish, mutton, chicken, pork and other flesh foods. Milk and milk products are important sources of calcium and riboflavin. Meat, fish and eggs rank first for their protein, iron and niacin content.

Group III:-

These food stuffs supply energy or calories e.g., vegetable oils, vanaspati ghee, butter, cream, sugar, jaggery. This group constitutes about 1/6th of the energy value of the diet. Cooking oils include mustard oil, coconut oil, til oil, groundnut oil, palm oil and sunflower oil that supply essential fatty acids.

Group IV:-

These are main suppliers of minerals and vitamins. This includes protective vegetables and fruits.

Class A:-

Green leafy vegetables, palak, methi, drumstick, coriander, fenugreek greens supply vitamin B2, folic acid, calcium, iron, fibre and carotenoids.

Class B:-

Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables - papaya, mango, carrots, yellow pumpkin provide carotenoids.

Class C:-

Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C - amla, guava, lemon, orange.

                   These are the only important sources of ascorbic acid, contribute half of the vitamin A requirement, supply 1/5th of the iron required.

Group V:-

Other vegetables and fruits are included in this group. These provide variety in taste and texture and furnish roughage in the diet, e.g., fruits, stems, leaves and flowers of plants, lady's finger, brinjal, bitter gourd and other gourds, cabbage, cauliflower, drumstick supply carotenoids, folic acid, calcium and fiber in the diet. Various fruits included in this group are bananas, melons, grapes, apples, sapotas, berries, pears, plantain, lichis, pomogrante.