. Balanced Diet A balanced diet is one which includes a variety of foods in adequate amounts and correct proportions to meet the day’s requirements of all essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and fibre. Such a diet helps to promote and preserve good health and also provides a safety margin or reserve of nutrients to withstand short durations of deprivation when they are not supplied by the diet. The safety margin takes care of the days we fast, or the short-term deficiency of certain nutrients in the daily diet.
If the balanced diet meets the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for an individual, then the safety margin is already included since RDAs are formulated keeping extra allowances in mind. Recommended Dietary Allowances = Requirements + Margin of safety A balanced diet takes care of the following aspects. . Includes a variety of food items .
Meets the RDA for all nutrients . Includes nutrients in correct proportions