Components of a Balanced Diet

Carbohydrates, proteins, fatsk, vitamins&minerals, water and fibres make up a balacked diet. Things needed within

the body such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats are callede macronutrients and things only needed in small amounts

such as vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients.

Carbohydrates

Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen all combine together to create carbohydrtaes. There are three main types of carbohydrates and the most common known are sugars and starches but it also includes cellulose and fibre etc. They are the main source of energy throughout the body and the foods you should eat which include carbohydrates to deliver large amounts of energy are grains, fruits, vegetables etc and should make up half or even a little more than half of an overall healthy balanced diet.

Starches are sugars linked together and are found in wholemeal things such as oats, wheat, rice, barley etc. These ingredients are then used in the process of making breads, pastas. Starches are also found within rooted foods such as potato's and vegetables. Refined starches are found within pizzas, bakery foods and sugary breakfast cereals but these should be cut down within a balanced diet as they are high in saturated fat's. Glucose is needed to provide energy around the body once it is absobred into the blood stream, therefore when carbohydrates are consumed and digested they break down into glucose and the pancreas releases a hormone to control the amounts of absoption within the cells around the body. Carbohydrates release their energy slowly throughout the day to ensure energy levels do not drastically change and stay steady.

Simple carbohydrates such as sugars can be found in both refined and natural states. Glucose and frutose are both natural sugars; glucose can be found in natural growing foods such as fruits. Things known as glucose syrups are refined and used in the creating of cakes, sweets etc whilst frutose is the sweetest sugar known it is found in some...