Nutrition

Our body works like an engine needs proper careful operation and regular maintenance. If anything is wrong in engine it may fail to work and have an accident. A similar principal is applied to our body too. Adequate nutrition food and balanced diet are must to live, work, grow and keep body healthy Nutrition plays a predominant role for the performance of metabolic activities, wholly all the mechanism of the body. So, nutrition is a significant factor for the growth and development of the body. It is the branch of science concerned with the process of taking in and absorbing nutrients. Requirement and intake of different nutrients depend on factors like physical activity, body size and composition, age and sex, physiological sate, climate and environment.

 Constituents/sources of Nutrition:

                     Everyday our body requires different types of nutritious food that includes carbohydrate, protein, fat, mineral, vitamin and water. A balanced diet is necessary to supply our body with essential nutritive ingredients.

a.     Energy giving nutrients.

             Carbohydrate and fat are the main energy source for our body excessive carbohydrate is converted into fat to some extent and meet the requirement of our body. The diet of Nepalese contents high quantities of carbohydrate and much less of protein its sources are cereals, pulses, ghee, milk, butter cheese, nuts and oil-seeds and flesh foods.

b. Body building nutrients:

                 Protein is required for maintenance of tissues, growth, pregnancy, lactation and metabolism. Protein enriched foods are body building foods. It is also component enzymes. The sources of protein are animal produces like meat, fish, egg, cheese, milk etc. and lentils like pulse, bean, and so on.

C. Body protecting nutrients:

Vitamins and minerals are essential for growth health and to prevent diseases. Vitamin A is required for body- building, good eye sight, and healthy skin vitamin B is needed for the function of nervous system. Vitamin   essential for bones, teeth and gums Vitamin required for the citization of calcium and phosphorous in our body, cheaply, can be obtained from sunlight. Sources of vitamins are leafy, green and yellow vegetables and fruits, milk and dairy products. Minerals include calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, iron, copper, chlorine and iodine. They are essential for proper growth and body building. Beside, water, constituent of 70% of your body, helps in the digestion of food, regulate temperature and prevents dehydration.

Significance of nutrition:

    The promotion, protection and prevention of our body is possible by the virtue of nutrition. It is required for the proper growth and development, well-functioning of metabolism, and mainly good health. It also protects us from disease causative agents like harmful bacteria and virus.

Conclusion:

             We should be wise to select those food items which can supply essential nutrition adequately to our body. It is not true that nutrition is found only in expensive food. Cheaper food items also contain a good amount of nutrition. We should be careful selection.

            Many people in our country suffer from malnutrition such us kwashiorkor, murmurs, goiter, Rickets, scurvy etc. Because most of the time they take protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, deficient food. Our many staple foods consist high quantities of carbohydrate, which is not good for mental or physical health. So, adequate intake of all nutrients in a good proportion is most for the proper growth, development and functioning of the body. For this, awareness program should be launched. Adequate and qualitative foods should be supplied. In addition in section of food stuffs should be done in market in shops beside these, personal attention towards the proper selection and intake nutrients is most.