DEPARTMENT OF NURSING SCIENCES,
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY,
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE,
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, ENUGU CAMPUS
A CLASS PRESENTATION PAPER ON BALANCE DIET
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE COURSE:
FOUNDATION OF NURSING II (NSC202)
BY
GROUP 5
NAME
REG. NO
Jasper, Victory Sunday
2020/243769
Ifeanyi Chinyere Loveth
2019/243166
Ngene Mmesoma Divinefavour
2019/246886
Ikechukwu Favour Chibuzor
2021/243524
Itodo Ogechukwu Perpetual
2020/243757
James Princewill Kelechi
2020/246053
Kalu Amarachi Ikpo
2020/248130
Ilobi Chidimma
2020/246934
Maduagwu Amanda Chisom
2019/251541
Ibeh Augustine Ifechukwu
2020/244661
Ibekwe Lucy Oluebubechukwu
2019/245600
Ibegbulam Emmanuella Chinonye
2019/251066
Nkpadigbo favour
2020/248133
Mmoya patience oluchukwu
2020/248936
Ibeh joy Chisom
2019/243971
James Princewill kelechi
2020/246053
Inyiama Favour Chimka
2017/245818
ATTENDANCE
Introduction to Balance Diet
What is a Balanced Diet?
A Balanced Diet has a whole lot of definitions but, generally we can say that a Balanced
diet is a meal set composed of the various nutrients which the body needs for
maintenance, repair, thriving processes, growth and development. In short, it is a diet
which meets in full, all the nutritional needs of a person. It is as well worthy of note that
a Balanced diet enables us to get all the required nutrients without exceeding the
recommended calorie intake per day required to maintain the body weight which is 2000
calories for women and 2500 calories for men.
Ideal Diet.
An Ideal Diet would be defined as A meal that is scientifically considered a perfect diet
and can be consumed at whatever condition a person is in. Due to this...there is no
such thing as an Ideal Diet because such a diet is a matter of individual requirements on
means to supply essential elements, we're all human but we have different nutritional
requirements depending on our present condition as well as our bodies vary.
Factors to consider when nutritious meals are planned.





Regional availability of food.
Economic conditions.
Taste preferences.
Age of family members.
Cooking skills etc.
Definitions and Brief History of Food Plan.
A food plan is simply defined as a step by step procedure in ensuring that a meal set is
balanced. And while we acknowledge the fact that the United Nations World Health
Organization (U.N.W.H.O) is constantly working to educate the world on the Importance
of planning nutritious meals, we might as well look at a brief history of how food
planning came about.
Now at first, in 1943, during world war II...The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) introduced a Nutrition guide, promoting the basic 7 food group which were;
1. Green and yellow vegetables...
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Oranges, Tomatoes and Grape fruit...
Potatoes and other Vegetables and fruits.
Milk and Milk Products.
Meat, Poultry, Fish or Eggs.
Bread, Flour and Cereals.
Butter and Fortified Margarine.
But later on, in 1956, the Institute of Home Economics Agricultural Research Service,
regrouped these 7 into 4 group plans simply by grouping foods of similar origins and
nutritive value together. Which means that out of these 7, the first three fruit and
vegetables groups were merged into 1...while group 7 (Butter and Fortified Margarine)
was completely eliminated. Reason being that it was believed that fats no longer
needed to be emphasized due to the increase in consumption and the possible
relationship between fat intake and atherosclerosis..which is the build up of fats,
Cholesterol and other substances in and on the artery walls, Leaving us with just the 4
food group plan used today!.
The Nutritive Value of the 4 Groups of Food
Basically, based on the origin and nutritive value, food are grouped into four (4).
1. Milk and milk products.
2. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes and nuts.
3. Vegetables and fruits.
4. Bread and cereal products.
1. Milk and milk products: Milk is the first food for humans, and it is seen as the only
richest natural food in terms of the nutritional elements the body needs. Similarly, it
provides many of the nutritional elements necessary for the growth and maintenance of
the human body, in adequate amounts.
The human body is in need of milk and its properties throughout its life as it is useful for
all ages and groups.
Milk is a complex fluid containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. The
main protein in milk is casein and it constitutes 3.0-3.5 percent of milk. The fat content
of milk varies from 3.5 percent in cow’s milk to about 8.0 percent in buffalo’s milk. Fat is
present in the form of fine globules varying in diameter from 1 to
10µm(micrometers).Milk also contains phospholipids and cholesterol.
Lactose is the sugar present in milk. The important minerals in milk are calcium,
phosphorus, sodium and potassium. Milk is an excellent source of riboflavin and a good
source of Vitamin A. However, milk is a poor source of iron and ascorbic acid. The small
amount of iron present is bio-available.
Milk Sources:
Milk can be obtained from many different sources, such as goats, cattle, buffalos, and
camels; yet, cow milk is the most popular.
Whatever the milk source is, it is greatly similar in terms of properties; however, the
proportions of the nutritional elements slightly vary from one source to another.
Milk products
Milk products are food products derived from milk; they include butter, cheese, ice
cream, yoghurt, khoa, ghee etc. They contribute to the nutritive value of the diet.
Milk Health Benefits:
• Building and Maintaining bone and teeth.
• Preventing cardiac diseases
• Keeping the blood pressure at a normal rate.
• Protecting against some types of cancer such as colon cancer.
• Keeping and improving the performance of the nerve system.
• Helping in growth
Improving the digestion process.
• Boosting the immunity.
•Protecting the eyesight.
• Maintaining the skin,
hair, and delicate membranes.
• Providing the body with energy.
2. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes and nuts.
Meat, fish and poultry are known as fresh foods, flesh food provides the body with
essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins for it to remain healthy.
Meat, fish, poultry and egg are animal proteins providing the body with essential amino
acids which help to promote growth and maintenance of the human body.
Meat:
Meat has an outstanding nutritive value, contributing substantial amount of high quality
proteins and essential minerals and vitamins to the diet. Meat contains 15- 20 percent
protein of high biological value. The proteins of meat are well utilized by the body, thus
ensuring a supply of essential amino acids necessary for growth and maintenance.
Meat contains enough iron, phosphorus, zinc and copper to rate as an important source
of these minerals.
Commonly consumed fish are carp, rohu, sardine, mackerel pomfrets, seer fish,
prawns, ribbons fish, sole, Bombay duck, catfish and crab.
The composition of fish varies. Fish are not good source of energy because they are not
good sources of carbohydrate and fat.
• Carbohydrate: The shell fish has less fat and more carbohydrate than fin fish. Like
meat, fish contain some glycogen in muscle tissues. In the live fish, glycogen is the
source of stored energy. Oysters are notable for their high content of glycogen.
• Protein : Fish is an excellent source of protein due to its quality and quantity. They
contain around 20% protein. The biological value of fish protein is 80. Fish is rich in
lysine and methionine hence it has supplementary value with cereals and pulses.
• Fat: Fish contains less amount of fat compared to meat and poultry. Fresh water fish
contains eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid which are w-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids.
•Minerals: Fish is rich in calcium particularly small fish when eaten with bones. Marine
fish are good sources of iodine, selenium and fluoride. Selenium is a powerful
antioxidant. Oysters are good source of copper and iron. Sodium content of freshwater
fish is slightly less than meat. Shell fish such as oysters are nature’s richest source of
zinc. The bioavailability of iron and zinc is higher in fish than plant foods.
•Vitamins: Sea foods contain significant amounts of vitamin B12 especially shell fishes.
Fish liver oils are excellent source of fat-soluble vitamins. Shark liver oil contains
10,000-24,000 IU of vitamin A per gram of oil. Rohu contains vitamin C. Fish are good
source of niacin and vitamin D. Sea foods contain significant amounts of vitamin B12
especially shell fishes.
•*Poultry*
Poultry meat has high protein content (about 25 percent) and is comparable in quality
and nutritive value to other meats. It contains all the essential amino acids required for
building body tissues. There is a little fat on the meat of young birds, but the fat content
is influenced by age and species of poultry.
•Egg
The white of the egg (albumin) consists of largely water with no fat or carbohydrate but
contains 8-12 percent protein. Different types of proteins are present in egg white like
ovalbumin, conalbumin, ovamucoid, ovomucin and avidin. The protein ovomucin is
responsible for the jelly-like character of egg white and thickness of the albumin. Avidin
binds with biotin and makes the vitamin unavailable. But avidin is denatured by heat and
thus cooked egg does not affect the availability of biotin.
Egg yolk comprises mostly 25-33 percent of fat and 15-17 percent protein and the
remaining water. The major proteins in egg yolk are lipoproteins which include
lipovitellins and lipovitellinin. These lipoproteins are responsible for the excellent
emulsifying properties of egg yolk, when it is used in products such as mayonnaise.
Eggs are an excellent and relatively cheap source of high biological value protein. Egg
proteins have an excellent supplementary value to all other plant protein foods. Hence a
combination of eggs with any of the cereal or cereal pulse mixture will enhance the
protein quality of food.
They also provide vitamins A, D, E and riboflavin. Egg yolk is a good source of carotene
and iron. Egg is one of the richest sources of lecithin- a phospholipid which forms a part
of the structure of every cell wall in the body. Egg also provides essential fatty acids like
linoleic acid and arachidonic acid.
Legumes proteins have low biological values and nuts even though they contain protein
in good amount have high-fat content which limits their consumption.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, & CEREALS
Fruits and vegetables & Cereals are the last two food groups of the four groups in the
new food grouping system. Fruits and veggies are not things we have never heard of, or
seen, or even ingested before. There are cashew trees everywhere, mango trees in our
compounds and on our streets, orange trees; there is the star apple (udara), black
tamarind (icheku), the citrus group of fruits, the pineapple, and so on. What about the
vegetables? We have the broccoli, turnip, the spinach, cabbage, onions, carrot and the
rest of them. Yes! Carrot is a vegetable.
Biologically, a fruit is defined as a mature, ripened ovary, along with the contents of the
ovary. Vegetables are defined as the edible part of a herbaceous plant.
Fruits and vegetables are good sources of fibre, vitamins, and minerals;
Fruits like citrus fruits, strawberries, pineapple are good sources of Vitamin C.
Vegetables like tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, green pepper are good sources of Vitamin
C.
Yellow, red and green leafy vegetables like Spinach, Carrots, Sweet potatoes,
Tomatoes, Red peppers and Onions are good sources of Vitamin A. Mango and
pawpaw are also good sources of Vitamin A.
Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, turnip, broccoli) are higher in Calcium, Iron,
Vitamin C, and the B Vitamins than the other vegetables.
Lettuce, cabbage, and other light green vegetables are especially important for their
cellulose content.
Though most vegetables and fruits are low in protein, fat, carbohydrate content and
energy value, vegetables of the seed, root and tuber classes he corn, green peas,
sweet and Irish potatoes tend to be high in carbohydrate content because starch is
stored in these areas of the plant.
IMPORTANCE
The importance of fruits and vegetables can never be overemphasized. Some of them
are:
1. Fruits and vegetables supply dietary fiber and fiber intake is linked to lower incidence
of cardiovascular disease and obesity.
2. Citrus, fruits, apples, bananas have a moderate effect on blood pressure and
cholesterol levels. They decrease bad cholesterol (Low density lipids) and increase
good cholesterol (High Density Cholesterol).
3. Nutrients from fruits and vegetables aid growth, immunity and digestion.
4. They reduce the risk of being overweight; Non-starchy vegetables and fruits like
apples, pears and green leafy vegetables may promote weight loss. Their low glycemic
loads prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase hunger (Fiber slows down digestion,
it slows down how quickly your body responds to the carbohydrates you eat i.e glycemic
load, and can help you better manage your insulin and blood-sugar response to food)
CEREALS
A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain. Examples are:
maize, rice, millet, sorghum, rye, oats, wheat.
In their whole grain form, cereals are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates,
fats, oils and proteins. You can call them all-rounders!! They also contain some
cellulose and incomplete protein.
IMPORTANCE
Some of its importance include:
1. Cereals can be used to make bread and pasta
2. Brown rice helps in weight loss, controls blood sugar and cholesterol levels and aids
digestion.
3. Wheat helps to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
4. Corn contains Vitamin C; an antioxidant which helps protect your cells from damage
and wards off diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Importance Of Balance Diet
A balanced diet plays a crucial role in maintaining optimal health and well-being. It refers to the
intake of a variety of nutrients in appropriate proportions to meet the body's nutritional
requirements. This paper explores the profound significance of a balanced diet and its direct
impact on various health conditions such as Body Mass Index (BMI), atherosclerosis, diabetes,
and cancer. By understanding the relationship between a balanced diet and these health
concerns, we can appreciate the significance of maintaining a nutritious and well-rounded eating
pattern.
Body:
Body Mass Index (BMI):
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a widely used indicator to assess body weight relative to height. A
balanced diet is fundamental for achieving and maintaining a healthy BMI. Consuming a wellbalanced combination of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) along with essential
micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) promotes weight management and prevents both
underweight and overweight conditions. A balanced diet provides adequate energy without
excessive calories, helping to prevent obesity-related complications such as cardiovascular
diseases, joint problems, and metabolic disorders.
Atherosclerosis:
Atherosclerosis is a condition characterized by the buildup of plaque in the arteries, leading to
reduced blood flow and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. A balanced diet, low in
saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium, while rich in fiber, antioxidants, and
unsaturated fats, can help prevent and manage atherosclerosis. Whole grains, fruits,
vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats (e.g., found in nuts, seeds, and fish) support
cardiovascular health by reducing cholesterol levels, maintaining blood pressure, and improving
blood vessel function.
Diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood sugar levels. A
balanced diet plays a pivotal role in preventing and managing diabetes. Emphasizing whole
foods, including complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats, helps regulate blood
glucose levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of diabetes complications. A
balanced diet also aids in weight management, a critical factor in preventing the onset of type 2
diabetes.
Cancer:
While diet alone cannot guarantee the prevention of cancer, a balanced diet can contribute
significantly to reducing the risk of certain types of cancers. Consuming a variety of plant-based
foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts provides essential vitamins,
minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals that possess anticancer properties. Antioxidants found in
these foods help neutralize free radicals and protect cells from damage. Additionally, a balanced
diet promotes a healthy body weight, which is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers,
including breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancers.
Conclusion:
A balanced diet is a cornerstone of good health and well-being. It plays a crucial role in
maintaining an optimal body weight, preventing conditions like obesity and undernutrition, and
reducing the risk of various health issues such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and certain types of
cancer. By adopting a balanced eating pattern that includes a wide range of nutrient-rich foods,
individuals can enhance their overall health, promote longevity, and mitigate the risks
associated with inadequate nutrition. Emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet and
promoting its adoption is key to fostering healthier lifestyles and reducing the burden of chronic
diseases in society.