New Delhi, September 4 (IANS). ‘National Nutrition Week’ is celebrated every year from September 1 to 7. Its purpose is to create awareness about the importance of nutrition for good health. Let us tell you about those 15 nutrients which are very important for the body.
In today’s busy life, it is very important to have a healthy diet. Just like petrol and diesel are required for an engine, food is needed to run the body. With time, our eating habits have also changed. Our life style has changed, the brunt of which has to be borne by our body.
We are playing with our health knowingly or unknowingly. We eat food but do not pay attention to whether the body is getting the required amount of nutrition or not. We know its importance but due to many reasons, especially children are not able to consume the required amount of nutrition and become victims of malnutrition.
The concept of ‘NNW’ was first introduced in the United States by the American Dietetics Association in March 1973. Nutrition in India started in 1982, during which the highest number of children in the country were suffering from malnutrition. To overcome this problem, it was decided to celebrate National Nutrition Week. This year the theme of ‘National Nutrition Week’ is ‘Nutritious Diet for All’.
Vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, water and carbohydrates are essential for a healthy body. These essential nutrients are divided into two categories. The first is micronutrients which include vitamins and minerals. Macronutrients are those nutrients which are needed more by the body. These include water, proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
For a healthy body, it is very important to include nutrients like calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin E, iodine, iron, riboflavin, folate, zinc, magnesium, selenium, thiamine, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 in the food.
All these nutrients help in making the body healthy and fit. Including these nutrients in the diet keeps the body away from many serious diseases. Apart from boosting the immune system, they keep the body fit.
–IANS
SM/FZ
