1. The document discusses nutrients and food groups that make up a complete and balanced diet. It identifies macronutrients like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, and fiber and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. 2. Foods are classified into six groups: milk and eggs, meat/poultry/fish, fats and oils, cereals/pulses/potatoes/sugars, vegetables, and fruit. 3. An optimum diet is complete, using foods from each group, and balanced, with the correct proportions of 55-60% carbohydrates, 30% lipids, and 15

1. 1. FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL
SUBSTANCES
1.1. Nutrients
1.2. Groups of foods
2. A COMPLETE AND BALANCED
DIET
2.1. Criteria for an adequate diet

2. Nutritional substances are those chemical compounds which are found in food and
which we use to obtain energy and to build the matter which goes to make up our cells.
NUTRITIONAL SUBSTANCES
GLUCIDS LIPIDS
(also called MINERAL
SUGARS OR PROTEINS WATER VITAMINS
or SUBSTANCES
CARBOHYDRATES)
FATS

3. NUTRIENTS
MACRO-NUTRIENTS MICRONUTRIENTS
We need very small quantities
They are the majority
of these substances, but their
components of food absence causes serious disorders.
MINERAL
GLUCIDS LIPIDS PROTEINS WATER FIBRE VITAMINS
SALTS

4. MACRO-NUTRIENTS:
a.1.) Glucids or carbohydrates: a.2.) Lipids or fats:
their main function in the body is they have many functions, but the
to provide energy. The most most important is that of providing
common glucids in our diet are energy. They are, together with
starches which can be found in proteins, which form the cellular
pulses, potatoes, etc., and simple
sugars like glucose and membrane of the cells.
saccharose.
Some examples of pulses:
chickpeas, beans, …
They can be found in vegetable
oils (olive oil, sunflower oil, etc.)
and in animal fats (lard, fat and
butter).

5. a.3.) Proteins: these are necessary for building the matter that forms
r cells. We can obtain proteins from foods which have an animal origin
meat, fish and eggs) and a vegetable origin (pulses, cereals, etc.)
a.4.) Water: it is a fundamental a.5.) Fibre which comes from
component of living matter. vegetables is also a glucid. It is
necessary for helping the food to
We need to take three litres pass through the intestine.
of water a day: one and half
litres comes from food and
the rest we must drink.

6. b) MICRO-NUTRIENTS
b.1.)The most well-known b.2.)Minerals are also
micro-nutrients are micro-nutrients, chemical
vitamins. We need very elements that we also
small quantities of these
substances, but their need in small quantities.
absence causes serious Examples: iron (blood),
disorders. magnesium, sodium, potassium,
phosphorous, fluoride, etc.
EXAMPLES OF VITAMINS
VITAMINS Foods where they are found
A( retinol) Carrots, spinach, parsley
B1 (thiamine) Eggs, peanuts, pulses
Sardines and fresh
B6 (pyridoxine)
anchovies, lentils
Kiwis, red peppers, citrus
C (ascorbic acid)
fruits
D (calciferol) Produced by the skin

7. 1.2. Groups of foods
There are different ways of grouping together the food we need
for a healthy diet: the “FOOD WHEEL” or the “FOOD PYRAMID” are
some examples. They help us to choose the adequate food.
We are going to classify as Grande Covian did. He was a Spanish
nutritionist. This classification divides food into six groups, according to
both their origin and their nutrients.

8. The six groups are as follows:
GROUP 1. MILK, MILK DERIVATES AND GROUP 2. MEAT, POULTRY AND
EGGS
FISH
These are a source of proteins, vitamins and
Basically, these provide us with
calcium.
proteins.
GROUP 3. FATS AND OILS
GROUP 4. CEREALS, PULSES, POTATOES
AND SUGARS
These include animal fats like butter and
vegetable oils. Eaten in moderation they
provide the lipids we need.
These provide proteins and glucids

9. GROUP 5. VEGETABLES GROUP 6. FRUIT
These are a source of vitamins and fibre These provide glucids, vitamins and
fibre

10. An optimum diet is a complete and balanced diet,
complete because it uses foods from each group and
balanced because we eat the correct proportion of each
food.
The diet varies in each person: the work, the age, illnesses,… and
many other factors have influence on diets
To know if our diet is complete and balanced or not, we
must use some criteria.
A COMPLETE AND BALANCED DIET (AUDIO):
http://lgfl.skoool.co.uk/content/keystage3/biology/pc/learningsteps/ABDLC/launch.html

11. 2.1.Criteria for an adequate diet
Diet should comply with the following key points:
- Food should provide just the right amount of energy for carrying out our activities and
for the development of the organism. An excess or defect in this energy supply will be
harmful.
- Diet should supply enough proteins, vitamins and minerals. Once again, an excess or
defect in this energy supply will be harmful.
- With regard to the distribution of the foods which provide energy, this should be done as
follows:
DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD
FOOD PROPORTION
Rich in glucids 55-60% of total number
of calories
Rich in lipids 30% of total number of
calories
Rich in proteins 15% of total number of
calories

12. Other criteria to bear in mind:
We must eat 22 g of fibre a day which can be obtained from vegetables and
fruits
You should not eat more than 3g of salt a day. Any excess may cause
problems in the excretory apparatus and increases blood pressure.
Only 10% of calories should be obtained from simple glucids (sugars).
The maximum level of cholesterol per day is 300 g. An excess of this can
cause serious problems in the arteries.
Combine animal and vegetable proteins.
However, as you know, the most serious problems are brought through
malnutrition. A poor diet with little variation can cause serious illnesses.
MALNUTRITION: http://lgfl.skoool.co.uk/content/keystage3/biology/pc/learningsteps/MALLC/launch.html

13. Now is your turn!
Make a “FOOD WHEEL” or a “FOOD
PYRAMID” for a person of your age following
the criteria of a balanced diet.