Foods such as rice, wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi etc are in this group. These supply energy or calories, protein, invisible fats. These foods also contribute iron, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and fiber.

Group 2. Pulses And Legumes.

The foodstuffs in this group are pulses and legumes (eg beans, soya beans, peas, Rajmah, Bengal grams etc). It provides energy, protein, invisible fat, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, folic acid, calcium, iron and fibres.

Group 3. Milk , Nuts and Meat Products.

They include milk, curd, skimmed milk, cheese, almonds, groundnuts, chicken, meat, liver, egg, fish and other flesh foods. All these foodstuffs supply mainly protein, fat, calcium and vitamin B2.

Group 4. Fruits And Vegetables.

These include green leafy vegetables, yellow or orange fruits and vegetables such as papaya, mango, carrots,tomato, pumpkin, stems, leaves and flowers of plants, ladies finger, bringals, bittergourds and other gourds, cabbage, cauliflower, drumsticks. Fruits such as amla, lemons, orange are rich in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin C and calcium, iron and folic acid. They also contribute half of vitamin A requirement. Other major nutrients are invisible fat, vitamin B2 and fibre. They provide variety in taste and texture and furnish roughage in the diet.

Group 5. Fats And Sugars

All these foodstuffs supply energy or calories - vegetable oils, vanaspathi, ghee, cream, sugar and jaggery. This group constitutes about 1/6th of the energy value of the diet and provides essential fatty acids, but does not add appreciably to the protein, mineral or vitamin adequately. Oils should be used sparingly in the diet. They add taste and flavour to the food. In India, commonly available cooking oils include mustard oil, coconut oil, gingelly oil, groundnut oil, palmolein oil, and sunflower oil.

People eat large amounts of foods but still they suffer from malnutrition because they are consuming an unbalanced diet. Eating too much or unbalanced diets such as more of complex carbohydrates and fats can lead to obesity and therefore increase the risk of serious conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes mellitus.

Diets containing foodstuffs drawn from each of the food groups supply all essential nutrients in adequate amounts and keep a majority of individuals consuming them in a good state of health.

Even though the recommended balance of foods applies to most people of all ethnic origins and those who are over weight, few individual variations can be there. Infants under two years of age for example should be given milk products, which is not skimmed. They also need more dairy foods than adults. But between the ages of two and five children make a gradual transition on to family foods - the balanced diet chart or food pyramid begin to apply. People with special dietary needs and those under medical supervision should check with their doctor or nutritionist to see if this balance of foods is suited to them.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are no substitutes for good eating habits. The majority of people will meet all their nutritional requirements by following the basic guidelines out lined in the balanced diet chart or food pyramid.