. In certain areas of the world, drinking water is deficient in flurine

water. In certain areas of the world, drinking water is deficient in flurine. That is why fluoride ion is added to the water supply to the extent of 1 ppm (part per million) in some countries. FIBERS AND ROUGHAGE Leafy vegetables containing a cellulose or hemicellulose coating, are indigestible in hunan intestine. Hence if such substances are present, they tend to increase the bulk of the feces and mass peristalsis' (chap. 3.7. defecation) is favored, and constipation can be avoided. Great amounts of leafy vegetables however can produce diarrhea. Plant components (cellulose/nemicellulose/pectins/lignins etc) which cannot be digested by the enzymes of our digestive tract are collectively called fibers. Strong evidences indicate that, lack of fibers in the diet predispose colorectal cancer, breast cancer, diverticulosis and coronary heart disease. Grams, peas and dal contain good deal of indigestible vegetable fibers. FOOD HABITS, TABOOS, COST. Food habits must be considered. Thus a Bengalee likes fish and rice whereas a North Indian non-vegetarian likes wheat and meat. Religious taboos are too well known. Thus, a Hindu nonvegetarian wil not take beef whereas a Muslim will not touch pork. Many Hindus (including Jains and some Sikhs) are strict vegetarians, although most of them take milk. Such religious flats should be remembered and respected while formulating the diet and alternatives to the tabooed food should be priscribed. Cost also is to be consid-ered. Animal proteins in general are costly products. Many fruits are expensive although they have no special advantage over the cheaper fruits. LOSS Cooking, particularly in Indian way, causes much wastage. The classical Bengalee cooking deserves more condemnation. The habit of discarding the water after boiling rice (thus causing loss of water soluble vitamins, some quantities of aibumin and starch). extensive discarding or the skin of vegetables, hard frying in oils all cause variable loss of food vitamins. Digestibility is another important consideration. Some proteins, particularly dal and peas lose some of thaeir values because of lack of easy digestibility. In an average menu, loss due to cooking and indigestibility together may account for about 10% of the food value. THE BALANCED DIET CHART with the background mentioned above, a diet chart for a healthy young adult male may be set as an erample. The term balanced diet means a diet which is complete in all respects. (i e . it is not lacking in any respect) at the same time it contains no excess of any item that may cause harm to the body. The following should be noted :The calorie requirement varies from person to person and in the same person from time to time. To adjust the, carbohydrate (rice, wheat, potato, sugar, jaggery and so on) and fats and oils (butter, ghee, cooking oil) should primarily be adjusted whereas. ordinarily, protien should not be considered for adjustments of calories. SOME COMMON FOODS. Common articles of food may be divided as follows. I. Meat, fish, egg Sources of animal protein (meat about 20%, fish same as meat, egg about 14%). Proteins are of very high quantity. Disadvantage is high cost. However, because of the Government policy of encouraging poultry in most states of India, price of egg is not high. The associated fat (in ordinary butcher's cut of meat) is however saturated and its ingestion predisposes to atherosclerosis. II. Milk, milk products (excludrig ghee/butter). Milk is almost a complete food, very high quality protein (though not as high as in Gr. I), for details, see later. III. Grains (cereal) :Rice and wheat. Rich in starch and contain between 7 to 10% protein. Protein is of good quality. Deficient in fat, cheap. Table 7.16.1: Balanced diet (for non rich and moderately working man) Food vegetarian. Non vegetarian lacto vegetarian gms/day gms/day. Cereals rice/wheat 350 350 Pulses (dal), gram 90 60 Meat/fish . 60 Milk 300 100 vegetables (pulbul, ladies finger, cauliflowers, 100 100 carrot, brinjal etc. Potato 75 75 Green leafy vegetables 100 100 Egg one (about 60 gms) Fats and oils (crooking oil, butter/ghee, fat 50 40 associated with meat) Sugar and jaggery 40 40 Lemon one one Seasonal fruits some helps some helps N.B.: Values are approximate only. Important. See that, (othere is enough fibers in the diet (to prevent colorectal cancer, breast cancer, antherosclerosis), (ii) plenty of carotenoids are taken (to prevent cancer lung, breast cancer). (iii) fat, particularly saturated fat intake is low (iv) NaCl is restricted and finally (v) sugar intake is low. IV. Pulses (dal) and legumes. Dal. Rich in protein but poor in fat. Protein is somewhat less digestible and of lower qualify. It is the most important protein supplier throughout whole of lndia excepting marginal areas of North East india. Because of its impotance to the nation, the Government of India is trying very hard to improve the national yield of dal Protein content of the dry dal is between 20% to 25%, cheap. Byumes, usually the dried peas and beans are meant. Soyabean is also a kind of legume. They contain high amount of vegetable protein. The major protein supplier in Latin American counties is, kidney bean, which they consume in large quantity. Soyabean contains approximately 40% protein and 17% fat V. Nuts (peanuts, alrnonds, walnuts, ground nuts, etc) :very rich in fat (about 40%) and protein (about 25%) content is amost equal to dal. IV. Roots and tubers :Potato and sweet potato are examples oftubers.: They are rich in starch but poor in fat. Carrot and beet roots are examples of roots. Beet is a rich source of sugar like sucrose but not of starch. Protein content is very low. Carrot has protective effects against lung and breast cancers. VII. Green vegetables :Green leafy vegetables are primarily taken to increase the bulk of food and to avoid constipation. Other vegetables Iike brinjai, pulbul,lady's finger etc. are low in calories. MILK Milk is almost a complete food containing protein, carbohydrate and fat as well as the important vitamins and minerals. Milk however. is deficient in iron. Old people living in isolation and depending mostly on milk and bread (not fortified with iron) can thus develop anemia. which is sometimes called 'milk injury'. The protein of milk is of very high biological value(i.e., high quality protein). The composition of milk varies from species to species. Thus,